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Matthew, Volume 1 (1)
Volumes in New Word Biblical New Testament series offer short, accessible studies of the key themes of each book of the New Testament.
Each volume offers an introduction to the book, a brief exposition of the text with its basic background and a survey of its contents, an overview of its themes, and a deeper look at 3-5 key themes for understanding the book and for preaching and teaching.
Each volume offers an introduction to the book, a brief exposition of the text with its basic background and a survey of its contents, an overview of its themes, and a deeper look at 3-5 key themes for understanding the book and for preaching and teaching.
240 pages, Paperback
Published October 28, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 29, 2025
If you’re looking for a standard commentary, this will be weird. If, however, you’re looking for a scholarly-level overview approach, this fits the bill. Excellent approach to the overall themes found in Matthew’s gospel.
December 27, 2025
I didn’t have huge hopes for this volume. The author studied at a once great theological seminary, but attended after it had been sabotaged by denominational politics. As a result, most of the books I’ve read from graduate students of that era have offered very little innovative or provocative. In places, Word Biblical Themes: Matthew follows the pattern, but Patrick Schreiner has built the entire book around a bold and innovative assertion. He contends that the theme of the book is found in the baptismal scene of Matthew 3:5 where the gospel writer observes that Jesus’ baptism occurred to fulfill all righteousness (p. 7). He builds on Israel’s spiritual exile into sin and rebellion as the main problem (pp. 36-61) solved by the idea that Jesus “fulfills all righteousness” (pp. 62-85) which He does by demonstrating His role as Jewish Messiah (pp, 86-111), as Son of God (pp. 112-134), satisfying the Law’s requirements (pp. 135-157), creating a new community (pp. 158-182), and announcing the ingdom of heaven (pp. 183-202). In addition, I enjoyed some of the clever phrases Schreiner used, such as: “Matthew and Paul sing in the same choir, even though they sometimes sing in different registers.” (p. 62) He even suggested an idea that I had never considered: “When Jesus tells his disciples to ask for daily bread, this alludes not only to the Exodus tradition but also recalls the bread of presence given to priests (Lev 24:5-9).” (p. 106)
So, if I see these positives, why do I have reservations? One is that Schreiner accepts early church traditions on authorship, while ignoring the fact that those early church traditions thought there was a Hebrew original of the gospel (highly improbable), and this seems like cherry-picking (p. 16).
Although I agree with him that the forward-looking prophecies of the temple’s destruction did not have to be written after the year 70, I don’t trust his very positive assurances of a mid-to-late 60s gospel, either (p. 23) since they seem all too dependent on temple customs in 5:23-24, 8:4, and 17:24-27 (p. 22) would make sense during Jesus’ ministry, even if Matthew wasn’t completed until after 70. I was concerned that he used a structure verbatim on p. 29 that was previously published in a book by David R. Nienhuis of Seattle Pacific University with no citation. Further, I’m not convinced that Jesus’ baptism is quite the parallel that Schreiner maintains when he says that Jesus removing His robes for baptism reveals His glory like the Transfiguration revelation (p. 114). But, He isn’t revealed in glory until the Spirit appears as a dove and, even then, we aren’t sure exactly who in the crowd heard it. And when he compares the formation of Israel in the wilderness with Exile (p. 137), it seems like a stretch.
Enough quibbling! This is a mostly solid book. I’m not always convinced by his arguments, but I am often pleased with them. And for all my bias, he cites a marvelous position from a dissertation (pp. 164-165, n. 4) at our former institution demonstrating how metanoia (repentance/turning around) is used in the five major discourses in Matthew: 1) Sermon on the Mount vs. double-mindedness, 2) Matthew 10 commissions disciples to proclaim metanoia, 3) Matthew 13 uses sermons to evoke metanoia, 4) Matthew 18 commands the follow-through of repentance by means of humility and servanthood, and 5) shows consequences of not demonstrating metanoia [citing Lee, Choongjai, “Metanoia (Repentance): A Major Theme of the Gospel of Matthew” (Louisville, KY: SBTS, 2018).]. I also very much appreciated his discussion of the Gentiles as the “second mission” in establishing the new people of God (pp 174-177).
Further, I believe Schreiner is absolutely right about the duality in God’s new people and Matthews exclusive use of ekklesia to: a) distinguish the church as called out from the synagogue, and b) to establish continuity with God’s qahal from the past (p. 177). I intend to make use of his nice chart demonstrating the correlation between Cyrus’ commissioning of the temple rebuilding in the post-exilic era and Jesus’ commissioning of the church as the new temple (p, 199). And I certainly agree with his near-conclusion: “However, while we are called to participate in this mission, it will only occur in full when the Son of Man returns. We can’t bring heaven to earth in its fullness. Only one can do that.” (p, 202).
I wasn’t originally convinced that Word Biblical Themes: Matthew would stay on my shelf, but as I indexed it in my personal style, argued with it in the margins, and annotated useful insights and concepts for future teaching, it grew on me.
So, if I see these positives, why do I have reservations? One is that Schreiner accepts early church traditions on authorship, while ignoring the fact that those early church traditions thought there was a Hebrew original of the gospel (highly improbable), and this seems like cherry-picking (p. 16).
Although I agree with him that the forward-looking prophecies of the temple’s destruction did not have to be written after the year 70, I don’t trust his very positive assurances of a mid-to-late 60s gospel, either (p. 23) since they seem all too dependent on temple customs in 5:23-24, 8:4, and 17:24-27 (p. 22) would make sense during Jesus’ ministry, even if Matthew wasn’t completed until after 70. I was concerned that he used a structure verbatim on p. 29 that was previously published in a book by David R. Nienhuis of Seattle Pacific University with no citation. Further, I’m not convinced that Jesus’ baptism is quite the parallel that Schreiner maintains when he says that Jesus removing His robes for baptism reveals His glory like the Transfiguration revelation (p. 114). But, He isn’t revealed in glory until the Spirit appears as a dove and, even then, we aren’t sure exactly who in the crowd heard it. And when he compares the formation of Israel in the wilderness with Exile (p. 137), it seems like a stretch.
Enough quibbling! This is a mostly solid book. I’m not always convinced by his arguments, but I am often pleased with them. And for all my bias, he cites a marvelous position from a dissertation (pp. 164-165, n. 4) at our former institution demonstrating how metanoia (repentance/turning around) is used in the five major discourses in Matthew: 1) Sermon on the Mount vs. double-mindedness, 2) Matthew 10 commissions disciples to proclaim metanoia, 3) Matthew 13 uses sermons to evoke metanoia, 4) Matthew 18 commands the follow-through of repentance by means of humility and servanthood, and 5) shows consequences of not demonstrating metanoia [citing Lee, Choongjai, “Metanoia (Repentance): A Major Theme of the Gospel of Matthew” (Louisville, KY: SBTS, 2018).]. I also very much appreciated his discussion of the Gentiles as the “second mission” in establishing the new people of God (pp 174-177).
Further, I believe Schreiner is absolutely right about the duality in God’s new people and Matthews exclusive use of ekklesia to: a) distinguish the church as called out from the synagogue, and b) to establish continuity with God’s qahal from the past (p. 177). I intend to make use of his nice chart demonstrating the correlation between Cyrus’ commissioning of the temple rebuilding in the post-exilic era and Jesus’ commissioning of the church as the new temple (p, 199). And I certainly agree with his near-conclusion: “However, while we are called to participate in this mission, it will only occur in full when the Son of Man returns. We can’t bring heaven to earth in its fullness. Only one can do that.” (p, 202).
I wasn’t originally convinced that Word Biblical Themes: Matthew would stay on my shelf, but as I indexed it in my personal style, argued with it in the margins, and annotated useful insights and concepts for future teaching, it grew on me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews