Matthean Jesus Research Articles

Guidance from Unexpected Places after COVID-19: Learning from Jesus and the Early Christian Communities in Responding to Trauma

The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging and traumatic for many, with its effects still being felt four years later. This article contends that the witness of Jesus of Nazareth and the early Christian communities can serve as guides for navigating post-pandemic life. This article will do so by examining the historical context of first-century Jewish Palestine with attention given to the Roman Empire’s brutality and traumatizing impact. It will then provide an analysis of the Matthean Jesus’ call to love one’s enemies and the Markan Jesus’ emphasis on bearing the cross as constructive responses to the trauma Matthew and Mark’s communities went through. Lastly, it will show how Jesus and the early Christian communities reveal that pain and trauma can be healthily transcended for better ways and behaviors. Thus, what has happened to us, however painful, can bear the seeds of a healthy purpose and meaning that can lead to us and our world becoming more humanized. The research methodology in this article is interdisciplinary, employing biblical theological, historical, and psychological methodologies.

The Enigma of the Antitheses

AbstractWhile it is easy to interpret the first and second of the Matthean Antitheses (5.21–30) as intensifications of the Mosaic law, it is difficult to interpret the remaining Antitheses (5.31–48) in this manner. In the history of interpretation, two main strategies have been adopted for dealing with these later Antitheses, the ‘rejected interpretation’ hypothesis and the revocation hypothesis. The ‘rejected interpretation’ hypothesis, however, is only plausible for the last Antithesis (5.43–8), which appends ‘and hate your enemy’ to the Levitical exhortation to love one's neighbour; in all other instances, the ‘thesis’ statement is either a biblical citation or a close paraphrase of one or more biblical passages. Although the revocation hypothesis has often been deployed in an anti-Jewish way, there is nothing intrinsically anti-Jewish about it; indeed, both biblical authors, such as the Deuteronomist and Ezekiel, on the one hand, and some rabbis, on the other, explicitly revise prior biblical laws while at the same time claiming to be changing nothing. Matthew does something similar when he introduces the revisionist Antitheses with a programmatic statement about the unchangeableness of the Law (5.17–20). The Matthean Jesus, then, is not ‘seconding Sinai’ but correcting it.

A call for peacemaking: A perspective from the Sermon on the Mount

In a country burdened by violence and intolerance where many citizens claim to be Christians, a call to respond to a Christian ethics of peacemaking is appropriate. This article explores the instruction of the Matthean Jesus that his followers should be peacemakers amidst their exposure to violence. The point of departure is taken from the seventh beatitude ‘blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God’ (Mt 5:9). The motif of peacemaking is followed through in the rest of the Sermon on the Mount and then contextualised within the broader Matthean narrative. In the article the strenuous environment is considered in which the Gospel was written and the frequent occurrence of resistance, antagonism, violence and strife in the narrative. Instead of the endless and escalating chain of violence spawning yet more violence, Jesus breaks this chain. He instructs his disciples to be peacemakers. Peace starts with peace with God but ripples out to peace in families and among neighbours, until it comes to the most difficult part, peace with enemies.Contribution: Based on this investigation, the article offers pastoral guidelines for Christians on how they ought to deal with a violent and intolerant environment.

The Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14–30)

Abstract There is an unresolved tension between the parable of the Talent’s Matthean literary arrangement and readings proposed by modern scholars using socio-historical research to assess the parable’s reception by a first century audience. Drawing on metaphor theory and incorporating insights from the main interpretive trajectories found in modern scholarship on this parable, the author here proposes a new literary-critical reading that resolves this tension. He argues the parable’s rhetorical function within the Matthean narrative is to prepare the Matthean disciples to lead the universal expansion of the mission of the Matthean Jesus in the post-Easter period.

Matthean Jesus and peacebuilding in Zimbabwe 2018–2019

This article is an assessment of the applicability of the Matthean Jesus’ ethics in the context of peacebuilding in Zimbabwe (2018–2019). The article explores the factors which led to the removal of former President Mugabe from the office, and the events which took place from 2018 to 2019. It is alleged that torture, brutality and political killings of people continue to resurface even during the leadership of the new President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Faced with the above challenges associated with violence, socio-political, economic and religious conflicts, civil unrest and polarisation of the Zimbabwean society, the article gives an analysis of the relevance and applicability of Jesus’ ethics as presented by Matthew in a bid to bring national healing, peace and reconciliation in Zimbabwe. The ethics of Jesus are meant to transform society for the better; therefore, the article also assesses the lessons which can be drawn from these ethics amid challenges posed by a lack of confession, truth telling and transformative justice in the face of gross political intimidation and torture in Zimbabwe. The article concludes that the Matthean Jesus ethics are applicable in the Zimbabwean context. However, the implementation of these ethics faces serious impediments, which need special attention, especially the need of all citizens, government, political leaders, church leaders and civil society leaders to join hands together with the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission in bringing national healing in Zimbabwe. Contribution: This article is part of the special collection ‘Africa Platform for NT Scholars’. It focuses on the assessment of the applicability of the Matthean Jesus’ ethics in the context of peacebuilding in Zimbabwe (2018–2019).The ethics of Jesus are meant to transform society for the better, therefore, it is within the scope of this theological journal that issues associated with violence, socio-political, economic and religious conflicts, civil unrest and polarization should be addressed, hence the article fits well within this scope.

The Residue of Matthean Polemics in the Ascension of Isaiah

This article explores the literary relationship between the Matthean tradition and the Ascension of Isaiah, a second-century pseudepigraphon detailing Isaiah's visions of the ‘Beloved’ and his polemical (and fatal) engagement with the ‘false prophet’ Belkira. While the lexical affiliation between these texts has been a point of interest, the discussion has oscillated between types of sources utilised, whether gospel material mutually shared with Matthew or Matthew itself. Though this paper details lexical contact, it pushes beyond philological similarity and posits narrative imitations as well as shared polemical strategies. The result is that Isaiah is more readily seen as a figure fashioned after the Matthean Jesus, and the ‘martyred prophet’ motif that ripples throughout the Gospel of Matthew as appropriated and narrativised by the Ascension of Isaiah for a second-century conflict over prophetic practices.

The Matthean characterisation of Jesus by angels

Angels play a significant role in the characterisation of the Matthean Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew displays particular interest in angels. This article focuses on passages in Matthew that relate the role of angels directly to Jesus. Matthew distinguishes between the angel of the Lord and angels in general. This article examines the latter group keeping in view their support of Jesus. It shows that Matthew assumes knowledge of Jewish angelic traditions among his readers. He adds new perspectives to their knowledge about the relation of angels with Jesus. He is depicted as meek and humble, refraining from using his authority to call on the assistance of angels for his own benefit. Yet angels come with reverence to serve him. In humility, he fully submits to the will of the Father by entering his passion. On the other hand, he is also depicted with eschatological glory as being accompanied by all the angels. Heavens are emptied to attend to the Son of Man on his glorious throne. With an entourage of all heavenly angels he will return as the eschatological judge not only to judge all the nations, but also the devil and his angels.

The characterisation of the Matthean Jesus by the angel of the Lord

The characterisation of the Matthean Jesus by the angel of the Lord

Matthew

Matthew

Matthean Jesus and forgiveness in light of national healing, peace and reconciliation in Zimbabwe, 2008–2017

The history of Zimbabwe is characterised by a series of challenges, which, at different turning points, manifested themselves through violent conflicts, since its independence in 1980. Faced with the challenges associated with violence, socio-political, economic and religious conflicts, civil unrest and polarisation of the Zimbabwean society from 2008 to 2017, this article discusses the relevance and applicability of Jesus’ ethics with special focus on the Matthean Jesus and forgiveness in a bid to bring national healing, peace and reconciliation. The article stresses that the application of Matthean Jesus’ ethics is vital for the Zimbabwean society because it paves way for peace, healing and reconciliation. Among other factors, the Matthean Jesus’ ethics call for victims of political violence to unconditionally extend forgiveness to their offenders as demonstrated by the Matthean Jesus who forgave mankind’s sins through his sacrificial death on the cross. Over and above that, there should be an honest implementation of justice and truth telling by the Zimbabwean government through willingness and commitment to institute the rule of law and cab all forms of lawlessness. Moreover, it is imperative that there should be a formation of an independent truth, justice and reconciliation commission to deal with truth telling, acknowledgement of past wrongs, and restorative and transitional justice issues in Zimbabwe.

The controversy dialogue leading towards Jesus’ severe response in Matthew 23

Scholars have described Matthew 23 as the ‘unloveliest’ chapter and ‘bleakest spot’ in the Gospel. It might seem that this chapter does not fit into the overall structure and plot of the Gospel, and that it is a clumsy redactional addition being untypical of the Matthean Jesus. This article recognises the severe nature of this chapter but argues that it does fit into the developing tension between the Jewish leaders and Jesus within the Gospel. It is demonstrated how it forms part of a narrative where Jesus is involved in constant and intensifying controversy dialogue with these leaders. The leaders constantly challenge Jesus with increasing intensity which eventually led towards Jesus’s climactic response in this chapter.

The Matthean Jesus’ surprising instruction to obey the teachers of the Law and Pharisees

Jesus’ instruction to the crowds in Matthew 23:3 to obey and do everything the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees tell them comes as a surprise. It is the only case in Matthew where the words of the Jewish leaders are seemingly portrayed in a positive light. If this portrayal indeed is positive, it seems to stand in tension with how Matthew construes these leaders and their teachings in the rest of the gospel (e.g. Mt 5:20; 15:3–6, 15:14; 16:11–12). Jesus’ positive remark furthermore seemingly stands in contrast with Matthew 28:20, where Jesus claims all authority to himself and instructs his disciples to teach all the nations to obey everything he has commanded them. The question therefore arises as to how this seemingly positive reference of Jesus, which apparently stands in contrast with Jesus’ criticism in the rest of the gospel, should be interpreted. In answering this question, an intra-textual approach is followed.

The love for the poor neighbour: in memory of her (Matthew 26:6-13)

This article explores whether the Jesus saying in Matthew 26:11 contradicts the Jesus tradition about caring for the poor. Bultmann’s understanding of the love commandment provides a key to understanding this perceived paradox. On the one hand, in Matthew 19:21, Jesus says that to love one’s neighbour as required by the Decalogue means, in practice, to dispose of all riches and give the money to the poor. On the other hand, in Matthew 26:6-14, Jesus pardons the woman who anointed him with precious oil in anticipation of his burial rather than selling the oil and giving the money to the poor. The article argues that the Matthean Jesus did not contradict himself. Bultmann’s insight into the dialectical dissociation between Christian ethics and Stoic ethics supports the coherence in Jesus’ view on caring for the poor. O Galilee, Galilee, thou hatest the law; thine end will be to have to deal with brigands (Yohanan ben Zakkai, y . Shabbat 15d, quoted in Elliott-Binns 1956:74).

Ensiklopedie van die Evangelie van Matteus: Transtekstuele eggo’s

Encyclopaedia of the Gospel of Matthew: Transtextual echoes. This article argues that the Gospel of Matthew should be interpreted as a commentary on Mark in light of Derrida’s notion ‘difference’, Barthes’ understanding of ‘fictional encyclopaedia’ en Gennette’s ‘transtextuality’. However, seeing Matthew as a commentary of Mark (i.e. a text that replaces another) does not exclude the consideration of various other encyclopaedic facets which are transparent in Matthew’s surface structure. This article consists of an explanation of the literary-theoretical concept fictional encyclopaedia and applies this intertextual notion on a variety of aspects in existing Matthean studies. These aspects are, for example, Matthew’s narrative structure, the Matthean Jesus profile as a ‘Mosaic Joshua’ figure and the Jesus’ disciples as potential collaborators of Jesus’ antagonists, namely the Pharisees. This article demonstrates the correlation between Matthew’s beginning (Jesus’ genealogy) and its end (Jesus’ commission of the disciples) against the background of transtextual echoes.

Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew by Matthias Konradt

Reviewed by: Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew by Matthias Konradt Chance Bonar Konradt, Matthias. 2014. Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew. Baylor Mohr Siebeck Studies Early Christianity. Waco: Baylor University Press. Hardcover. ISBN-13: 978-1481301893. Pp. 640. $79.95. The Baylor-Mohr Siebeck Studies in Early Christianity series undertook this translation of a monumental synthetic study of ecclesiology in the Gospel of Matthew by notable German scholar Matthias Konradt. The study begins by recognising that centuries of biblical interpretation have begotten anti-semitic or anti-Judaic sentiments among Christian communities; most notably, the text of Matthew has been used and abused because of its popular connotation as the most and least “Jewish” of the Gospels. Due to the complex history of Matthew’s reception concerning Jewish-Christian relations, scholars often search the text for clues as to the nascent activity of the “parting of the ways” between Judaism and Christianity. Within this larger conversation, Konradt’s meticulous ecclesiological study of Matthew is founded in the core “paradox” of the two missions—Jesus’s sending of the twelve to the “lost sheep of Israel” in 10:6 and his famous sending to “make disciples of all nations” in 28:19. Konradt mainly builds his arguments against the common model that attempts to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory verses, namely, “a response to the collective rejection that Jesus experienced in Israel” (2). This commonly guised supersessionist approach to Matthew views the Jewish people in a monolithic fashion and places blame upon all (or almost all of) Israel for the death of Jesus. The consequences of such an approach include Israel losing its role in salvation history, as well as becoming the object of God’s eschatological judgment. In his introduction, Konradt sets out to dismantle this so-called replacement thesis and its supersessionist tendencies by examining the multifaceted intersections between Israel, the ministry of Jesus, the gentiles/nations, and the “church.” Whereas earlier scholarship (e.g., Ulrich Luz) have been quick to assume that any resistance to Jesus and his ministry must represent Israel’s full rejection of Jesus, Konradt is cautious so as to acknowledge the nuance of Matthean statements against Jewish figures, as well as Matthean depictions of non-Jews/gentiles. As Konradt concisely summarises his goal for the project: That task is, namely, to comprehensively analyze Israel’s significance and position in Matthean theology and thereby bring to light the theological conception that lies behind the development from the Israel-oriented, pre-Easter ministry of Jesus and his disciples to the universality of salvation that appears in 28.18–20. (p. 14) [End Page 458] Overall, Konradt has presented a well-researched and formidable study that challenges often-unquestioned theological biases that infiltrate Matthean studies. Each chapter of Israel, Church, and the Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew centres on a specific ecclesiological question (e.g., the focus of Israel in the ministry of Jesus; Israel and the gentiles; Israel and the church) in order to construct a hermeneutic of Matthew that does not fall into supersessionist assumptions. In chapter 2, Konradt focuses on the intersection between the Matthean Jesus and the concept of “Israel,” especially through the image of Jesus as (in his terms) the Davidic-Messianic shepherd of Israel. In his reading of the “son of David” Jesus in Matthew, Konradt finds a reversal of the situation of Psalm 2:7—“rather than Jesus the Son of David being adopted as the Son of God, Jesus the Son of God is adopted as the Son of David [by joining Joseph’s family]” (29). In his introductory critiques of the common, supersessionist approach previously described, he notes that the Davidic shepherd Jesus is contrasted with the poor shepherds of Israel, namely, the contemporary Jewish leaders who do not show healing and compassion. In this chapter, Konradt also notes that even though the Matthean Jesus focuses his ministry primarily on Israel, three instances stand out as examples of pre-Easter concern for gentiles (8:5–13, 28–34; 15:21–28). These instances, in his reading, explicitly recognise that Jesus’s intervention occurs before the kairos, or appointed time...

‘Who touched my clothes?’: The Healing of the Woman with the Haemorrhage (Mark 5: 24–34; Luke 8: 42–48 and Matthew 9: 19–22) in Early Medieval Visual Culture

within the biblical miraculous healings, the story of the Haemorrhoissa (the haemorrhaging woman) has a special place (Mark 5: 24–34; Luke 8: 42–48 and Matthew 9: 19–22). The healing takes place th...

Behold the man: Jesus and Greco-Roman masculinity

1.Introduction: Jesus and Gender 2.How to Be a Man in the Greco-Roman World 3.Constructing the Lives of Divine Men: Divus Augustus, Philos Moses, and Philostratuss Apollonius 4.The Unmanned Christ and the Manly Christian in the Pauline Tradition 5.The Markan Jesus as Manly Martyr? 6.The Matthean Jesus: Mainstream and Marginal Masculinities 7.The Lukan Jesus and the Imperial Elite 8.He Must Increase: the Divine Masculinity of the Johannine Jesus 9.Ruling the Nations with a Rod of Iron: Masculinity and Violence in Revelation 10.Conclusion: The Multiple Masculinities of Jesus Index of Primary Texts List of Abbreviations Bibliography

Matthew, the church and anti-Semitism

The use of the noun ekklesia forms a distinctive feature in Matthew’s Gospel. This term must have had a distinctive meaning for Matthew and his readers at the time he used it in his Gospel, though not as full blown as in the Pauline literature and later church history. At that stage the Matthean community considered itself outside the Jewish synagogues. This consideration can be noticed in the Matthean text, when reading the Matthean Jesus story as an “inclusive” story, including the story of the Matthean community. This story reveals a considerable portion of tension between the Matthean and Synagogue communities. An inattentive reading of this text has often unfairly led towards generalized Christian prejudice against all Jews. I argue that the conflict exposed in the text, must be read in context of the experiences of the Matthean community as to safeguard Christian from unjustified Anti-Semitism in general. Faith in or rejection of Jesus acts as dividing factor between the church and the synagogue, not ethnicity.

Matthew 7.21–23: Further Evidence of its Anti-Pauline Perspective

The redactional pericope in Matt 7.21–23, in which Jesus the final judge condemns certain false Christians, can and should be viewed as an anti-Pauline text. Those rejected by the Matthean Jesus are none other than Paul and those of his circle. This identification is indicated not only by their description as workers of lawlessness, but also by their defence that they are true Christians because they prophesy, work miracles and perform exorcisms in the name of Jesus. These charismatic activities were clearly associated with Paul and/or his churches.

Preaching in Ordinary Time: The Extraordinary Subjects of Jesus' Realm

Ordinary Time comprises those days between Pentecost and Advent—six months of preaching without the special days celebrating the big themes of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, or Pentecost. Within this wide variety of lectionary readings, the Matthean Jesus lays out the demands placed upon those—ancient and modern—who would be subjects of his reign. Matthew's Gospel challenges both delivery and content for the preacher. Sermons based on these texts urge the congregation to deeper spiritual formation, authentic responses to God's calling to serve, a renewed commitment to mission(s), and an inclusive response to our increasingly pluralistic society. Sermons based on these texts will also challenge the preacher to wrestle creatively with texts often memorized, but rarely studied—texts that often leave us uncomfortable in the pulpit. This article presents: (1) a discussion on the importance of Ordinary Time in the preaching cycle; (2) helps for preaching from selected texts which serve as thematic interpretations for the larger preaching cycle; and (3) an emphasis on the Propers in Epiphany (texts from the Sermon on the Mount), which reappear during Ordinary Time.