HUMA 1850A THE BIBLE IN MODERN CONTEXTS
January 22, 2008
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
I
AUTHORSHIP AND DATE
A Unlike Mark it was attributed to one of the actual disciples of Jesus
1. The traditional answer: Matthew, the apostle of Jesus (aka Levi), ex-tax collector
a. Earliest witness: Irenaeus (end of 2nd century) Against Heresies 3.1.1
b. Fifty years later: Origen (3rd century) quoted in Eusebius’ History 6.25
2. The critical answer: an unnamed Jewish-Christian
a. Call of Matthew in Mt 9:9-13 = Mk 2:14-17 Why does eyewitness copy his story?
b. Eighty percent copied from either Mark or Q
c. Only Matthew’s Gospel identifies tax collector as Matthew and as an apostle
B Author was likely a Jewish-Christian writing in a Jewish environment (Antioch?)
C The Date of Writing: 80-95 C.E.
II THE LITERARY STRUCTURE
A As a carefully constructed narrative
1. Begins with “the book of the genesis . . . “ (1:1) and ends with “until the end of the
age” (28:20) – sets story of Jesus in a wide framework
2. Firmly rooted in the Old Testament with its multiple prophecy fulfillments – Jesus is
tied to Abraham (one nation) and then his church is sent to all nations
3. Two main sections:
a. Jesus’ life and ministry in Galilee
b. Jesus’ move from Galilee to the cross and resurrection at Jerusalem
c. Turning point is Peter’s confession in ch. 16 - “from this time on” Jesus explains
his mission to suffer, to die and to “be raised to life” (16:23)
4. Five significant discourses each followed by “when Jesus had finished these sayings”
a. Ch 5-7 The Sermon on the Mount
b. Ch 10 Instructing the Twelve
Suggestive of a new Torah, with its 5
c. Ch 13 Parables of the kingdom
books, and a new law-giver (Moses)
d. Ch 18 Church life and order discourse
e. Ch 24-25 Mount of Olives discourse
B The author’s style
1. His Greek is more literary and less disjointed than that of a writer like Mark (cf.
12:46 and 13:1 with Mark 3:31 and 4:1)
2. He writes more concisely (cf. 8:28-34 and Mark 5:1-20)
C Evidence of literary interdependence and author’s willingness to edit the text
MATTHEW 3:1
In those days John the Baptist appeared
in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming,
MATTHEW 26:28
for this is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the
forgiveness of sins.
MARK 1:4
John the baptizer appeared in the
wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
MARK 14:24
He said to them, “This is my blood of
the covenant, which is poured out for
many.
LUKE 3:3
He went into all the region around the
Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of
repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
LUKE 22:20
And he did the same with the cup after
supper, saying, “This cup that is poured
out for you is the new covenant in my
blood.
III THE THEOLOGICAL THEMES
A Thoroughly Christological in its presentation of Jesus
1. Jesus fulfils the Old Testament story with formula quotations (1:22-23; 2:15, 17-18,
23; 4:14-16; 8:17; 12:17-21; 13:35; 21:4-5; 27:9-10, perhaps 2:5-6)
a. Unique to Matthew
b. Introduced by typical formula “this took place to fulfill what was spoken . . .”
c. Often use translations that differ from LXX
d. Often ignore the context of the original text (pesher technique of interpretation)
e. At least one (2:23 “he shall be called a Nazorean”) is not even in the OT
2. Jesus fulfils the Law
a. Key verse 5:17 - not come to destroy the law and the prophets but to fulfill them
b. He affirms even the details of the law (5:18-19)
c. He demands a level of righteousness that goes beyond the letter of the Law
3. Jesus brings a higher righteousness
a. Term (“righteousness”) is a key term for Matthew (completely absent from Mark)
b. His baptism fulfils all righteousness (3:15)
c. Disciples must hunger and thirst for righteousness (5:6)
d. The “kingdom of heaven” (32x) for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake
e. Unless righteousness exceeds that of Scribes and Pharisees cannot enter heaven
4. Matthew has a particular bias against the Pharisees due when he wrote:
a. Destruction of Jerusalem and the temple created a leadership vacuum
b. Both Matthew and the Pharisees (Rabbis) are vying for this leadership role
c. Matthew’s most effective weapon is to have Jesus categorically denounce them
MATTHEW 3
7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees
coming for baptism, he said to them,
“You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance.
9 Do not presume to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God
is able from these stones to raise up children to
Abraham.
10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees;
every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut
down and thrown into the fire.
LUKE 3
7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized
by him,
“You brood of vipers!
Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance.
Do not begin to say to yourselves,
‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God
is able from these stones to raise up children to
Abraham.
9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every
tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down
and thrown into the fire.”
B. Matthew’s Particular Christology
1. Jesus, the Messiah
a. The Christ
b. The Son of David
2. Jesus, the Son of God
a. A more powerful and majestic version than Mark’s
b. Jesus’ personal references to God as his father (unique to Matthew)
c. Matthew drops references to Jesus’ emotions
d. Matthew’s Jesus questions less than Mark’s Jesus
e. A less human but more kingly Jesus
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
I
AUTHORSHIP AND DATE
A Like Mark and unlike Matthew not attributed to an original apostle
1. The traditional answer: a physician and a companion of the apostle Paul
a. The Anti-Marcionite Prologue (late 2nd century)
b. Yet there is no significant Pauline influence in any of the gospel
c. There are no references to or quotations of Paul’s letters
2. The critical answer: anonymous Christian
a. Presupposes Mark
b. Expands Mark 13 (Jesus’ last days prophecy):
i. By mentioning Jerusalem
ii. By replaces “desolating sacrilege” with “desolation”
c. Pushes the Parousia further into the future
d. Demonstrates unfamiliarity with Palestine and does not appear to have lived there
B The Date of Writing: 80-95 C.E.
II THE LITERARY STRUCTURE
A In comparison with Matthew:
1. Like Matthew, begins with birth narrative but from a very different perspective
2. Ends with a full description of Jesus’ resurrection appearances
3. Like Matthew combines Mark, Q and unique material
4. Unlike Matthew, who uses most of Mark, Luke uses little more than half
a. Omits Mark 6:45–8:26 “Big Omission”
b. Omits Mark 9:41-10:12 “Little Omission”
5. Matthew’s unique material represents 1/3 whereas Luke’s represents half
B Greek is richer than both Mark and Matthew
1. 261 unique words employed
2. Clear Hellenistic style imitating the Greek of the LXX
C A much longer Journey to Jerusalem section (9:51-19:27) Acts - from Jerusalem to Rome
1. Much of this section contains stories unique to Luke
D Only gospel to contain “example stories”
1. The Good Samaritan (10)
2. The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (16)
3. The Pharisee and the Publican (18)
E Luke sees history in three parts (Conzelmann)
1. The period of Israel (OT)
2. The period of Jesus (Luke) free of Satan’s activity (4:13, 22:3)
3. The period of the church (Acts)
III THE THEOLOGICAL THEMES
A Salvation is a major theme
1. The noun “salvation” (Gk soteria, soterion) found 7 times—not in Mark nor Matthew
2. God and Jesus called Savior (soter)—not in Mark nor Matthew
3. The verb “save” (sozo) is used 18 times (15 times in both Mark and Matthew)
4. But then Luke uses this word group another 27 times in Acts
B Salvation is universal but Luke does focus on Gentiles, Samaritans and the marginalized
1. Compare Matthew’s Beatitudes
a. Matthew 5:3 and Luke 6:20
b. Matthew 5:6 and Luke 6:21
C The Holy Spirit is very prominent in Acts and therefore highlighted in Luke
1. John the Baptist and parents are filled with the Spirit (1:15, 41, 67)
2. Simeon is a man of the Spirit (2:25-27 threefold reference!)
3. Jesus is the man of the Spirit
a. Conceived by it (1:35)
b. Empowered by it (3:22; 4:1, 14, 18)
c. Baptizer of others with the Spirit (3:16)
d. Teaches that the Father gives the Spirit (11:13, cf. Matt 7:11)
e. Warns against blasphemy against the Spirit (12:10)
f. Promises disciples to be instructed by the Spirit (12:12, cf. Acts 4:8; 6:10; 7:2, 55)
g. Promises Spirit to come after resurrection (24:49)
D Jesus and Women
1. Ch 1-2 parallels men and women (Mary and Zechariah; Anna and Simeon)
2. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, Mary and Martha (8:1-3; 10:38-42)
3. Healing the widow (7:11-15), the woman with the alabaster jar (7:37-50); the woman
with hemorrhage (8:43-48); the crippled woman (13:11-13)
4. Story of the women with 10 coins (15:8-10), the widow seeking justice (18:1-8),
widow with copper coins (21:1-4), daughters of Jerusalem (23:27-31), women
witnesses (23:49, 55 compared to Peter 22:54-62)
5. Women witnesses to the resurrection (24:1-12 compare reactions of the men and
women)
TUTORIAL PREPARATION:
Read and compare the story of the Healing of the Leper as given in Mark 1:40-45 and Matthew
8:1-4.
a. What details are the same?
b. What details are different?
c. What significance can you find in these and other details?
d. Can you suggest why Matthew makes the changes that he does?
TUTORIAL PREPARATION FOR NEXT WEEK:
Read carefully the story of the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-44)
a. How do the people who converse with Jesus come across to you as a reader?
b. How does Jesus come across in his dialogue with them?
c. What is a typical feature of the dialogue that Jesus has both with the woman and with his
own disciples?
d. How do these conversations compare with the one Jesus had back in chapter 3:1-21 with
Nicodemus?
e. In terms of words expressed, how does the Jesus of John compare with the Jesus of the
Synoptic gospels?
f. What do you notice about content, volume and vocabulary in John that is not evident in
the Synoptics?
g. What do you think of this Jesus in John's Gospel?