When Jesus called Matthew, as he sat in his office where he collected customs duty, Matthew rose up and followed him and left everything behind him except one thing - his pen. Matthew was to become the great chronicler of Christ's life and teachings - and, though it is widely accepted that he did not write the gospel itself, his influence is undeniably felt throughout. Matthew has a rhythmical and often poetical prose. Of the synoptics, it is the gospel best suited for public reading, and is probably the best known as a result: it includes Christ's infancy, the Sermon on the Mount, the well-known parables, the Resurrection and many other familiar stories. William Barclay helps us to rediscover the immediacy and freshness of this familiar gospel.