People tend to assume that the Book of Matthew, the first New Testament book, means it was the first New Testament book written. This is not necessarily true. None of them were written in Jerusalem. All but Luke is written by Israelites (Jews). Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are three Synoptic Gospels. They contain 30 common stories and teachings. The wording along with the placement of these parables within each one is similar. 

Just as the three gospels share common parables, there are over a couple hundred verses shared between Matthew and Luke alone. These couple hundred verses are known as the double tradition. These verses encompass about a quarter of the content found within the gospels of Matthew and Luke. 

What makes Mark and Luke different if most of what Mark wrote is also found in Matthew?  

Writer	Date Written	Author’s Community or Target Market
Mark (second-generation Christian and follower of Peter)	65–70 CE	Gentile Christian community in Rome undergoing persecution
Matthew (Jewish Christian; known as Apostle Matthew)	75–80 CE	Jewish Christians
Luke (Gentile Christian; physician and Paul’s traveling companion)	80–85 CE	Theophilus, meaning lover of God (could represent all Christians)

The Book of John is the exception to the four Gospels. Matthew and Luke’s focus is to distinctly different groups of people.  

It covers a different time span. 

It locates much of Jesus’ ministry in Judaea. 

It portrays Jesus discoursing at length on theological matters. 

It is highly literary and symbolic. 

It does not follow the same order or reproduce the same stories as the synoptic gospels. (Gospel According to John | Description, Authorship, & Facts | Britannica) 

The Book of Matthew differs from the other Gospels by the way it begins. From chapter 1, the first verse through Verse 16, it traces the genealogy of Jesus beginning with King David. Why? Matthew is trying to show the Jews that Jesus not only is the promised messiah but is truly in the line of King David. Luke also lists a gentile genealogy of Jesus beginning with the Book of Genesis and Adam.  

– Matthew is targeting the Jews and Israelis.  
– Luke targets the rest of humankind (Gentiles).  

The commonly accepted view, according to Halley’s Bible Handbook; 1965, is that Matthew gives Joseph’s family line, showing that Jesus is within the Abrahamic line, and Luke gives Mary’s blood line going back to Adam and Eve. Both show a Jewish heritage. Being politically incorrect but historically correct, the Jews crucified one of their own.  

In the early part of chapter one of Matthew, he refers to Jesus as Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. In Matthew’s later part of chapter 1, he also refers to him as Christ, Jesus, Immanuel. Next week… who really were the Wise-men who visited Jesus.  

NOTE: SYNOPTIC means “pertaining to or constituting a (common) synopsis; affording or taking a general view of the principal parts of a subject.” Matthew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic. The Book of John is one of the four Gospels but is not synoptic.  

Rev. Dr. Jstark – 2024