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Exploring Psalm 80 As a Source for Matthew 25:31—46

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Exploring Psalm 80 as a Source for Matthew 25:31—46 A Thesis Submitted to Middlesex University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Chad Daniel Venters Middlesex University Supervised at London School of Theology July 2018 Abstract Chad Venters— ‘Exploring Psalm 80 as a Source for Matthew 25:31—46’ A Thesis for Doctor of Philosophy Middlesex University/London School of Theology, 2018 The Sheep and the Goats passage, in Matthew 25:31—46, is the climax of Jesus’ fifth great discourse. A tapestry of rich images and titles are woven into this scene of judgment, in which the ‘Son of Man’ is an enthroned shepherd and king who will judge πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, placing the sheep at the preeminent right and the goats in condemnation at the left. Such an eclectic series of images and titles presents an opportunity for exploring the background sources for this passage. This thesis argues that Psalm 80 (Psalm 79 LXX) is an important source for the composition of Matthew 25:31—46. Psalm 80 provides a religio—political background for understanding the devastation facing Judaism at the hands of the Romans. Viewing Psalm 80 as a source for Matthew 25:31—46 accounts for the diversity of images found in the Sheep and the Goats and provides further insight into the meaning of the passage. This reading of the Sheep and the Goats contends that the story is not focused on world—ending judgment. The text is describing a cataclysmic shift in which God’s vineyard has been taken from Israel and given to the church and the nations. This research augments the larger corpus of Matthean studies, contributing to the less— prominent research of Psalm 80 as an influential text for multiple passages in the New Testament and other first century literature. Various studies have proposed the prevalence of Psalm 80, through scriptural ‘echoes’ and ‘allusions’ in the New Testament. This research seeks to solidify these hypotheses in favour of Psalm 80 as an important background text for the New Testament Gospels. i Acknowledgements I cannot imagine where I would be without my remarkable parents, Dan and Pam Venters. What they have done for me over the past 37 years is beyond expression. I would not be the man I am today without them. Levi, you are the most important person in my life and I love you more than I can ever say. Kristin, you are my love and have filled my heart with so much happiness. Erin, I appreciate you always supporting me, encouraging me in my academic pursuits and for being a wonderful mommy. Dr. Julie Robb has been with me from the beginning of what probably feels like Homer’s Iliad for both of us. Her wisdom and insights have been invaluable to me in shaping the course of this thesis, and I can never thank her enough. Dr. Gempf also provided great insights into making the style and readability of the thesis much smoother. Dr. N.T. Wright and Dr. Atkinson provided me excellent feedback during the Viva to make this thesis much stronger and I am very appreciative. Dr. David Ernst is the man who years ago encouraged me to pursue PhD work, and was one of my readers. Dr. Peter Altmann was my other reader and offered me great insights as well. Both are true friends and colleagues. Kati Andreano from Multnomah Reno—Tahoe and Izumi Shibasaki from TMCC have been invaluable in helping me acquire sources. For a multitude of others who have influenced me in ways they will never realise, thank you for your contributions to the field I love. To those who paved the way in Psalm 80 studies, I am in your debt. Lastly, but truly never last, thank you Jesus for the hope and salvation I have in you. All that I do in this field I do for Your honour and glory. ii Abbreviations AC— Acta Theologica ANE— Ancient Near East AOTC— Abingdon Old Testament Commentary AUSS— Andrews University Seminary Studies BBR— Bulletin for Biblical Research BECNT— Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament BHS— Biblica Hebraica Stuttgartensia BJRL— Bulletin of the John Rylands Library BR— Biblical Research BSAC— Bibliotheca Sacra BSPADE— Bible and Spade CBC— Cambridge Bible Commentary CBQ— Central Bible Quarterly CDT— Cuadernos De Teologia CTSJ— Chafer Theological Seminary Journal DSD— Dead Sea Discoveries DUJ— Durham University Journal EKK— Evangelisch—Katholischer Kommentar GJCT— Global Journal of Classical Theology GTJ— Grace Theological Journal HAR— Hebrew Annual Review HTR— Harvard Theological Review ICC— International Critical Commentary IEJ— Israel Exploration Journal IJPCS— International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society IVP— InterVarsity Press JANES— Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society JBL— Journal of Biblical Literature JDT— Journal of Dispensational Theology JETS— Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JGES— Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society JQR— Jewish Quarterly Review JSJSup— Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplements JSNT— Journal for the Study of the New Testament JSOT— Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JTS— Journal of Theological Studies MSJ— Master’s Seminary Journal NAC— New American Commentary NICNT— New International Commentary on the New Testament NICOT— New International Commentary on the Old Testament iii NJT— Nordic Journal of Theology NT— Novum Testamentum NTG— Novum Testamentum Graece NTS— New Testament Studies SCS— Septuagint Commentary Series PNTC— Pillar New Testament Commentary RQ— Restoration Quarterly RRR— Reformation and Renaissance Review SBL— Society of Biblical Literature SJT— Scottish Journal of Theology STR— Southeastern Theological Review StTh— Studia Theologica TB— Tyndale Bulletin ThStK— Theologische Studien und Kritiken TOTC— Tyndale Old Testament Commentary TS— Theological Studies TSR— Trinity Seminary Review UBS— United Bible Societies VC— Vigiliae Chrstianae VT— Vetus Testamentum WBC— Word Biblical Commentary WTJ— Westminster Theological Journal iv Table of Contents Chapter One— The Sheep and the Goats: Method, History of Research and Date of Text...1 Purpose of Research…1 Methodology...3 History of Research…10 Eighteenth Century Scholarship…10 Nineteenth Century Scholarship…11 Twentieth Century and Twenty First Century Scholarship…16 Date of Matthew…48 Pre—70 External Evidence…48 Pre—70 Internal Evidence…52 Post—70 External Evidence…61 Post—70 Internal Evidence…64 Chapter Two— Eschatology, Apocalypticism and the Son of Man…73 Eschatology and Apocalypticism…73 Daniel…76 The Similitudes of Enoch…80 4 Ezra…84 2 Baruch…86 Revelation…91 Defining the Apocalyptic and the Eschatological…95 World—Ending Eschatology and Cataclysmic Eschatology…101 The Son of Man…104 Daniel’s Son of Man…104 The Son of Man Beyond Daniel…112 Chapter Three— Psalm 80: Interpretation and Use as a Source... 120 Psalm 80’s Original Setting…120 v Israel Theory…121 Judah Theory…123 Pre—divided Monarchy Theory…123 Structure of Psalm 80…125 Interpretation of Psalm 80…127 The Messianic and Eschatological Development of Psalm 80…135 Psalm 79 (80) in the LXX…136 Psalm 80 in the Dead Sea Scrolls…139 Psalm 80 in 2 Baruch…142 Psalm 80 in the Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum…148 Psalm 80 in the New Testament…155 Mark 14:62…157 The Parable of the Wicked Tenants…161 John 15:1—8…165 Chapter Four—The Textual Relationship of Psalm 80 and Matthew 25:31—46...170 Other Source Candidates for Matthew 25:31—46…170 Zechariah 14…170 Ezekiel 34…174 Similitudes of Enoch 62…179 Classifying Matthew 25:31—46…183 Literary Influence of Psalm 79 LXX on the Imagery of Matthew 25:31—46…185 Textual Relationship…189 The Titles of Christ…198 National Crisis and Covenant…204 The Problem with the Sheep…208 Chapter Five— A New Vineyard and New Sheep…214 The Road to Destruction…214 This Wicked Generation…214 The Fig Tree (21:18—22)…216 The Parable of the Two Son (21:28—32)…219 The Wicked Tenants (21:33—41)…223 vi The Parable of the Marriage Feast (22:1—14)…225 The Olivet Discourse (23—25)…226 The Abomination of Desolation…235 The Problem of the Parousia…239 Paul’s Parousia…240 The Coming Son of Man and the Parousia…247 ‘Left Behind’…250 Judgment Upon Israel…255 The σῦς and the ἔριφος…256 The Criteria of Judgment and the Least…262 A Tale of Two Judges…270 Chapter Six— Conclusion…274 The War that Changed the World…274 Rethinking the Sheep and the Goats…276 Israel and the Promise…278 The Historical Jesus…281 Application for Today…282 Bibliography…286 vii Chapter One The Sheep and the Goats: Method, History of Research and Date of Text Purpose of Research Jesus’ fifth and final discourse in the Gospel of Matthew concludes with the Sheep and the Goats in 25:31—46. The Sheep and the Goats is part of the Olivet Discourse which is classically intertwined with the Son of Man vision of Daniel 7. The discourse is commonly referred to as eschatological or apocalyptic, while scholars acknowledge that the fall of the temple in 70 CE is the early the subject of the discourse in chapter 24.1 Matthew 25:31—46 has been the source of much debate in determining how this scene of judgment correlates to other visions of ‘the end’. Additionally, there are several interpretative questions regarding the text’s diverse series of images: Who are πάντα τὰ ἔθνη? Why are sheep a symbol of righteousness and goats a symbol of wickedness? When will this judgment take place? Who are τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων? Why are acts of charity toward τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων the criteria for judgment?2 Jesus is also identified by four distinct titles in the Sheep and the Goats, which may lead interpreters to question why these titles and symbols are all used to describe the same figure within a span of 16 verses.
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