What, in Matthewâs view, should a human being become and how does one attain that ideal? In The Sermon on the Mount and Spiritual Exercises: The Making of the Matthean Self, George Branch-Trevathan presents a new account of Matthewâs ethics and argues that the evangelist presents the Sermon on the Mount as functioning like many other ancient sayings collections, that is, as facilitating transformative work on oneself, or âspiritual exercises,â that enable one to realize the evangelistâs ideals. The conclusion suggests some implications for our understanding of ethical formation in antiquity and the study of ethics more generally. This will be an essential volume for scholars studying the Gospel of Matthew, early Christian ethics, the relationships between early Christian and ancient philosophical writings, or ethical formation in antiquity.
George Branch-Trevathan, Ph.D. (2016), Emory University, is Assistant Professor of Religion at Thiel College.
Contents
List of Tables Abbreviations and Texts
1 Introduction
â1âThe Question and the Starting Point
â2âPrior Research
â3âThe Plan of This Study
2 Sayings Collections and Spiritual Exercises
â1âThe Contents of Sayings Collections
â2âThe Functions of Sayings Collections
â3âSayings Collections and Spiritual Exercises
â4âConclusion
3 Matthewâs Moral Ideal, Part I: the Fruits Metaphor
â1âThe Roots of Right Actions
â2âMoral Duplicity
â3âConclusion
4 Matthewâs Moral Ideal, Part II: Other Evidence
â1â15:1â20
â2âChs. 24â5
â3âHypocrisy
â4âConclusion
5 The Sermon on the Mount as the Basis of a Spiritual Exercise
â1âInternal Evidence That the SM Resembles the Basis of a Spiritual Exercise
â2âExternal Evidence That the SM Resembles the Basis of a Spiritual Exercise
â3âConclusion
6 Conclusion
â1âImplications of This Study
Bibliography Index
All interested in the Gospel of Matthew, early Christian ethics, the relationships between early Christian and ancient philosophical writings, or ethical formation in antiquity.