MATTHEW 24-28: MACARTHUR NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARY

At the time Christ was born, Israel had been under Roman domination for some sixty years Matthew, who was also called Levi, was a tax gatherer when Jesus called him to be one of the twelve disciples (Matt. 9:9; Mark 2:14). Matthew was particularly modest in writing his gospel account. He always refers to himself in the third person and nowhere speaks of himself as the author. We know of his authorship because his name is attached to all early copies of the manuscripts and because the early church Fathers unanimously attest him to be the books author. It is obvious from the text itself that Matthew wrote this gospel before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70. Apart from that general dating, it is impossible to be to be dogmatic as to a specific year. The first four books of the New Testament report the same gospel account, but from four distinct perspectives. They give the same message with differing but perfectly harmonious emphasis.