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For I was hungry and you gave me food: pragmatics of food access in the Gospel of Matthew
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Fort Worth, TX. : [Texas Christian University],
Date
2012
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Abstract
The first-century Roman East experienced endemic food shortages that left 25 per cent of the population below subsistence level and another 30 per cent at risk of slipping below subsistence. In addition to endemic shortages, the Matthean community probably experienced extreme food shortages prior to the finalization of its gospel. The major claim of this study is that, in the face of serious food shortages, the Gospel of Matthew advocates for a society, described as the realm of the heavens, in which all people can have access to sufficient food. The Gospel of Matthew critiques first-century practices and attitudes of both aristocrats and peasants that helped or hindered that goal. The critique comes in the form of an ancient biographical narrative depicting Jesus teaching and performing positive practices that provided the Matthean community with a model to emulate living in the new realm of the heavens, as well as condemning some negative practices and attitudes. The provision of adequate food is one embodiment of the realm of the heavens that is found throughout the Gospel. The idea that the Gospel deals with the first-century reality that people were going hungry, and perhaps even starving to death, due to oppressive and exploitative practices is not new. What sets this argument apart from current Matthean research is that it concentrates on the pragmatic practices concerned with all people having enough food to sustain life. The study provides a pragmatic lens, and a new descriptive model paradigm of food access, to use when analyzing passages concerned with the life-and-death issue of the first-century Matthean community, or any other Christian gospel community. Should not every person have enough food to sustain physical life?
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Subject(s)
Bible. Social scientific criticism.
Bible. Theology.
Food in the Bible.
Food security.
Food supply Social aspects.
Bible. Theology.
Food in the Bible.
Food security.
Food supply Social aspects.
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Dissertation
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Brite Divinity School