Faith without religion.
The Purpose of Matthew: Unveiling the Messiah for the Jews
In the latest episode of “Dell and Dad Talk Doctrine,” Dell and her father, Shawn, delve into the intricacies of the Book of Matthew. Dell, who is exploring the Bible for the first time, poses questions to her father, who she humorously refers to as her “cult leader dad.” They are part of a group called cult.love, which they describe as a supplement to Big Church.
The discussion begins with a brief overview of Matthew, a tax collector who left everything to follow Jesus. Shawn explains that the Gospels provide a narrow view of events, emphasizing faith over detailed narratives. Dell questions the purpose of Matthew’s Gospel, noting its focus on fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. Shawn elaborates that each Apostle wrote for specific audiences, with Matthew aiming to prove Jesus as the promised Messiah to the Jews.
The conversation shifts to the Old Testament, where Shawn explains its dual purpose: addressing contemporary issues of the time and foreshadowing future events. They touch on the inclusion of apocryphal books in the Catholic Bible, which Protestant Bibles exclude due to inconsistencies. Dell expresses skepticism about the selective inclusion of texts, but Shawn defends the continuity and consistency of the accepted scriptures.
As they explore the differences between the Tanakh and the Old Testament, Shawn highlights the oral tradition of passing down stories among the Jews. He also notes that the Gospels and early chapters of Acts are more aligned with the Tanakh, focusing on Jesus as the Messiah for the Jews rather than for Gentiles.
The episode concludes with a promise to continue the discussion in the next installment, inviting listeners to send their questions to cult.love.
