'We have a king who rides two donkeys' - Lent course files

From this page you will can download the worksheets and resources from the parish Lent Group sessions on aspects of St Matthew's Gospel.

Files are in *pdf format. Please don't be put off by the more peculiar pages, you really don't need a working knowledge of Greek (or even Sumerian).

The overview sheets are intended to introduce subjects and encourage discussion and reflection, particularly on those parts of the Gospel 

which are unique to Matthew the evangelist. They invite us to consider some difficult issues, such as:

• The relationship between Matthew's community and the wider Jewish community;
• 'His blood be upon us and our children' - the so-called 'Blood Curse';
• Issues of conscience and ethics - is Judas wholly guilty? What does forgiveness look like? What about marriage and divorce, or 'An eye for an eye'?
• What - according to Matthew - is taking place on the Cross. Is there such a thing as 'The Biblical understanding of the death of Christ'?

Naturally, the group discussion and shared insights can't easily be reproduced here, but you may find the papers useful 

jumping-off points for your own reflection as Holy Week begins.

If you're intrigued by the arrangement of Gospel passages in parallel columns, this invaluable study guide is available under such names as 'Gospel Parallels' or 'Synopsis of the Gospels'  The most readily available cover Matthew Mark and Luke and can be found for a few pounds second-hand; four-Gospel synopses are much harder to come by in English; for those able to use the Greek Text, the  Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum edited by Kurt Aland is available as a PDF online or as an outrageously expensive (but rather nice) hardback, ideal as a birthday present for the complete and utter NT geek in your life.