Matthew Thiessen, «Abolishers of the Law in Early Judaism and Matthew 5,17-20», Vol. 93 (2012) 543-556
Three times within Matt 5,17-20 passage Matthew uses the verb (kata)lu/w, signaling its importance. Consequently, I will focus on two historical events around which these words cluster: the Antiochan persecution and the destruction of the Temple. Since Jewish literature characterizes the Hellenizers of the Maccabean period as law abolishers, labeling a group as such implicated it in endangering the nation. As Josephus’ Jewish War demonstrates, after the Jewish Revolt, law abolishers were blamed for the Temple’s destruction. Thus, Matthew addresses the charge that Jesus abolished the law and, in so doing, brought about the destruction of the Temple.
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Abolishers of the Law in Early Judaism and Matthew 5,17-20 1
Matthew’s view of the Jewish law has divided scholarship on the First
Gospel. While most interpreters conclude that Matthew believed that Jew-
ish followers of Jesus ought to observe the law 2, a number of scholars
continue to resist this interpretation 3. As R. Deines argues, Matthew 5,17-
20, although seemingly affirming obedience to the law, “forms the cor-
nerstone for both interpretative traditions†4. In part, the disagreement
revolves around the interpretation of the verb plhro/w (“to fulfillâ€). Does
Matthew intend to signify the salvation-historical fulfillment of the law
so that it no longer requires keeping? 5 Or does Matthew’s Jesus use
plhrow synonymously with poie/w (“to doâ€; cf. Matt 5,19)? 6
/
I am thankful to both Joel Marcus of Duke Divinity School and partici-
1
pants in the Matthew Section at the Annual Conference of the Society of Bib-
lical Literature, New Orleans, LA, November 24, 2009, for their helpful
comments on earlier drafts of this paper.
For instance, J.A. OVERMAN, Matthew’s Gospel and Formative Judaism. The
2
Social World of the Matthean Community (Minneapolis, MN 1990); A.J. SAL-
DARINI, Matthew’s Christian-Jewish Community (Chicago, IL 1994); D.C. SIM, The
Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism. The History and Social Setting of the
Matthean Community (Edinburgh 1999); M. VAHRENHORST, “Ihr sollt überhaupt
nicht schwörenâ€. Matthäus im halachischen Diskurs (WMANT 95; Neukirchen-
Vluyn 2002); M. KONRADT, “Die vollkommene Erfüllung der Tora und der Konflict
mit den Pharisäern im Matthäusevangeliumâ€, Das Gesetz im frühen Judentum und
im Neuen Testament (eds. D. SÄNGER et al.) (NTOA 57; Göttingen 2006) 129-152;
and B.T. VIVIANO, Matthew and His World. The Gospel of the Open Jewish Chris-
tians. Studies in Biblical Theology (NTOA 61; Göttingen 2007).
Cf. D.A. HAGNER, “Matthew: Apostate, Reformer, Revolutionary?â€, NTS
3
49 (2003) 193-209; P. FOSTER, Community, Law, and Mission in Matthew’s
Gospel (WUNT 2/177; Tübingen 2004); R. DEINES, Die Gerechtigkeit der
Tora im Reich des Messias. Mt 5,13-20 als Schlüsseltext der matthäischen
Theologie (WUNT 177; Tübingen 2005); and R. DEINES, “Not the Law but
the Messiah: Law and Righteousness in the Gospel of Matthew—An Ongoing
Debateâ€, Built Upon the Rock. Studies in the Gospel of Matthew (eds. D.M.
GURTNER – J. NOLLAND) (Grand Rapids, MI 2008) 53-84.
Deines, “Not the Lawâ€, 70.
4
Cf. J.P. MEIER, Law and History in Matthew’s Gospel (Rome 1979) 73-82, and
5
R.T. FRANCE, The Gospel of Matthew (NICNT; Grand Rapids, MI 2007) 182-183.
Cf. H.D. BETZ, The Sermon on the Mount: A Commentary on the Sermon
6
on the Mount, including the Sermon on the Plain (Matthew 5:3–7:27 and
Luke 6:20-49) (Hermeneia; Minneapolis, MN 1995) 178.
BIBLICA 93.4 (2012) 543-556
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