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On Following Jesus: the ‘Eager’ Scribe and the ‘Reluctant’ Disciple (Matthew 8.18–22)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

Jack Dean Kingsbury
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Extract

The pericope in Matthew entitled ‘on following Jesus’ (8. 18–22) has sparked more than its share of debate this century. Because it is closely paralleled in Luke (9. 57–60), it has been carefully scrutinized both for information regarding the historical Jesus and in terms of its place in the so-called document Q. Correspondingly less attention has been paid to it as a pericope within Matthew itself. The purpose of this article is to examine it afresh precisely as such. New is the claim that one finds the clue to the proper interpretation of key points by relating it to such ‘call passages’ as Matt 4. 18–20, 21–22; and 9. 9 (cf. further 19. 20–22).

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Articles
Information
New Testament Studies , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , January 1988 , pp. 45 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

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References

NOTES

[1] Cf., e.g., Hengel, M., Nachfolge und Charisma (BZNW 34; Berlin: Alfred Töpelmann, 1968).Google Scholar

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[8] Kingsbury, J. D., ‘The Verb AKOLOUTHEIN (“To Follow”) as an Index of Matthew's View of His Community’, JBL 97 (1978) 57–8.Google Scholar

[9] Ibid., 58.

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[12] Besides Matt 8. 18, cf. 14. 9, 19; 14. 28; 18. 25; 27. 58, 64.

[13] Cf. Matt 4. 18–20, 21–22; 9. 9; 19. 21.

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[16] Ibid.

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[19] Cf. BAG, 315.

[20] The expression is that of Manson, T. W. (The Sayings of Jesus [London: SCM, 1949] 72).Google Scholar

[21] The remark of Bultmann, (Synoptic Tradition, 52–3) to the effect that the first evangelist has made this would-be disciple into ‘a scribe’ because he would depict him as one who is unable to decide to follow Jesus is without basis in the text.Google Scholar

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[28] Cf. Schulz, , Nachfolgen, 106Google Scholar; also Schweizer, , Matthew, 219.Google Scholar

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[30] Cf. Gundry, , Matthew, 152.Google Scholar

[31] On this point, cf. the remarks made already by Lurk, S. (‘Zur Quelle von Mt 8. 19’, ZNW 25 [1926] 283).Google Scholar

[32] Gundry, (Matthew, 152) speaks of ‘rejection by people’Google Scholar. Cf. further Stanton, G. N., Jesus of Nazareth in New Testament Preaching (SNTSMS 27; Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1974) 156.Google Scholar

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[34] On the use of this term in Matthew, cf. Kingsbury, J. D., Matthew: Structure, Christology, Kingdom (Philadelphia and London: Fortress and SPCK, 1975) 103–13.Google Scholar

[35] Cf. Matt 9. 11; 17. 24; 26. 18. And besides 8. 19, cf. 12. 38; 19. 16; 22. 16, 24, 36; 26. 49; and 26. 25 with 26. 22.

[36] Cf. Matt 8. 2, 6, 8, 21, 25; 9. 28; 14. 28, 30; 15. 22, 25, 27; 16. 22; 17. 4, 15; 18. 21; 20. 30, 31, 33; 26. 22.

[37] Cf. Matt 9. 6; 11. 19; 12. 8, 32, 40; 13. 37–38a and 41; 16. 13; 16. 27–28; 17. 9 and 12; 17. 22; 19. 28; 20. 18; 20. 25 and 28; 24.27, 30, 37, 39, 44; 25. 31; 26. 2, 24, 45, 64.

[38] Specifically, Klostermann (Matthäusevangelium, 77) terms the use of genitive in 8. 21a (‘of the disciples’) a ‘careless addition’ (‘sorgloser Zusatz’).

[39] Sabourin, , Matthew, 2. 470.Google Scholar

[40] Gundry, , Matthew, 152–4.Google Scholar

[41] Hill, , Matthew, 165.Google Scholar

[42] Fenton, , Matthew, 129.Google Scholar

[43] McNeile, , Matthew, 109.Google Scholar

[44] Cf., e.g., Filson, F., A Commentary on the Gospel according to St. Matthew (Black's NT Commentaries; London: Adam & Charles Black, 1960) 114Google Scholar; Trilling, , Matthew, 1. 153Google Scholar; Borsch, F. H., ‘Jesus, the Wandering Preacher?’ What about the New Testament (ed. Hooker, M. and Hickling, C.; Essays in Honor of Christopher Evans; London: SCM, 1975) 51–2Google Scholar; Beare, , Matthew, 214Google Scholar; also Goulder, , Midrash, 323.Google Scholar

[45] Cf. also Str-B, 1. 487–9.

[46] Cf. Schrenk, G., ‘πατήρ’, TDNT 5 (1967) 982.Google Scholar

[47] Cf. Klemm, H. G., ‘Das Wort von der Selbstbestattung der Toten’, NTS 16 (1969) 62–3CrossRefGoogle Scholar; also Schniewind, J., Das Evangelium nach Matthäus (NTD 2; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1936) 114.Google Scholar

[48] Klemm, , ‘Selbstbestattung’, 60–75.Google Scholar

[49] Black, M., ‘Let the Dead Bury Their Dead’, Exp Tim 61 (1949/50) 219–20.Google Scholar

[50] Perles, F., ‘Zwei Übersetzungsfehler im Text der Evangelien’, ZNW 19 (1919/1920) 91Google Scholar; Abrahams, I., Studies in Pharisaism and the Gospels (2nd series; Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1924) 183.Google Scholar

[51] Cf. McNeile, , Matthew, 109–10.Google Scholar

[52] Cf. Allen, W.C., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to S. Matthew (ICC; 3rd ed.; Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1912) 82.Google Scholar

[53] For comments suggestive of this idea, cf., e.g., Ernst, , Christologie, 132–3Google Scholar; Drescher, H.-G., Nachfolge und Begegnung (HR 15; Gütersloh: Gerd Mohn, 1972) 100Google Scholar; Schweizer, , Matthew, 75Google Scholar; Waetjen, H. C., The Origin and Destiny of Humanness (Corte Madera: Omega, 1976) 120Google Scholar; Meier, , Matthew, 87.Google Scholar

[54] Black, M., An Aramaic Approach to the Gospels and Acts (3rd ed.; Oxford: Clarendon, 1967) 207.Google Scholar

[55] Cf. also Klemm, , ‘Selbstbestattung’, 72–3.Google Scholar

[56] Cf., most importantly, Str-B, 1. 489; Hengel, Nachfolge, 8.

[57] Cf., e.g., Schlatter, , Matthäus, 289Google Scholar; Bonnard, , Matthieu, 119Google Scholar; Fenton, , Matthew, 129Google Scholar; Grundmann, , Matthäus, 259Google Scholar; Jeremias, J., Neutestamentliche Theologie (Gütersloh: Gerd Mohn, 1971) 1. 133Google Scholar; Trilling, , Matthew, 1. 153.Google Scholar

[58] Cf., e.g., Hill, , Matthew, 165.Google Scholar

[59] Manson, (Sayings, 73) puts it this way: ‘[Follow me,] that business must look after itself.’Google Scholar