God with Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew by Edward Sri
ISBN: 978-1-64585-000-7
In this Year of the Word, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference have set us all a challenge to join together in reading St Matthew’s Gospel, just a few verses each day, over 44 days: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/events/the-god-who-speaks/bible-basics/saint-matthews-gospel-day-by-day/
If you would like a companion study guide to help you unpick the main theme of Matthew’s Gospel (Jesus’ mission to build His Kingdom), you might enjoy Edward Sri’s revised study guide God with us - encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Originally published as Mystery of the Kingdom this new, revised and extended edition benefits from Sri’s extensive knowledge of scripture and years of teaching. Matthew gives Jesus a unique title in the opening chapter of his Gospel - Emmanuel, which means God with us (1:23). In doing so he reminds us that when we are learning about Jesus we are encountering the face of God.
In the foreword Dr Scott Hahn says that Sri carries ‘the banner of St Augustine, applying to his study of Matthew the notion that the New Testament is concealed in the Old, and the Old is revealed in the New. He has done so in a magnetically powerful way, using the principle of typology [when the Old Testament prefigures or foreshadows events in the New] to underscore one of Matthew’s strongest and most consistent themes: the kingdom of heaven, whose King is Jesus.’
Matthew quotes prophecy from the Old Testament about 60 times, and he alludes to the Old Testament about 250 times, more than in any other Gospel. This and the clear structure of the Gospel is perhaps why Pope St John Paul II once called Matthew ‘the catechist’s Gospel’. Edward Sri brings this to life for us as a reader. In the Year of the Word, this is a spiritually fulfilling way to be reminded of the importance of the Old Testament in helping us to understand God’s loving plan for us. Edward Sri helps us understand that Matthew’s Gospel shows the whole story of salvation coming to fulfilment in Christ and the Church.
The book is an easy afternoon read, giving you a bird’s eye view of the main themes of Matthew’s Gospel: how Matthew wants us to encounter Jesus who is God with us and to understand the good news of Jesus’ promised Kingdom. In addition, we are shown how to read Matthew’s Gospel through the lenses of first-century Judaism.
It is suitable for use by a Bible Study group. The study questions at the end of each chapter could be used in your group but would equally be useful for your own personal reflections and prayer.
If you would like a further line-by-line study guide of Matthew’s Gospel, Sri’s book, The Gospel of Matthew, which he co-authored with Curtis Mitch, would be the next step. This is part of the series on Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture.
Review by Ingrid La Trobe (Formation Adviser, Kent)
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