General Discussion

Last edited Tue Apr 7, 2026, 06:23 PM - Edit history (1)

"Do not be afraid.” – Gospel of Matthew, 14:27 and 17: 7

I suppose that a lot of people have a favorite gospel. Mine would be Matthew's, the first found in the Good Book. There was a time when scholars believed it was the first of the four written, although for the last 126 years, it is known it was actually done post-Mark. Indeed, it is similar to Mark's in many ways, yet it has additions believed to be from the source(s) known as “Q.”

“Q” is, of course, the shortened version of the German word “Quelle,” meaning source. Most, though certainly not all, of bibical historians consider “Q” to have been both the oral and written sayings of Jesus that were used as teaching devices by the Jewish people for the first generation – likely two – after Jesus's death. The actual authors of the four gospels – especially Matthew and Luke – used Q's sayings in making what appears to be a three-layered final product, named after the disciple it was written in the spirit of.

The Gospel of Matthew defines Jesus as being 100% Jewish, delivering a message specific to Jews. To be properly understood, one must have an understanding of the context in which it was authored, and more importantly, the time that Jesus walked the earth. There was tensions between different sects of the Jewish people over how they would exist under Roman rule. Not surprisingly, many among the established leadership were quite comfortable, being in a position not that different than the shysters running mega-churches today.

Others, especially those from the rural regions of Palestine, were fundamentalist in their religious lives. Some extremely so, such as Jesus's second cousin, John the Baptist. A good recently published book, “Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth,” by Reza Aslan, provides an accurate description of those times. (Note: There are several points that I would debate Aslan on, however.)

During Jesus's life and for the early years after his death, no one who had been alive with him thought that he created a new religion, or Christianity. They understood his message to have been as advocating for the sects of Jews in his time, though lifting it to higher ground. That is, the “mountaintop of humanity.” What I find fascinating is that in Matthew we find sixteen quotes that are, if anything, Buddhist in nature. One that comes to mind today is, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” I'm thinking globally here, in terms of tensions that scare normal, sane human beings.

“Do not worry.” – Gospel of Matthew, 6:25