The conflict in the Gospel of Matthew has been investigated by a number of
scholars before. However, the emphasis in this study is placed more on the
dynamics of conflict. How does conflict 'work' and why are people in conflict?
A theory of conflict is developed. The aim is to offer a systematic way of
organizing th~ information on conflict in order to focus the attention on the social
structures and processes thereof. The basis question is: 'Why is there conflict
between Jesus and the leaders of Israel?'
The thesis is that Jesus was in conflict with the leaders because of
contradicting interests. The leaders acted on behalf of the Roman rulers as
retainers, and therefore failed to realize the interests of the marginalized. Jesus
(and the Matthean community) acted on behalf of the marginalized. The
community challenged the authority of the Jewish leaders because they were on
their way out, out of the sphere of the authority of the leaders. This was
perceived as a threat. Furthermore the community challenged the dormant values
of the leaders to forgive and to act merciful, that is: to act in the interests of the
marginalized. The conflict is resolved negatively in Matthew 9:34 by the label that
Jesus was possessed by the devil (by implication this also applies to the community). At the same time the conflict has the potential to go on and
challenge the leaders of the community themselves to act in the interests of the
marginalized, which we call: 'to become voluntary marginalized'.
Chapter 1 serves as an orientation of the possibilities on where to enter into
the debate on the miracle stories. It leads to accounting for the use of the socialscientific
criticism, conflict theory and the use of the model as template or heuristic
tool.
Chapter 2 serves as an attempt to identify a research gap. Different
scholars are investigated in terms of their views on the marginalized and their usei
and explication (or not) of conflict.
In chapter 3 an own synthesis is developed, predominantly from the theories
of Coser and Dahrendorf. As a theory (and a model), five basic statements arei
derived from this chapter:
( 1) All conflicts are essentially conflicts of class/group interests.
(2) Closely related to the above is the urge one has to survive.
(3) In basically all societies/groups there are those who in terms of power
and authority are in positions of either domination or subordination.
(4) Conflict almost always brings about change.
(5) Conflict is always present as a never ending spiral.
Chapter 4: In between the high level of abstraction on a macro-level (conflict
theory; chapter 3) and the text to be interpreted on a micro-level (Mt 8 & 9;
chapter 5), chapter 4 is placed to act on a 'mesa-level' and to bring these two
poles together. The social location of the Matthean community is investigated.
It is argued that they are not on their own yet, but are in a process of parting from
Judaism.
In chapter 5, the implications of chapters 3 and 4 are applied to the text of
Matthew 8 and 9. This chapter is the exegetical part of the study. Emphasis is
placed on the plot as it unfolds in terms of time and causality.
All the knots are tied together in chapter 6. The findings of the study is
implemented in terms of the above five statements.
Afrikaans: Die konflik in die Evangelie van Matteus is al tevore deur 'n aantal geleerdes
bestudeer. Die klem val egter in hierdie studie meer op die dinamiek van konflik.
Hoe 'werk' konflik en waarom is mense in konflik? 'n Konflikteorie word ontwerp.
Die doel is daarom om 'n sistematiese werkwyse te bied om die inligting oar konflik
te orden, met. die oog daarop om die fokus te plaas op die sosiale strukture en
prosesse van konflik. Die basiese vraag is 'Waarom is daar konflik tussen Jesus
en die leiers van Israel?'
Die tese is dat Jesus in konflik met die leiers was vanwee teenstrydige
belange. As ondersteuners (retainers) het die leiers in die belang van die Romeinse
heersers opgetree, en daarom nagelaat om die belange van die gemarginaliseerdes
in te sien. Jesus (en die gemeenskap van Matteus) het in die belang van die
gemarginaliseerdes opgetree. Die gemeenskap het die gesag van die leiers
uitgedaag want hulle was op pad uit, uit die gesagsfeer van die leiers. Die leiers
het dit as 'n bedreiging gesien. Verder het die gemeenskap die sluimerende
waardes van die leiers uitgedaag om te vergewe en om barmhartig op te tree, dit
wil se, om in die belang van die gemargaliseerdes op te tree. Die konflik is op 'n
negatiewe manier opgelos in Matteus 9:34 deur die etiket dat Jesus deur die duiwel besete was {dit geld by implikasie ook vir die gemeenskap). Terselfdertyd
het die konflik die potensiaal om voort te gaan en die leiers van die gemeenskap uit
te daag om in die belang van die gemarginaliseerdes op te tree. Dit noem ons
'vrywillige marginaliseering'.
Hoofstuk 1 dien as 'n orientasie van die verskillende moontlikhede waar om
tot die debat oor die wonderverhale toe te tree. Die bedoeling is om die gebruik
van die sosiaal-wetenskaplike metode, konflikteorie en die gebruik van 'n model as
templaat of heuristiese werktuig te verantwoord.
Hoofstuk 2 is 'n paging om 'n navorsingsgaping te identifiseer. Verskillende
geleerdes is bestudeer in terme van hulle sieninge ten opsigte van die gemarginaliseerdes
en hulle gebruik en verklaring {al dan nie} van konflik.
In hoofstuk 3 word 'n eie sintese uitgewerk, hoofsaaklik na aanleiding van
die teorie van Coser en Dahrendorf. As teorie {en as model), word vyf stellings uit
hierdie hoofstuk afgelei:
{ 1) Alie konflikte is in wese konflikte van groep/klasse-be/ange.
(2) Die drang tot oorlewing is nou aan die stelling hierbo verwant.
(3) In vrywel alle gemeenskappe/groepe is daar die wat in terme van mag
en gesag in 'n posisie van 6f dominasie 6f subordinasie verkeer.
(4) Konflik bring altyd veranderinge mee.
(5) Konflik is altyd teenwoordig as 'n nimmer eindigende spiraal.
Hoofstuk 4: Tussen die hoe vlak van abstraksie op 'n makro-vlak (konflikteorie;
hoofst:uk 3) en die teks wat interpreteer meet word op 'n mikro-vlak (Matt 8 en 9;
hoofstuk 5), word hoofstuk 4 geplaas as 'meso-vlak' en om die twee pole
bymekaar te bring. Die sosiale plasing (location) van die gemeenskap van Matteus
word bestudeer. Daar word geredeneer dat die gemeenskap nog nie op hulle eie
is nie, maar in die proses van skeiding met die Juda"isme is.
In hoofstuk 5 word die implikasies van hoofstukke 3 en 4 op die teks van
Matteus 8 en 9 van toepassing gemaak. Hierdie hoofstuk is die eksegetiese deel
van die studie. Klem word gele op die plot in terme van tyd en kousaliteit.
Al die las drade word in hoofstuk 6 saamgevat. Die bevindinge van die
studie word ge"implimenteer in terme van die genoemde vyf stellings.
