Isaiah's Christ in Matthew's Gospel (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: December 23, 2002
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 258
ISBN-13: 9780521818889
Subjects: Biblical studies, criticism & exegesis; Books of the New Testament; Literary theory; Religion - Commentaries / Reference; O.T.; Isaiah; Relation to Isaiah; Bible.; N.T.; Religion; N.T; Jesus Christ; Biblical Criticism & Interpretation - General; Biblical Studies - New Testament; Religion / Bible / Criticism, Interpretation / General; Relation to Matthew; Philosophy; Bible - Study - New Testament; Bible; Early church, ca. 30-600; History of doctrines; Matthew
First sentence: Ensconced in Maimonides' Commentary of the Mishnah Tractate Sanhedrin between comments concerning the fundamental tenets of the Jewish faith and his well-known thirteen fundamental principles is a brief section on the days of the messiah.
Description: "Matthew's Jesus is typically described as the humble, compassionate Messiah. This book argues that this is, however, only half the story. Matthew's theologically rich quotation of Isaiah 42.1-4, traditionally considered one of the four servant songs, underscores that manifest in Jesus' powerful message and deeds, particularly his healings and inclusion of the marginalized, is the justice that was thought to accompany the arrival of the Kingdom of God. The study explores modifications to the text-form of the Isaianic citations, their relationship to the surrounding context, and the rhetorical force of the final form. It argues that the quotations are bi-referential, functioning on both a narrative and theological level, and also explores the issues surrounding the troublesome 'extraneous' content. It arrives at the conclusion that this citation was central to Matthew's understanding of Jesus' life and mission. All totaled, this study offers a fresh exploration of Matthew's high, ethical christology."--P. [4] of cover.