M.F. Sadler was an Anglican priest. He served as rector of Honiton, England, and wrote several other commentaries, including volumes on each of the four Gospels. SADLER, MICHAEL FERREBEE (1819-1895), theologian, eldest son of Michael Thomas Sadler [q. v.], was born at Leeds in 1819. Educated at Sherborne school, he entered St. John's College, Cambridge, after a short interval of business life. He was elected Tyrwhitt's Hebrew scholar in 1846, and graduated B.A. 1847. He was vicar of Bridgwater from 1857 to 1864 (during which time he was appointed to the prebend of Combe, 13th in Wells Cathedral), and of St. Paul's, Bedford, from 1864 to 1869; he was rector of Honiton from 1869 till his death. In 1869 he received an offer of the bishopric of Montreal, carrying with it the dignity of metropolitan of Canada, but refused it on medical advice. He was a voluminous writer on theological subjects, and a strong high churchman. His works, which had a large circulation, did much to popularise the tractarian doctrines.

The Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Matthew is a translation of Saint Thomas Aquinas' lectures on the Gospel of Saint Matthew given in Paris in approximately the year 1270. This is the first ever translation into English of this major work of the Angelic Doctor. It will be a useful commentary for Catholics and non-Catholics, but especially as an aid for preaching sermons. Numerous explanations and cross references to other works of St. Thomas are given in the text. St. Thomas is a master of Scripture and the Church Fathers, which are continuously interwoven in this simple but profoundly enlightening text.

According to Christian antiquity Matthew wrote a gospel in Hebrew. Our first gospel is identical with Matthew’s Hebrew gospel. Internal evidence: a. it points to Matthew as its author; b. it was written for Jewish converts; c. it has the same object as Matthew’s gospel. External evidence: a. it is quoted as Sacred Scripture from the earliest times; b. passages of it are ascribed to Matthew; c. its incidents are regarded as revealed; d. early heretics appeal to it, e. or mutilate it; syllogistic form of the argument; principal exceptions. Aeterna Press