It Is Written: Matthean Discourse and Its Implications for Contemporary Discipleship

Abstract

This thesis seeks to establish that the five major discourses in the gospel of Matthew were intended to be used by the church for the discipleship of its members. This body of teaching is referred to by Christ in his great commission of Matthew 28:18–20 as the “all things” needing to be passed on to new disciples. The premise is established by a review of early church history and their use of the discourses, observation of the interrelation of the discourses, recognition of the various devices used to broaden the application of the discourses beyond the original audience, and a review of the many themes in the discourses intended for disciples. Finally, the thesis compares the findings in the discourses with a sampling of contemporary discipleship materials in order to determine any implications for the church today regarding their faithfulness to Jesus’ instructions.