32. Unpacking the Gospel of Matthew: How is Jesus like Moses?

In this episode of The Bible in a Year, hosts Dr. Kathryn Schifferdecker and Rev. Katie Langston turn to the Gospel of Matthew. They're joined by Dr. Kristofer Phan Coffman, Assistant Professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary, who guides listeners through the book's genre, likely authorship, and original audience. The conversation covers Matthew's signature elements: the Sermon on the Mount, the Torah, Matthew's own story as a tax collector, and the Great Commission. Dr. Coffman also unpacks the visit of the Magi, explaining why this familiar Christmas story sets up a much bigger claim about who Jesus is.The discussion moves through several of Matthew's distinctive parables, including the sheep and the goats, the wedding feast, and the workers in the vineyard, and considers why Matthew is remembered as a teaching gospel. Dr. Coffman describes Jesus in Matthew as "like Moses, but better," modeled on Moses yet working on a far grander scale. The episode also touches on Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship as an example of the Sermon on the Mount's ongoing influence. It's a rich, accessible entry point into the Gospel of Matthew for anyone reading along with The Bible in a Year.