1. The Gospel of Matthew
Holy Cross College
2016

2. 11:50 Session 2 – God With Us – Emmanuel
The Shape of the Day
10:30 Session 1 – The Shape of a Gospel
11:50 Session 2 – God With Us – Emmanuel
-----LUNCH-----
2:00 Session 3 - Kingdom Blessedness
3:10 Session 4 – Kingdom Stories

3. Map of Palestine at the Time of Jesus

4. Judaism at the time of Jesus
Jerusalem Temple
Synagogue
Sadducees
Samaritans
Pharisees
Zealots
Essenes
A broad spectrum of messianic hopes and expectations
Apocalyptic perspective expressed in certain movements and literature

5. The Development of the New Testament
The New Testament is a collection of writings that witness to the faith of the early Church in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It came about as a result of a process that began with the public life of Jesus and ended with the last of the Gospels, probably John
The Public Life of Jesus
30 -33ad
The Preaching of the Apostles
The Letters of Paul
50-62ad
The Written Gospels
70-90ad

6. What a “historian” may say about Jesus
Grew up in Galilee in a family of modest means
Was a Jew but his place on the spectrum is unclear
Was baptized by John and was linked with his movement for a while
Called disciples to share in his mission
Was a teacher and preacher
Message focussed on the present and coming “Kingdom of God”
Jesus was crucified by the Roman governor of Judea

7. The Sources of the Gospels
Individual Memory – doubtless an influence but does not account for the texts of the gospels as we have them.
Community tradition: the link between Jesus and the Gospels is the Christian community that collected, preserved and interpreted these materials as the expression of a vibrant faith.

8. Types of material from and about Jesus
Individual stories and sayings circulated as separate units and where then combined in various ways in the process of tradition and redaction - like stringing beads!
Narrative traditions Miracle stories, Historical stories, Sayings, Parables

9. The Synoptic Gospels Mark Q M L Matthew Luke
Q is a source that Luke and Matthew used that contained sayings of Jesus not found in Mark. M and L are sources unique to each evangelist.

10. The Evangelist Matthew the Apostle? (9:9) Why rely on Mark?
Perhaps a signature in 13:52,
"Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.“

11. Matthew
A Jewish Scribe (expert in the Torah) who has become a Christian.
Well versed in the Jewish tradition yet steeped in a resurrection faith
Understands Jesus as the fulfilment of Jewish Messianic hopes and more. (infancy narrative)
Uses Mark, “Q” and “M” as sources.
Writes a “ bios” – a biography of Jesus according to classical norms.

12. Gospel as Biography bios
In the ancient world biography did not attempt a detailed and comprehensive presentation of the subject.
Readers expected a narrative account of the career and contribution of a notable figure usually spanning from birth to death.
Alexander the Great, Caesar Augustus, etc.

13. Function of the bios The ancient audience expected a bios
To present the figure’s life and teaching as a possible model for its own living.
To legitimate or discredit important community values and practices.
To shape the identity and guide the audience’s way of life.

14. Matthew’s audience
A minority community in Antioch a large and culturally diverse city in the Roman Empire.
Recently separated from the synagogue
Seeking to secure an identity and lifestyle with words of legitimation, explanation and direction.
On the margins both in relation to Empire and synagogue.

15. What the Gospel of Matthew tells us about its readers
They recognise:
The central importance of the Jewish heritage and the Scriptures, seen in the genealogy and the frequent use of “fulfilment” formulae.
(1:22, 2:5-6, 8:17, 12:17-20)
Jesus as Lord – they have heard and accepted the Easter message. In the Gospel people “approach” Jesus (51x proserchomai). In Greek used for approaching God or the temple for worship. (4:11, 5:1, 8:2, 15:30, 18:1)

16. The Shape of Matthew (1) Birth Narrative 1:1-2:23
Narrative: preparation for ministry: 3:1-4:17 Discourse: Sermon on the Mount 4:18-7:29
Narrative: Signs of the Kingdom 8:1-9:38 Discourse on Mission 10:1-11:1
Narrative: A Divided Response 11:2-12:50 Discourse: Parables of the Kingdom 13:1-13:53

17. The Shape of Matthew (2)
Narrative: Preparation for the Church 13:54- 17:23
Discourse: The Community 17:24-19:2
Narrative: Preparation for the Passion 19:3-24:2
Discourse: The Last Judgment 24:3-25:46
Death and Resurrection 26:1-28:20
Five Discourses – Five Books of Torah!