The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism (1998 Sim), book

The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism (1998) is a book by David C. Sim.

Abstract

Sim's thought provoking work builds upon the contributions of Overman and Saldarini, who view the Gospel of Matthew as a Jewish text representative of "Christian Judaism" rather than as a text penned by a community already separated from "Christianity." Most provocative is Sim's thesis that Matthew was written by a Torah observant group which was opposed to Paul's allegedly law-free Gospel. Sim even claims that Matthew did not actively engage in a Gentile mission and that all of the Gentile converts in his community had fully embraced Torah praxis (including circumcision).--Isaac W. Oliver

"In this meticulously researched and compelling study, David Sim reconstructs the social setting of the Matthean community at the time the Gospel was written and traces its full history.Dr Sim argues that the Matthean community should be located in Antioch towards the latter part of the first century. He acknowledges the dispute within the early Christian movement and its importance. He defines more accurately the distinctive perspectives of the two streams of thought and their respective relationships to Judaism. A new and important work in Matthean studies."--Publisher description.

Editions

Published in Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1998.

Contents

Preface; Abbreviations; INTRODUCTION; 1. The social setting of the Matthean community in recent studies; 2. The question of location; 3. Judaism, Christian Judaism and Gentile Christianity; 3.1. Judaism; 3.2. The major types in the Christian Movement; 3.3. Christian Judaism and Gentile Christianity; 4. The plan of this book; 1. THE DATE AND LOCATION OF THE MATTHEAN COMMUNITY; 1.1. The date of the Gospel; 1.1.1. A date prior to 100; 1.1.2. A date after 70; 1.2. The location of the Gospel; 1.2.1. Jerusalem or Palestine; 1.2.2. Transjordan; 1.2.3. Caesarea Maritima; 1.2.4. Phoenicia.; 1.2.5. Alexandria1.2.6. Syria (outside Antioch); 1.2.7. Antioch on the Orontes; 2. THE HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT IN ANTIOCH PRIOR TO MATTHEW; 2.1. The Hellenists and Antioch; 2.1.1. The Hellenists and the Hebrews; 2.1.2. The Hellenists in Antioch; 2.1.3. The extension of the mission by Barnabas and Paul; 2.2. The apostolic council; 2.2.1. The events leading to the apostolic council; 2.2.2. The Pauline version of the council; 2.2.3 The Acts version of the council; 2.3. The dispute at Antioch; 2.3.1. James and the circumcision party; 2.3.2. The message from James.; 2.3.3. Pauls departure from Antioch2.4. The fate of the Antiochene Church; 2.5. Conclusions; 3. THE MATTHEAN COMMUNITY AND FORMATIVE JUDAISM; 3.1. Preliminary questions; 3.1.1. Sects and sectarianism; 3.1.2. Formative Judaism; 3.2. The sectarian nature of the Matthean community; 3.2.1. Sectarian language; 3.2.2. Hostility towards the Jewish leadership; 3.2.3. The centrality of the law; 3.2.4. Further sectarian tendencies; 3.2.5. The Matthean community within Judaism; 3.3. The relations between the Matthean community and the Jewish world; 3.3.1. The cause of the break with formative Judaism.; 3.3.2. Persecution of the Matthean community3.3.3. The Jewish mission and persecution; 3.4. Conclusions; 4. THE MATTHEAN COMMUNITY AND PAULINE CHRISTIANITY; 4.1. The historical background; 4.1.1. The collection; 4.1.2. The deaths of Paul and James; 4.1.3. The effects of the Jewish war; 4.1.4. The Gentile Christian literature; 4.1.5. The Christian Jewish literature; 4.1.6. The implications of the evidence; 4.2. The Matthean community and Pauline Christianity; 4.2.1. James and the relatives of Jesus; 4.2.2. The disciples; 4.2.3. Peter; 4.2.4. Paul and the law-free gospel.; 4.2.5. The Pauline mission in Antioch4.3. Conclusions; 5. THE MATTHEAN COMMUNITY AND THE GENTILE WORLD; 5.1. The Gentiles in the Gospel of Matthew; 5.1.1. The Gentiles in Matthews story; 5.1.2. Anti-Gentile statements in Matthew; 5.2. Gentile persecution of the Matthean community; 5.3. The Matthean community and the Gentile mission; 5.4. The Gentiles in the Matthean community; 5.5. Conclusions; 6. THE MATTHEAN COMMUNITY AND IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH; 6.1. Ignatius of Antioch as a successor to Paul; 6.1.1. Ignatius and the Pauline Epistles; 6.1.2. The influence of Paul on Ignatius.