Mark Allan Powell is a Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary and an internationally recognized theologian and Bible scholar. The author of more than 25 books and 100 articles, Dr Powell has served as a Visiting Professor at universities such as the University of California, Berkeley, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Chicago, as well as at schools in Estonia, Tanzania, and Russia. He is best known for his work in literary criticism, Matthean studies, and historical Jesus studies.

• Introduction Mark Allan Powell; 1. The historical critical method and the Gospel of Matthew Donald A. Hagner and Stephen E. Young; 2. Literary approaches and the Gospel of Matthew Mark Allan Powell; 3. Feminist criticism and the Gospel of Matthew Elaine M. Wainwright; 4. Historical Jesus studies and the Gospel of Matthew Craig Evans; 5. Social-scientific approaches and the Gospel of Matthew Bruce Malina; 6. Postcolonial criticism and the Gospel of Matthew Fernando F. Segovia.

'Given the proliferation of new approaches to the Bible in recent years, this survey of critical methods for studying Matthew, by an impressive roster of scholars, is welcome assistance. The succinct essays, taken together, constitute a sure guide, one that helps restore order to a field that can seem chaotic. The chapters should in every case inform experts as well as amateurs.' Dale C. Allison, Jr, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary