Matthew's Existing Knowledge Of The New Testament Authors

How has an NT author relied upon his audience's existing knowledge of Hebrew scriptures? Critically explore the way this is important for understanding the New Testament author.

The New Testament (NT) authors have conveyed the knowledge of the Old Testament (OT) in many scriptures. New Testament authors have used the Hebrew scriptures to convey their message and have relied on the knowledge of their audience on the Hebrew scriptures. This can be seen in the New Testament when reading about Messiah. The Gospel of Matthew has highly relied on the knowledge of its audience of the Old Testament to convey the ideas he has given. Mathew wrote his Gospel, particularly for a Jewish Audience and in his Gospel many times he tries to relate Jesus with

They referred to one as the priest and one as the king. The Gospel of Mathew wanted to state that the Jewish was the “Messiah” the Jews were waiting for (Strauss, 2017). Matthew mentioned many citations about the fulfilment of the many prophecies about the Messiah. He states at the start of his Gospel that “This is the Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham,”(NRSVCE 1989 Matthew 1:1). In the start of his Gospel Matthew tries to make an impact on his Jewish audience that his gospel is not only about Jesus’s life, but instead to make the Jewish audience believe that Jesus is the

Matthew utilises references from the Old Testament which apply to Jewish audiences and their existing knowledge and provides a foundation of familiarity and authority; by drawing similar prophecies and direct quotations from the Old Testament, the prophecies which were made to the Jews by different prophets and relating them primarily to Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew uses these prophecies as how they were fulfilled by Jesus and how he primarily fits into the role of the Jewish Messiah. In summary, the Gospel of Matthew’s reliance on his audience to serve the purpose of establishing Jesus identity as a Messiah and fulfilment of the God’s promises in Jesus.

Reference List

Ehrman Bart, D 2023, Jesus, the Jewish Messiah: the Gospel According to Matthew, Oxford University Press. viewed 16 May 2023, < https://global.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161238/studentresources/chapter6/#:~:text=Matthew%20uses%20%22fulfillment%20citations%22%20to,give%20the%20(new)%20law New Testament Explained 2020, Old Testament Prophecies regarding the Messiah Explained, viewed 16 May 2023, < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SOhWAjdAjw

Porter Stanley, E 2007, The Messiah in the Old and New Testaments, WILLIAM B, EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY, CAMBRIDGE,