Five Discourses of Matthew

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The Gospel of Matthew from the Book of Deer, 10th century

In Christianity, the term Five Discourses of Matthew refers to five specific discourses by Jesus within the Gospel of Matthew.[1][2]

The five discourses are listed as the following: the

Mission Discourse, the Parabolic Discourse, the Discourse on the Church
, and the Discourse on End Times.

Each of the discourses has a shorter parallel in the Gospel of Mark or the Gospel of Luke.[3]

Structure

Biblical scholars generally agree on the existence of the five separate discourses, although discussions and differences of opinion exist about specific details.[4][5] There are occurrences of the closing formula "when Jesus had finished speaking": 7:28, 11:1, 13:53, 19:1, and 26:1. Most scholars consider chapters 23 to 25 to be the final discourse, but some take it to be merely 24 and 25.[4]

Beginning with

Jack Kingsbury or Craig Blomberg) see three major segments in Matthew in which the 5 discourses take place.[1][2]

Blomberg showed how the five-discourse structure can be used to relate the top-level structure of Matthew with Mark, Luke and John.[2] In his mapping Chapter 13 of Matthew is its centre, as is Mark 8:30 and the beginning of Chapter 12 of John. He then separates Luke into three parts by 9:51 and 18:14.[2]

Each of the discourses has shorter parallel passages in the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke. The first discourse relates to Luke 6:20-49. The second discourse relates to Mark 6:7-13 as well as Luke 9:1-6 and Luke 10:1-12. The corresponding unit for the third discourse is Mark 4:3-34. The fourth discourse relates to Mark 9:35-48 and the final discourse to Luke 21:5-36 and Mark 13:5-37.[3]

A number of scholars have compared the five discourses to the five books of the

Pentateuch, but most contemporary scholars reject the idea of an intentional parallel.[4]

The five discourses

The first discourse

Main article: Sermon on the Mount
A page from Matthew, from Papyrus 1, c. 250

The first discourse (Matthew 5–7) is called the Sermon on the Mount and is one of the best known and most quoted parts of the New Testament.[6] It includes the Beatitudes, the Lord's Prayer and the Golden Rule. To most believers in Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount contains the central tenets of Christian discipleship.[6] The Beatitudes are a key element of this sermon, and are often expressed as a set of blessings. Jesus presents the Beatitudes as a list of those he considered "blessed," or "fortunate," (due to his arrival and their subsequent invitation into the "Kingdom of Heaven"), as opposed to Ben Sira's list of "blessed" peoples (Ben Sira 25:7-11). The Beatitudes work as a welcoming statement to this group of people, and as an introduction to the sermon.[7][8]

The second discourse

Main article: Matthew 10

The second discourse in Matthew 10 provides instructions to the

Twelve Apostles and is sometimes called the Mission Discourse or the Missionary Discourse[5] or the Little Commission in contrast to the Great Commission. This discourse is directed to the twelve apostles who are named in Matthew 10:2-3. In the discourse Jesus advises them how to travel from city to city, carry no belongings and to preach only to Israelite communities. He tells them to be wary of opposition, but have no fear for they will be told what to say to defend themselves when needed: "For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.", as also stated similarly in Luke 12:12.[9]

The third discourse

Main article: Matthew 13

The third discourse in Matthew 13 (verses 1-52) provides several parables for the

Drawing in the Net.[10]

The fourth discourse

Main article: Matthew 18

The fourth discourse in Matthew 18 is often called the Discourse on the Church.

The Unforgiving Servant which also refer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The general theme of the discourse is the anticipation of a future community of followers, and the role of his apostles in leading it.[11][12] Addressing his apostles in 18:18, Jesus states: "what things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven", see also Binding and loosing. This power is first given to Peter in chapter 16 after Peter confesses that Jesus is the "son of the living God". In addition to the powers of binding and loosing, Peter is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and is sometimes considered the "rock" on which Christ built his Church. The discourse emphasizes the importance of humility and self-sacrifice as the high virtues within the anticipated community. It teaches that in the Kingdom of God, it is childlike humility that matters, not social prominence and clout.[11][12]

The fifth discourse

Main articles: Matthew 23, Olivet Discourse, and Matthew 25

Although assessments of its scope vary, the final discourse can be taken to include Matthew 23, 24, and 25. Jason Hood outlines the academic discussion about the extent of the last discourse.[13]

Matthew 24 is usually called the

Second Coming of Christ, but the many scholarly opinions about the overlap of these two issues, and exactly which verses refer to which event remain divided and complex.[11][14]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8054-4365-3
    pages 194-196
  2. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8054-4482-7
    pages 143-146
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8028-2501-8 page 9 Google-books link
  4. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8028-6498-7
    pages 37-38
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7880-1221-1
    pages 25 & 158
  6. ^
    ISBN 978-0-918954-76-3
    pages xi-xiv
  7. ISBN 1-4102-1730-2
    page 15-19
  8. ISBN 1-931018-31-6
    , pages 63-68
  9. ^ A Theology of the New Testament by George Eldon Ladd 1993, ISBN page 324
  10. ^
    ISBN 0-8010-3192-3
    (Discourse 3) pages 162-173
  11. ^
    ISBN 0-89900-628-0
    page 321
  12. ^
    ISBN 0-8254-3845-4
    pages 215-216
  13. ^ Hood, J., Matthew 23-25: The Extent of Jesus' Fifth Discourse, Journal of Biblical Literature, Fall 2009, volume 128, No. 3, pp. 527-543
  14. ^
    ISBN 0-85111-338-9
    pages 593-596
  15. ^ Matthew 24:3
  16. ISBN 0-8024-0765-X
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