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Wayne Baxter examines Matthew's Shepherd Christology against the backdrop of the metaphor's appropriation in the biblical tradition, in the writings of Second Temple Judaism, and in the New Testament. The convergences and divergences between the Evangelist and these three groups of authors reveals Matthew's high Christology: Jesus is YHWH.
List of contents
1 Introduction
Part One: The Shepherd Metaphor in Texts Related to Matthew
2 The Shepherd Metaphor in the Hebrew Bible: Of Rulers and Ruling
3 The Shepherd Metaphor in Second Temple Jewish Texts: Of Rulers and Ruling (Still)
4 The Shepherd Metaphor in the New Testament: Jesus and His Understudies
Part Two: The Shepherd Metaphor in the Gospel of Matthew
5 The Shepherd as the Sign of YHWH's Fidelity to his Royal Promises
6 The Shepherd as YHWH's Royal Agent of Mercy and Compassion
7 The Shepherd as the Eschatological Judge
8 The Shepherd as Atoning Sacrifice, Resurrected Gatherer, and Rejected King
Part Three: The Shepherd Metaphor: Comparisons and Considerations
9 Matthew Versus the Others
10 Matthew's Shepherd Christology: How High is High?
11 Conclusion
About the author
Wayne Baxter is Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek at Heritage College and Seminary in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. He earned his PhD in Religious Studies (specializing in Early Christianity) at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and his Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author of three additional books: Road to Renewal: Seven Prayers That Will Change You (Wipf & Stock, 2017); Growing Up to Get Along: Conflict and Unity in Philippians (2016); and his dissertation, "Israel's Only Shepherd: Matthew's Shepherd Motif and His Social Setting." Wayne has taught part-time at Wilfrid Laurier University, King's University College, and McMaster University. He is ordained with the Christian and Missionary Alliance and has pastored churches in Windsor, Ottawa, and Toronto.
