Reading the Gospels Together The Storyline of Matthew’s Gospel – Part 9 We may remember that at this point in his storyline Mark constructs and story through which Jesus is attempting to open the eyes of his blind disciples. Mark’s story began with the healing of a blind man who needed to be healed twice. Matthew omits this story. Perhaps the seemingly “muffed” miracle is too much for Matthew. We have already noted that Matthew does tell the story of the healing of a blind man earlier, but if that is this story it has been significantly reworked by Matthew and placed in an entirely differ context. Having omitted the healing of the blind man which really sets up Mark’s construction at this point, Matthew does follow Mark’s gospel quite closely. He tells of Jesus taking his disciples to Caesarea Philippi and asking them who people think he is and then who they think he is. The scene unfolds just like in Mark except that Matthew emphasizes the correctness of Peter’s response, “You are the Messiah.” Matthew tells his readers that Jesus praises Peter by telling him that “flesh and blood,” in other words human understanding has not revealed this to Peter but the revelation has come directly from God. And at this point Matthew explains why Simon’s name was changed to Peter. Because Peter has been given insight by God to know that Jesus is the Messiah, he is a rock. And Jesus goes on to say that the church of Jesus is built on the rock and nothing will prevail against it. Jesus goes on to say that he has given the keys of the kingdom to heaven to Peter or the church and that Peter or the church has the power to bind and loose. Just what Jesus meant at this point is disputable. The Roman Catholic Church has sided with the interpretation that the rock is Peter and that it is to Peter that the keys were given. Thus the authority of the church rests in the hands of Peter’s successor – the present pope. Those who are not Roman Catholic have mostly sided with the interpretation that Peter’s confession is the rock and that it is the church that holds the keys. Likely this was not a problem either for Matthew or for his community. However one decides about this it is really significant that Matthew names the “church” in his gospel. None of the other gospels will refer to “the church” at all. Matthew is envisioning a gathered community of followers of Jesus, something the others may not have considered. Following Mark, Matthew provides his readers with the first of three predictions by Jesus of his impending suffering, death, and resurrection. And like Mark, Matthew reports Peter’s refusal to accept Jesus words and the consequent rebuttal of Peter by Jesus. This is one of the first times that Matthew has preserved Mark’s harsh appraisal of a disciple. Matthew does not soften Mark’s words one bit. We have been noting how Matthew softens Mark’s exposure of the tragic rejection of Jesus by his disciples. But Matthew is aware that he must deal with their weakness. And perhaps that reality begins now. Again, Matthew will follow Mark in the message of Jesus that his followers must take up their crosses and follow him. Matthew tells the story of the Transfiguration in almost the exact same words as Mark and he tells of Jesus revealing to his disciples that John the baptist was Elijah just as Mark did. The same is true about the story of the healing of the epileptic boy. Matthew follows Mark in telling of the second prediction by Jesus that he must suffer, die, and rise from the dead, adding that upon hearing these words the disciples were greatly distressed. Next, Matthew adds a story that none of the other gospel writers tell their readers. The story takes place in Capernaum where the center of Jesus ministry has been located. The story is a peculiar one. The tax collectors ask Peter whether or not Jesus pays his taxes. Peter says that he does. When Peter arrives home Jesus asks Peter who is required to pay for the luxury of the kings, their children or other. Of course Peter knows the answer is that others support the king. Jesus says that the children are then free. The only children Jesus knows, of course, are his own followers. Yet, Jesus instructs Peter to not provide an offense and to pay the taxes anyway and sends Peter fishing. The first fish Peter catches has a coin in its mouth and Peter is to use this to pay taxes for Jesus and himself. This is a really peculiar story that is difficult to understand. I would guess that Peter’s first readers may have been as baffled as we are. Matthew goes back to pick up Mark’s story. Like Mark he tells his readers that the disciples have been arguing about who is the greatest. But, did you notice how the intervening story about taxes, Peter, and the fish have almost led Matthew’s readers to forget about Jesus prediction of his impending death? Perhaps that is the function of that strange story. Jesus responds to his disciples arguing about who is the greatest by putting a child in their midst. It’s the same story Mark told. As Mark told the story, at this point John confronts Jesus with a man who is doing mighty deeds in Jesus’ name even though he is not part of the inner circle. Matthew omits this story from Mark and picks up Mark again in talking about the need to avoid being a stumbling block for others.