Judgment and the wrath of God are prominent themes in Matthew's Gospel-- themes that have often been read in terms of God's rejection of Israel. Anders Runesson sets out to show, through careful study of Matthew's composition and comparison with contemporary Jewish literature, that the theme of divine judgment plays very different and distinct roles for the diverse groups of Jews (including Jesus' disciples) and non-Jews in this Gospel, and that the criteria of judgment are not always what Christian readers have assumed. - back of book.