Theological Themes In Matthew
Christology
Prominent in Matthew’s gospel is a portrait of Jesus as Son of God, Son of David, and the phrase Son of humanity / man is used 3l times in Matthew.
Jesus is portrayed as authoritative teacher, the New Moses, and Jesus is Emmanuel - ‘God with us’.
The Role Of Law
Questions over Jesus’ relationship to the law arises again and again in the gospel: Jesus came to fulfil, not abolish; he advocates observance of the detail of the law and yet at the same time he seems to negate or at least bend its interpretation.
"Jesus both affirms God’s age-old fidelity as manifest in the law and newly interprets it with his person and message." (B. Reid, p. 40)
Discipleship
Disciples are those who follow Jesus, hear his word and obey it.
In Matthew the disciples seem to have a greater understanding than in Mark. Women disciples are
evident, although there are two strands of tradition:
l)i.e. only male disciples are called, listed as apostles, entrusted with the mission.
2) there are stories of women who play a significant role: in Jesus’ genealogy, the healing of Simon’s
mother-in-law, the Canaanite woman, the women witnesses of the crucifixion and burial, etc.
"These two currents reflect a struggle in Matthew’s community over a more inclusive vision of Christian discipleship and mission.
Not only were these questions concerning the admission of Gentiles and their observance of the Law, but tensions over the roles of women as well." (B. Reid, p.39)
Church
Matthew is the only evangelist to use the word ekklesia, ‘church (16:18,18:17)."His [Matthew’s] narrative first centres on the gathering of disciples into what will become the church. In chapter 18 are found explicit directions for how to live as a reconciled community of believers.
There is, however, no detailed blueprint for church order or selection of leaders. In fact, in 18:15-20 there is stress on decision- making and action by the whole community." (B. Reid, p.39)
Kingdom of heaven
The phrase the basileia tou ouranou, ‘kingdom of heaven’ is unique to Matthew and is used 32 times. It is used interchangeably with basileia tou theou, ‘kingdom of God’.
However it is difficult to find an adequate phrase in English, it is both here and now and also into the future, and is a location with fixed boundaries. The term also conveys an image of God as King/ Lord, a male monarchical model of God’s rule, and is this an appropriate image for our day and age? Also in the Palestinian 1st century context basileia was seen as the Roman imperial system of domination and exploitation.
"It is important that whatever translation one adopts, it convey the sense of God’s saving power over all creation, already inaugurated in a new way with the incarnation and ministry of Jesus. It is continued in the faithful ministry of the believing community, but not yet fully manifest. It is not a fixed place located in the beyond. Nor is it coterminous with the Church. It is authoritative power and empowerment by God-with-us." (B. Reid, p.42)
Preaching Parabolically
"Whichever form a parable takes, it is not an entertaining story that confirms the status quo. Its purpose is to persuade the hearer to adopt a particular view of God and of life in God’s realm. Their aim is to convert the hearer. They turn the world upside down by challenging presumptions, reversing expectations, and proposing a different view of life with God.
Their open endings make it necessary for the hearers of every age to grapple with their implications." (B. Reid, p.16)[1]
To Preach as Jesus did:
Jesus was not the first person to use parables, there was a long tradition of such storytelling, including
various stories from the Old Testament e.g. the prophet Nathan telling King David a parable — 2 Samuel 12:1-12; the song of the vineyard — Isaiah 5:1-7; sayings about ploughing and threshing in
Isaiah 28:23-29. And the Jewish rabbis also spoke in parables. A parable engages people by creating a
different world within which difficult topics can be addressed sensitively.
Encounter with the Holy:
"Before attempting to emulate Jesus’ way of preaching, a preacher must know Jesus and his message first hand. An effective preacher speaks from his or her personal and ongoing encounter with Christ in
study, in prayer, in other people, and in all creation. Just as Jesus’ constant communion with God shaped his preaching, so must this be the foundation for the contemporary preacher." (B. Reid, p.6).
The familiar radically twisted:
In his parables Jesus always begins with the everyday and the familiar. There is no area of life that is outside God’s realm: political, social, economic, church! ecclesial, and theological. However there was always a catch with his parables, he did not stay with the status quo, but instead offered an unexpected twist, an ending open to interpretation ‘that left hearers pondering what the story meant and what it demanded... Jesus’ parables are invitations to see the realm of God as God sees it and to act as Jesus did. . .By shattering the structures of our accepted world, parables remove our defences and make us vulnerable to God." (B. Reid, p.8)
The riddle of interpretation:
Jesus’ parables are usually open-ended and he rarely offered explanations to his disciples. However in Matthew the writer often puts a conclusion in so the sharp edge of the parables is dulled. Can we live with the challenge of an open-ended parable or do we also need to explain them away?
Stance with the marginal:
There is always a slant to a parable, "the gospels consistently portray Jesus as taking a stance with the marginal. . .they proclaim that God is not neutral. Rather, God takes the part of those who are poorest and most oppressed. In a congregation where poverty is the prevailing reality, the parables offer comfort and hope. In gatherings of Christians who are comfortable financially and socially, however, one of the most crucial tasks of the preacher is to take up the perspective of those who are marginalised and invite the congregation to do the same. . .and to ask, what would love require of me." (B. Reid, p.10).
A communal endeavour:
We need to present the gospel as a communal endeavour, not a pursuit of individual salvation. ‘ . . .consider Jesus’ parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16) for an entirely unsettling vision of a just community. The configuration is not that of each one pulling his or her own weight with appropriate compensation. Rather, the believing community is one in which each member has the means by which to subsist for the day, no matter what his or her contribution to the group”.
(B. Reid, p.10)
Brevity:
Keep the parables short and pithy and they will be remembered, and it also enhances their ability to
communicate forcefully.
A lived Parable:
"The ultimate aim of preaching is that the word be acted on. . .The power of Jesus’ preaching came from his very life being a parable. . .The word takes root, though, when the preacher visibly joins in the struggle with the gathered community, together seeking to conform their lives ever more to that of Christ." (B. Reid, p. 12)
Helen Wilderspin 17 November 2007
[1] All quotations and much of this resource is taken from Barbara E. Reid’s - Parables far Preachers, the
Gospel of Matthew, Year A, The Liturgical Press, Minnesota, 2001.