The aim of the present work is to make a contribution to the understanding of the inner workings of the Syriac language through a study of one important corpus written in that language.

The book contains four chapters on aspects of Syriac syntax. In addition, a chapter on inner-Syriac developments — traceable owing to the fact that the Gospel of Matthew was translated several times and at different dates — and a chapter on the process of translation from Greek into Syriac are included as well.

The analysis of the language of the Syriac versions of Matthew facilitates the use of these versions in textual criticism of the New Testament. Moreover, close study of these texts allows some light to be shed on the history of the text of the Gospel.