The audience of Matthew
Subtitle: an appraisal of the local audience thesis
By: Cedric E.W. Vine
Series: Library of New Testament studies -- 496; T & T Clark library of biblical studies; Library of New Testament studies -- 496.; T & T Clark library of biblical studies
Publisher: Bloomsbury T & T Clark
Published: 2014
Place of publication: London; New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 235
ISBN-13: 9780567421739; 9780567613202
Subjects: Primitive and early church; "Bible; Bible; Appreciation; Criticism, interpretation; Church history; Adressat; Matthäusevangelium; Kirchengemeinde; Art appreciation; Urchristentum; History
Description: "This book seeks to establish the inadequacy of readings of the Gospel of Matthew as intended for, and a reflection of, a local audience or community. Despite repeated challenges, the local audience thesis continues to dominate a large proportion of Matthean scholarship, and, as such, the issue of determining the Gospel's audience remains an open question. In this book, Cedric E. W. Vine posits four main critiques. The first suggests the assumptions which underpin the text-focused process of identifying the Gospel's audience, whether deemed to be local, Jewish, or universal, lack clarity. Second, local audience readings necessarily exclude plot-related developments and are both selective and restrictive in their treatment of characterisation. Third, Vine argues that many in an audience of the Gospel would have incorporated their experience of hearing Matthew within pre-existing mental representations shaped by Mark or other early traditions. Fourth, Vine suggests that early Christian audiences were largely heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity, age, sex, wealth, familiarity with Christian traditions, and levels of commitment. As such, the aural reception of the Gospel would have resulted in a variety of impacts. A number of these critiques extend beyond the local audience option and for this reason this study concludes that there was no particular audience for the Gospel."--Bloomsbury Publishing

This book seeks to establish the inadequacy of readings of the Gospel of Matthew as intended for, and a reflection of, a local audience or community. Despite repeated challenges, the local audience thesis continues to dominate a large proportion of Matthean scholarship, and, as such, the issue of determining the Gospel's audience remains an open question. In this book, Cedric E. W. Vine posits four main critiques. The first suggests the assumptions which underpin the text-focused process of identifying the Gospel's audience, whether deemed to be local, Jewish, or universal, lack clarity. Second, local audience readings necessarily exclude plot-related developments and are both selective and restrictive in their treatment of characterisation. Third, Vine argues that many in an audience of the Gospel would have incorporated their experience of hearing Matthew within pre-existing mental representations shaped by Mark or other early traditions. Fourth, Vine suggests that early Christian audiences were largely heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity, age, sex, wealth, familiarity with Christian traditions, and levels of commitment. As such, the aural reception of the Gospel would have resulted in a variety of impacts. A number of these critiques extend beyond the local audience option and for this reason this study concludes that we cannot currently determine the audience of the Gospel
Notes: Revision of the author's thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sheffield, 2012.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 208-221) and indexes.

Current Copyright Fee: GBP17.50 0.
Table of contents: title: The community thesis and the Gospel of Matthew; title: Characterisation and plot in Matthean community reconstructions; title: Peter in Matthean and Markan community reconstructions; title: Orality, performance, and Gospel audiences; title: Aural experience : settings and frames; title: Aural experience : impact; title: Conclusion.