Conflicting Mythologies: Identity Formation in the Gospels of Mark and MatthewA&C Black, 2000 M01 1 - 363 pages A cultural and anthropological interpretation of Mark and Matthew which examines their contribution to the formation of early Christian identity, world-view and ethos. John Riches studies the notions of sacred space and ethnicity in the Gospel narratives. He shows how early Christian group identity emerged through a dynamic process of reshaping traditional Jewish symbols and motifs associated with descent, kinship and territory. Ideas about descent from Abraham and the return from exile to Mount Zion are interwoven into early Christian traditions about Jesus and in the process substantially reshaped to produce different senses of identity. At the same time, he argues, the Evangelists were attempting to set forth a view of the world in a dialogue with the two opposing cosmologies current in Jewish culture of the time: one, cosmic dualist, the other, forensic. Riches shows how these two very different accounts of the irigin and final overcoming of evil both inform Mark and Latthew's narratives and contribute to the richness and ambiguity of the texts and of the communities which sprang up around them. |
Contents
JEWISH IDENTITY IN THE WORLD OF | 21 |
Cosmic implications | 49 |
Bearing of cosmology on definitions of kinship | 55 |
Conclusions | 65 |
SIGHT TO THE BLIND | 81 |
ཆེ ང ུ | 111 |
CONFLICTING WORLDVIEWS IN MARKS | 145 |
CHURCH OF DISCIPLES | 181 |
the question | 214 |
MATTHEW AND THE REMAKING | 229 |
The parable of the wheat and the darnel | 240 |
The mountain motif in Matthew | 246 |
COSMOLOGY AND CHRISTOLOGY | 263 |
329 | |
Index of biblical references and ancient sources | 343 |
69 | 348 |
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Common terms and phrases
Abraham apocalyptic argued authority Beatitudes Beelzebul controversy chapter Christ Christian Christology church circumcision clearly contrast cosmic dualist cosmology darkness David Davies and Allison demonic descent dialogue disciples discipleship discussion divine emphasis eschatology ethnicity evil exile fictive kinship follow forensic fulfilment Galilee gathered Gentiles God's Gospels of Mark Guelich hand healing heaven human identity interpretation Isaiah Israel Jerusalem Jesus Jewish Christianity Jewish eschatology Jewish Messiah Jews Josephus Jubilees Judaism kingdom kinship Land linked Lord Marcus Mark's Gospel Markan Matt Matthaean Matthew's community Matthew's Gospel Messiah mission Moses motif Mount Zion myth narrative nations parable particular Peter's confession Pharisees Philo preaching question Qumran radical reading recognise reference religious repentance restoration restorationist reworking righteousness role sacred space Saldarini Satan scribes Scripture sectarian sense social sons spirits story suggest teaching Temple Testament tradition understanding world-view