Matthews gospel second lecture 1 JewishChristian gospels Ebionites

Matthew’s gospel – second lecture 1. Jewish-Christian gospels: Ebionites, Nazareans, Hebrews 2. Matthew: The five discourses 3. Parables of the kingdom

Gospels of Ebionites, Nazareans, Hebrews • Greek-speaking, but perhaps originally Aramaicspeaking, Jewish Christians active from at least the early 2 nd cent. CE through the 4 th and 5 th cent. • Now known mainly through the writings of their opponents, particularly Epiphanius in the 4 th cent. (but also Jerome and Eusebius) so there’s a lot of doubt about what they really were, what they believed. • We can consider this group here because some are said to have used a version of the Gospel of Matthew. • In fact, some link an original Matthew (in Hebrew or Aramaic) with these gospels. • Ebionites were vegetarian (and thus believed Jesus didn’t eat the Passover lamb). • According to Epiphanius, they believe that John the Baptist ate pancakes (enkris) rather than locusts (akris). • And that Jesus abolished sacrifice. • All of these groups seem to have had an “adoptionist” Christology – that Jesus was “adopted” as God’s son at the time of the baptism by John.

Ebionites, etc. continued • The church in Jerusalem was always remarked for its poverty. • They may have been a remnant of the Jerusalem church that survived after the destruction of the city. • They were said to have rejected the doctrines of Paul and, possibly, the virgin birth of Jesus. • What’s most tantalizing is the name, which seems to come from Aramaic for “the poor ones” (“Ebyonim”) • Perhaps linked – or represent a confusion with – the “Nazareans”; sometimes appearing in same phrase in writings of opponents. • Disappearance of these groups seems a result of the cultural divide in first two centuries. • And of the destruction of Jerusalem, Temple?

More on Ebionites/Nazareans • Ebionites were not part of Matthew’s community. • But an analogous community within Palestine, descended from the Jerusalem community. • Jerusalem church was presided over by James the Just, Jesus’ brother, who was killed in 62, by the high priest. • Then lived east of the Jordan. • Finally outnumbered, overwhelmed by Gentile Christianity, which constitutes our only knowledge of them.

What Matthew adds to the portrait of Jesus he found in Mark. • First, how can we define, summarize the Jesus portrayed in Mark? • Teaches, yes, but between active works that define the kingdom. • Something of a wonder-worker? • Matthew’s Jesus? • Predominantly a teacher, a rabbi. • See the added amount of teaching material in Matthew: all of Q, plus 7 parables, 14 separate teachings.

Matthew’s organization of the teaching material • • • Into five discourses: “Sermon on the Mount, ” Chapters 5 to 7. "Missionary discourse", ch. 10. Parables of the kingdom, ch. 13. Teaching about church (actually rather miscellaneous teaching), ch. 18. • Anathemas and discipleship, chs. 23, 2425.

The “Sermon on the Mount” • The mountain setting may be chosen to suggest authority (Luke puts the discourse “on the plain”). • Not really a sermon, but a group of sayings. • The “beatitudes” from Q: four sayings: the poor, the hungry, those who mourn, those who are reviled. • Luke’s version: 6: 20 -22. • Matthew’s discourse expands this to nine. • Adding sayings on meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, those “persecuted for righteousness. ” • And changes the focus of those directed toward “poor, ” “hunger, ” “mourning. ” • The effect of the additions in Matthew?

“Sermon” continued: other themes: • • • Refinement of teachings from Law: Murder > not even anger; Adultery > not looking with lust; Divorce > no divorce (“except for unchastity” added in Matthew); Swearing falsely > no swearing at all; “Eye for an eye” > no resistance at all. Love your neighbor > love your enemy! Interiority of righteousness: Hide your almsgiving. Pray in secret. Fast secretly. Avoidance of anxiety: set kingdom first

“Lord’s prayer” and Kaddish • The Aramaic Kaddish and the Lord's Prayer: • Kaddish, now the Jewish prayer at death, was a simple benediction of God. • Kaddish: “Magnified and sanctified be his great name in the world which He hath created according to his will. ” • Lord’s prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed [sanctified] be your name. ” • Kaddish: “May He establish his kingdom during your life and during your days, and during the life of all the house of Israel, ever speedily and at a near time, and say ye, Amen. ” • Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

“Do unto others”: • “In everything do unto others as you would have them do unto you; for this is the Law and the prophets” (7: 12). • Rabbi Hillel: “Do not do unto others what you would not have them do to you. ” • Both this teaching and the Lord’s Prayer indicate the rabbinic nature of these teachings in Matt. • Also the use of “Abba” to refer to God – “an invocation in which reverence and intimacy are mingled” (Geza Vermes, a Jewish NT scholar). • Dead sea scrolls (Qumran) also address God as Abba/Father. • A close relationship between these teachings of Jesus and the Judaism of his time.

“Missionary discourse”: ch. 10 • Coordinates with passages in Mark (6: 8 -11) and Luke (6: 12 -16, 9: 2 -5) • But Matt. 10: 17 -25 is almost entirely unique - • Suggesting the time when Matthew was written and the tensions and hostilities of that time. • Persecution in synagogues, “before governors and kings. ” • Betrayal within families. • “Hated by all” because of his name. • Reflective of time late in the first century. • As we saw, there’s a kind of dual time scheme – Jesus speaks over the decades to Matthew’s community.

Parables of the kingdom • The reason for speaking in parables explicitly fulfills prophecy: 13: 14 -16. • Parable of the weeds growing in grain – its meaning? 13: 36 -43. • Parable of hidden treasure and the pearl of great value. • Parable of the net. • Any connections among them? • Judgment?