Matthew’s Advice to a Divided Community

The Synoptic Gospels have in recent years been studies from the viewpoint of redaction-criticism, and several studies of the Gospel of Matthew have greatly enriched our understanding of the evangelist’s theology and the concrete circumstances in which it was developed. In these studies attention id often focused on the ample discourse-material in Matthew, since it is recognized as uniquely characteristic and distinctive. The Synoptic Gospels have in recent years been studies from the viewpoint of redaction-criticism, and several studies of the Gospel of Matthew have greatly enriched our understanding of the evangelist’s theology and the concrete circumstances in which it was developed. In these studies attention id often focused on the ample discourse-material in Matthew, since it is recognized as uniquely characteristic and distinctive. The major discourses five groups of sayings clearly marked by the same concluding formula (cf. 7,28;11,1;13,53;19,1;26,1), present Matthew’s synthesis of the teachings of Jesus; and the speech against the Pharisees (chapter 23) reflects his attitude toward official Judaism. Along with the other major discourses the so-called Ecclesiological or Communitarian Discourse (chapter 18) has enjoyed a certain prominence. Because it provides a brief glimpse into the actual life of the early Church (18,5-20), the entire chapter has been made the foundation for an ecclesiology proper to Matthew. G. Bornkamm has argued that the evangelist conceived the Church solely and completely in the light of the coming Kingdom.