From the exile to the Christ : exile, restoration and the interpretation of Matthew's gospel

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate by critical interaction with four key areas of Mattheanresearch that 'restoration from exile' provides a valid and valuable hermeneutical prism for theinterpretation of Matthew's gospel. The investigation is undertaken from a Reformed and Evangelicalperspective and an inclusive approach is adopted with regard to hermeneutics, viz that interpretationshould take note of the historical and literary and theological aspects of Matthew's gospel. The fourkey areas of investigation were chosen because they involve both particular texts and the gospel asa whole and are, respectively, Matthew's genealogy, Matthew's concept of Salvation History, the Plotof Matthew's gospel and Matthew's Use of the Old Testament. Each of these areas has alreadyreceived extensive attention in Matthean scholarship, though in each case the question of'restorationfrom exile' has been almost entirely neglected. In each area, a brief critical survey of currentscholarship is provided, both in terms of content and methodology. This survey is then followed bya discussion ofthe relevant texts and topics, demonstrating both the presence and the hermeneuticalimportance of the 'restoration from exile' theme. In this way, the thesis thus shows that 'restorationfrom exile' does indeed provide a valid though not exclusive, hermeneutical prism for theinterpretation of Matthew's gospel and that such an interpretation casts fresh light on both familiarand more troublesome texts and topics of investigation. The final section of the thesis comprises abrief survey of the theme of 'restoration from exile' within the Hebrew Scriptures and arepresentative selection of early Jewish texts. On the basis of this survey, the conclusion is reachedthat despite the very real diversity within early Judaism, it is possible to conclude that perhaps themajority of Jews of the Second Temple Period saw themselves as still 'in exile', at least in theologicaland spiritual terms. This in turn suggests that Matthew's presentation of Jesus as the one, who byhis death and resurrection brings the exile to an end, both for Israel and for the human race at large,is designed to meet a very real spiritual and theological need. Furthermore, the pervasive interest in'restoration from exile' within representative texts from Second Temple Judaism, and Matthew'sclear interest in this same theme, further support claims for the Jewish-Christian setting of Matthew 'sgospel and its dual function of legitimization for the Matthean communities and evangelistic appealto outsiders.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University