Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Matthew: Chapter Summary

The inscription of the book. Why do the books setting forth the history concerning Christ go by the title of Gospels? The twofold notion of Gospel: ὑπομνημονεύματα/commentaries/registers, 1. Why is the Gospel called κατὰ Ματθαῖον, according to Matthew? 2. Matthew denotes one given by God. Also called Levi. A description of his person. Uncertain tradition concerning his death and martyrdom, 3. The argument of the book, 4. A number of the ancients, a not a few of the more recent men, have asserted that the book was written in the Hebrew language, deceived by a tradition of Papias, and by a Hebrew Gospel of Matthew that was circulated in the age of Jerome, 5. Yet it is proven by several arguments that it was written, neither in Hebrew, nor in Syriac, as Widmenstadius, Guido Fabricius, and Walton think, but in Greek, 6. The structure of this history consisting in words and things is of what sort? a simple sort of writing, 7. The time of writing is elicited from the narrated traditions of the ancients, especially the Eastern Fathers. How do the Arabs assert that it was written in Palestine and India? 8. The five parts of the book are: I. The description and revelation of the Person of Christ (chapters 1, 2). II. His forerunner, John the Baptist (chapter 3). III. His actions, sermons for the most part and miracles (chapters 4-25). IV. His sufferings (chapter 26, 27). V. The glory of the resurrection (chapter 28). Interpreters of the book, Ancient, Reformed, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic, and a Synoptic Table of the book.