Hellenistic Dimensions of the Gospel of Matthew: Background and Rhetoric

Description

In the search for Matthean theology, scholars overwhelmingly approach the Gospel of Matthew as "the most Jewish Gospel". Studies of its Sitz im Leben focus on its relationship to Judaism, whether arguing from the perspective that Matthew wrote from a cloistered Jewish community or as the leader of a Gentile rebellion against such a Jewish community. While this is undoubtedly an important and necessary discussion for understanding the Gospel, it often assumes too much about the relationship between Judaism and Hellenism (via Martin Hengel). Scholars who so sharply focus on this question tend to neglect Matthew's provenance in a thoroughly Greek culture and first-century Judaism's thorough Hellenization. Robert S. Kinney argues for a hybridized perspective in which Matthew's attention to Jewish sources and ideas is not denied, but in which echoes of Greek and Roman sources can be observed, focusing on identifying Matthew's use of rhetoric and its possible echoes of Greco-Roman philosophical disciple-gathering teachers. Cover Preface and Acknowledgments Table of Contents List of Abbreviations 1. Introduction 2. Judaism, Hellenism, and the Gospel of Matthew 2.1 Jews and Gentiles in the Gospels 2.2 The Judaism/Hellenism Divide 2.2.1 Historical Jesus Studies and the Gospels 2.2.2 Qumran and Diversity Within Judaism 2.3 Moving Beyond the Judaism/Hellenism Divide 2.3.1 Hellenism Inside and Outside of Palestine 2.3.2 Presumed Audience of the Gospels 2.4 The Judaism/Hellenism Divide and the Gospel of Matthew 2.4.1 The Matthean Community: External Evidence 2.4.2 Judaism and Anti-Judaism: Internal Evidence 2.5 Conclusion 3. Matthew’s Gospel as a Greek Document 3.1 Language 3.2 Sources 3.2.1 Mark 3.2.2 Oral Tradition, Matthean Sondergut, and Q 3.2.3 LXX 3.2.4 Source Traditions of the Sermon on the Mount 3.3 Provenance and Vocabulary 3.4 Literary Genre 3.5 Conclusion 4. Rhetorical Criticism and Methodology 4.1 Primary Methodological Concerns 4.2 Intertextuality and Audience 4.2.1 The Vocabulary of Intertextuality 4.2.2 Audience and Authorial Intent 4.3 Definitions and History of Rhetorical Criticism 4.3.1 Rhetorical Analysis in Early Christianity: Origen and Augustine 4.3.2 Rhetorical Analysis and Higher Criticism: Dibelius and Bultmann 4.3.3 Rhetorical Analysis from 1968: Muilenberg 4.4 Rhetorical Criticism: Two Schools 4.4.1 Ancient Rhetoric in Modern Terms 4.4.2 Ancient Rhetoric in Ancient Terms 4.4.3 Preliminary Conclusion 4.5 Rhetorical Criticism and Other Methodologies 4.5.1 Redaction Critical Approaches 4.5.2 The Disciples’ Understanding 4.5.3 How the Disciples Relate to the Implied Audience 4.6 Conclusion 5. Ancient Greek and Roman Education 5.1 The Complexities of Analyzing Ancient Education 5.2 Conquest and the Spread of the Greek Language 5.3 General Hellenistic Education 5.3.1 Stage 1: Primary School 5.3.2 Stage 2: Secondary School 5.3.3 Stage 3: Rhetorical School 5.3.4 School Buildings 5.4 Rhetorical Education and Rhetorical Composition 5.4.1 Sources 5.4.2 Rhetorical Composition 5.4.2.1 Invention 5.4.2.2 Arrangement 5.4.2.3 Style 5.4.3 Exercises 5.4.4 μίμησις/Imitatio 5.5 Starting Points: Homeric and Socratic Works 5.5.1 Homeric Epics 5.5.2 Socratic Dialogues 5.6 Conclusion 6. Socratic Resonances 6.1 What are the Rhetorical Boundaries of the Text? 6.1.1 Greco-Roman Corollaries 6.2 What Is the Rhetorical Situation/Context in Which the Text Appears? 6.2.1 The Sermon on the Mount as Compendium or Epitome 6.2.1.1 Matthew’s Context Suggests Repetition 6.2.1.2 Matthew’s Presentation Suggests a Particular Setting 6.2.1.3 The Content and Structure of the Sermon 6.2.1.4 Possible Positions 6.2.2 Literary Genre: The Sermon on the Mount as Epitome 6.2.3 Literary Context: The Rhetorical Setting 6.2.3.1 Went 6.2.3.2 Sat Down 6.2.3.3 Opened His Mouth 6.2.3.4 Disciples/Teach/Authority 6.3 What Rhetorical Need Is the Text Addressing? 6.3.1 The Problems of Persecution and Reward 6.3.2 The Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets 6.3.3 The Call to Discipleship 6.3.4 A Matthean Apologetic 6.3.5 Rhetorical Species 6.3.6 Preliminary Conclusion 6.4 How Is the Text Arranged and Styled to Address the Need? 6.4.1 Structure 6.4.1.1 Exordium (Matt 5:3–16) 6.4.1.2 Narratio (Matt 5:17–20) 6.4.1.3 Partitio/Confirmatio/Refutatio (Matt 5:21–7:20) 6.4.1.4 Peroratio (Matt 7:21–27) 6.4.1.5 Summary of Structure 6.4.2 Major Theme(s) 6.4.2.1 General Context: Kingdom of Heaven 6.4.2.2 Beatitudes and Tributes (Matt 5:3–16) 6.4.2.3 Antitheses (Matt 5:21–48) 6.4.2.4 Righteous Piety (Matt 6:1–18) 6.4.2.5 Wealth and Relationship (Matt 6:19–7:20) 6.4.3 Literary Features 6.4.3.1 Rhetorical Questions: Aporia 6.4.3.2 Hyperbole 6.4.3.3 Parables 6.4.3.4 Anaphora 6.4.3.5 Synechdoche 6.5 Conclusion: Is It Successful in Addressing the Rhetorical Need? 7. Matthew’s Use of Education Vocabulary 7.1 Discipleship Vocabulary 7.1.1 Clarifying Sources 7.1.2 Reshaping Sources 7.1.3 Revising Sources 7.1.4 Removing from Sources 7.1.4.1 Extensive Omissions of Markan Source Material 7.1.4.2 Economic Omissions of Markan Source Material 7.1.4.3 Revisions Including Omissions of Markan Source Material 7.1.4.4 Omissions of Q Source Material 7.2 The Greek Context of Discipleship Vocabulary 7.2.1 General Use: Learner 7.2.2 Technical Use: Student/Pupil 7.2.3 Broad Use: Adherent 7.2.4 Preliminary Conclusion 7.3 Teaching Vocabulary 7.3.1 The Added Weight of ῥαββί 7.3.2 The Insertions of διδάσκαλε 7.3.3 The Use of Other Forms of διδάσκαλος 7.3.4 The Uses of Other Nouns (διδαχή and διδασκαλία) 7.3.5 The Uses of the Verb διδάσκω 7.3.6 The Other Uses of διδάσκαλος and Related Vocabulary 7.3.7 καθηγητής and Other Vocabulary 7.4 The Greek Context of Teaching Vocabulary 7.4.1 Preliminary Conclusion 7.5 Conclusion 8. Homeric Resonances 8.1 Issues of Methodology 8.1.1 MacDonald’s Criteria for Comparative Analysis 8.1.2 Problems with MacDonald’s Methodology 8.1.3 A Way Forward 8.2 Comparative Analysis of Homer with Mark and Matthew 8.2.1 Storms at Sea 8.2.2 Encounters with Brutal Figures 8.3 Analysis of Matthew’s Redactional Choices 8.4 Other Possibilities of Homeric (and Virgilian) Resonances 8.5 Conclusion 9. Conclusion 9.1 Summary 9.2 Areas of Further Research Bibliography Index of Ancient Sources Hebrew Bible and Septuagint Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Mishna, Talmud, and Related Literature New Testament Apostolic Fathers Other Ancient Authors Index of Modern Authors Index of Subjects