Matthew and Stephen
By Peter Leithart
Assuming that Matthew was composed very early in the history of the church - in the early 30s, I suspect - it fits neatly into the early persecution situation of the church. As a retelling of Israel’s history, it mimics Stephen’s sermon, which presents the history of Israel as a history of rejecting those whom the Lord sent. Jesus assumes various roles in Matthew - the law giver, the Sage, the apocalyptic prophet - and the Jews do to Him what they did to all the prophets.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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