What would you say about Jesus to a group of Christians made up of 50 percent ethnic Jews and 50 percent non-Jews? That was only one of the major questions facing Matthew when he wrote the Gospel account which bears his name. I begin teaching a five-week course on Matthew on Jan. 24 and the public is invited. I suspect we will have at least as diverse a group as Matthew had in Antioch and the questions may be at least as vexing. I hope if you read any further you will be enticed to come.

Matthew wrote his Gospel somewhere around 40 to 50 years after Christ's crucifixion. His is one of three Gospels, including Mark and Luke, which basically contain the same information. That is why they are called the synoptic Gospels. The three synoptic Gospels all contain a basic secret concerning Jesus. It is called the Messianic secret. It has to do with the fact that Jesus keeps telling his disciples and even the demons he expels from the sick not to tell anyone he is the Messiah. I think I will keep the reason a secret for now and hope you will be interested enough to find out for yourself with a little reading or study.

Each evangelist, or Gospel writer, did add some unique material. For instance, it is Matthew who tells the story of the Magi and of Joseph taking Mary and the child Jesus to Egypt. Each evangelist also completely reworks the common passages in order to present their own perspective on Jesus and the church which followed his teachings. One of the fascinating things about Matthew's perspective is that he presents Jesus as another Moses and someone even greater. Matthew makes it rather clear that Moses told the people what God said but Jesus is God himself speaking.

Matthew organizes many of Christ's saying into sermons. One of the most famous is the Sermon on the Mount which begins with the beatitudes, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." From these sermons the reader gets a clear sense of the way Jesus understood God and God's intent for the world.

Matthew also highlights the Great Commission given by Jesus to his follower that they spread the Gospel to all the nations. At the same time he indicates some of the initial structures by which this mission is to be accomplished. For instance, Matthew includes a unique role for Peter among the apostles. He also records that the entire church has the power and consequent obligation to forgive sins and bring about reconciliation, and he even gives a pattern that is to be used.

Strangely, a few of Christ's sayings in Matthew are so unique that they sound like something from the Gospel according to John who wrote in a completely different way than the three synoptic writers. The most familiar saying of this type begins, "Come to me all you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you."

There may be another secret lurking here, but if you would like to join us in discovering its solution I invite you to call the Office for Catholic Education at (217) 698-8500 and register for the class on the Gospel according to Matthew. The cost is $15 plus the $2 price of a small commentary on the Gospel we will use in class.

See you there, Jan. 24.

Father Richard Chiola is a certified counselor, pastor of St. Cabrini Parish in Springfield and diocesan director for the ongoing formation of clergy.