Matthew's Trilogy of Parables
The Nation, the Nations and the Reader in Matthew 21:28-22:14

The parables of the Two Sons, the Tenants and the Wedding Feast in Matthew's Gospel.

Wesley G. Olmstead (Author)

9780521831543, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 27 November 2003

292 pages, 7 tables
21.6 x 14 x 2.1 cm, 0.52 kg

'An important study for both Matthean scholars and for the study of parables in the Synoptics generally.' Religious Studies Review

Wesley Olmstead examines the parables of the Two Sons, the Tenants and the Wedding Feast against the backdrop of the wider Matthean narrative. He explores Matthew's characterization of the Jewish leaders, the people and the nations, and assesses the respective roles of Israel and the nations in the plot of Matthew's Gospel. Against the current of contemporary Matthean scholarship, Olmstead argues both that the judgement this trilogy announces falls upon Israel (and not only her leaders) and that these parables point to the future inclusion of the nations in the nation that God had promised to raise up from Abraham. Bringing both literary-critical and redaction-critical tools to bear on the texts at hand, Olmstead not only elucidates the intended meanings of this parabolic trilogy but also attempts to determine the responses they elicited from their first readers. Transcending Matthean scholarship, this book has implications for all Gospel studies.

Acknowledgements
Part I. Prolegomena: 1. Introduction: of authors, readers and approaches to the parables
2. Matthew's trilogy of parables: 21.28–22.14
Part II. The Trilogy in Narrative-Critical Perspective: 3. Jesus' encounter with Israel: the nation, its leaders and their people
4. Jesus and the nations: characterisation, plot and the reception of Matthew 21.28–22.14
5. A narrative-critical reading of the trilogy
Part III. The Trilogy in Redaction-Critical Perspective
6. The trilogy in redaction-critical perspective
7. Conclusions
Appendix. The text of the parable of The Two Sons
Notes
Bibliography
Index of passages
Index of selected topics and modern authors.

Subject Areas: Biblical studies & exegesis [HRCG], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], General & world history [HBG]