Overview

Jesus's command to disciple all the nations in Matt 28:19 has provided a powerful catalyst for cross-cultural mission for the past two thousand years. But what does this command mean in the context of Matthew's narrative? Cedric E. W. Vine proposes an understanding of Matthean discipleship and mission that builds on Richard Bauckham's open-audience thesis in The Gospels for All Christians (1998) and his own The Audience of Matthew (2014). Vine argues from a biblical theology perspective that Matthew's pervasive and consistent application of the nation-directed identities of prophet, righteous person, student-teacher, wise man, and scribe to the followers of Jesus reveals a concern less with defining community boundaries or promoting ""church growth"" and more with casting a powerful vision of nations transformed through the acceptance of the sovereignty of the risen king. Matthew's missiological horizon stretches well beyond defending, as suggested by some commentators, an inferred first-century Matthean community in an acrimonious intramural dispute with other Jewish groups. Rather, Matthew prepares his readers, first century and later, through a multifaceted and nuanced theology of discipleship, for participation in a missiological movement that is national in its focus, breathtaking in its scope, eschatological in its significance, and open in its appeal.

Full Product Details

9781666732481

Table of Contents

Reviews

In this stimulating study, Cedric Vine offers a fresh look into the concept of discipleship in Matthew from the perspective of mission. He demonstrates effectively that the evangelist defines the followers of Jesus by five roles--prophets, righteous persons, disciples, wise men, and scribes. . . . A significant contribution to Matthean scholarship, it will appeal to those who want to dig deeper into the geniuses of Matthean theological ideas. --Ranko Stefanovic, Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University The central argument of this book is very important: it asks us to take seriously the fact that in the Gospel of Matthew, mission is orientated to nations, not only individuals. Moreover, it sees the different categories of disciples portrayed in the Gospel as a strategy for such mission, with differentiated roles assigned to prophets, teachers, scribes, and others. So, this will prove a significant contribution not only to Matthean studies but also to missiology. --Richard Bauckham, University of St Andrews, emeritus

In this stimulating study, Cedric Vine offers a fresh look into the concept of discipleship in Matthew from the perspective of mission. He demonstrates effectively that the evangelist defines the followers of Jesus by five roles--prophets, righteous persons, disciples, wise men, and scribes. . . . A significant contribution to Matthean scholarship, it will appeal to those who want to dig deeper into the geniuses of Matthean theological ideas. --Ranko Stefanovic, Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary, Andrews University The central argument of this book is very important: it asks us to take seriously the fact that in the Gospel of Matthew, mission is orientated to nations, not only individuals. Moreover, it sees the different categories of disciples portrayed in the Gospel as a strategy for such mission, with differentiated roles assigned to prophets, teachers, scribes, and others. So, this will prove a significant contribution not only to Matthean studies but also to missiology. --Richard Bauckham, University of St Andrews, emeritus

Author Information

Cedric Vine is Associate Professor of New Testament at Andrews University in Michigan and author of The Audience of Matthew (2014). He holds a PhD in Biblical Studies from the University of Sheffield, UK.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available