The Pillar New Testament Commentary

General Editor

D. A. CARSON

The Gospel

according to

Matthew

Leon Morris

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

Copyright © 1992 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

255 Jefferson Ave. S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

All rights reserved.

First published 1992 in the United States of America by

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

First British edition 1992 by Inter-Varsity Press,

38 De Montfort Street, Leicester, England LE1 7GP

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Morris, Leon, 1914–

The Gospel according to Matthew / Leon Morris.

p. cm.—(A Pillar commentary)

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN 0-8028-3696-8 (cloth)

1. Bible. N.T. Matthew—Commentaries.

I. Bible. N.T. Matthew. English. Morris. 1992. II. Title. III. Series.

BS2575.3.M677 1992

226.2′077—dc20

92-15806

CIP

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is

available from the British Library.

ISBN 0-85111-338-9

Contents

Preface

Chief Abbreviations

INTRODUCTION

I. Distinctive Characteristics

A. Jewishness

B. Fulfilment in Christianity

C. Ecclesiastical Interest

D. Anti-Pharisaism

E. The Gentiles

F. Teaching

G. The Kingdom

II. Date

III. Place Of Origin

IV. Authorship

V. Sources

TEXT, EXPOSITION, AND NOTES

I. The Birth And Infancy Of Jesus, 1:1–2:23

A. The Genealogy of Jesus, 1:2–17

B. The Birth of Jesus, 1:18–25

C. The Infant Jesus, 2:1–23

1. The Visit of the Magi, 2:1–12

2. The Flight into Egypt, 2:13–15

3. The Killing of the Children of Bethlehem, 2:16–18

4. The Return from Egypt, 2:19–23

II. Preliminaries To Jesus’ Ministry, 3:1–4:11

A. John the Baptist, 3:1–17

1. John’s Preaching, 3:1–12

2. Jesus’ Baptism, 3:13–17

B. Jesus’ Temptation, 4:1–11

III. Jesus’ Ministry In Galilee, 4:12–13:52

A. Introduction, 4:12–17

B. The First Disciples and the First Teaching, 4:18–25

C. The Sermon on the Mount, 5:1–7:29

1. Introduction, 5:1–2

2. The Beatitudes, 5:3–12

3. Salt and Light, 5:13–16

4. Fulfilling the Law, 5:17–20

5. Applying the Law, 5:21–48

a. Murder, 5:21–26

b. Adultery, 5:27–30

c. Divorce, 5:31–32

d. Oaths, 5:33–37

e. Retaliation, 5:38–42

f. Love for Enemies, 5:43–48

6. Practicing Piety, 6:1–34

a. Almsgiving, 6:1–4

b. Prayer, 6:5–15

c. Fasting, 6:16–18

d. Possessions, 6:19–24

e. Anxiety and Trust, 6:25–34

7. Judging, 7:1–6

8. Prayer, 7:7–11

9. The Golden Rule, 7:12

10. True and False Discipleship, 7:13–27

11. Conclusion, 7:28–29

D. Jesus’ Ministry of Healing, 8:1–9:34

1. Three Healings, 8:1–17

a. Cleansing a Leper, 8:1–4

b. The Centurion’s Servant, 8:5–13

c. Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law and Others, 8:14–17

2. The Cost of Discipleship, 8:18–22

3. Three Wonders, 8:23–9:8

a. Calming a Storm, 8:23–27

b. The Gadarene Demoniacs, 8:28–34

c. Healing a Paralytic, 9:1–8

4. Discipleship, 9:9–17

a. The Calling of Matthew, 9:9–13

b. Fasting, 9:14–17

5. Three Stories of Healings, 9:18–34

a. A Sick Woman and a Dead Girl, 9:18–26

b. Two Blind Men, 9:27–31

c. A Dumb Demoniac, ...