Charles Quarles’s commentary on Matthew is the best kind of commentary. It warmly engages the heart with a worshipful and reverent tone even while expertly exposing the grammatical, linguistic, and literary features of the text. It helps the reader grasp the grand redemptive work of Israel’s King but also appreciate the most intimate moments of Jesus’s interactions with his companions. Rich with salient detail about cultural and historical contexts, it will be of enormous benefit to anyone wanting to communicate what Matthew wrote as well as understand it.
—Hershael W. York, dean, School of Theology, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; senior pastor, Buck Run Baptist Church
Good commentators frequently use scholarly expertise to help us peel back the layers of time, culture, language, and other elements that have covered up the right understanding of God’s truth in the Bible. Great commentators do those same things but do them with spiritual vitality and pastoral practicality. Chuck Quarles—by God’s grace—is a great commentator. And this new installment of Matthew in the EBTC is another testimony to it. With his worldâ·renown scholarship, deep walk with Christ, and pastoral experience, Chuck shepherds students of this Gospel on a journey to see and know its primary feature—the Lord Jesus Christ. He says that readers of this Gospel ‘who see themselves, rather than Jesus, as the primary characters in the Gospel story are using the Gospel in a manner foreign to the author’s intention.’ Chuck’s rich exposition of Matthew’s testimony to Jesus helps us stay focused on seeing and knowing him and, in doing so, shows us how to follow him as his disciples.
—Jim Shaddix, W. A. Criswell Professor of Expository Preaching, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; senior fellow, Center for Preaching and Pastoral Leadership
The church has been blessed with a wonderful family of commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew. Names like Davies and Allison, Blomberg, Broadus, Bruner, Carson, Evans, France, Hagner, Keener, Morris, and Nolland immediately come to mind. And, there are others. To this illustrious family now comes a new sibling who will bring honor to the family name. My colleague and friend Charles Quarles has written a commentary on Matthew that is simply superb. Its breadth of scholarship is combined with a readability that will make this a go-to volume for both the academic and the pastor. Faithful expositors are in for a treat. What a welcomed addition to the family it is.
—Danny Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Every pastor and lay person will benefit from both the scholarship and the application for study. The commentary is a rare blend of fine scholarship that is understandable. Quarles demonstrates his expertise in the Greek language and his command of the historical resources that provide biblical conclusions. Old Testament underpinnings are constructed by his discussions of the New Abraham, New Moses, and New David, which shows Matthew’s erudite knowledge of the Old Testament. The author shows the reader that the Gospel of Matthew is a divine gift to the church and a literary masterpiece to the world.
—Larry Hubbard, pastor, Riverside Baptist Church
Here we have a seamless blend of the most careful, detailed scholarship and profound theological insights that are immediately useful for contemporary preaching and teaching. Quarles's commentary is rich in erudition; it is enthralling in its originality; and it is a model of lucidity. This is truly an invaluable resource both for the academic and for all who are seriously engaged in the ministry of the word within the church.
—David R. Bauer, Ralph Waldo Beeson Professor of Inductive Biblical Studies and dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation, Asbury Theological Seminary
When I received a copy of Dr. Quarles’s commentary of Matthew, I considered it a treasure before even opening it because I know of no one who is more prepared to produce such an important work. When I began to read it, I was not disappointed. It is concise, technical, pastoral, theological, and practical—all in ways that nourish my heart with the glory of Jesus and help me understand how I can best communicate his glory to others. I believe every student of the word of God will be further equipped to understand the ‘glory of Immanuel’ and to impart the knowledge of his glory in teaching, preaching, and in living to his glory.
—Bart M. Walker, pastor, Kingsville Baptist Church
Dr. Chuck Quarles has quickly become one of the preeminent scholars on the Gospel of Matthew and has written one of the most thorough, carefully researched, practically applicable commentaries to date. This is without question the new go-to commentary on Matthew’s Gospel. In this work, readers sit under the instruction of a scholar who masterfully assists them with textual, theological, biblical, and practical commentary from an inerrantist perspective. I will not preach any text in Matthew’s Gospel without consulting Dr. Quarles’s work!
—Steven Wade, professor of pastoral theology, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Charles Quarles has written extensively on Matthew over the years. In this commentary he draws on that rich research to expound the text insightfully, to highlight Matthew’s presentation of Jesus Christ’s deity, and to show how it all fits in the storyline of the Scriptures. The outstanding introduction on various themes is almost a book in itself. The interpretation that follows is both vibrant and clear-cut, fulfilling the author’s stated intention to show what each pericope reveals about Jesus. With so many commentaries to choose from today, I would put this one at the top of a short list of those to consult for preaching and teaching Matthew.
—David E. Garland, Professor of Christian Scriptures, George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University
