NEW TESTAMENT COMMENTARIES

MATTHEW

Michael H. Burer

TECHNICAL, SEMITECHNICAL

BETTER Boring, M. Eugene. "Matthew." In New Interpreter's Bible, vol. 8 (Abingdon, 1995). 744 pp.

Approach: Goal of NIB is "to enhance preaching, teaching, and study of the Scriptures" (p. xvii). Boring dates Matthew between AD 80–100.

Format: In addition to commentary on Matthew this volume includes general articles on NT and commentary on Mark. Regarding Matthew, introductory issues are surprisingly detailed and comprehensive. Commentary uses NIV and NRSV. Closing "Reflections" focus on meaning and application.

Usability: Very useful for the preaching task, "Reflections" especially so.

GOOD Davies, W. D., and Dale C. Allison, Jr. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew. 3 vols. ICC (T&T Clark, 1988–1997). 2327 pp.

Approach: Strong emphasis on Jewish and extrabiblical background. Traditional historical, critical exegesis is dominant method, but authors are sensitive to genre issues, narrative criticism, etc. Sometimes skeptical or agnostic on historical matters, but not uniformly so.

Format: Three volumes (chaps. 1–7, 8–18, 19–28). Extensive introductory discussions and seventeen excursuses. For each larger section of the book (see table of contents), authors discuss in order (1) structure, (2) sources, (3) exegesis, (4) concluding observations, and (5) bibliography. Within exegesis section each pericope is examined in depth.

Usability: Indespensable for technical work. A bit challenging for preaching and exposition, but concluding observations often helpful.

BEST France, R. T. The Gospel of Matthew. NICNT (Eerdmans, 2007). 1233 pp.

Approach: Goal is an exegetical commentary focused on the meaning of the text. Introduction is thin because of author's prior work in this area; see his Matthew: Evangelist and Teacher.

Format: Synthetic comments given for each larger section of the Gospel; see his very detailed table of contents for divisions. Discussion of each pericope includes (1) author's translation, (2) general comments, and (3) exegesis, usually on the level of the paragraph as opposed to verse-by-verse. Balanced presentation of synthesis and analysis, although interaction with Greek text is minimal in commentary proper.

Usability: Very useful for synthetic preaching task, as well as technical analysis of interpretive issues.

GOOD Gibbs, Jeffrey A. Matthew. 2 vols. Concordia (Concordia, 2006–2010). 1025 pp.

Approach: Lutheran in theological perspective (pp. xii–xiii). Views Matthew as the author, dates the book before AD 70, and holds to the historical reliability of the text. Approaches Matthew as "independent narrative," and therefore Matthew's relation to the other Gospels is not given "significant hermeneutical or exegetical weight" (p. 28).

Format: Two Volumes (1–11:1, 11:2–20). Introduction addresses traditional issues. Discussion of each passage includes (1) the author's translation, (2) extensive textual notes, and (3) commentary organized by phrase headings. There are many additional helpful sections and figures that address technical issues, such as background, theology, and the Synoptic Problem. There is also some discussion of text-critical issues, with reference to the location of the discussion in Metzger's Textual Commentary.

Usability: Useful for expositors. The Lutheran perspective should be noted, which is seen in passages such as Jesus's baptism (pp. 184–85). Those interested in technical detail will find the textual notes helpful since they discuss in detail syntactical, grammatical, and lexical issues.

GOOD Gundry, Robert. Matthew. 2d ed. (Eerdmans, 1994). 728 pp.

Approach: Largely written with an eye towards criticism of the first edition of the commentary. Extreme focus upon redactional issues, literary background.

Format: Preface and Introduction are idiosyncratic, dealing largely with the uniqueness of the commentary, but they do contain useful information on broad issues. More traditional discussions of introductory issues are contained in the chapter "Some Higher-Critical Considerations" following the commentary. The commentary proper is simply that: commentary under different scriptural headings. No separate translation or opening/closing comments. Also in the end matter is a worthy essay entitled "A Theological Postscript" dealing with author's interpretation of Matthew's history and how this relates to bibliology.

Usability: Challenging both for preaching and technical work. Much value here, but lack of synthetic approach and minimalist page layout make using it difficult.

BETTER Hagner, Donald A. Matthew. 2 vols. WBC (Word, 1993–1995). 1051 pp.

Approach: Strong emphasis on historical-critical method and exegesis. Occasional doubt on historicity of miracles.

Format: Two volumes (1–13, 14–28). Extensive bibliographies, both in introduction and throughout the commentary. Introduction covers broad range of useful topics, more so than most other commentaries. Discussion of each pericope includes (1) bibliography; (2) the author's translation; (3) "Notes" regarding text-critical issues; (4) "Form/Structure/Setting," the place where many historical and critical issues are discussed; (5) "Comment," the commentary proper, usually in a verse-by-verse format; and (6) "Explanation," which is a more synthetic discussion of the passage.

Usability: Extremely dense throughout. Profitable for technical study in all particulars. Those interested in exposition will want to focus on the final explanations of each pericope.

BETTER Keener, Craig. A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Eerdmans, 1999). 1040 pp.

Approach: Focus on sociohistorical context. More than ten thousand references to primary sources and more than two thousand to secondary literature in a volume with 720 pages of commentary, 150 pages of bibliography, and almost 170 pages of indexes.

Format: Introduction includes...