Gospel Of Matthew Essay

This paper will explore the biblical and traditional Catholic understanding of the Gospel of Matthew according to 6:24-34. To accomplish this task, this essay will examine this Matthean passage from seven different perspectives. First, who was the audience for whom this pericope was written? Second, what was the historical and cultural context in which this passage composed? Third, what can be gleaned by looking at this text from the perspective of a few different translations? Fourth, what is the Catholic theological understanding of this pericope? Fifth, what is its place in the Catholic Liturgical Year? Sixth, how has this passage has been interpreted in the past by another homilist? Seventh, how can this text be interpreted today (i.e. its focus and function)? The Gospel of Matthew, according to many Matthean scholars, is thought to have been written between the years of 80 and 90 A.D. (Mitch and Sri, 19) Matthew’s Gospel was composed for a mixed community of Jewish and Gentile Christians in the Syrian city of Antioch. (18) The reason Matthew chose Antioch is because that city had a large Jewish community which lived in harmony with its Gentile neighbours. Also, the Didache (which is an ancient Syrian document) and St. Ignatius of Antioch …show more content…
all the gospel passages for Ordinary Time for that year will come from Matthew’s Gospel). Since all the readings will come from the Gospel of Matthew, it would be good for the homilist to try to connect the gospel reading from the previous Sunday, if it is possible. When preaching on Matthew 6:24-34, it would be wise for the homilist to remind the congregation of the words from the embolism after the Lord’s Prayer: that God keeps us “safe from all distress.” The words of the embolism are meant to both instill and remind Christians to have trust and faith in