The majority of the essays in this volume were originally presented at a colloquium held at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at KU Leuven in December 2018. The colloquium was linked to an international research project studying texts and traditions from the perspective of identity creation. The essays study Matthew's Gospel and the place it takes among the canonical gospels from the perspective of what is characteristically or distinctively 'Matthean' about it. This common focus provides ample occasions for interesting analyses of core aspects of Matthew's composition technique, his theology, and his reception in mainstream Christianity. At the same time, contributors try to throw light on questions of a broader character with regard to the composition history of the gospels, the strategies authors can use to create distinction, and the selection process that guided their reception history.
