Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew [Paperback]

Jonathan T. Pennington (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2009 | ISBN-10: 080103728X | ISBN-13: 978-0801037283 | Edition: Reprint

The theme of heaven and earth is a much-overlooked aspect of the Gospel of Matthew. In this work, rising scholar Jonathan Pennington articulates a fresh perspective on this key interpretive issue, challenging both the scholarly and popular understandings of the meaning of Matthew's phrase, "kingdom of heaven."

Pennington argues that rather than being a reverent way of referring to God as is typically assumed, "heaven" in Matthew is part of a highly developed discourse of heaven and earth language. Matthew's way of using heaven language serves one overriding theological purpose: to highlight the tension that currently exists between heaven and earth or God and humanity, while looking forward to its eschatological resolution. This affordable North American paperback edition was previously published in hardcover by Brill.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Matthew's distinctive use of the term 'kingdom of heaven' is usually treated as an insignificant variant of 'kingdom of God.' Pennington's persuasive argument shows, however, that it is integral to Matthew's theology and serves a distinctive theological purpose. This book makes an important contribution to our appreciation of the theology of Matthew's Gospel."--Richard Bauckham, emeritus professor of New Testament studies, University of St. Andrews, Scotland

"When I began to read this book, I was sure that the main thesis was wrong. When I finished, I was sure it was right. This is a significant contribution that corrects much we have mistakenly taken for granted."--Dale C. Allison Jr., Errett M. Grable Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Early Christianity, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary

"This book is a refreshingly well-written compendium of research that is both comprehensive and convincing. Pennington has articulated a more careful understanding of a pervasive theme in the first Gospel that must be accounted for in subsequent scholarship."--Daniel M. Gurtner, assistant professor of New Testament, Bethel Seminary

"This clear and compelling study sheds fresh light on familiar but inadequately understood expressions dominant in Matthew's Gospel. Specialists will appreciate Pennington's thoroughness, logical rigor, and independence of judgment. Pastors and advanced students will benefit from his practical findings. This is a model of creative investigation into Matthew's theological convictions and literary strategy."--Robert W. Yarbrough, professor of New Testament and department chair, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Pennington's work on heaven and earth in Matthew enriches readers at several levels. He challenges long-standing exegetical assumptions, showing that they lack a credible foundation. He offers a deft and insightful interpretation of the terms heaven and earth in Matthew and fruitfully explores the theological import of the terms. We stand in debt to Pennington for this significant and creative study."--Thomas R. Schreiner, James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

About the Author

Jonathan T. Pennington (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is associate professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He has published a number of biblical language learning tools, including New Testament Greek Vocabulary and Old Testament Hebrew Vocabulary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Baker Academic; Reprint edition (July 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080103728X
• ISBN-13: 978-0801037283
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #885,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars You will better appreciate and understand the gospel of Matthew January 26, 2011

By Matt D.

Format:Paperback

This book is really good. Pennington has done very thorough research and presents it in a reasonable fashion, presenting a compelling and convincing thesis as a result.

He argues that "Heaven and Earth" is a major theme in the Gospel, showing how Matthew has taken some semi-developed concepts and morphed it into an important theological theme. Pennington is persuasive in exposing the faults in some common explanations for why Matthew prefers "kingdom of heaven" over "kingdom of God." In fact, that section alone was worth the price of the book. He also does good work showing how this "heaven and earth" theme relates to some of the other major themes in the Gospel, like the fatherhood of God, Christology, ecclesiology, etc.

The book was scholarly, but more accessible and readable than I expected. Highly recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Analysis August 27, 2012

By Michael Simone

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Here's his thesis:

1) The late 19th C scholar Gustav Dalman popularized the view that Matthew used 'kingdom of heaven' as a reverential circumlocution for God. This was picked up by scholars of every persusaion as de rigeur. But the evidence from a vast array of inter-testamental, 1st and 2nd C Judaism is quite otherwise. He is a bit surprised that this view has taken hold without much scrutiny.

2) Rather, Matthew wants to do 6 things:
a. Emphasize the universality of God's reign (Dan 3-4)
b. Shade his writing with the OT flavor of the heaven/earth distinction esp. echoing Genesis and Daniel
c. To marry deeply his own themes of Kingdom, Christology, Fatherhood of God, Ecclesiology and Eschatology
d. To highlight the deep link of God as creator of heaven and earth and his new-creation people as the truly human people God intended to create
e. To reinforce Jesus' quite unique viewpoint by giving a symbolic universe between the two poles of heaven and earth, temporarily separate, to goad his disciples to identify with an unseen kingdom of the Father while awaiting the merging of heaven and earth
f. As a contra-kingdom to Rome, Jewish Davidic expectations, and all earthly kingdoms failing to grasp the unversal nature of God's Gentile/pagan/barbarian inclusion, encouraging anticipation and obedience as the disciples and future generations await the kingdom to be fully revealed when the true Ruler comes

There you have it. It's a bit thick since it's a PhD thesis. But these thoughts are the bottom line. Good breakthrough in Matthew studies. It convinced Richard Bauckham, though I suspect given the wording of his endorsement he probably suspected a lot of this anyway.

5.0 out of 5 stars Will never read the Gospel of Matthew the same again January 8, 2013

By D. Taylor

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book has forever changed my view of how I read Matthew. I had to read this for seminary. If only all seminary reading was as interesting, compelling and educational as this one. It very well may be the bes book i've had to read yet. It's main premise is that in Matthew, there is constant tension between Heaven and Earth and it is this tension between Heaven and Earth that accounts for Matthew's unique and numerous uses of Heaven language (i.e. Kingdom of heaven, Father in heaven, treasure in heaven vs treasure on earth, etc).

Anyone studying Matthew seriously for preaching or teaching would do well to read this carefully. His thesis is spelled out in the beginning and re-iterated throughout the book. He uses a plethora of examples, not only from the NT but also from the OT, LXX, Rabinic literature, Apocrypha, early Jewish literature, etc.