Matthew’s Gospel, like all the canonical Gospels, is strictly anonymous, but the early church’s extant testimony is that it was written by Matthew, the former tax collector also called ‘Levi’ (Matt 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32). Matthew was early thought to have written originally “in the Hebrew language” prior to his departure from his own people, the Jews, to take the gospel elsewhere (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, 3.39.16; 3.24.5-6). However, no such Hebrew manuscript of Matthew’s Gospel has survived or is known. Even if was discovered, that would not necessarily prove its priority over notional Greek autographs. The early church witness that Matthew was the first to write his Gospel is reflected in its position in the New Testament as the first of the ‘Fourfold Gospel’.
Matthew likely viewed himself as a “scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven” (13:52). The Gospel's abundant Old Testament citations and allusions and Matthew’s position at the very beginning of the New Testament allows us to appreciate Matthew’s presentation of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes and promises.
Two points of Matthew's Gospel have been observed as narrative turning points from the perspective of Jesus' ministry: in 4:17, Jesus is said to begin to preach (Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν ); and in 16:21, Jesus is said to show the necessity of his death and resurrection to his disciples ( Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς δεικνύειν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀπελθεῖν καὶ πολλὰ παθεῖν [...] καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι). Such a structure reflects that of Mark (with the turning point of Peter's confession of the Christ at Caesarea Philippi). While helpful in itself, it doesn't account for the phenomena that Matthew alternates between narrative and discourse.
It has frequently been observed that Matthew records five large teaching blocks, composed of Jesus' discourses, sermons, or other modes of teaching. These are preceded and followed by narrative. The five discourses are: 'The Sermon on the Mount' (Matthew 5-7); 'The Instructions for the Mission of the Twelve' (Matthew 10); 'The Parables of the Kingdom' (Matthew 13); The Warnings about Sin and Instructions about Church Discipline (Matthew 18); and The Seven Woes over the Scribes and Pharisees, the Olivet Discourse, and the Parables of Judgment (Matthew 23-25).
Matthew 1:1-25: The Generation of God With Us
Jesus in Bethlehem (1:18-2:13)
Matthew 2:1-23: Three Kings’ meet Two Kings, But One King Rules over all
Jesus in Egypt (2:14-20) and Nazareth in Galilee (2:21-23)
Matthew 3:1-17: The Prophet Preparing the People: John the Baptist
Jesus in the wilderness of Judea at the Jordan River (3:1, 13-17)
Matthew 4:1-11: Jesus Tempted in the Desert
Jesus in the Judean wilderness, pinnacle of the temple, very high mountain (4:1-1 1)
JESUS PROCLAMATION FROM THAT TIME ON
4:17: From then Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near” || Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς κηρύσσειν καὶ λέγειν· μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
Matthew 4:12-25: Jesus, Light of the World, Fisher of Men
Jesus withdraws to live in Capernaum by the sea in Galilee and ministering throughout Galilee (4:12-25)
Jesus goes up a mountain in Galilee (5:1-8:1)
Matthew 5:1-16: Sermon on the Mount No 1: The Blessings of Discipleship & Becoming Salt and Light
Matthew 5:17-32: Sermon on the Mount No 2: The True Nature of the Law Christ Comes To Fulfil
Matthew 5:33-42: Sermon on the Mount No 3: Not Swearing But Truth telling; Not Justice But Mercy
Matthew 5:43-48: Sermon on the Mount No 4: Love Your Enemy
Matthew 6:1-18: Sermon on the Mount No 5: Secrecy Safeguards Sincerity
Matthew 6:19-35: Sermon on the Mount No 6: Single Minded Discipleship
Matthew 7:1-6: Sermon on the Mount No 7: Judge Not Your Brother But Watch For the Pig, the Dog, and the False Prophet
Matthew 7:7-29: Sermon on the Mount No 8: The Giver of Good Gifts, The Golden Rule, the Narrow and Broad Ways, The False Prophet, The Wise and Foolish Builders
Jesus in Galilee going into Capernaum (8:1-17)
Matthew 8:1-17: Jesus' Authority over Sickness
Jesus goes to the other side of the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gadarenes (8:18-34)
Matthew 8:18-34: Jesus' Authority over His Followers, Nature, and Demons
Jesus returns to Capernaum and ministers throughout the cities and villages of Galilee and in the synagogues, and denounces Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum for not repenting (9:1-13:1)
Matthew 9:27-38: The Amazing Harvest
Matthew 10:1-23: Responding to an Urgent Call
Matthew 10:1-42: The Peace That Jesus Didn't Bring
Matthew 11:1-30: Rest for the Wise
Matthew 12:1-21: The Judgement of the Servant
Matthew 12:22-50: Jesus Offends Leaders, Lawyers, and His Family
Jesus went out from the house (probably, at Capernaum) to the shore of the sea of Galilee (13:1,-52)
Matthew 13:1-23: The Parables of the Kingdom (1): The Four Soils
Matthew 13:24-36: The Parables of the Kingdom (2): The Wheat and Weeds, The Mustard Seed, and The Yeast
Jesus returns to his hometown, Nazareth (13:53-58).
Jesus, hearing about John's death, withdraws by boat to a desolate place but is followed by a crowd (14:13-22) around the sea of Galilee.
Jesus prays atop a mountain (14:23-24) and then rejoins the disciples in the boat mid-lake (14:25-32).
Jesus crossed the lake and landed at Gennesaret (14:34-36)
Matthew 15:1-28: The Heart of the Problem, Faith to Take Crumbs
After meeting the Pharisees and Scribes who came from Jerusalem, Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon (15:21-28)
Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, went up a mountain (15:29-38)
Jesus went by boat to the region of Magadan (15:39-16:4) where Pharisees and Sadducees test him.
Matthew 16:1-12: The Wickedness of Asking Jesus For a Sign
Jesus returns to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (16:5) and come to the district of Caesarea Philippi (16:13-28).
JESUS' REVELATION FROM THAT TIME ON OF THE NECESSITY OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION
Matthew 16:21: From then on Jesus began to show his disciples that it is necessary for him to go into Jerusalem and to suffer many things [...] and to be killed and to rise on the third day || Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς δεικνύειν τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀπελθεῖν καὶ πολλὰ παθεῖν [...] καὶ ἀποκτανθῆναι καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐγερθῆναι.
Jesus ascends a high mountain with Peter, James, and John (17:1-8).
Matthew 17:1-14: Jesus' Transfiguration: A Glimpse of Who He Really Is
Jesus descends the mountain (17:9) and the disciples gathered in Galilee (17:22), and went to Capernaum (17:24).
Matthew 17:14-27: Jesus Dispels the Demon, Predicts his Death, and Pays the Temple Tax
Matthew 18:15-35: Jesus' Way of Dealing With Sin: Rebuke and Forgive!
Jesus finished these sayings, went away from Galilee and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan (19:1).
Jesus going up to Jerusalem (19:17-18).
Matthew 19:13-30: Little Ones Come, and A Big One Leaves: The Little Children and the Rich Man
Matthew 20:1-19: The Grace That Creates A Scandal: The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard
Jesus going out of Jericho (20:29).
Jesus draws near to Jerusalem and comes to Bethpage and the Mount of Olives (21:1) and then enters Jerusalem (21:10) and the temple (21:11). Then Jesus went out of Jerusalem and stayed overnight at Bethpage (21:17). Jesus returns to Jerusalem in the morning (21:18) and entered the temple (21:23), dialoguing with the religious leaders and teaching the people .
Matthew 21:33-46: The Recklessly Extravagant Sending of the Son: The Parable of the Tenants
Jesus left the temple (24:1) and sat on the Mount of Olives (24:3) with his disciples.
Matthew 25:1-13: The Wise Preparation For Christ's Coming: The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Jesus finished all these sayings on the Mount of Olives (26:1) and reminded his disciples of his coming death and resurrection (26:2). Then Jesus went to Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper (26:6). Then on the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples prepare the passover feast in the house of a certain man in the city (26:17-19). In the evening Jesus ate the passover (26:20-29). After the meal, they sung a hymn and went out again to the Mount of Olives (26:30-35), to Gethsemane (26:36-56). There Jesus was arrested and led to Caiaphas house (26:57-75). From there Jesus was delivered to Pilate the governor (27:1, 11): after his condemnation, Jesus is abused in the governor's headquarters (27:27) and then led away to Golgotha (27:32), where he was crucified.
Matthew 27:27-56: The Death of Jesus as Planned: God Forsaken God: A Good Friday Sermon
Jesus' body is laid in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb (27:57). At dawn on the first day of the week, the Risen Jesus meets Mary Magdalene and the other Mary after they left the angel at the tomb (28:9). They are told to tell the brothers (i.e., disciples) to go to Galilee (28:10). The eleven go to Galilee (28:16) to the mountain that Jesus had directed them, and receive the Great Commision (28:16-20) from the Risen Jesus.
Matthew 27:62-28:20: The Resurrection of Jesus: Appears To Women, the Jewish Leaders’ Explanation, and the Light from Galilee to the Nations: An Easter Day Sermon