Matthew's Gospel, long a favorite of the church, has been the focus of scholarly scrutiny in recent decades. R.T. France's extended introduction to Matthew's Gospel surveys the perennial questions as well as major areas of recent research.
Richard Thomas France was a New Testament scholar and Anglican cleric, and Research Fellow in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, University of Wales, Bangor.
France's Introduction to Matthew is comprehensive, so comprehensive that I struggled to keep my eyes open reading it... Don't tackle this unless you have a scholarly level of interest in the background and themes in the book of Matthew.
France's Matthew: Evangelist and Teacher is an excellent extended introduction to the Gospel of Matthew. Though the first four chapters are somewhat boring and technical (but important!), chapters 5-7 are especially rewarding and beneficial. France's chapters on Fulfillment, Matthew and Israel, and Matthew's Gospel and the Church would greatly benefit anyone desiring to understand the Gospel of Matthew better. I found these chapters to be particularly enlightening and edifying.
Though the back of the book says that its designed for a non-specialist readership, some parts of the book may be difficult for those without formal education. However, with perseverance it could be beneficial for any Christian and student of the Bible!
Really good! Each section engages with the relevant literature. Some other author might have titled the book "Matthew's Theology" but France avoids this: the book is not about theology but about a person, Jesus.