Though we find the Gospel of Matthew first in the New Testament, many scholars believe that the Gospel of Mark is older. Matthew then is often seen as an expansion of Mark, incorporating most of the content of Mark while also adding sections that contain the teachings of Jesus, such as the Sermon on the Mount, and stories about the birth and infancy of Jesus. The phrase "This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet" appears sixteen times in the Gospel of Matthew suggesting an emphasis on fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, and implying that a Jewish audience may have been the first hearers of this Gospel. For them then and for us today, the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus as one who is "God with us" even until the end of time.
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