The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 2

Walter T. Wilson is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He is the author of Healing in the Gospel of Matthew: Reflections on Method and Ministry and the editor of New Testament Interpretation: A Practical Guide.

Biblica "Given the numerous important commentaries on Matthew's Gospel that were published in recent decades (e.g., by U. Luz, W.D. Davies/D.C. Allison and M. Konradt), and in light of the extensive debate about the place of Matthew's story of Jesus on the frontier between early Judaism and early Christianity, it is a challenge to write a commentary on this text. Wilson has solved this task in an admirable way." Jeannine K. Brown in Interpretation "The strengths of this two-volume commentary on Matthew are substantial. I found Wilson's commentary valuable to my own engagement with the First Gospel and recommend it to serious readers of Matthew." Review of Biblical Literature "Few are likely ever to read this two-volume commentary through from start to finish, but everyone who consults it will return to it time and again." Religious Studies Review "This is a masterful commentary. Wilson refrains from saying all that could be said in favor of what needs to be said. In this sense, its brevity is a virtue, and Wilson's discernment as to what speculative debates to pursue for the reader is reliable, and his exegesis is sound. He has a knack for getting the reader to the point with clarity while not sacrificing accuracy." The Expository Times "The appearance of a large-scale multivolume commentary on Matthew is a significant publishing achievement and a moment of great interest in Matthean scholarship." "Walter T. Wilson's two-volume commentary on Matthew's Gospel will be warmly welcomed by those who engage critically with this text. In a rare combination of virtues, it combines solid exegesis and up-to-date scholarship with readability and clarity. Wilson's discussion of even complex issues is accessible, and his conclusions are invariably balanced and well-evidenced. Matthean scholarship has a long tradition of excellent multi-volume commentaries, and Wilson's contribution marks a significant twenty-first century addition to this distinguished tradition. I highly recommend it as an important resource for both scholars and students." --David C. Sim, professor of New Testament studies, Australian Catholic University "I have learned much from this comprehensive and well-written commentary. Among its several strong points, my top three are: (1) Its crisp prose is written with elegant and straightforward clarity. Without undue oversimplification, it is a pleasure to read. (2) It is up to date on international Matthean scholarship, without merely cataloging previous research or seeking a niche for its own novelty. (3) It is anchored in the history of the Jewish-Christian Matthean church in its context in the Hellenistic world. Without being driven by an agenda of contemporary relevance, the commentary bridges the world of the text to the contemporary world in a way that encourages readers to construct their own hermeneutical bridges on a solid exegetical foundation. Walter Wilson's commentary is a gift that is immediately helpful. It will remain a reliable go-to resource for years to come." -- M. Eugene Boring, author of An Introduction to the New Testament and coauthor of The People's New Testament Commentary "An impressive and distinctive addition to the growing collection of detailed commentaries on Matthew. Wilson provides a rich reading of Matthew through the eyes of a late first-century sectarian Jewish Christian community. The artistry, the rhetoric, the micro- and the macrostructural details, the complex internal cross-connections, and the many likely intertexts are examined in great detail and mined for their capacity to speak to this sectarian group. His reading is a generous and somewhat maximalist one, but Wilson offers many acute insights and compelling reconstructions." --John Nolland, professor of New Testament, Trinity College Bristol