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The Gospel of Matthew:
The Apocalyptic Context
of I CE Judaism
The Apocalyptic Context
of I CE Judaism
Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.
Department of Religious Studies
John Carroll University
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
nPalestine in the first century CE was a time rife with “saviors”
nSuch figures were =
both political and religious
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
nMany Jews had a lively expectation of a “messiah”
nMany followed these savior figures
nMatthew’s Je=
sus fits in this context
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
nThis presentation will highlight a few of the
“apocalyptic” passages in Matthew
nWe wil=
l use
them to analyze Matthew’s distinctive perspective a=
mong
the first-century apocalyptic views of =
salvation/fulfilment
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
The Apocalyptic Context of I CE Judaism
&=
#8226;Process:
&=
#8211;Definitions
of terms relating to “apocalypse”
&=
#8211;What
“apocalyptic” elements do we find in Mt?
&=
#8211;in
contemporaneous Jewish history?
&=
#8211;in
contemporaneous Jewish literature?
&=
#8211;in
Jesus’ teaching?
&#=
8211;What
significance do these apocalyptic elements have for
understanding the basic message of Matthew’s gospel?
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:88%'>n"apocalyptic
eschatology" -- a religious belief
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
nThese things have=
taken
place in the past
nand are coming to=
=
pass
in the present
nbut people thus far have not understood their
significance
nJohn Collins provides a comprehensive definition of the genre, which we will later see.<=
/span>
n“Apocalypse” =3D a =
“revelation,” literally, an "unveiling" of things
formerly hidden from view.
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:114%'>n“Eschatology=
”
nconce=
rned
with the “eschaton”
<=
span
class=3DHBB style=3D'position:absolute;left:-10.36%;top:.3em'>nthe =
last
things
nthe fi=
nal
culmination of the history of God's creationThe Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
nprophets speak fo=
rth
God's word to the people of their own specific place and time
=
nproph=
ets read
the signs of the times and speak God's Word for the present
situation
nApocalypse is related
to Prophecy
nFORTH-telling, not FORE-telling
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
nThis
illuminating Word
concerns:
•=
what
has been,
•what
is,
•and what will come
to pass in the near future.
nE.g., in Revelat=
ion, John
repeatedly claims that his prophecy concerns events =
that
will take place "soon" (e.g. 1:3, 22:6, 7, 10, 12, 20).
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The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
n“apocalyptic eschatology”
na belief that God =
=
will
make a dramatic and decisive intervention in the world
of human affairs
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:114%'>n“apocalyptic=
ism”
na social ideology =
which envisions a utopian state and establishes the strategy for achieving
itThe Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
•e.g., Marx: “From each
according to his [or her] ability, to each according =
to
his [or her] need.”
•e.g., Acts 2:44-45 <=
/span>(NRSV): “All who believed
were together and had all things in common; they
would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the
proceeds to all, as any had need.”
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
The Terminology of Apocalyptic
n“millenarianism”
(or “chiliasm” or “millenarism”)&=
#13;
na
variety of apocalypticism often associated with
Christianity
=
226;Since
John Gager’s study, Kingdom and Community,
many scholars believe that early Christianity itself was a
millenarian movement
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic -- Review<= /span>
The Terminology of Apocalyptic -- Review<= /span>
<=
span
class=3DBB style=3D'position:absolute;left:-4.69%;top:.3em'>n"=
apocalypse"
-- a literary category
The Gospel of Matthew:
The Terminology of Apocalyptic -- Review<= /span>
The Terminology of Apocalyptic -- Review<= /span>
nWhich
of these terms would you apply to the Gospel of Matthew?&#=
13;
&=
#8211;"apocalypse"
&=
#8211;“prophecy”
&=
#8211;“eschatology”
&=
#8211;"apocalyptic
eschatology"
&=
#8211;"apocalypticism"
or “millenarianism”
nIn
what ways?
The Gospel of Matthew:
Refining the Terminology
of Apocalyptic
The Gospel of Matthew:
Refining the Terminology
Refining the Terminology
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:75%'>nby an otherworldly =
being
to a human recipient,
The Gospel of Matthew:
Refining the Termi= nology
Refining the Termi= nology
nWithin the overall
genre of “apocalypse,” Collins outlines six =
sub-genres
(pp. 14-15)
nOracle=
s,
testaments, and revelatory dialogues are related literary
categories whose material can be useful in =
illuminating
the function of those elements which they share with the <=
/span>apocalyptic
genre.
The Gospel of Matthew:
Refining the Termi= nology
Refining the Termi= nology
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:63%'>nIa: "Historical" Apocalypse=
s with
No Otherworldly Journey
nIb: Apocalypses with Cosmic and=
/or
Political Eschatology (which =
have
neither historical review nor otherworldly journey)
=
nIc: Apocalypses with Only Personal
Eschatology (and no otherwor=
ldly
journey)
<=
span
style=3D'font-size:63%'>nIIa: "Historical" Apocalypse=
s with
An Otherworldly Journey
nIIb: Otherworldly Journeys with Cosmic
and/or Political Eschatol=
ogy
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elemen= ts in Matthew?
Apocalyptic Elemen= ts in Matthew?
nAccording to
Collins’ definition, would you categorize the Gospel
of Matthew as an “apocalypse”?
nWhat
affiinities does it have with the genre?
nWhat
differences do you see?
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Contemporaneous History
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nA
“Galilean” from Gamala named Judas incited a Judean
revolt in CE 6, when
=
226;Archelaus’
territory became a Roman province
&=
#8226;Coponius
was appointed procurator
=
226;a
census of people and property was conducted (Antiquities=
18:2)
&=
#8226;Judea
first experienced direct Roman rule
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nJudas
the Galilean advocated theocracy
&=
#8226;“no
Lord but God”
&=
#8226;“freedom
from foreign masters”
•God
would aid revolutionaries to establish divine rule in the land
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nJudas
was not the first to resist the rule of Rome and their vassal ki=
ngs
in Palestine
=
226;e.g.,
Judas ben Hezekias, who led an uprising near Sepphoris a=
fter
Herod’s death in 4 BCE =
3;
nJudas’
call to freedom became widespread by CE 66
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nNo conflicts betw=
een
Jews and Romans occured between 6-26
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nPilate’s
arrival as procurator in CE 26 =
was
succeeded by two protests:
=
226;The
display of Roman army standards in Jerusalem--a Jewish sit-i=
n at
Caesarea won removal of the standards
•The
confiscation of funds from the Temple treasury to finance his
aqueduct--a Jewish demonstration ended in slaughter by =
troops
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nIn CE 36, Pilate slew the leaders of a =
=
Samaritan
group who followed a “prophet” to Mt. Gerizim&=
#13;nthe Sa=
maritans
protested to Vitellius, the Syrian legate
n Pilate=
was
recalled to Rome
nThe si=
tuation
for Jews went from bad to worse
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nDuring the procuratorship of Marullus (CE 37-41), =
Gaius determined to eliminate traditional Jewish <=
/span>privileges and force Jews to worship the imperial =
image
nPetronius, the new legate, was to install a statue=
of Gaius in the Temple in Jerusalem
=
nCrowds of Jews left=
their
fields to protest to Petroni=
us,
declaring they would die first
n Petronius asked Gai=
us to
rescind the order
n Gaius was assassina=
ted
(CE 41), the order unfulfilled
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nThe prophet Theud=
as and
his followers slain by Fadus (procurator CE 44-46)
nJames and Simon, sons of Judas the Galilean,
were crucified at the order of Tiberius Alexander
(46-48)
nA serious of incidents took place during the
procuratorship of Cumanus (48-52)
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nFrom
ca. 51 on, Josephus indicates widespread active dissension
against the Romans
&=
#8226;the
sicarii arose
&#=
8226;the
country was infested with brigands
&=
#8226;apocalyptic
prophets increased
nThings
finally came to a head in 66
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nThe
Jewish-Roman War of 66-73 was a messianic
revolt, with more than one “messiah”
nfive
groups of “freedom fighters”
•Sicarii, led by Menahem, son or grandson of Judas =
the Galilean
•f=
ollowers
of John of Gischala
•f=
ollowers
of Simon bar Giora
•t=
he
Idumaeans
•t=
he
Zealots, under Eleazar
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in History
Apocalyptic Elements in History
nmixed
motives gave rise to and sustained the war:
&=
#8226;religious
&=
#8226;political
&=
#8226;social
•f=
or
more information, see David Rhoads, <=
i>Israel
in Revolution
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Contemporaneous Literature
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
nthe term
“millenarian” derives from the notion of the millennial
(1000-year) reign of Christ
n“millenaria=
nism”
also includes a vision of an earthly paradise
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
nThe thousand-year epoch has a basis in =
Psalm 90:4, where "a thousand years is as a <=
/span><=
span
style=3D'font-size:88%'>day" to God.
=
nAlso, in The Secrets of Enoch , the reader is told that the world will last 7000 years, taking <=
/span>after the seven days of creation, with the last <=
span
style=3D'font-size:88%'>1000 years as sabbath rest.
=
nThe Book of Revelat=
ion
makes explicit this idea of
Christ’s millenial reign
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
nMany
envisioned earthly delights during the reign of the messiah
•W=
e find
it mentioned both in the canonical prophets
(e.g., Is and Ez) and in such non-canonical
texts as 4 Ezra (a late I CE work).
•S=
uch an
earthly "kingdom" of God was accepted by many early Christians -- including the church <=
/span>father, Papias of Hierapolis in Phrygia (ca. 130).=
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
Apocalyptic Elements in Literatur= e
•However, it was never
undisputed, and came to be scorned by the more intellectual
and spiritualizing interpreters of the gospels (e.g., the fo=
urth
century church historian, Eusebius of Caesarea).
•The poli=
tical
and moral consequences of such an earthly "kingdom"
(particularly those pertaining to sexuality) were too <=
span
style=3D'position:absolute;top:81.0%;left:13.29%;width:83.89%;height:6.0%'=
>problematic
for most later commentators
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic Elements in
Jesus’ Teaching
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nJesus embraces earthly “millenarian” i=
magery
in his parabolic descript=
ions
of the reign of God
nviz., =
the
recurring image of the wedding feast as symbol of the messianic age, with himself as bridegroom (e.g., Mt 9:15;25:1-12)
nCritics called Jesus
“a drunkard and a glutton” because of his habit of feasting with those who gathered to him
nThus, Jesus seems t=
o have
envisioned God’s reign as
a robust garden of earthly delights where God is honored in the revelry
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nAn example of the
difficulties presented by such an earthly vision of God's r=
eign
is exemplified in the Sadducees' query to
Jesus about the childless woman
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nWidowed seven times in succession by seven =
brothers, the poor woman herself finally is laid <=
/span><=
span
style=3D'font-size:88%'>to rest.
nThe Sadducees ask, "In the resurrection, =
then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her." (Mt 22:28 //Mk 12:23;
NRSV)
nThese religio-political leaders could not <=
/span>=
imagine a woman living outside the control of her husband, even in the messianic era.
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nJesus'
response was that it is wrong to view God's commonwealth as=
the
status quo writ large
=
226;God’s
commonwealth involves a radically different social system&#=
13;
•e.g.,
in it, women are independent persons rather than chattels to me=
n --
literally, "there is no taking or giving in marriage, =
for they
are like the angels." (Mt 22:30 & /=
/)
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nIn
the messianic age, each human being lives in direct
relationship to God.
=
226;This
notion radically undercut the social and political structures of
Jesus' day, including the structures of the Jewish family
and Temple organization.
=
226;The
same could be said as well for the Graeco-Roman family and t=
he
Roman imperial order.
The Gospel of Matthew:
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
Apocalyptic in Jesus’ Teach= ing
nThus, a spiritual=
ized
"kingdom of heaven" was much easier to envision than
a commonwealth where all persons (even women) have autonomy <=
/span>=
under
God.