Restricted generosity in the New Testament
By: Timothy J. Murray
Series: Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. 2. Reihe -- 480; Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament -- 480.
Publisher: Mohr Siebeck
Published: 2018
Place of publication: Tübingen
Language: eng
Number of pages: 273
ISBN-13: 9783161564741; 9783161564758
Copyright date: 2018
Subjects: Criticism, interpretation; Money; Biblical teaching; Generosity; Bible
Description: The importance of material generosity in early Christianity has been firmly established in New Testament research. Given this consensus, Timothy J. Murray examines the New Testament texts for evidence of when, how and why the early Christians restricted their generosity. Having also examined the restricted generosity of comparable social structures (Jewish groups, Greco-Roman associations and the Hellenistic oikos ), the author argues that the self-conception of the early Christians as members of a fictive-family was the most significant influence on their practices of material generosity and its restrictions, in which they drew heavily from existing cultural ideals regarding family reciprocity and support. Additionally, the author argues (against the majority view) that evidence for organised poor-care in Jewish groups is meagre and non-existent with regard to Greco-Roman associations. --
Notes: Slightly revised thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nottingham, 2017.

Includes bibliographical references (pages [235]-259) and indexes.
Table of contents: title: 1. Introduction: restricted generosity in the New Testament in its academic context; title: Part I: Restricted generosity in comparable first-century social structures; title: 2. An introduction to comparable social structures; title: 3. Restricted generosity in the Roman household; title: 4. Restricted generoisty in Greco-Roman associations; title: 5. Care of the poor in first-century Jewish groups?; title: Part II: Restricted generosity in the New Testament; title: 6. Fictive kinship and social reality in the New Testament; title: 7. Restricted generosity in the Thessalonian correspondence; title: 8. Restricted generosity in 1 Timothy 5.3-16; title: 9. Summary and conclusions.