The New Testament is a Jewish book, and no part of it is more Jewish than the Gospel of Matthew—the story of how God fulfilled His word to Israel and sent them His Messiah, who in turn carried out the work of redemption. The Gospel of Matthew was written to prove to the Jews that Jesus of Nazareth is indeed the Christ, the fulfillment of their Scriptures. It contains the most thorough and organized presentation of Christ’s teaching anywhere in Scripture. Thus the Gospel of Matthew is like the Christian Torah, the record of God’s words and deeds through Christ. Matthew’s Gospel also stresses the Church, since it is the true Israel, the holy remnant, whose message is to be taken to Jews (and Gentiles) everywhere.

About the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series

This commentary was written for your grandmother. And for your plumber, your banker, and the girl who serves you French Fries at the nearby McDonald's. That is, it was written for the average layperson, for the nonprofessional who feels a bit intimidated by the presence of copious footnotes, long bibliographies, and all those other things which so enrich the lives of academics. It is written for the pious Orthodox layman who is mystified by such things as Source Criticism, but who nonetheless wants to know what the Scriptures mean. Working from a literal translation of the original Greek, this commentary examines the text section by section, explaining its meaning in everyday language. Written from an Orthodox and patristic perspective, it maintains a balance between the devotional and the exegetical, feeding both the heart and the mind. About the Author

Archpriest Lawrence Farley currently pastors St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Mission (OCA) in Langley, B.C., Canada. He received his B.A. from Trinity College, Toronto, and his M.Div. from Wycliffe College, Toronto. A former Anglican priest, he converted to Orthodoxy in 1985 and studied for two years at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Seminary in Pennsylvania. He has also published A Daily Calendar of Saints.