Hebrew Gospel of Matthew

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Summary: Background
Review: Some background may be useful here. Jerome, the translator of the Vulgate around 400 A.D., who is considered the greatest Hebrew scholar of the late Roman Imperial age, wrote the following in his De Viris Illustribus (Of Illustrious Men):

"Matthew, also called Levi, apostle and aforetimes publican, composed a gospel of Christ at first published in Judea in Hebrew for the sake of those of the circumcision who believed, but this was afterwards translated into Greek though by what author is uncertain. The Hebrew itself has been preserved until the present day in the library. at Caesarea which Pamphilus so diligently gathered. I have also had the opportunity of having the volume described to me bythe Nazarenes of Beroea, a city of Syria, who use it. In this it is to be noted that wherever the Evangelist, whether on his own account or in the person of our Lord the Saviour quotes the testimony of the Old Testament he does not follow the authority of the translators of the Septuagint but the Hebrew. Wherefore these two forms exist "Out of Egypt have I called my son, " and "for he shall be called a Nazarene."

It is apparently unknown whether this Hebrew Matthew is the original of which Jerome wrote, but the possibility exists that this is the earliest Gospel of all. Considering the close relation of Hebrew to Aramaic, the language would in that case be the closest to Jesus' own.

Rating:
Summary: Still Uncertain as to Text's Origins
Review: This text provides some very intriguing Hebraic insight into the Book of Matthew. I especially like its rendering of Matthew 24. Still, it is undetermined whether this is the original Matthew or a Hebrew translation of a Greek text. Nevertheless, it is a valuable reference tool for any Biblical student.