XVI. Matthew's Five Discourses

Matthew structures his Gospel around five major discourses — long blocks of Jesus' teaching, each ending with a closing formula ("when Jesus had finished these sayings..."):

Five. The same number as the books of Moses. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Matthew is doing something deliberate.

The parallels are not subtle once you start counting:

Then comes the discourse — and the difference. Moses receives Torah on the mountain. Jesus teaches Torah from the mountain. Moses speaks for God. Jesus speaks as God: "you have heard that it was said... but I say unto you" (Matt 5:21–22, 27–28, 33–34, 38–39, 43–44). Six times. He does not abolish the Law; He intensifies it, grounding it in the inner life. Anger is murder's seed. Lust is adultery's seed. The Torah-giver speaks; only His authority is greater than the one He cites. (Deuteronomy itself is structured as a Hittite suzerainty treaty — Jesus is now the suzerain re-cutting the covenant.)