Religious Conflicts in Matthew's Community: Confronting Religious Conflicts as Disciples of Jesus

Lectionary Year A began on November 30, 2025, the First Sunday of Advent, inviting us to focus on the Gospel according to Matthew. This narrative of Jesus was composed by a community struggling with many issues. Written around 85-90 CE, the gospel addresses a community consisting primarily of “Christian” Jews who accepted Jesus as the long awaited Jewish messiah. Their belief in Jesus places them in conflict with other Jews who did not accept Jesus as messiah. There is the added tension of how open Matthew’s community should be in welcoming Gentiles who desire to follow Jesus and be members of the community. All this creates a significant amount of tension. They are Jews who are being rejected by other Jews because of their beliefs and who are struggling to be open to welcoming Gentiles into their midst. How are these “Christian” Jews to live in light of these conflicts?

The gospel addresses these tensions by seeking to clarify Jesus’ identity as well as the community’s identity as disciples of Jesus. These sessions explore the way in which the Matthean community worked through these tensions, ultimately producing a gospel that continues to speak to the tensions that any believing community experiences. The sessions delve into the mind and heart of the Matthean community by examining their cultural, religious and political context. How they attempt to resolve these tensions becomes a school of discipleship for us as well. Come to learn how Matthew’s community’s attempt to deal with these conflicts can help us today deal with similar conflicts. The study of Matthew’s gospel can help us draw closer to Jesus and enter more fully into the gospel passages of Liturgical Year A. All churches and faith traditions are most welcome.