Completely revised and expanded edition of the first volume in the 'Discovering' series.

This introduction to the interpretation of Matthew aims to encourage in-depth study of the text, and genuine grappling with the theological and historical questions raised, by providing a 'map' to the Gospel as a whole, and to key interpreters and interpretative debates.

It draws on a range of methodological approaches (author-, text- and readercentred), as complementary rather than mutually exclusive ways of interpreting the text.

In particular, this new introduction reflects the growing scholarly attention to the reception history of biblical texts, increasingly viewed as a vital aspect of interpretation rather than an optional extra.