Questions tagged [matthew]

The life of Jesus as presented by Matthew. The gospel covers His virginal birth to His death and resurrection. Matthew also presents Jesus as the Lion of Judah and the fulfillment of prophecy. It is placed first in the New Testament because many of the early church leaders believed it to be the first written. There are still a few scholars who hold to "Matthean priority."

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What does it mean that the Son did not know the hour of his return in Matthew 24:36 // Mark 13:32?

I'm little lost here. Can somebody please help me with this? We have these two verses concerning the day when (as introduced in Mark 13:26 // Mark 24:30) the Son of Man returns in glory: But of ...
Edgear's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
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What contingency is being expressed in Matthew 24:34 via the word "ἄν"?

In Matthew 24:34 (and Luke 21:32), Strong's word 302 is used, but most English translations don't include it. Strong's indicates that it generally denotes "supposition, wish, possibility or ...
Mr. Bultitude's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
298 views

Understanding of Matthew 25:31

I am reading from the book of Matthew at chapter 25:31 in the NIV bible and the heading is called "The Sheep and the Goats" and reads When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels ...
Bagpipes's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
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According to the Gospel of John, was Jesus always known as the Messiah?

The first mention to the title of Messiah (or Christ) in the Gospel of John is from Andrew testifying to Peter right after he met Jesus. John 1:41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to ...
Juan's user avatar
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3 votes
8 answers
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In Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21, what does the parable about the leaven in the flour say about the kingdom?

Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21. What does this mean? Matthew 13:33 (KJV): Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures ...
CDCB's user avatar
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1 answer
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Matt. 22:15-22 says, "Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."Did Jesus proclaim a separation of church and state?

Justice Clarence Thomas said recently "In our society, marriage is not simply a governmental institution; it is a religious institution as well. Today's decision might change the former, but it cannot ...
ir7's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
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Why are the disciples called "little" in Matthew?

At the end of the missionary discourse in Matthew, Jesus refers to his disciples as "little ones": 10:42 — "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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Parable of Ten Virgins: is Jesus' message "stay awake"?

In Matthew 25 Jesus gives the parable of the Ten Virgins. The point of the parable appears to be that one should be prepared. All ten of the virgins fall asleep. But then in verse 13 Jesus appears to ...
Jamie Jorgensen's user avatar
3 votes
4 answers
2k views

Difference in the number of demon-possessed men in gospels

Mark 5:1ff and Matthew 8:28ff talk about one demon possessed man and two demon possessed men respectively. How are the differences justified?
Abi John's user avatar
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What is the correct translation and meaning of Matt. 11:19?

Matt. 11:19 says,(KJV) " The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her ...
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Are Matthew 4:17 and 16:21 intended to provide structure to the gospel?

In the Gospel of Matthew there are two lines that seem to suggest a transition in Jesus' ministry and perhaps add some sort of structure to the gospel as a whole. The first is in 4:17 after Jesus ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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10 votes
11 answers
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What can we infer from the different nativity accounts in Matthew and Luke?

The gospels attributed to Matthew and Luke narrate very different stories about the birth of Jesus. Matthew says that Jesus' family was from Bethlehem, that wise men brought gifts to their home, that ...
Henrique Sousa's user avatar
8 votes
7 answers
9k views

Why is the greater love not to lay down one's life for one's *enemies*?

How are we to reconcile the following verses? Jn 15:13: Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. Mt 5:44,46-47: But I tell you, love your enemies and pray ...
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6 votes
1 answer
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Who is Matthew's intended audience for the Sermon on the Mount?

On another question, I've received several answers to the effect that the ethical teachings of the Sermon on the Mount aren't terribly relevant to Christians— that they were given to people ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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11 votes
3 answers
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"Is not life more than food?" - a call for perspective or an argument from the greater to the lesser?

On page 29 of "Battling Unbelief" by John Piper, he says that Matthew 6:25 is "an argument from the greater to the lesser": 25“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will ...
Jack Douglas's user avatar
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11 votes
4 answers
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Did houses only have one room 2000 years ago?

A possible implication of Matthew 5:15 is that houses generally had only one room: 15Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ...
Jack Douglas's user avatar
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8 votes
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Matt. 27:52 “tombs also were opened” apocalyptic symbolism?

Matt. 27:51b (NA28) ... καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐσείσθη καὶ αἱ πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν,  52 καὶ τὰ μνημεῖα ἀνεῴχθησαν καὶ πολλὰ σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθησαν,  53 καὶ ἐξελθόντες ἐκ τῶν μνημείων μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν ...
C. Stirling Bartholomew's user avatar
5 votes
5 answers
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Jesus said Resist Not Evil, what is the context?

Perhaps one of the most difficult verses to properly examine the context of is Matt. 5:39, But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to ...
Tau's user avatar
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What was the gospel being preached to the poor, that was of such good news? [closed]

Question: In any Scriptural context, is there a meaning of the "Gospel" that can be exegetically inferred? Or, is there any historical authority that explains why it is defined so vaguely? For ...
elika kohen's user avatar
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Did the disciples go out preaching to "Jews only"?

Acts 11:19 says, Now those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only (NKJV, ...
N. Walllace's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
515 views

1 Cor 7 27 and Matt. 19:11-12: Marriage vs. Celibacy

Paul in 1 Cor 7:27, says 25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that ...
Jesse P Francis's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
31k views

Do children have ‘guardian’ angels, according to Matthew 18:10?

In Matthew 18:10 it reads: "See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:10, NET, ...
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9 votes
4 answers
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What are the common solutions to the minor agreements of Matthew and Luke?

There are a number of points where Matthew and Luke agree against Mark in their reading, but which cannot be explained by their supposed reliance on the Q source. For instance, in the narrative of ...
Soldarnal's user avatar
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6 votes
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Matt 16:18 gates of hades will not "withstand" or "overcome" it - which one?

Basically most translations say: "gates of Hades will not overpower [the church]", one translation (Aramaic Bible in Plain English) says "gates of Sheol will not withstand it". My understanding of ...
Grantley's user avatar
18 votes
4 answers
16k views

Why was all of Jerusalem troubled at Jesus birth?

Matthew 2:3 states When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. It is understandable why Herod was troubled, considering that if the baby was the ...
Freedom_Ben's user avatar
13 votes
2 answers
662 views

Should Matthew 28:17b be understood in a "partitive" or "inclusive" sense?

There are two distinct linguistic issues in the latter part of Matthew 28:17, which reads this way (NA28 = SBL GNT = UBS4) - καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν προσεκύνησαν,a οἱ δὲ ἐδίστασαν. kai idontes auton ...
Dɑvïd's user avatar
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What exactly did the disciples doubt in Matt 28:17?

Jesus, after being resurrected, appeared to his eleven disciples on a mountain and was worshipped by them. Matt 28:17 says some of them doubted. What did they doubt? Was it his resurrection? ...
brewpixels's user avatar
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6 votes
1 answer
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“He has risen”?

I was just noticing this timely question on the English Language and Usage site concerning the Paschal Greeting from Matthew 28:6 (KJV): he is risen. This prompted me to wonder about the Greek. We ...
Susan's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
291 views

ὀλιγοπιστίαν vs ἀπιστίαν in Mat 17:20

Is their faith little or absent? ὀλιγοπιστίαν (little faith) is found in Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, but ἀπιστίαν (lack of faith) is in the textus receptus and the majority text and goes back, as far ...
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2 answers
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Healing of the Centurion's παῖς (servant, son?) in Matthew 8:5-13

I have heard it said that the Centurion in Matthew 8 was refering to his "παῖς" in the sense of servant or slave, and all translations seem to take it that way. I've heard people go on to say that ...
Paul Dean's user avatar
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3 votes
0 answers
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Is the use of the smallest possible example meant to indicate a complete absence of faith in Jesus sayings related to mustard seeds? [duplicate]

Jesus tells his disciples that they don't even have faith as big as a mustard seed: Τότε προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ κατ᾽ ἰδίαν εἶπον· διὰ τί ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἐκβαλεῖν αὐτό; ὁ δὲ λέγει ...
Paul Dean's user avatar
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8 votes
8 answers
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What was sinful about the acts that Jesus was tempted to perform?

In Matthew 4:1-11, the temptation of Jesus is described. He was tempted to: Turn stones into bread 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, ...
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7 votes
4 answers
57k views

Why Were there 12 Baskets of Leftovers when feeding 5000?

Mathew 14:16-20 (NIV) says: 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring ...
Joachin Joseph's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
292 views

Is "ordination" in Leviticus 8 the underlying concept of "fulfilled" in Matthew 5:17?

Leviticus 8:22 (ESV) reads: Then he presented the other ram, the ram of ordination, and Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram. The Hebrew word here translated "ordination" ...
Scott Somerville's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
104 views

What did Jesus mean when he said,"lead us not into temptation"? [duplicate]

I recently asked a question about free will. When I did some research into my question, I discovered another text in the new testament regarding how a follower of Christ should pray. I am interested ...
Bagpipes's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
675 views

Are the judgement's in Joel 3:2, Matthew 25:31-32, and Revelation 20:12 referring to the same event?

Joel 3:2 (ASV) 2 I will gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will execute judgment upon them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom ...
Dorothy's user avatar
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9 votes
3 answers
479 views

Should different but synonymous words be translated differently?

Background: On Matthew's account of the temptation of Jesus in the desert, the exchanges between the tempter and Jesus are recorded for three temptations. The last one ending with Jesus sending the ...
cnaak's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
335 views

Who was recording Jesus prayer? Mat 26

Does anyone have an idea who may be recording Jesus prayer in The Garden of Gethsemane (Mat 26:36-44)? I mean,Jesus three disciples were sleeping. One friend asked me this question some weeks ago and ...
Edgear's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
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Matt. 9:6: Translation of ἐγερθεὶς

The Greek text according to the: Textus Receptus ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁμαρτίας τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ Ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε ...
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2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Did Jesus subject Himself to the law of the land by paying the temple tax?

Did Jesus give in to political pressure by paying the temple tax as recorded in Matthew 17? But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you ...
Bench Novia Bensing's user avatar
18 votes
5 answers
9k views

Did Jesus read minds or perceive them?

In this passage, most English translations say "knowing their thoughts". In the footnote it says "perceiving" their thoughts. I feel like this is a pretty monumental difference as perceiving thoughts ...
LCIII's user avatar
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5 votes
7 answers
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Was Jesus’ commandment to "love enemies" (Matthew 5:43) meant literally?

Was Jesus’ commandment to his disciples to love their enemies in Matthew 5:43 intended to be understood literally? 43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your ...
user6509's user avatar
  • 169
6 votes
2 answers
10k views

Matthew vs Levi in the Gospel according to Matthew

Referring to: Matthew 9:9 - "a man called Matthew" Mark 2:14 - "Levi the son of Alphaeus" Luke 5:27 - "a tax collector named Levi" Is it widely regarded that Levi and Matthew are the same person ...
user2754486's user avatar
20 votes
17 answers
24k views

In Matthew 11:12 what does it mean for the kingdom of heaven to "suffer violence"?

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12, NKJV) What does this verse mean?
Kyle's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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In Matthew 5:33-35, did Jesus establish new law forbidding swearing?

We have established that Jesus fulfilled the law, and in Matthew 5:17-48 provided various interpretations of law that emphasized compliance of the heart as opposed to literal compliance of pharisaical ...
Searching for Truth's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
4k views

What did Jesus mean by 'the gates of hell'?

Jesus said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matt 16:...
Lloyd Lee's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
3k views

Is the Sermon on the Mount intended to be literal instructions?

Possibly Related Question: Did Jesus teach people to literally pluck their eye out and cut their hand off? The above PRQ is an oft-cited example of proposed hyperbole, and is used completely out of ...
user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

What was the historical and cultural context of baptism in the time of Christ?

Throughout the New Testament, beginning with John the Baptist, the concept of baptism is portrayed historically with minimal explanation for what it is or why it is happening. This is continued ...
enderland's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
381 views

Question about NET note and Symbols for Codex Sinaiticus

I have a basic question about NET Bible footnote. The note for Matt 17:21 says: Many important MSS (א* B Θ 0281 33 579 892 pc e ff1 sys,c sa) do not include 17:21 "But this kind does not go out ...
Edgear's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
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Could the Gospel of Matthew be dependent on Luke's Gospel?

Why is it that a possible Gospel dependency order of Mark-Luke-Matthew without requiring 'Q' is considered particularly unlikely, when compared to other possible solutions to the synoptic problem? Do ...
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