Wow. When trying to tackle the
Synoptic Problem, be sure to bring along a map and a compass. I thought I'd have my analysis of Jesus's return pronouncements finished by now, but my research has led me into bewildering territory. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are so free with the material, placing entire pericopes in different scenes from Jesus's ministry, adding, subtracting, and altering words and phrases... Back into my midrashic maze I go.
I'm interested in reading your conclusions. Frankly, throwing it back on the Synoptic Problem seems irrelevant to the actual interpretation of Jesus's claim in Matthew. In other words, we can ask whether Jesus in Matthew claimed to come back, as did in the first conversation, then move to other gospels and then address the synoptic problem. However, jumping straight back to the synoptic problem has, I think, muddied the water so much that it's impossible to address particular arguments for the interpretation of Matthew's eschatology. At any rate, I am eagerly looking forward to seeing how it all works together.
ReplyDelete