His Holiness Pope Shenouda explained that the Gospel of Matthew contains parables and miracles unique to it, and that knowing which parable or miracle appears in which gospel cultivates thinking skill and the ability to extract verses.

Parables and Particularity:
He pointed to parables that appear only in Matthew such as the parable of the ten virgins and the parable of the talents, and other parables that appear in other gospels like the Good Samaritan in Luke; distinguishing between the sources of the parables helps the reader to proper understanding.

Selected Miracles:
He mentioned examples of miracles that appear only in the Gospel of Matthew such as healings of blind, mute, and possessed, and the story of the stater (coin) in the fish, and that there are variations in translations of currency words like the word “stater” or “phelos/fils”.

Apostles’ Names and Their Multiplicity:
The Pope paused at the issue of lists of the apostles’ names, and explained that many apostles had multiple names (for example Peter/Simeon/Cephas, Thomas/Didymus, Matthew/Levi), which explains differences in the lists between Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Acts.

Interpretive Solution:
He clarified that the solution is not a contradiction but the multiplicity of names and nicknames for persons in that time, which makes consulting comparative lists useful to understand the true identity of the apostles.

Spiritual and Educational Perspective:
His Holiness urged reading the gospels with a careful eye that differentiates what is distinctive to Matthew and what is common, because that deepens spiritual understanding and strengthens the ability to teach the Scriptures and imitate Christ’s teachings.

Brief Conclusion:
The Gospel of Matthew is distinguished by collecting specific parables and miracles and by a numerical and sequential style that highlights instructional meanings; knowing textual details and persons’ names enriches liturgical reading and ecclesial meditation.

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