Matthew 16:13-20 revised Mark 8:27-30 by increasing the amount of messianic imagery and overtones and inserting a few verses where Jesus instructs Peter on the founding of his church (he will be the “rock” of the church). He endows Peter with the authority (“keys”) to regulate what is allowed and prohibited in the church, in accordance with what is permitted or prohibited in heaven. Matthew made these changes to reflect what he wanted his community to be like, meaning he desired his peers to adhere to a new type of Judaism with Jesus as messiah. For example, instead of having Peter say, “You are the Messiah!” Peter says, “You are the messiah, the Son of the living God!” By inserting that Jesus isn’t just the anointed liberator of the Israelite people but is also the Son of God, Matthew attempts to reinforce Jesus’ position as Messiah and convince his audience circa 90 CE that Jesus was more than just a “divine man.” Jesus’ use of the word “church” indicates that Matthew intended to portray followers of the Jesus movement as the new Israel, those who submit to Jesus’ reign and resist the powers of evil (“gates of Hades”). The designation of the new Israel as a “church” not a synagogue undermines the beliefs of the Jewish community, who reject Jesus as the Christ. This reflects the tension in Matthew’s community between Christians and Pharisees.

Matthew 18:1-35 illuminates several themes Matthew wanted his readers to learn about community life. Jesus urges his followers to adopt a childlike humility in order to “enter the kingdom of heaven.” One must be meek, and in doing this, the most childlike become the greatest in the kingdom of heaven; this is a reversal of the status quo present in Roman society, where conspicuous consumption and prestige are highly valued. Also, by telling the parable of the sheep (verses 10-14), Jesus shows that he rescues his stray sheep; Matthew is portraying Jesus as a heavenly shepherd who pursues his followers individually, no matter how much they’ve sinned or drifted away from God. Next, the parable of the unforgiving slave (vv. 21-35) instructed his disciples to forgive their peers for their sins since the weight of their sins on God is so much greater (“10,000 talents”) than the trivial weights of the disciples’ sins against each other (“100 denarii”). Overall, Matthew included this chapter in his gospel since the concept of “Jesus as messiah” is his central focus; this extends to his teachings on community life with regards to humility and forgiveness.

Matthew is hostile towards the Pharisees because he portrays Jesus as calling them hypocrites, evidenced by verses 1 through 7. He says they “don’t practice what they teach” and then lists some examples, such as not “willing to lift a finger,” “[lengthening] their tassels,” and loving the “place of honor at banquets.” In addition, Matthew characterizes them as “a brood of vipers,” which is a distinction also made in Matthew 3:7 to label the leading Jewish priests. He also uses the example of whitewashing tombs (a common practice in those times) to draw attention to the fact that the Pharisee’s outer piety (whitewash) contrasts with their inner corruption. In summary, Matthew believes the Pharisees exemplify the opposite of the childlike mentality that Jesus says is necessary for entering the kingdom of God.