The author meticulously investigated the socio-historical background of the Matthean community at first instance, and then has done an exegetical study on the Matthean Beatitudes (Matt 5:3-12) using the historical critical method as the main tool. Also, he has employed insights on the socio-historical experience of the Matthean community for drawing exegetical conclusions. The author concludes that the Matthean Beatitudes can be subsumed under the category of apocalyptic beatitudes. While the first, the second, the fourth, the eighth and the ninth beatitudes (Matt 5:3, 4, 6, 10, 11-12) mainly pronounce consolation to the suffering people of God (the Matthean community); the third, the fifth, the sixth and seventh beatitudes (Matt 5:5, 7, 8, 9) carry ethical exhortation too.
This scholarly work not only fills an important gap in Matthean studies by refocusing on the importance of these prefatory beatitudes in St. Matthew's gospel, but it does so from the vantage point of the wider hermeneutical perspective provided by contemporary New Testament investigations.
The author affirms that these beatitudes have important implications for Christians in India today, both as a consolation to the downtrodden, impoverished and persecuted Christians; and as an exhortation to the Christians in general to pursue ethical conduct as required in their specific contexts befitting the followers of Jesus Christ. This well-researched work is a treat for all the theological students across the globe due to its clarity, use of scholarly materials and systematic exploration of relevant materials.
He completed his doctoral study under the SATHRI of the Senate of Serampore College/University in October, 2011. He was the Vice Principal, and now is the Academic Dean and Dean of Ministerial Training at the AICS, Aizawl, Mizoram.
It is here that the publication of the revised version of Khiangte's doctoral thesis on the Matthean Beatitudes must be commended for several reasons. It is a necessary fillip to the important research produced by New Testament students in India. There is a tendency to neglect much of the investigations in New Testament in India due to the difficulties involved in their publication. So, there is a benign neglect of such material while pursuing New Testament research in India, easily demonstrated by the scanty references to such resources in recent studies or to the preponderance of published works originating in Western countries. True, much of the valuable work is available mainly in these studies. Nonetheless, there are many important insights afforded by New Testament students in India that are worth pursuing. And it is by their being published, and thus receiving scholarly attention in ongoing discussions that they gain a wider currency.
New Testament studies in India have exploited the deeper hermeneutical insights produced by recent scholarly investigations. It has strongly advocated a contextual application that has not been present in a purely historical-critical analyses of the NT texts. And in this it has attempted to bridge the chasm that has appeared in the West between the text, the Church and a relevant ministry. It is in responding to the deep pain and plight of the existential situation of the people that the New Testament texts will once again resound with the inspiring relevance that they once possessed. Moreover, these studies are situated against the broader canvas of the Roman Empire, and to its sociological implications so as to elicit a more pertinent examination of the texts.
toward the beginning of this gospel as the first of Jesus' teachings. The above observation is corroborated further by the perceptible fact that this sermon was gleaned and systematically arranged by Matthew to suit his special purpose (that is drawing attention to the nature of discipleship) from the teachings of Jesus at different times under different circumstances during his earthly ministry. Thus, at least two central features of Matthew's gospel become explicit. First, the main emphasis (or special purpose) of the first evangelist' in writing this gospel is to lead his readers to the understanding of Jesus' teachings on the nature of discipleship. Second, the mode of its formulation as well as its contents and its position in the framework of the first gospel show that the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew's special instrument in clinching his emphasis of Jesus' teachings on discipleship. In addition to these two vital aspects, Matthew has situated his own understanding of the beatitudes' at the beginning of this sermon encapsulating what constituted the new righteousness professed in this extended discourse.
**Contents and Sample Pages**
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