Matthew
in Interpretation Bible Commentary
Pages
344
Publisher
Westminster John Knox
Published
2023
ISBN-13
9780664264291
This inaugural Interpretation Bible Commentary volume on Matthew by Mark Allan Powell brings theological and pastoral sensitivity to the text, exploring how the Gospel of Matthew might be understood today by readers who receive it as its intended audience.
It leads us to understand how the church can embody God’s abiding presence in the world, to explore how biblical ethics can remain relevant for ever-changing situations, to consider healthy interfaith dialogue between Jews and Christians, and to move progressively toward values of compassion, mercy, justice, and love. Powell’s exegesis emphasizes the Gospel’s sustained critique of coercive power and its support for children, immigrants, and other vulnerable or marginalized populations. It also makes an honest assessment of the text’s legacy, exposing unfortunate ways that it has been used throughout history (e.g., to justify Crusades and colonialism, or to sanction sexism, racism, and anti-Semitism). The volume also offers summaries of 17 prominent themes developed throughout Matthew, with cross-references to discussions of individual passages, and provides several excursuses that illuminate special topics such as worship, the Sermon on the Mount, the presence and absence of Jesus, stewardship, and Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus.
It leads us to understand how the church can embody God’s abiding presence in the world, to explore how biblical ethics can remain relevant for ever-changing situations, to consider healthy interfaith dialogue between Jews and Christians, and to move progressively toward values of compassion, mercy, justice, and love. Powell’s exegesis emphasizes the Gospel’s sustained critique of coercive power and its support for children, immigrants, and other vulnerable or marginalized populations. It also makes an honest assessment of the text’s legacy, exposing unfortunate ways that it has been used throughout history (e.g., to justify Crusades and colonialism, or to sanction sexism, racism, and anti-Semitism). The volume also offers summaries of 17 prominent themes developed throughout Matthew, with cross-references to discussions of individual passages, and provides several excursuses that illuminate special topics such as worship, the Sermon on the Mount, the presence and absence of Jesus, stewardship, and Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus.