Editing Gospel of Matthew (section)

== Theology ==
=== Christology ===
[[Christology]] is the theological doctrine of Christ, "the affirmations and definitions of Christ's humanity and deity".{{sfn|Levison|Pope-Levison|2009|p=167}} There are a variety of Christologies in the New Testament, albeit with a single centre—Jesus is the figure in whom God has acted for mankind's salvation.{{sfn|Fuller|2001|pp=68–69}}

Matthew has taken key Christological texts from Mark, but has sometimes changed the stories found in Mark, giving evidence of his own concerns.{{sfn|Tuckett|2001|p=119}} The title [[Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament#Son of David|Son of David]] identifies Jesus as the healing and miracle-working Messiah of Israel (it is used exclusively in relation to miracles), and the Jewish messiah is sent to Israel alone.{{sfn|Luz|1995|pp=86, 111}} As [[Son of Man]] he will return to judge the world, a fact his disciples recognize but of which his enemies are unaware.{{sfn|Luz|1995|pp=91, 97}} As [[Son of God]] he is named [[Immanuel]] ('God with us'),<ref>{{Bibleverse|Matthew|1:23|ASV}}</ref> God revealing himself through his son, and Jesus proving his sonship through his obedience and example.{{sfn|Luz|1995|p=93}}

=== Relationship with the Jews ===
Matthew's prime concern was that the Jewish tradition should not be lost in a church that was increasingly becoming gentile.{{sfn|Davies|Allison|1997|p=722}} This concern lies behind the frequent citations of Jewish scripture, the evocation of Jesus as the new Moses along with other events from Jewish history, and the concern to present Jesus as fulfilling, not destroying, the Law.{{sfn|Senior|2001|pp=17–18}} Matthew must have been aware of the tendency to distort Paul's teaching of the law no longer having power over the New Testament Christian into [[antinomianism]], and addressed Christ's fulfilling of what the Israelites expected from the "Law and the Prophets" in an eschatological sense, in that he was all that the Old Testament had predicted in the Messiah.{{sfn|France|2007|pp=179–81, 185–86}}

The gospel has been interpreted as reflecting the struggles and conflicts between the evangelist's community and the other Jews, particularly with its sharp criticism of the scribes and Pharisees.{{sfn|Burkett|2002|p=182}} It tells how Israel's [[Messiah]], rejected and executed in Israel, pronounces judgment on Israel and its leaders and becomes the salvation of the [[gentile]]s.{{sfn|Luz|2005b|pp=17}} Prior to the crucifixion of Jesus, the Jews are referred to as [[Israelites]]—the honorific title of God's chosen people. After it, they are called {{transliteration|grc|[[Ioudaios]]}} (Jews), a sign that—due to their rejection of the Christ—the "[[Kingdom of heaven (Gospel of Matthew)|Kingdom of Heaven]]" has been taken away from them and given instead to the church.{{sfn|Strecker|2000|pp=369–70}}