Purpose and Audience
It is quite obvious and widely accepted that Matthew was written to the Jews. For one, he focuses on the fulfillment of the Old Testament, even quoting from it sixty-two times, which is more than any other Gospel writer. Secondly it is interesting that Matthew does not explain Jewish culture like the other evangelists (cf. Mark 7:3, John 19:40), which also adds to the argument that he is writing to Jews. Matthew uses the phrase, "kingdom of heaven," (the only author, in fact, to use this phrase) which can be considered as a "reverential Jewish expression" [12]—a term appropriate to a Jewish audience. His purpose in writing to the Jews was to show them that Jesus of Nazareth was the expected messiah and both his genealogy and his resurrection were legitimate proofs of this.
Themes
The overriding theme shows Jesus as the messiah, but there are also several minor themes, some of which directly relate to the major theme. These other themes include the kingdom of heaven, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders, Jesus as the fulfiller of the law, and the king who will return in the clouds.
Literary Structure, Coherence, and Unity
The structure of Matthew's Gospel is very remarkable. The Gospel can be divided into three parts: the prologue (1:1-2:23), the body (3:1-28:15), and the epilogue (28:16-20). Matthew constructed his body around five distinct discourses: the Sermon on the Mount (5:1-7:29), the Commissioning of the Apostles (10:1-42), Parables about the Kingdom (13:1-52), Relationships in the Kingdom (18:1-35), and the Olivet Discourse (24:1-25:46). [13] Each discourse also ends with a recognizable closing statement (7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, 26:1), for example: "When Jesus had finished saying these things...." Even more interesting are the intricate parallels between the first and fifth discourses, and the second and fourth discourses. This leaves the third discourse (Parables about the Kingdom) as the focal point. Though we are not sure about the comparison of Jesus' baptism with his death, there is a rather striking parallel between Emmanuel (1:23; lit. "God with us") and Jesus' last words, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age" (28:20). [14]
[1] A.W. Argyle. The Gospel According to Matthew. (London: Cambridge University Press, 1963), p. 1.
[2] Michael J. Wilkins "Disciples" in Joel B. Green, et al Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1992), p. 180.
[3] Robert Mounce. Matthew. (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 1.
[4] Hist. Eccl. 3.39.16 cf. 3.24.6 and 6.25.4
[5] The endnote in C. F. Cruse's of version of Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History (reprinted 1998) states the following, "The author here, doubtless means the Syro-Chaldaic, which sometimes Scripture and primitive writers called Hebrew."
[6] Ralph P. Martin. New Testament Foundations: Volume 1. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975), p. 240.
[7] Hist. Eccl. 3.39.15
[8] Robert Mounce. Matthew. (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 2.
[9] A.W. Argyle. The Gospel According to Matthew. (London: Cambridge University Press, 1963), p. 1.
[10] See Introduction to the Gospel According to Mark.
[11] Robert Mounce. Matthew. (Peabody, Mass: Hendrickson Publishers, 1991), p. 3
[12] R. E. Nixon. "Matthew"; in Donald Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary: Revised. (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1970), p. 814.
[13] As R. T. France points out, it is important to know that in Matthew's case, "the main divisions are still debated" amongst commentators. Matthew. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1985), p. 56.
[14] See R. E. Nixon. "Matthew"; in Donald Guthrie, et al., The New Bible Commentary: Revised. (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1970), p. 813.