Excellent4.8 out of 5On Trustpilot
  1. Christian Books/
  2. Bible Study

The Homeless Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

by Robert J Myles

  • Hardback
  • 236 pages
  • Publisher: Sheffield Phoenix Press
  • 15.6 x 23.4 x 1.5 cm

£59.87

Free UK Delivery

Available - Usually dispatched within 4 days

Buying for a school or church? Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account

Free delivery on orders over £10

If homelessness typically entails a loss of social power and agency, then why do New Testament scholars so often envisage Jesus' itinerancy as a chosen lifestyle devoid of hardship? In this provocative new reading of the Gospel of Matthew, Robert J. Myles explores the disjuncture between Jesus and homelessness by exposing the political biases of modern Western readers. Drawing on the ideological politics of homelessness in contemporary society, Myles develops an interpretative lens informed by the Marxist critique of neoliberalism and, in particular, by the critical theory of Slavoj ÎiÏek. Homelessness, from this perspective, is viewed not as an individual choice but rather as the by-product of wider economic, political and social forces. Myles argues that Jesus' homelessness has become largely romanticized in recent biblical scholarship. Is the flight to Egypt, for instance, important primarily for its recasting of Jesus as the new Moses, or should the basic narrative of forced displacement take centre stage? The remedy, Myles contends, is to read directly against the grain of contemporary scholarship by interpreting Jesus' homelessness through his wider economic, political and social context, as it is encoded in the biblical text. To demonstrate how ideology is complicit in shaping the interpretation of a homeless Jesus, selected texts from the Gospel of Matthew is re-read to amplify the destitution, desperation and constraints on agency that are integral to a critical understanding of homelessness. What emerges is a refreshed appreciation for the deviancy of Matthew's Jesus, in which his status as a displaced and expendable outsider is identified as contributing to the conflict and violence of the narrative, leading ultimately to his execution on the cross.
The Homeless Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Incomparable
IncomparableThe Homeless Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

  • Author

    Robert J Myles

  • Book Format

    Hardback

  • Publisher

    Sheffield Phoenix Press

  • Published

    June 2014

  • Weight

    509g

  • Page Count

    236

  • Dimensions

    15.6 x 23.4 x 1.5 cm

  • ISBN

    9781909697386

  • ISBN-10

    1909697389

  • Eden Code

    4299316

Featured in

Over 14,000 churches and schools have upgraded to an Advance Account and we‘d love to welcome you into this free program. We know that church volunteers and school teachers often use their own money, then have claim it back on on an expense form. We can take all of that hassle away by invoicing your church or school directly and delivering your order straight away.

Opening an account is quick and easy, with most accounts being approved and setup within a few hours of filling in the form below (on weekdays, not weekends). As soon as we‘ve approved the application we‘ll send you an email to let you know that its done.

Upgrade to a FREE Eden Advance Account
Write a review
      Ask a question