For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food: Pragmatics of Food Access in the Gospel of Matthew

by Carol B. Wilson, Warren Carter (Foreword by)

Overview

In the first century, endemic food shortages left 25 percent of the population below subsistence level and another 30 percent at risk of slipping below subsistence. In the face of such serious food shortages, the Gospel of Matthew advocates for a society in which all people can have access to sufficient food. Matthew critiques first-century practices and attitudes of both aristocrats and peasants that helped or hindered that goal. It does this by depicting Jesus teaching and performing positive practices that provided the Matthean community with an example to emulate, as well as condemning some negative practices and attitudes. For I Was Hungry and You Gave Me Food provides a pragmatic lens and a new descriptive paradigm of food access in the first century. The perspective and model are useful for analyzing passages concerned with life-and-death issues of the Matthean community--or situations for any other Christian community, past or present. Should not every person have enough food to sustain physical life?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781725248632
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	02/17/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	312
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

Carol B. Wilson is an Adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at Wesley Theological Seminary. She is a member of the Society for Biblical Literature and participant in the Context Group.
Warren Carter is Meinders Professor of New Testament at Phillips Theological Seminary, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is the author of numerous books.

Table of Contents

Figures vi

Tables vi

Foreword Warren Carter vii

Acknowledgments ix

Abbreviations xi

1 Introduction and Overview 1

2 Contextualized Interpretation 25

3 How Did People Get Access to Food? 57

4 Most People Could Eke Out a Living 81

5 The Gospel Reflects the Trauma of Experienced Food Shortages 133

6 Not Enough Food and the Dominant Entitlement System 163

7 Not Enough Food and Social Safety Networks 211

8 It Is Important That No One Goes Hungry 229

9 Concluding Remarks 268

Bibliography 273

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Wilson offers solid, multifaceted research and analysis of access to food, which was particularly problematic for the majority of the people in the Roman Empire. In this illuminating context she presents a clear narrative interpretation of Matthew's concern that the hungry have food."
—Richard A. Horsley, University of Massachusetts

"Carol Wilson gives an exciting rereading of Matthew. The Gospel advocates for a society in which all people would have access to sufficient food. Matthew 19-20 says that in famines husbands must not divorce but feed their wives, and wealthy householders should hire people who want to work. Carol's well-supported exegesis will inform academics and pastors."
—David Balch, Graduate Theological Union

"Wilson's social-scientific study of food distribution in the cultures and communities in which the Gospel of Matthew was written provides important insight into the economic practices of the Roman Empire. With this study, she anchors in solid analysis of core biblical traditions the ethical passion of contemporary Christian communities in the fight against world hunger."
—Sharon H. Ringe, Wesley Theological Seminary

Editorial Reviews

"Wilson offers solid, multifaceted research and analysis of access to food, which was particularly problematic for the majority of the people in the Roman Empire. In this illuminating context she presents a clear narrative interpretation of Matthew's concern that the hungry have food."
—Richard A. Horsley, University of Massachusetts

"Carol Wilson gives an exciting rereading of Matthew. The Gospel advocates for a society in which all people would have access to sufficient food. Matthew 19-20 says that in famines husbands must not divorce but feed their wives, and wealthy householders should hire people who want to work. Carol's well-supported exegesis will inform academics and pastors."
—David Balch, Graduate Theological Union

"Wilson's social-scientific study of food distribution in the cultures and communities in which the Gospel of Matthew was written provides important insight into the economic practices of the Roman Empire. With this study, she anchors in solid analysis of core biblical traditions the ethical passion of contemporary Christian communities in the fight against world hunger."
—Sharon H. Ringe, Wesley Theological Seminary

From the Publisher