Anti-Semitism in Matthew's Gospel and the Synoptic tradition

Anti-Semitism has practically been embedded into Christian doctrine. As Harrington (2009) points out, “certain Gospel texts have fostered anti-Judaism,” and “one can say that the Gospels may have an anti-Jewish potential,” (p. 1). This is true in spite of the fact that many of the authors of the gospels might have self-identified as Jews, or who were at least writing from a Jewish consciousness and Jewish point of view, for a largely Jewish audience. To extricate anti-Semitism from the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) seems challenging. Harrington (2009) is willing to accept the challenge by first showing that the wisdom contained in the synoptic gospels reveals “common ground” between peoples of the book (p. 2). Second, Harrington (2009) offers new frameworks for reading the synoptic gospels, so as not to impose anti-Semitism or to misinterpret the author’s original meaning. Finally, the author offers important social, cultural, and historical contexts that can at least help clarify the presence of anti-Semitism and help contemporary Christian preachers to address anti-Semitism more honestly in their sermons. Ultimately Harrington writes the book to “caution Christian teachers and preachers” about material that perpetuates anti-Semitism, essentially teaching a new type of Biblical literacy.

Matthew’s Gospel has the most anti-Jewish potential of all the synoptic gospels because its content is often expressly, overtly anti-Semitic. Matthew is more anti-establishment than he is anti-Jewish per se, and yet he directs his criticisms directly at Jewish leaders and those who deny Christ. Moreover, Matthew was devoutly committed to the new covenant model, also known as supersessionism. Supersessionism refers to the Christian belief that Christ rendered Jewish law, custom, and tradition as irrelevant and even sacrilegious. Christ’s Church superseded the Jewish religion. Therefore, denying Christ is effectively denying God, from Matthew’s point of view. In this sense, Matthew is more evangelical and radical than he is specifically anti-Semitic. Yet Matthew does direct his wrath towards the Jewish religion and the social and political structures that defined it in his time. Matthew’s audience would have responded in different ways, depending on their backgrounds. For those who followed Christ, they would have found political solace in the anti-establishment views.

The parable of the vineyard is clearly political, even more than it is religious. It tells the story of tenant farmers, and essentially advocates the redistribution of wealth. The parable maintains the core themes of Jesus’s ministry to the poor, and to his commitment to empowering and uplifting the disempowered and disenfranchised. Indeed, the Christian message has resonated throughout the centuries and continues to do so precisely for its political—essentially and ironically Marxist--underpinnings. Harrington also points out that the parable of the vineyard offers a metaphor of the transfer of symbolic ownership of the Kingdom of Israel from the Jews to the Christians. Jesus becomes the new “authoritative interpreter of the Torah,” and enables the destruction of the Second Jewish Temple, in 70CE—the pivotal moment precipitating thousands of years of Jewish persecution and exile. Matthew artificially resolves the tension between Jews who wished not to convert to Christianity and newly converted Christians by stereotyping all Jews—a pattern that has perpetuated anti-Semitism throughout the world.

The anti-Jewish elements contained in the Gospel of Matthew can be incorporated into sermons to better advise Christian life, doctrine, and practice. If inter-faith dialogue is to be fruitful, some apologies and concessions must be made to account for the impact anti-Semitic scripture has had on Christian consciousness and identity. Passages in the book of Matthew have been taken at face value, not understood as historical documents or critiqued for their vehemence. Harrington effectively calls upon readers to re-read and reinterpret the synoptic gospels.



References

Bergant, D. (n.d.). Preaching the New Lectionary. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.
Harrington, D.J. (2009). The Synoptic Gospels Set Free.
Pilch, J.J. (1995). The Cultural World of Jesus. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press.