Matthew's portrait of Jesus the judge, with special reference to Matthew 21-25
This thesis sets out to examine a section of the canonical text of the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 21-25) with a view to its contribution to the search for knowledge of Jesus as an historical figure. Methodologically, then, this thesis respects the literary coherence of the final form of the gospel of Matthew, but raises the question of its significance for an understanding of the historical Jesus. In an attempt to offer a fresh analysis of the material, the thesis takes up the use of the models of 'prophet' and 'sage' in contemporary scholarship, and investigates the theme of judgement in selected portions of the canonical and non-canonical Jewish literature associated with the prophets and the sages at the time of Jesus. It emerges that Jesus' proclamation of judgement reflects previous canonical themes found in both prophetic and Wisdom literature. Such deep dependence upon Jewish prophetic and Wisdom literature does not inevitably result in either Schweitzer's prophet of the imminent end or the 'non-eschatological sage' of Borg and others. Matthew portrays Jesus as prophet by means of his accounts of Jesus' prophetic acts, his declaration of impending national catastrophe and his warning of eschatological
Wilson, Alistair I.
New Testament; Eschatology; Gospel
Matthew's portrait of Jesus the judge, with special reference to Matthew 21-25. This thesis sets out to examine a section of the canonical text of the gospel of Matthew (Matthew 21-25) with a view to its contribution to the search for knowledge of Jesus as an historical figure. Methodologically, then, this thesis respects the literary coherence of the final form of the gospel of Matthew, but raises the question of its significance for an understanding of the historical Jesus. In an attempt to offer a fresh analysis of the material, the thesis takes up the use of the models of 'prophet' and 'sage' in contemporary scholarship, and investigates the theme of judgement in selected portions of the canonical and non-canonical Jewish literature associated with the prophets and the sages at the time of Jesus. It emerges that Jesus' proclamation of judgement reflects previous canonical themes found in both prophetic and Wisdom literature. Such deep dependence upon Jewish prophetic and Wisdom literature does not inevitably result in either Schweitzer's prophet of the imminent end or the 'non-eschatological sage' of Borg and others. Matthew portrays Jesus as prophet by means of his accounts of Jesus' prophetic acts, his declaration of impending national catastrophe and his warning of eschatological
matthew portrait jesus judge special_reference matthew set_examine section canonical text gospel_matthew matthew view search knowledge jesus historical_figure methodologically respect literary coherence final_form gospel_matthew raise_question significance historical_jesus attempt offer_fresh analysis material take use model prophet contemporary scholarship investigate theme judgement select portion canonical non canonical jewish_literature associate prophet time jesus emerges jesus proclamation judgement reflect previous canonical theme find prophetic wisdom literature deep dependence upon jewish prophetic wisdom literature inevitably either prophet end non eschatological others matthew portray jesus prophet mean account jesus prophetic act declaration national catastrophe warn eschatological