Abstract
The article aimed to describe the distinctive element in the use of the motif of the resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew in comparison with Mark, Luke and the Sayings Gospel Q. It argued that the distinctive element occurs where parallel texts in Luke 22:24–30, Matthew 19:27–29 and Mark 10:28–31 converge. The distinctive element pertains particularly to the meaning of the Greek expression ‘en tē palingenesia’ in Matthew 19:28. By elaborating on time as a social construct, the article showed how Matthew deals with the conception of time differently than both Mark and Luke. It illustrated that the Gospel of Matthew represents a storyline consisting of a circular movement between ‘genesis’ (Mt 1:1) and ‘palingenesia’ (Mt 19:28), where the word ‘palingenesia’ denotes the meaning ‘regeneration’ rather than ‘resurrection’. Matthew does not narrate an abrupt transition from linear time to clock time. Both co-existed in a world where illiterate peasants and literate scribes scheduled their lives in terms of motifs pertaining to a linear and a punctual conception of time.
Highlights
The article aimed to describe the distinctive element in the use of the motif of the resurrection in the Gospel of Matthew in comparison with Mark, Luke and the Sayings Gospel Q
By elaborating on time as a social construct, the article showed how Matthew deals with the conception of time differently than both Mark and Luke. It illustrated that the Gospel of Matthew represents a storyline consisting of a circular movement between ‘genesis’ (Mt 1:1) and ‘palingenesia’ (Mt 19:28), where the word ‘palingenesia’ denotes the meaning ‘regeneration’ rather than ‘resurrection’
What shall we have?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world [en tē palingenesia], when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel’. (Mt 28:27–28; translation: Revised Standard Version, in Aland & Aland [1981] 1998:54)
Summary
Regeneration and resurrection in Matthew – Peasants in campo hearing time signals from scribes. What shall be ours?’ Jesus said to them: ‘Amen, I tell you, in the renewal [at the regeneration; en tē palingenesia], when the Son of man sits on his throne of glory, you who followed me, you will sit on twelve thrones, obtaining justice for the twelve tribes of Israel’ This logion is a superb example of a conflation of sayings or elements in sayings in the Jesus tradition, where certain individual features originated with Q, others with Mark and yet others with Sondergut in either Luke or Matthew.. Matthew completes a circular movement when his ‘genesis’ (1:1) at the beginning becomes ‘palingenesia’ (regeneration) towards the end (19:28) where this motif set in motion the narratives of Jesus’ death and resurrection It seems that Mark’s more linear understanding of time comes from his idea that the community of Jesus followers transcended Israel as the people of God. Israel is left behind and a new community is formed. Seeing Matthew’s use of the word palingenesia in 19:28 as another example of ‘memorializing activity’ in which past, future and present are conflated, the question remains: what could Matthew’s distinctive intent be by linking Jesus’ genesis (Mt 1:1) with Israel’s palingenesia (Mt 19:28)?
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