The Gospel of Matthew, 2 volumes (Eerdman Critical Commentary), Walter T.Wilson, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 2022 (ISBN 9780802881816), xxi + 632 pp. and xxi + 610 pp., Hb $45 and $45

Walter T. Wilson, Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology at Emory University, who in 2014 published the monograph Healing in the Gospel of Matthew: Reflections on Method and Ministry (Fortress, 2014) as well as numerous articles on Matthew and in 2023 the commentary The Wisdom of Sirach, fills a notable gap in the Eerdmans Critical Commentary (ECC) series with his two volume commentary on Matthew and offers an important resource for Matthean scholarship for the foreseeable future. These volumes provide an exhaustive literary, theological and historical analysis of Matthew's Gospel. Each section includes Wilson's own English translation of the Greek text, detailed textual and grammatical notes and theological commentary. The commentary's structure mirrors Matthew's own narrative, alternating between narrative and discourse and giving special attention to the five major speeches in this Gospel (especially the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5–7 and the parables discourse in chapter 13). Wilson's central thesis is that Matthew offers a ‘foundation story’ for the messianic movement that reinterprets the story of Israel around Jesus as Immanuel—‘God with us’ (1:23; 18:20; 28:20)—whose life, teachings, death and resurrection fulfil the Law, the Prophets and God's eschatological purposes (pp. 1–3; 82–84). The author suggests that Matthew is not merely biographical but a theological narrative that shapes community identity through a pattern of speech and action. According to Wilson, Jesus is both teacher and embodiment of divine wisdom, inaugurating the kingdom of heaven through acts of healing, table fellowship and judgement, all while redefining the boundaries of Israel around obedience to his word (pp. 12–14; 321–325). In the twenty-page introduction, Wilson presents a comprehensive overview of Matthew in terms of authorship, sources, structure, genre and theology. Wilson suggests that although the Gospel appears first in the New Testament canon, it was written after Mark and drew heavily on Markan material, as well as the hypothetical Q source and distinctive material unique to Matthew (pp. 1–3). The author, likely a Jewish Christian writing between 75 and 95 CE, is familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and emphasizes Torah observance (p. 3). Wilson describes the Matthean author as a conservative editor who expands upon Mark's structure through the addition of five major discourses: the Sermon on the Mount (5:1–7:29), the mission discourse (10:1–42), the parables discourse (13:1–52), the community discourse (18:1–35) and the eschatological discourse (24:1–25:46; pp. 5–6). These discourses, interspersed with narrative sections, serve to articulate the ideals of discipleship while acknowledging the challenges of following Jesus (p. 7). Regarding the location of composition, Wilson suggests this Gospel may have been composed in Antioch, where Jewish and Gentile Christian populations intersected (pp. 3–5). Having introduced this Gospel, Wilson then divides its 28 chapters into 11 sections, which are discussed in smaller units. Each section begins with a brief introduction to the passage, followed by the author's translation of the respective verses as well as detailed and thorough commentary. The author's reading of Matthew's meals with sinners (e.g., 9:10–13) as enactments of eschatological inclusion and kingdom ethics is particularly illuminating (pp. 308–311), as is his treatment of the parables discourse (ch. 13), which illustrates how Jesus's withdrawal into ‘the house’ (13:36), signalling a narrative and theological pivot from public ministry to instruction—a symbolic act that reflects the community's self-understanding as a distinct, embattled group (pp. 539–546). Equally helpful is Wilson's discussion of the Gospel's use of fulfilment quotations, not only as prooftexts but as narrative strategies that recast Scripture as an interpretive frame for Jesus's life (e.g. pp. 10–12; 70–75). Regarding the section about Matthew 14:1–17:27, Wilson carefully demonstrates how Matthew organizes these chapters through narrative repetition and thematic foreshadowing, particularly regarding Jesus' identity and authority (pp. 7–21). His treatment of the feeding miracles (Matt. 14:13–21; 15:32–39) situates them within both Jewish exodus traditions and Hellenistic miracle motifs, highlighting how Matthew constructs Jesus as a new Moses-like provider. Notably, Wilson draws attention to the deliberate narrative contrast between Herod's decadent, destructive banquet (14:6–11) and Jesus' life-giving meal in the wilderness (14:13–21), illustrating how these episodes critique corrupt power while affirming Jesus' role as divine sustainer (pp. 44–51). The commentary effectively discusses Peter's confession at Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13–20), where Wilson unpacks the textual nuances and intertextual echoes of Old Testament royal and prophetic imagery. He is attentive to the rhetorical function of Peter's declaration and Jesus' pronouncement regarding the ‘rock’ and ‘keys’, though some may find his analysis of the ecclesial implications underdeveloped in relation to wider theological debates (pp. 230–240). Wilson situates the transfiguration account (Matt. 17:1–13) within broader Jewish apocalyptic expectations and traditions of divine manifestation (pp. 387–395). Similarly, his structural analysis of the Community Discourse (Matt. 18) demonstrates a sophisticated grasp of Matthew's narrative and rhetorical coherence (pp. 122–128). Wilson's discussion of the Last Supper (Matt. 26:17–30) reflects his strength in comparative literary analysis. He draws detailed connections between the meal and earlier feeding narratives, particularly Matthew 14, showing how the language of ‘taking, blessing, breaking, and giving’ (26:26) echoes the earlier miraculous provision of bread (14:19; pp. 615–618). Wilson's discussions of the Psalms, Isaiah and Zechariah within the trial and crucifixion scenes (pp. 650–653) illuminate Matthew's portrayal of Jesus' innocence and messianic identity. The treatment of intertextuality throughout reflects careful philological work and contributes meaningfully to understanding Matthew's scriptural hermeneutics. The commentary concludes with a detailed examination of Matthew's resurrection scene (Matt. 28:1–20). Wilson's exegesis of the angels, of the women's role as first witnesses, and of the Great Commission (28:16–20) underscores the Gospel's climactic theological affirmations concerning Jesus' authority and ongoing divine presence (pp. 798–815). Wilson's commentary should be praised for its numerous insightful observations. Throughout this commentary, the author excels in showing how Matthew's Gospel draws from Jewish wisdom traditions, apocalyptic hopes, Greco-Roman social conventions, and Second Temple theology, while nevertheless remaining sensitive to this Gospel's rhetorical intention. Moreover, the author's interpretation of Matthew is informed not only by English scholarship but also by German and French literature and the bibliography is extensive (pp. 669–818). Wilson's commentary, however, is not without limitations. Although Wilson notes Matthew's redactional modifications of the Markan Transfiguration account (p. 387), the commentary offers limited reflection on the theological motivations behind these changes. Moreover, Wilson maintains a primarily historical-critical and literary focus, with minimal attention to the contemporary theological or ecclesial significance of Matthew. This methodological restraint is consistent with the series but may limit the commentary's accessibility to readers beyond the academic guild. Another point of criticism can be found in Wilson's statement about authorship in the introduction, where he admits that this Gospel could have been produced ‘as a communal effort’ rather than by a single person (p. 1). Despite this statement, Wilson immediately reverts in the next sentence to mentioning the single Matthean author in the masculine form three times (by writing ‘his’). This subtle yet persistent gendering of the author reflects the default scholarly assumption that Matthew was written by a man—an assumption that, while perhaps historically possible, remains unchallenged in Wilson's commentary. Commonly throughout this commentary, it is often unclear when Wilson talks about ‘Matthew’ if he is talking about the Gospel or the disciple of Jesus as the supposed author of this text (cf. e.g. pp. 3, 6, 24). Given Wilson's initial openness to the Gospel's potentially communal or anonymous character, a more consistent and critically self-aware approach would have helped to avoid gendered language altogether or to acknowledge the assumption explicitly. This inconsistency, while minor, illustrates how even well-informed scholarship can unintentionally perpetuate traditional authorial constructs. These minor criticisms about this commentary should not detract from the significant contribution to Matthean scholarship of Wilson's commentary, particularly in light of the intertextual analysis and socio-historical contextualization's that are drawn in this text. Wilson's commentary is likely to be of particular value to scholars and advanced students seeking a detailed, textually grounded commentary on Matthew. His detailed literary analysis, attention to Jewish and Greco-Roman backgrounds, and intertextual sensitivity make this a valuable resource for scholars and advanced students, significantly advancing insights into the presentation of Jesus' identity, mission, and enduring presence within Matthew's Gospel. Wilson's commentary will be a standard source of reference for the Gospel of Matthew for years to come. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.