From ancient times the Gospel of Matthew has been regarded as the "church Gospel" its aims are preeminently catechetical, pastoral, and missionary. But recent research raises many questionsregarding Matthew's creation, theological intentions, and shapingfor the circle of its first recipients. This highly original commentary by Rudolf Schnackenburgfollows Matthew chapter by chapter and verse by verse, carefullyexplaining and interpreting the text against both its primitive andcurrent horizons. Schnackenburg sees Matthew's purpose as simply"the proclamation of Christian salvation". His commentary givesextra attention to the great discourses of Jesus found in Matthew (such as the Sermon on the Mount), showing how Jesus' wordsand works have special currency for the self-understanding of thechurch and for the task of Christian living today. Written by a master exegete with a pastor's sensitivity, thiscommentary will fast become a classic study of Matthew's Gospel.