Criticism of the Gospel of Matthew

Introduction

I write these lines after aborting a detailed criticism of the Gospel of Matthew. The cause for giving up was my bitter disappointment and frustration bordering on anger at the lack of chronology, the lack of coherence, the dishevelled storyline, the shameless fabrications justified with trimmed or misapplied Old Testament verses, and finally the stench of antisemitism that pervades this gospel, evident where Matthew lambasts "the Pharisees" and "the teachers of the law" through the mouth of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12) or Jesus (Matthew 23:13-36).

Should a Christian disregard the book entirely? I think not, there is some good in it. I borrow an expression apropos here that I heard from Mr. Getty the Chemistry teacher of Harbord Collegiate Institute many years ago, "Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater."

Even if the Gospel of Matthew contained a solitary nugget of gold its extraction and retention would be worthwhile. Chapter 7, entitled "Gold Nuggets," leaches out fourteen.