1
Class
6
Outline
  Theological
Themes
in
Matthew
  Three
thematic
topics
to
look
for
  Christology
  Ecclesiology
  Eschatology
  Ways
to
look
for
them
  Redaction
Criticism
  Narrative
Criticism
  Social‐Scientific
Approaches
  Introduction
to
the
method
  Example:
Roman
imperial
ideology
and
Matthew s
framing
of
Jesus
2
Thematic
Topics
to
Look
For
  Christology
How
Matthew
defines
the
significance
of
the
Christ
  Ecclesiology
How
Matthew
describes
the
followers
of
Jesus
and
their
life
together
  Eschatology
How
Matthew
understands
the
end
times and
the
place
of
Jesus life,
death
and
resurrection
within
them
Christology
The
Significance
of
the
Christ
Narrative
Critical
Clues
Redaction
Critical
Clues
  Jesus
represents
the
fulfillment
of
scripture
§ 47, 111, 113
  Messiah,
Son
of
the
living
God,
Son
of
Man,
§ 158, 254
Immanuel
(God
with
us),
Jesus
(God
saves)
  David
Christology
1–2; 27:11-31
  Moses
Christology
2:13-23; 5–7;17:1-9
  Jesus
as
divine
Wisdom
11:19-27
Discourses
  Earliest
Trinitarian
formulation
(28:19)
Ecclesiology
The
Nature
of
the
Church
Narrative
Critical
Clues
Redaction
Critical
Clues
  Jewish
law
is
fulfilled,
but
Gentiles
are
also
included
2:1-12;
25:31-46
  Church
is
founded;
Peter
is
rock
on
which
§ 158, 147
it s
built
  Characteristics
of
community
life
are
described
  The
kingdom
≠
the
church,
but
the
church
is
where
Jesus
is
confessed
as
Lord
  The
kingdom
of
heaven
is
transferred
to
a
people
who
will
bear
fruit
§ 85, 339
Discourses 2 & 4
(mission and community)
25:31-46
§ 341
3
Eschatology
Jesus Role
in
the
End
Times
Narrative
Critical
Clues
Redaction
Critical
Clues
  Natural
phenomena
signal
the
decisive
2:2
§ 347, 352
change
that
Jesus life
and
death
inaugurate
  Many
precepts
are
MORE
difficult
than
Jewish
law
=
an
end‐time
ethics?
See M and Q
material added
at § 57-59
§ 55-56
Analytical
Categories
drawn
from
the
social
sciences
  Social
Systems
  Social
institutions
kinship,
politics,
economics,
religion,
education,
medicine,
legal
system,
military
  Values
Qualities
that
shape
behavior
  Person
types
Individualistic
or
collectivist
  Sanctions
and
rewards
  anxiety
  honor/shame
  innocence/guilt
4
Steps
of
Social‐Scientific
Method
Select
a
suitable
and
accepted
model
1.
2.  Use
the
model
to
form
adequate
scenarios
for
reading
a
gospel
Ap
p
pro
An
ach
ro
ti
nis
method
is
both
historical
and
literary
c?
  But
because
it
also
utilizes
a
sociological
or
anthropological
?
e‐
ki
oo
C
  Because
the
target
is
the
world
of
the
gospel,
the
te?
ria
ter
cut
model,
it
features
theory
and
comparative
analysis
more
explicitly
than
the
historical
or
literary
approaches
we
have
examined
7
Generalizations
for
Reading
Matthew
How
social‐scientific
exegetes
view
the
NT
world
1.
All
goods
are
limited;
social
interactions
outside
one’s
group
are
win/lose
2.
The
subsistence
economy
resulted
in
a
present
(not
future)
orientation
3.
There
was
no
sense
of
history,
as
something
qualitatively
different
from
the
present
4.
The
supernatural
was
not
regarded
as
supernatural,
but
as
an
aspect
of
the
natural
5.
Religion
and
economics
were
not
free‐standing
institutions;
they
were
embedded
in
kinship
and
politics
6.
Domestic
religion
was
characterized
by
remembering
ancestors;
to
some
extent,
this
characterizes
political
religion
as
well.
7.
People
were
defined
by
the
collective,
not
by
individualism
or
introspection;
that
is
one
reason
there
were
no
authors
of
the
gospels
An
Application
of
Social‐Scientific
Criticism
•  Develop
a
description
of
Roman
political
theology
(religion
is
embedded
in
politics;
both
deploy
ancestor
reverence
in
service
of
collective
identity)
•  Use
description
to
“read”
Matthew’s
Christology
5
Earlier Empires
Assyrian (749-609 BCE)
Earlier Empires
Babylonian (609-539 BCE)
Earlier Empires
Persian (550-330 BCE)
6
Earlier Empires
Hellenistic (c. 332 BCE)
FROM REPUBLIC TO EMPIRE
POMPEY
63 BCE
JULIUS CAESAR
49-44 BCE
OCTAVIAN, aka CAESAR AUGUSTUS
27 BCE–14 CE
7
Roman
Eschatology
1.
Augustus
presented
himself
as
an
agent
of
restoration,
not
innovation
•  stability
•  prosperity
•  moral
renewal
2.
His
poets
and
propaganda
praised
him
as
a
kind
of
heaven‐sent
agent
•  Virgil’s
Aeneid
aligns
Augustus
with
the
founder
of
Rome
•  Augustus
aligns
himself
with
gods
of
peace,
victory,
abundance
on
coins
and
statues
3.  In
fact
this
propaganda
was
meant
to
offset
the
radical
innovation
that
Augustus
represented:
breaking
from
republican
traditions
and
establishing
himself
as
the
sole
ruler
Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome
Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome
8
Octavian
denarius
Winged
victory
on
ship’s
prow
holding
wreath/crown
of
victory
Emperor
on
chariot,
holding
olive
branch
Inscription:
Imp[erator]
Caesar
Octavian
denarius,
19‐18
BCE
Caesar
Augustus
“Caesar’s
Comet”
7‐day
comet
the
appeared
during
the
Ludi
Victoriae
Caesaris
a
few
months
after
Julius
Caesar
was
assassinated,
taken
as
a
symbol
of
his
deification
by
Octavian
Inscription:
Divvs
Ivliv
THE AUGUSTAN BUILDING
PROGRAM: POMPEII
9
Octavian
denarius,
32‐29
BCE
Bust
of
Octavian
(Augustus
Caesar)
Pax,
holding
olive
branch
and
cornucopia
Inscription:
Caesar
Divi
F
Gaulanitis
Galilee
63
BCE
Pompey
takes
region
for
Rome
40
BCE
Roman
senate
appoints
Herod
“King
of
the
Jews”
Samaria
Perea
Judea
Gaza
Idumea
37
BCE
Herod
secures
control
37
‐
4
BCE
Launches
a
huge
building
and
infra‐
structure
program,
honoring
the
Emperor
wherever
he
can
10
Gaulanitis
Galilee
4
BCE
Herod
dies,
and
3
sons
split
his
kingdom
Samaria
6
CE
Herod
Archelaus
can’t
control
the
south,
so
the
Romans
take
over
direct
administration
Perea
Judea
Gaza
Idumea
Herod
Antipas
builds
the
city
of
Tiberias
to
honor
the
new
emperor
in
20
CE
Gaulanitis
Galilee
4
BCE
Herod
dies,
and
3
sons
split
his
kingdom
Samaria
6
CE
Herod
Archelaus
can’t
control
the
south,
so
the
Romans
take
over
direct
administration
Perea
Judea
Gaza
Idumea
40
CE
Rome
grants
Herod
Agrippa
I
the
entire
region;
he
promotes
Roman
interests
aggressively,
increasing
tension
66‐74
CE
First
Jewish
Revolt;
Temple
destroyed
Gospels
begin
to
be
written
11
An
Application
of
Social‐Scientific
Criticism
•  We’ve
developed
a
description
of
Roman
political
theology
and
seen
how
the
Herodian
dynasty
and
allied
aristocrats
demonstrated
allegiance
to
Rome
and
the
Emperors
•  Now
we
want
to
use
these
insights
to
“read”
Matthew’s
Christology
The
Mimicry
of
Roman
Political
Theology
in
Matthew
  Titles
for
God
&
Jesus
•  Abba
vs.
pater
patriae
•  Son
of
Man
coming
as
judge
•  King
of
the
Jews
•  Soter
(Savior)
•  Son
of
God
(Diuus
filius)
  Kingdom
of
Heaven
•  Sick
are
healed
•  People
are
fed
•  Inclusive
table
fellowship
  Term
for
the
gospel
itself
•  Euangelion
=
good
news