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Attitude Towards the Torah and Gentiles in Matthew 28:18-20: End-Time Proselytes, Righteous Gentiles Or New People?

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Attitude Towards the Torah and Gentiles in Matthew 28:18-20: End-Time Proselytes, Righteous Gentiles Or New People? Attitude Towards the Torah and Gentiles in Matthew 28:18-20: End-Time Proselytes, Righteous Gentiles or New People? by Ho Jin Nam A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Knox College and the Graduate Center for Theological Studies of the Toronto School of Theology In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology awarded by the University of St. Michael’s College © Copyright by Ho Jin Nam 2017 Attitude Towards the Torah and Gentiles in Matthew 28:18-20: End-Time Proselytes, Righteous Gentiles or New People? Ho Jin Nam Doctor of Philosophy in Theology University of St. Michael’s College 2017 Abstract Matthew 28:18-20 with its reference to making disciples of πάντα τὰ ἔθνη is ambiguous in its attitude towards Gentiles and their relationship to the Torah. The text can be read such that the new Gentile believers in Jesus might be incorporated into the blessings of the God of Israel by affirming the Torah in full force, or such that the Gentiles might become associated with the blessings of God as Gentiles by affirming the law that pertains to them. Given the Jewish orientation of Matthew’s Gospel and its Jewish influence, I suggest that the various attitudes towards the Torah and Gentiles within Second-Temple Judaism provide the basic framework for understanding Matthew’s view on the law and Gentiles. A comparative study of how Matthew lines up with the contemporary Jewish literature—which also wrestles with the terms of Gentile inclusion—will help us get a better sense of his unique view on the Torah and Gentiles. Since Matthew 28:18-20 deals with the law, Gentiles, and eschatology, this dissertation will focus on eschatological redemption texts from Second-Temple Judaism for comparison with Matthew. I will compare and contrast Matthew with the Book of Tobit and Sibylline Oracles 3 with regard to three issues: (1) attitudes towards Gentiles, (2) the ii contents and nature of the Torah, and (3) the relationship between Gentiles and the Torah in the eschatological age. My thesis will demonstrate how a comparative study helps us uncover Matthew’s unique understanding of the relationship between Gentiles and the Torah in the eschatological age (Mt 28:18-20). The outcomes of the comparison locate Matthew somewhere between Tobit and Sibylline Oracles 3. While the Jews may be assumed to keep the ethnic-specific laws, the larger community of Jews and Gentiles are obliged to practice the ethical and monotheistic aspects of the Torah. iii Acknowledgments I am especially grateful to my dissertation advisor, Professor Terence L. Donaldson (Wycliffe College), who gave me constant and invaluable help as I pressed on in this study. His wisdom, knowledge of this topic, precise reading of each page, and constructive criticism have led me to this point. I am also grateful to my examination committee, Professors Ann Jervis (Wycliffe College), Bradley McLean (Knox College), Dorcas Gordon (Knox College), and J.R.C (Robert) Cousland (University of British Columbia). Each has been a blessing and encouragement throughout my doctoral studies. On a personal level, I would like to express thanks to my parents, Kwi Hyun Nam and Sung Hee Min, and my parents-in-law, Oh Deok Kwon and the late Sea Sook Jang, for their substantial support and prayer. My special thanks also go to Sammul Community Church in Sungnam, South Korea and Holy Mountain Presbyterian Church in Toronto, Canada for their encouragement and prayer while I pursued this journey. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my wife Mijo Kwon for her sacrificial love and support. Without her love, I would never have finished this project. I also wish to express my appreciation to my two sons, Daniel and Caleb, for their constant support and love. Finally, I dedicate this dissertation to my grandfather, the late Rev. Young Wan Min, who showed and taught me the love of Jesus Christ. iv Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ v Chapter 1 — Introduction 1.1 Introduction to the Problem ......................................................................................................1 1.1.1 Discussion about the Law ..............................................................................................2 1.1.2 Jewish Attitudes towards Gentiles and Their Relationship to the Torah .....................10 1.2 Presupposition, Methodology, and Delimitations ..................................................................21 1.2.1 Presuppositions ............................................................................................................21 1.2.2 Methodology ................................................................................................................24 1.2.3 Delimitations ................................................................................................................27 1.3 Outline and Procedure ............................................................................................................27 Chapter 2 — The Gentile Questions in Matthew’s Gospel 2.1 The Gentile Question in Matthew ..........................................................................................31 2.1.1 Matthew’s Explicit Statements about Gentiles ............................................................32 2.1.2 Matthew’s Implicit Statements Regarding Gentiles ....................................................59 2.2 The Attitude to Gentiles in Matthew ......................................................................................65 2.3 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................78 Chapter 3 — Gentile Questions in Selected Jewish Literature 3.1 Gentiles and the Torah in Eschatological Redemption Texts ................................................85 3.1.1 Ambiguity in the Eschatological Redemption Texts ...................................................86 3.1.2 Two Selected End-Time Texts.....................................................................................99 3.2 The Gentile Question in Tobit ..............................................................................................102 3.2.1 Attitudes towards Gentiles in Tobit ...........................................................................103 3.2.2 The Contents and Nature of the Torah in the Book of Tobit .....................................104 3.2.2.1 The Content and Nature of the Torah in the Present Age ............................105 3.2.2.2 Content and Nature of the Torah in the Future Age .....................................114 3.2.3 The Relationship between Gentiles and the Torah in the Book of Tobit...................118 3.3 The Gentile Question in Sibylline Oracles 3 ........................................................................127 3.3.1 Attitudes towards Gentiles in Sibylline Oracles 3 .....................................................127 3.3.2 The Contents and Nature of the Torah in Sibylline Oracles 3 ...................................130 3.3.3 The Relationship between Gentiles and the Torah in Sibylline Oracles 3 ................135 3.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................142 Chapter 4 — Comparative Study 4.1 Attitudes toward Gentiles in Matthew ..................................................................................146 4.1.1 Reworked Jewish Restoration Eschatology in Matthew ............................................146 4.1.2 Timing: This Age and the Age to Come ....................................................................150 4.2 The Contents and Nature of the Torah in Matthew ..............................................................152 4.2.1 Matthew’s Torah in comparison with Tobit ..............................................................152 4.2.2 Matthew’s Torah in Comparison with Sibylline Oracles 3 .......................................155 v 4.3 The Relationship between Gentiles and the Torah in Matthew ...........................................158 4.3.1 Gentiles and the Torah in Matthew: Comparison with Tobit ....................................159 4.3.1.1 Some of the Pertinent Data from Tobit ........................................................160 4.3.1.2 Different Interpretations of Tobit .................................................................162 4.3.1.3 Significance for Matthew as Compared with Tobit .....................................165 4.3.2 Gentiles and the Torah in Matthew: Comparison with Sibylline Oracles 3 ..............176 4.3.3 Gentiles and the Torah in Jesus’ Final Commission (Mt 28:18-20) ..........................190 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 194 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 201 vi Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Introduction to the Problem The question of “Matthew’s view of the Law” has been a perennial issue in Matthean scholarship. As it has often been formulated, the question is whether the nature of the law is “Jewish specific” or “ethical”; the answers have been highly controversial and have reached a kind of impasse.1 One aspect of the traditional discussions around Matthew’s view on the law
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