The Jewish Annotated New Testament (197 page)

20
–21:
Mustard seed
, 13.31–32n.; 14.30–31n.; cf. 6.30; 8.26; 1 Cor 13.2.

17.22
–23: Second Passion prediction
(Mk 9.30–32; Lk 9.43–45). Cf. 16.21; 20.17–19; 26.2.

17.24
–27: Temple tax.
Cf. 22.15–22.

24
:
Capernaum
, see 4.13n.
Temple tax
, Jewish males annually paid the half-shekel tax for the Jerusalem Temple (Ex 30.11–16; Neh 10.33; cf.
t. Ketub
. 13.3). Some rabbinic texts state that all males over the age of twenty (i.e., non-minors) paid the tax (
m. Seqal
. 1.1–3); others indicate debate (
m. Seqal
. 1.4;
b. Men
. 65a).
Does your teacher not pay
, Jesus’ teachings may have aroused suspicion (12.6). The question would also be pertinent to Jews within Matthew’s community.

26
:
Children are free
, Jesus, the Son, and his followers, are technically exempt.

27
:
We do not give offense
, a lesson for Matthew’s day when Rome required Jews to pay the “Fiscus Judaicus” for supporting the temple of Jupiter Capitolina.
Fish
, rabbinic literature speaks of fish containing riches (
b. Shabb
. 15a).
Coin
, a Tyrian “stater,” worth four drachmas, enough to pay for two men.

18.1
–5: Becoming like children
(Mk 9.33–37; Lk 9.46–50). See 19.13–14; 20.20–28;
Gos. Thom
. 12.

1
:
Who is the greatest
, the question is inappropriate in that it seeks status.

3
:
Mk 10.13–16; Lk 18.15–17.
Become like children
, children represent those without power and who are dependent on others.

18.6
–9: Stumbling blocks.

6
:
Stumbling block
, see 16.23n.

8
:
Cut it off
, see 5.29–30n.

18.10
–14: The lost sheep
(Lk 15.3–7). Cf.
Gos. Thom
. 107.

10
:
Angels
, see 4.6–7,11n.; 13.41–42; 16.27; 18.10; 24.30–31. Angels guard human beings (Gen 48.16; Job 33.23; cf. Tob 12.10;
1 En
. 40.6,9; 104.1;
T. Levi
3.5; 5.6; Acts 12.15; Heb 1.4).

12
–13:
One of them has gone astray
, every community member is important (Ezek 34; 1 Tim 2.4–5; 2 Pet 3.9; cf.
Mek
. 19.21;
Ex. Rab
. 2.2).

18.15
–20: Church discipline.

15
:
Lk 17.1–4. Rabbinic sources indicated that a person should never shame another publicly or he/she could be excluded from the world to come (
b. Sanh
. 107a).

16
:
Two or three witnesses
, Jewish law required witnesses for a charge to be leveled (Deut 17.6–7; 19.15; cf.
t. Sanh
. 8.3; Rev 11).

17
:
Gentile and a tax collector
, people requiring evangelization.

18
:
Bind … loose
, see 16.19n.

20
:
Two or three are gathered
, rabbinic teachings stated that the Divine (Heb “shekhinah”) is present when people study Torah (
m. Avot
3.2,6).

18.21
–22: Forgiveness. 21:
Church,
see 16.18n.
Seven times
, rabbinic sources indicate that one is only required to seek forgiveness three times (e.g.,
b. Yoma
86b–87a).

22
:
Seventy-seven times
, the same phrasing as Gen 4.24 (LXX).

18.23
–35: Parable of the unforgiving servant.
See Lk 7.41–43. This parable is found only in Matthew’s Gospel. The “debt” in question probably has nothing to do with material wealth. Although Matthew references wealth several times throughout the Gospel, in the parable the talents refer to spiritual goods rather than physical ones. Hence, Matthew is linking debt to sin. This connection is already present in Aramaic-speaking Judaism, where the term “
ḥ
ob” could connote both “debt” and “sin.” Other Matthean passages also address the theme of “debt.” Most notably, the “Lord’s Prayer” in 6.12 reads “forgive us our debts”; in Luke’s version (11.4), the word “sin” appears in place of “debt.” In the Torah and the rabbinic writings, debt is also linked to sinfulness (see
m. Avot
3.17;
Gen. Rab
. 85.2; 92.9; etc.).

23
:
King
, traditionally interpreted as God; the allegorical connection also appears in rabbinic sources (
b. Ber
. 33b;
b. Hag
. 16a;
t. Ber
. 6.18;
t
.
B. Kamma
7.2;
t. Sanh
. 8.9;
t
.
Sukk
. 2.6).

24
:
Ten thousand talents
, millions of dollars in today’s currency (see Esth 3.9), probably representing sin (see 6.12n.).

25
:
Ordered him to be sold
, biblical and Roman law allowed debt-slavery (Ex 22.2; 1 Sam 22.2; Isa 50.1; Am 2.6).

35
:
My heavenly Father will also do
, harsh eschatological judgment.

19.1
–12: Divorce and marriage
(Mk 10.2–12).

1
–2:
Beyond the Jordan
, east of the Jordan. Jesus probably avoided Samaria (10.5).

3
–9:
Lk 16.18.

3
:
Test him
, see 12.2–4; 16.1–4; 22.15–22,34–40.
For any cause
, Jewish teachers permitted divorce (following Deut 24.1–4) but debated reasons to permit it (5.31–32nn.;
m. Git
. 9.10;
m. Ketub
. 7.6;
m. Ned
. 11.12;
b. Sanh
. 22a).

4
–6:
See 6.26n.
Have you not read
, a rabbinic formula, “binyan ’av mishne ketuvim” (“construction of a father from two writings”) entails utilizing two passages (“male and female,” Gen 1.27; “A man leaves … flesh,” Gen 2.24) to issue a ruling concerning a third (Deut 24.1–4; e.g.,
b. B. Metz
. 87b; cf. Mal 2.16).

7
:
Certificate of dismissal
, Deut 24.1–4; see 5.31–32nn.;

9
:
Unchastity
, see 5.32n.; 19.4–6n. Jesus’ opinion on divorce resonates closely with the rabbinic school of the House of Shammai, which allowed for separation only for serious transgressions. The House of Hillel was more lenient (see
b. Git
. 90a).

12
:
Made themselves eunuchs
, could be taken literally but could also refer to those who have forsworn marriage and procreation. Jewish sources strongly encourage both marriage and procreation (Gen 1.28; cf. Gen 19.5;
b. Yebam
. 63a; CD 4.20–5.2), although some Jews in the Second Temple period valued celibacy (Philo,
Cont. Life
8.68).

19.13
–15: Blessing children
(Mk 10.13–16; Lk 18.15–17). See 18.3n.

13
:
Were being brought
, testifying to the Jewish love and concern for children.
Lay his hands on them
, see Gen 48.14; Deut 34.9.

14
:
To such as these
, see 18.1–5.

19.16
–30: The rich young man
(Mk 10.17–30; Lk 18.18–30; 22.28–30).

16
:
What good deed must I do
, the question is illegitimate; eternal life was regarded as part of the covenant with Israel; living within the covenant is a response to this gift (Lev 18.5; see
m. Sanh
. 10.1, “All Israel has a share in the world to come”).

18
–19:
From the Decalogue in Ex 20.12–16; Deut 5.16–20, combined with
Love your neighbor
, perceived as a cornerstone commandment (Lev 19.18;
b. Shabb
. 31a; cf. Rom 13.9–10; Jas 2.11; see “The Concept of Neighbor,” p.
540
).

21
:
Cf. 26.6–13; Lk 12.33; Acts 2.43–47; 4.34–37; Gal 2.10).
Give the money to the poor
, mandated by rabbinic law (
b. B. Bat
. 10a; cf. Tob 4.5–11), which does not encourage people to impoverish themselves and so become dependent on others.
Treasure in heaven
, see 6.19–20. Biblical and postbiblical sources approve material possessions, as long they are obtained legally and used charitably (Deut 8.18; Prov 3.9–10; 13.18; 22.4; see Mt 27.57–60).

24
:
Camel to go through the eye of a needle
, something impossible; cf. “an elephant passing through a needle’s eye” (
b. Ber
. 55b;
b. B
.
Metz
. 38b).