1. Matthew was written about twenty years after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE. In the intervening period, the Pharisees were in the process of becoming the most powerful sect within Judaism. Matthew’s group envisions itself as a rival to the Pharisees and representatives of the “true” form of Judaism. In this contentious… Continue reading →

Mark 8:27-30 and Matthew 16:13-20 refer to two retellings of the same conversation between Jesus and his disciples, but Matthew’s version has several changes. The first of which is the addition of the name “Jeremiah” when the disciples are reciting who people say that Jesus is. This is a more trivial addition to the passage,… Continue reading →