"This book invites readers to enter the narrative world and the historical context of Matthew's gospel to encounter Jesus Christ in his mighty works and words. Focusing on particular social and theological issues, such as eschatology and Jewish-Christian conflict, it shows how Matthew used Jesus' stories and teachings to instruct and sustain his racially-mixed church to meet the severe challenges posed by Pharisaic opposition, Roman suspicion and intramural tension.

It is worth noting that the church today faces similar challenges in its need to articulate its faith and identity,...