The case for there being five discourses within the Gospel according to Matthew is a hard one to challenge: surely the closing formula “when Jesus finished these sayings” as found in 8:1, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, and 26:1 settles it once and for all. And by the five instances of the formula, Matthew might have intended to allude to the five books of Moses indeed.
Still, we wish to draw attention to a possible sixth discourse whose recognition would be demanded by the overall chiastic structure of the Gospel. Why Matthew would not have flagged an additional discourse with the closing formula might be precisely the intended allusion to the five books of Moses. Even then, ponder this: together with the “five books”, came another, the book of Joshua, very much in keeping with the five in terms of flow and era of composition—to the point James Jordan once referred to these six as the “Book of the ox”. In other words, there may be a relevant precedent of a set of five… turning out to be a set of six.
Many biblical scholars have underlined that the start and the end of the Gospel according to Matthew are echoing each other very finely (as is restated below in detail). Since chapters 1–4 and chapters 26–28 lend themselves to being thus paired, from there, inwardly, scholars have gone on pairing the two great discourses of chapters 5–7 and chapters 23–25, with good success. As far as one can tell, though, as one turns to the middle of the book (chapters 8–22), the attempt to establish a consensus case for an overall chiastic structure has failed.
While the outer layers of a chiasm may be finely established, the inner layers are a puzzle. Why is that? Because the alleged five discourses tend to prevail: there being five items, most chiastic-minded scholars would position the third discourse (chapter 13) in the centre of the Gospel, even though Matthew’s material would then be somewhat imbalanced, with two-fifths of it ahead of chapter 13 and three-fifths of it after chapter 13. And from this point the pairing of layers within chapters 8–22 on either side of chapter 13 is usually argued with a broad brush used upon vast sections of the text which may or may not yield a convincing chiasm.
At this rate most biblical scholars are unconvinced that the Gospel according to Matthew is structured according to an overall chiasm. Still, don’t the very fine outer layers of the Gospel beg for an overall chiastic resolution; even one with just as much granularity toward the centre?
Here then is a suggestion concerning the make-up of six discourses around which the Gospel according to Matthew would be structured. The additional discourse argued for is featured in bold hereafter: 4:25–7:29 / 9:36–11:1 / 13:1–52 / 18:1–35 / 21:28–22:14 / 23:1–25:46.
At the end of chapter 21 and the start of chapter 22, a red-letter Bible would point indeed to something akin to another discourse taking place: this is no outlier. Beyond the size taken up on the page by Jesus’ words, a cursory examination would reveal that the style is didactic and parabolic, just like in the other middle discourses; even the interruption of the flow in 21,45-22,1 is not out of place, since the flow of the fourth discourse is just as much interrupted in 18,21.
Should 21:28–22:14 form a Matthean discourse, one would expect it to play in that league. Peter Leithart has persuasively suggested that the five known discourses each give voice to a key figure from Israel’s salvation history: 4:25–7:29 (Moses) / 9:36–11:1 (Joshua) / 13:1–52 (Solomon) / 18:1–35 (Elisha) / 23:1–25:46 (Jeremiah). If so, our contention for an additional discourse taking fifth position would surely need to live up to this. And we think it does: in our view 21:28–22:14 would indeed give voice to an Isaiah figure, speaking of wayward sons, vineyards, etc.
But why does the recognition of a formal discourse in 21:28–22:14 matter at all? In itself it really does not matter. However to the extent it allows a compelling overall chiastic structure to emerge freely — one which might lead biblical scholars to a greater consensus on the Gospel according to Matthew — this is no small matter. And so ultimately, for our purposes it would have to come down to the compelling nature of fine layers within an overall structure, in which an extra discourse finds its place matching another discourse.
In the chiastic structure outlined below, the layers in bold and italics correspond to the discourses, whilst the other groupings allow for large sections to stand out: chapters 1–4, chapters 5–7, chapters 8–12, chapters 13–19, chapters 20–22, chapters 23–25, chapters 26–28.
A 1:1–18a Genesis of Jesus, the Christ of a well-informed Jewish nation
B 1:18b–25 Mary; an angelic announcement; the appearing of Jesus
C 2:1–12 Chief priests by a king; rich men with Jesus
D 2:13–23 The death of Jesus is divinely avoided
E 3:1–17 True witness; Jesus counted with the sinners, declared Son of God
F 4:1–11 First three temptations resisted using the Scriptures
G 4:12–24 John handed over; time has come for disciples to be drawn
H 4:25–5:12 Gospel: the advent of a kingdom for blessed heirs
I 5:13–48 Reflect the perfection of the heavenly father before men
J 6:1–18 Whilst practicing righteousness before God alone, not men
K 6:19–7,6 Exercise discernment without worrying about years to come
L 7:7–29 God alone stands behind every righteous work; some will be taken aback
M 8:1–9,35 By faith the afflicted ones call him ‘Lord’; the rulers: ‘demon-possessed’
N 9:36–11:1 Conquest through twelve unlikely envoys
O 11:2–12:15a Kindness for lowly people; violence prevalent among who rejects his rest
P 12:15b–21 It is for righteousness’ sake that the servant would want to go last
Q 12:22–50 It is for men to recognize the Christ and draw near to him
R 13:1–52 The king’s speech at the heart of the kingdom; time will tell
S 13:53–58 Jesus a scandal in his homeland; incapacitating incredulity
T 14:1–12 Jesus risen from the dead? John the Baptist was ill-treated
U 14:13–27 Awesome signs testifying to Jesus as the Redeemer
V 14:28–33 Peter’s thoughts carry him away; then: ‘Jesus Son of God’
W 14:34–15:20 Warning against the teachings of the rulers of Israel
X 15:21–28 A woman from the nations clings to the God of Israel
X’ 15:29–39 The shepherd of Israel clings to a crowd from the nations
W’ 16:1–12 Warning against the teachings of the rulers of Israel
V’ 16:13–28 Peter: ‘Jesus Son of God’; then his thoughts carry him away
U’ 17:1–8 Awesome sign testifying to Jesus as the Son of God
T’ 17:9–13 Jesus will rise from the dead; John the Baptist was ill-treated
S’ 17:14–27 Incapacitating incredulity; still, scandal avoided in his homeland
R’ 18:1–19:1 An other-people focus at the heart of the kingdom; time will tell
Q’ 19:2–29 It is for men to justify themselves if they would not recognize Christ
P’ 19:30–20:28 The first, last: this is righteousness according to the servant
O’ 20:29–21:27 Kindness for lowly people, violence prevalent among who disregards his ways
N’ 21:28–22:14 Replacement profiting many unlikely beneficiaries
M’ 22:15–46 Rulers sent back to the Scriptures: David called Jesus ‘Lord’
L’ 23:1–36 This generation practiced unrighteousness; to its surprise, destruction ahead
K’ 23:37–24:34 Exercise discernment without worrying about years to come
J’ 24:35–51 Practice one’s watch according to the Son, not men
I’ 25:1–30 Whilst reflecting the Father before men with zeal
H’ 25:31–46 Gospel: the advent of the kingdom for blessed heirs
G’ 26:1–35 The time has come: Jesus to be handed over, on account of his disciples
F’ 26:36–56 Ultimate temptation resisted three times using the Scriptures
E’ 26:57–27:2 Jesus, treated as a sinner, Son of God? False witnesses
D’ 27:3–54 The death of Jesus is divinely ordained
C’ 27:55–66 A rich man with Jesus; chief priests by a governor
B’ 28:1–10 Marys; angelic announcement; Jesus appearing
A’ 28:11–20 Eternal Jesus, Christ of the nations, despite Jewish disinformation
At first sight a fine level of detail (the pairing of 24 layers from start to end on either side) might appear speculative; rarely do chiasm outlines break it down so far – but, dare we say, this is precisely the reason why chiasms are so often dismissed by scholars as speculative. A fine breakdown, adventurous at it is for the exegete putting it forward, is the only way to make progress (or not) toward a chiastic understanding of the Gospel according to Matthew; we trust that readers will form their judgment all the better.
If deemed compelling, such overall chiastic structure would help the browsing and the memorizing of the Gospel according to Matthew – something of first importance to the first readers, in their context. And not just the browsing and memorizing of the text, but also its exposition: the study of a well-balanced material, with the pairing of as many layers from start to end on either side, cannot but throw further light on the exegesis of each layer.
Chiefly an overall chiasm would throw light on the centre of the Gospel according to Matthew. The overall structure outlined above would force a central place onto chapters 14–17; these would remain otherwise the most puzzling chapters of the entire book, as was conceded by a scholar such as Michael Green. Far from being largely imported from Mark’s Gospel at the risk of derailing Matthew’s own point and structural markers, we are suggesting these chapters 14-17 are central to the Gospel according to Matthew.
In particular, 15:21–39 rises to prominence as a central pivot (indicated in italics in the structure outlined above). This is a fitting pivot indeed: there we find a close succession of the word ‘Israel’ (15:24, 31), and there we have a complete turnaround in Jesus’ attitude to the nations: from feigning to turn down a Gentile woman who is about to beg for breadcrumbs… to volunteering to feed a Gentile crowd with bread galore. In other words, there is Jesus acting upon the Jewish rejection experienced over the first half of the Gospel. Very Matthean indeed.
Benoît Engel is a pastor and church-planter serving the Communauté de la Muette in Paris, France