Recherche – Detailansicht
Ausgabe: | März/2023 |
Spalte: | 186–187 |
Kategorie: | Neues Testament |
Autor/Hrsg.: | Seleznev, Mikhail, Loader, William R. G., and Karl-Wilhelm Niebuhr [Eds.] |
Titel/Untertitel: | The Gospel of Matthew in its Historical and Theological Context. Papers from the International Conference in Moscow, September 24 to 28, 2018. |
Verlag: | Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2021. IX, 470 S. = Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 459. Lw. EUR 149,00. ISBN 9783161601040. |
Rezensent: | Carolin Ziethe |
The present volume comprises three main parts: 1) Matthew in Reception and Research; 2) Matthew in Context; 3) Themes and Motifs in Matthew. It represents the collected papers of the conference »The Gospel of Matthew in its Historical and Theological Context,« held in Moscow from 24.09. to 28.09.2018, as well as additional contributions from experts on Matthew who could not attend the conference in person. The meeting was a continuation of the confer-ence »History and Theology in the Gospel of Matthew« (2016) and was followed by a meeting on Mark (2019) with meetings in preparation for Luke and John. In the preface, special mention is made of the open dialogue, the open-mindedness of all participants, and the necessary exchange between Orthodox and Western theology. While this productive exchange certainly took place at the conference, the different voices and approaches of the print version hardly enter into dialogue with one another. Instead, the volume predominantly bundles research voices from representatives of so-called Western theology (voices from female exegetes are not represented). Thus, the volume offers only two essays by authors from Russia, but 16 essays by representatives from Europe (Germany [6]; England [2]; France [1]), the United States (6), and Australia (1). Nonetheless, the essays on the history of reception in particular reflect Metropolitan Hilarion of Volodomansk’s concern for a productive connection between Scripture and Tradition. I. Boxall, for example, points to three aspects of his question that are of interest to both patristic and modern exegetes. Explicit references to Orthodox exegesis or the Russian translation of the Bible are also found, for example, in the articles of J. Marcus, R. Deines and K.-W. Niebuhr.
The special value of the volume is therefore not so much the dialogue that becomes visible, but the bundling of a large number of expert voices on fundamental questions representing current research on Matthew. A special focus of the volume is – as the title already indicates – the question of the history as well as the theol-ogy of the Gospel of Matthew. »History« comes into view under different aspects: Many studies investigate the historical location of the Matthean text, including introductory questions (e. g., by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volodomansk). While C. R. Holladay and M. Tilly compare Matthew with early Jewish texts (Josephus, Philo, Apocalyptic texts), R. A. Culpepper and J. Joosten ask about Matthew’s sources (see also A. Somov with an interest in intertextuality). The location within the early Christian movements comes explicitly into view with R. A. Culpepper as well as with J. Marcus. Other contributions integrate the historical question by considering the survival of the Matthean text in later reception (T. Nicklas; I. Boxall) or pursuing the reception of (their own) research positions on the Matthean text (R. A. Burridge). At the same time, many authors repeatedly raise the question of the historical roots of the transmitted traditions (e. g., R. A. Culpepper; W. R. G. Loader; J. Marcus). Furthermore, T. R. Hatina works with the concept of historiography.
The second focus, »theology,« also shows up in the individual contributions in different ways: Thus, theological questions and ecclesiastical traditions can be placed in relation to historical ques-tions (Metropolitan Hilarion of Volodomansk). Also, theology can be understood in terms of Matthew’s theological location in relation to other theological voices (C. Holladay; M. Tilly; R. A. Culpepper; W. R. G. Loader; J. Marcus). Theology, moreover, also comes into view as the basis on which Matthew expounds other themes (such as his ethics, according to M. Konradt or the implementations of his will on earth in Chr. Blumenthal’s article) or, more narrowly, as theology, in terms of Matthew’s way of speaking about God (P. Foster). This broad perspective on the two main topics of the volume is well realized in its compilation.
However, this broad perspective can only be gained by a comprehensive reading of the volume. Here, editorial cross-references between the various contributions would have been helpful. This also applies to thematic convergences and controversies, which certainly arise between the essays, but (with the exception of C. S. Keener) have not been identified. References to thematic lines (especially in the third main part), which are also controversial in places, would have been helpful, e. g., Scripture and its interpretation (T. R. Hatina/J. Joosten/A. Somov), the law (W. R. G. Loader/ M. Konradt), ethics and imitatio (M. Konradt/K.-W. Niebuhr/Chr. Blumenthal), the power and will of God (P. Foster/Chr. Blumenthal), justice (M. Konradt/R. Deines/K.-W. Niebuhr/A. Somov), etc.
The volume is multifaceted with regard to methodological approaches and questions, which open up the view of different research fields of matthean research (narratological approaches, inter-textuality studies, spatial research, reception history, etc.). These complement and correct each other in places; for example, I. Boxall shows the extent to which reception-historical accounts can serve as a corrective to narrative approaches. The question of historical sources enters into dialogue with possible intertextual references, etc.
Especially the essays on the contextual location of the Gospel of Matthew (part 2 of the volume, as well as C. S. Keener’s interpreta- tion of the much-researched text Mt 28,18–20) offer a good overview of the current state of research, but provide fewer new, innovative suggestions. Thus, they are well suited to introduce the respective debates or as lectures with students. However, the extent of references to research debates varies greatly in the individual contributions (e. g., R. A. Culpepper is particularly helpful here; less so, e. g., the John section by W. R. G. Loader, which hardly refers to further John literature). Individual essays also offer insights that apply less specifically to Matthew than to the Gospels in principle (e. g., R. A. Burridge; T. R. Hatina). Here, a stronger focus on the specifics of Matthew (also including Bible passages) would have been desirable. In contrast to these contributions, which provide an overview, there are also essays that explicitly seek to fill research gaps (P. Foster; A. Somov).
Overall, the editors provide much more information through the indexes at the end: a list of authors, a very detailed bibliography (43 pages), an equally detailed index of biblical passages (31 pages), an index of modern authors, and a smaller subject index. – The present volume thus offers a diverse compilation, both in terms of content and method, which provides insights into the current debates with their consensuses and dissents in matthean research.