Matthew's Gospel, written somewhere between 80 and 90 AD, probably by a Jewish Christian in the Antioch region of Syria, has served as the foundational document of the church, rooted in the teaching of Jesus - a church built on rock against which the gates of Hades (the abode of the dead) would not prevail (Matthew 16:18). In other words, death and other powers opposed to God will not triumph over the church, the assembly, of Jesus' disciples. This guide serves as an introduction to the Gospel, and suggests ways of praying it so that 'you ay cometo believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name (John: 20:31).