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Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful Commentary on Gospel of Matthew
Review: Leon Morris, an Anglican Theologian, has written a number of works that are outstanding. This is one of them. I was in need of a substantive commentary on Matthew, and am pleased to now have one! Morris' intention is to understand the meaning of the text, and the theology of Matthew, rather than to debate text critical issues endlessly. This commentary is very thorough and would be an excellent resource for pastors in their preaching ministry, and those interested in devotional studies. The extensive footnotes and references to other works would meet the need of those interested in contemporary research on this important gospel. Much recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Devotional and Scholarly Work
Review: Leon Morris, an Anglican Theologian, has written a number of works that are outstanding. This is one of them. I was in need of a substantive commentary on Matthew, and am pleased to now have one! Morris' intention is to understand the meaning of the text, and the theology of Matthew, rather than to debate text critical issues endlessly. This commentary is very thorough and would be an excellent resource for pastors in their preaching ministry, and those interested in devotional studies. The extensive footnotes and references to other works would meet the need of those interested in contemporary research on this important gospel. Much recommended!
Rating: 
Summary: A very useful explanation of Matthew's gospel
Review: This is a very good commentary. Dr. Morris spends most of his time explaining the text as it has come to us. Understand that this is not a critical commentary. Morris makes this clear in the introduction. If you are looking for a technical or critical commentary on Matthew, try the three volume work by Davies and Allison (ICC). Again, this is a good work, but it suffers from a completely pre-critical bias, as if Matthew received the entire book by dictation. I recommend it for those seeking only a literary reading, but there are better commentaries for deeper study.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Commentary on Gospel of Matthew
Review: This is a wonderful, expositional commentary on the text of the Gospel of Matthew. What sets this work apart from nearly everything else available is Morris' determination to exposit what Matthew has actually said and is trying to tell us, rather than to argue a new view on the whole Gospel, or interact with critical theories that most readers have never heard of (and many of which have either faded away or are in the process). This is a commentary every person in the church can access and appreciate. Morris wears his considerable learning lightly, so we get a lively interaction with the gospel itself, which cannot help but pay rich spiritual dividends for us all. Having used several available Evangelical commentaries, I am convinced that Morris is the best overall. It is not as scholarly as Carson, but it not as dry either. It is not as insightful as Blomberg in some places, but it is much fuller so that you really get feel for what Matthew is trying to say. I am probably biased since I am a fan of nearly all of Morris' work, but this is the first place I turn when preparing to preach or teach from Matthew.
Rating:
Summary: Solid, but nothing spectacular
Review: With this book coming in at just under 800 pages, I expected a lot out of this commentary. Unfortunately, Leon Morris spends very little time (17 pages) discussing the authorship, date, and other background information relevant to the gospel of Matthew. This was disappointing because the reader is left to simply accept the assumptions of the author without having them defended as thoroughly as they could have been. This isn't to say that this commentary is without some strengths. First, the format is easy to follow. Throughout the commentary, Morris provides his literal translation of Matthew as opposed to using one of the common versions (NIV, NASB, RSV, etc). He uses footnotes instead of endnotes which is much more convenient for the reader. Morris also relegates discussion of Greek issues to the footnotes which makes the main body of his commentary read more smoothly to those without knowledge of Greek. Morris seems to assume the inerrancy of Matthew which sometimes seemed to limit his discussion of some of the more difficult areas of this gospel, and also frequently led him to harmonize Matthew's account with those of the other gospels rather than focusing strictly on Matthew. Those with a conservative view towards Scripture will be much more satisfied with this commentary than those who are looking for a more critical commentary. Morris does a good job of bringing out the theological implications of Matthew's gospel.
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