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In the book of Revelation, John appeals to the faithful to avoid the temptations of wealth, which he connects with evil and disobedience within secular society. New Testament scholars have traditionally viewed his somewhat radical stance as a reaction to the social injustices and idolatry of the imperial Roman cults of the day. Mark D. Mathews argues that John's rejection of affluence was instead shaped by ideas in the Jewish literature of the Second Temple period which associated the rich with the wicked and viewed the poor as the righteous. Mathews explores how traditions preserved in the Epistle of Enoch and later Enochic texts played a formative role in shaping John's theological perspective. This book will be of interest to those researching poverty and wealth in early Christian communities and the relationship between the traditions preserved in the Dead Sea Scrolls and New Testament
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more information - www.cambridge.org/9781107018501 R I C H E S , P OV E RT Y, A N D T H E FA I T H F U L In the book of Revelation, John appeals to the faithful to avoid the temptations of wealth, which he connects with evil and disobedience within secular society. New Testament scholars have traditionally viewed his somewhat radical stance as a reaction to the social injustices and idolatry of the imperial Roman cults of the day. Mark D. Mathews argues that John’s rejection of affluence was instead shaped by ideas in the Jewish literature of the Second Temple period which associated the rich with the wicked and viewed the poor as the righteous. Mathews explores how traditions preserved in the Epistle of Enoch and later Enochic texts played a formative role in shaping John’s theological perspective. This book will be of interest to those researching poverty and wealth in early Christian communities, and the relationship between the traditions preserved in the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament. m a r k d . m a t h e w s is Teaching Elder and Senior Pastor at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Oxford, PA. He is a member of the Society of Biblical Literature and of Tyndale House Fellowship. S O C I E T Y F O R N E W T E S TA M E N T S T U D I E S MONOGRAPH SERIES General editor: Paul Trebilco 154 R I C H E S , P OV E RT Y, A N D T H E FA I T H F U L S O C I E T Y F O R N E W T E S TA M E N T S T U D I E S MONOGRAPH SERIES Recent titles in the series 131. Ancient Rhetoric and Paul’s Apology FREDERICK J. LONG 132. Reconstructing Honor in Roman Philippi JOSEPH H. HELLEMAN 133. Theological Hermeneutics and 1 Thessalonians A N G U S PA D D I S O N 134. Greco-Roman Culture and the Galilee of Jesus MARK A. CHANCEY 135. Christology and Discipleship in the Gospel of Mark S U Z A N N E WAT T S H E N D E R S O N 136. The Judaean Poor and the Fourth Gospel T I M OT H Y J. M . L I N G 137. Paul, the Stoics, and the Body of Christ MICHELLE LEE 138. The Bridegroom Messiah and the People of God J O C E LY N M C W H I RT E R 139. The Torn Veil DA N I E L M . G U RT N E R 140. Discerning the Spirits A N D R E´ M U N Z I N G E R 141. The Sheep of the Fold EDWA RD W. KLINK III 142. The Psalms of Lament in Mark’s Passion S T E P H E N P. A H E R N E - K RO L L 143. Cosmology and Eschatology in Hebrews KENNETH L. SCHENCK 144. The Speeches of Outsiders in Acts O S VA L D O PA D I L L A 145. The Assumed Authorial Unity of Luke and Acts PATRICIA WA LTERS 146. Geography and the Ascension Narrative in Acts M AT T H E W S L E E M A N 147. The Ituraeans and the Roman Near East E. A. MYERS 148. The Politics of Inheritance in Romans MARK FORMAN 149. The Doctrine of Salvation in the First Letter of Peter M A RT I N W I L L I A M S 150. Jesus and the Forgiveness of Sins ¨ GERLAND TO BIA S H A 151. The Composition of the Gospel of Thomas S I M O N G AT H E R C O L E 152. Paul as an Administrator of God in 1 Corinthians JO