Matthew's Resurrection Narratives
The Power of God
Matthew's use of apocalyptic imagery associated with the resurrection starts in Ch 27, during the crucifixion narrative - the earthquake, the raising of bodies of the saints which later appear in Jerusalem, all confirm that God has intervened in a decisive way in human history, through the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Something new has begun, and the world will never be the same. The eschatological imagery continues in Ch. 28, with the removal of the stone door of the tomb by an angel from heaven, the terror of the guards, and the women. All serves to underline the sovereign power of the God who has planned this from the beginning and proclaimed it through His prophets.
Insistence on a physical resurrection in the face of opposition
Indication of local dispute with synagogue. These Jewish Christians were concerned to demonstrate the physical nature of the resurrection - the only type of resurrection a Jew would understand, by the way. The rumour that the disciples stole the body demonstrates two things. (1) That the body of Jesus really disappeared from its burial place. (2) That for whatever reason, no-one produced it afterwards to dispel the rumour of the Resurrection. No mucking about with 'spiritual' resurrections, or with the 'conviction of the continuing presence of Jesus in spirit with His disciples here.'
New Moses on the Mountain
Mountains play rather an important part in Matthew's gospel - the Sermon on the Mount, the Feeding of the 5,000, the Transfiguration and now the resurrection appearance, as a new command is given by the prophet from 'amongst you', predicted in the Torah. God has often spoken to his chosen ones from a mountain - Abraham on Mt Moriah (Gen 22),Moses and the nation of Israel in Exodus, Elijah on Mt Carmel, and afterwards in the 'still small voice'. The Temple, of course is on Mount Zion, and here, within the Holy of Holies was the Shekinah - the cloud of God's Physical presence with his people. Now, on this mountain, outside Jerusalem which has rejected its King and been deserted by the physical presence of God, symbolised by the tearing of the 'Veil of the Temple', 'Emmanuel', God with us, speaks to his people gathered around Him.
New Israel's mission to 'All Nations'
This people constitutes the new Israel, commissioned to succeed where the old Israel has failed. They, like the nation of Israel, have a mission to the world, to show the world what its Creator God is like, and how He wants them to live. They are to introduce the 'new covenant' to the world, one which 'All Nations' (an expression meaning Gentiles) are invited to participate. This is in fulfilment of the prophecy to Abraham that 'in your seed shall all nations of the world be blessed.' (Gen 12:3)
Discipleship, Discipling and the Church
Matthew's Gospel is the only one of the four to call the community of Jesus' followers 'The Church'. His gospel has more to say about the duties and responsibilities of members of the church community than any other gospel. How to treat recent converts and children, what to do if one member of the community falls out with another, and the duty of each member to use the talents he or she has been given are all considered in the Gospel. Current speculation centres around whether this was a community that expected converts to Christianity also to live as Jews, be circumcised, keep the Torah etc. Such communities were common in the early years of Christianity, and the first major doctrinal split within the Church (described in Pauls letter to the Galatians, and in Acts Ch 15) was over precisely this issue.
It is clear, then, that for Matthew, conversion was not enough. Followers of Christ, members of the Church, must also be disciples, learners, marked out by baptism from the world, and the function of the Church is to TEACH. Matthew's gospel uses the Trinitarian formula for baptism, rather than the 'in the name of Jesus' formula more commonly used in Acts. Scholarly opinion varies on whether Jesus would have used this formula or not, with, for example, Tasker suggesting that Jesus could have used the formula, and Fenton suggesting that as the earliest disciples baptised in the name of Jesus, that probably He didn't, and that this is a later addition by Matthew.
Fulfilment of prophecy Emmanuel/I Am with you always
The implicit prophecy contained within the title 'Emmanuel', given to Jesus, is fulfilled as He declares that 'I Am with you, even to the end of the Age'. God has inaugurated a new age, the age of the Church, the age when He has visited his people to stay. His 'glory' is now to be found within His new people, the Church, which must go to All Nations, and to which All Nations will stream.