Jesus is worshiped three times in Matthew, at the beginning, middle and end. At the beginning by the wise men, in the middle by the disciples after Jesus has entered the boat and calmed the storm (14:33), and at the end after His resurrection (28:9) and before He commissions the Twelve (28:17). This is one of several indications that the story of Jesus walking on the sea is a preview of the end of the gospel, and of the future... Read more

In the background of the story of John’s martyrdom is the story of Jacob and Esau. Because Jacob took the birthright from his brother, Esau sought to kill him, and Jacob had to flee. Herod is an Edomite, an Idumean, descended from Esau, but he is in a sense a successful Esau, an Esau who gets his victim. Herod will later play a role in taking the life of the true Jacob, the true Israel , Jesus. This victory of... Read more

Matthew 14:11: And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she carried it to her mother. There are two tables in our sermon text, two feasts. There is the murderous feast of Herod, a cannibal king, a shepherd who devours the best of his flock. And there is the table of Jesus, the feast of the King who, like John, will give Himself for the sake of His people, to lead His people to... Read more

There are echoes in the story of the book of Esther, at least in Mark’s version of John’s execution. Matthew tells us that when the daughter of Herodias danced before Herod, he promised with an oath to give whatever she asked. Mark records Herod’s words somewhat differently: He promises not just to give what she asks, but promises to give up to half his kingdom (Mark 6:22-23). This is the same promise that Ahasuerus gives to Esther when she says... Read more

In an old JBL article (on Peter in Matthew), Jack Dean Kingsbury points out that “with” statements frame the gospel of Matthew: “God with us” at one end, and “I am with you always” at the other. Within the gospel, Kingsbury argues that Jesus is mainly “with” the Twelve. Matthew “accomplishes at least two things: Jesus and his disciples are characterized as a group distinct from Israel; and the relationship he has with them is shown to be absolutely unique... Read more

Every time the name “Herod” appears in the gospel of Matthew, innocents die. Herod the Great is a prominent character in chapter 2, and the name Herod doesn’t appear again until chapter 14, where Antipas agrees to give Herod’s head to the female Herod, Herodias. Herod doesn’t appear in the trial narratives in Matthew, but the last time we find a variation of the name (“Herodians”), they are trying to set a trap for Jesus. Read more

Peter’s name is used 24 times in Matthew’s gospel. He is identified as “Simon, who is called Peter” or “Simon Peter” three times (4:18; 10:2; 16:16), once called “Simon” (17:25) and once “Simon Barjona” (and two more times is identified as “Simon” (16:17). The distribution of his major appearances in the gospel is important. (more…) Read more