[4:23-25] <Narrative> Great crowds follow Jesus for healing.A. [5.01-02] <Narrative> - He ascends to catechize his disciples.B. [5:03-10] Final jubilee-justice for persecuted bearers of God's rule in ChristC. [5:11-16] Let our high calling yield glory to God from menD. [5:17- 37] Christ came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets in us.E. [5:38-48] Love your enemies / Be perfect like our Father.F. [6:01-04] Give in secret to our needyG. [6:05-15] Pray in this manner...F. [6:16-18] Fast in secret towards our Father.E. [6:19-34] Store-up treasure in heaven / Seek first His Kingdom.D. [7:01-12] Do unto others...for this is the Law and the Prophets.C. [7:13-20] Beware of the false prophets known by their fruits.B. [7:21-27] Final destruction for those who turn away from Christ's wordA. [7:28-29] <Narrative> - The crowds marvel at Jesus' authority.[8:01] <Narrative> - Great crowds follow him for healing after he descends.
Posted by Eric Pyle at September 10, 2005 9:23 PMDiscourse Theme: The Greater Righteousness (GR)[B-C ] (I) On those who practice the GR (5:3 - 16)[D-E ] (II) On practicing the GR toward the Neighbor (5:17 - 48)[F-G-F] (III) On practicing the GR toward God (6:1-18)[ E-D] (IV) On practicing the GR in other areas of life (6:19-7:12)[ C-B] (V) Injunctions on practicing the GR (7:13-27)
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Passing Thoughts
Whether or not Kingsbury conceives of his outline as chiastic, is not clear. He does cite another one of his articles for further reading, "Place, Structure, and Meaning of the Sermon on the Mount," 131-43; Guelich, Sermon on the Mount.
Posted by: Eric Pyle | September 14, 2005 12:04 AM
Apparently, John Breck also has something to say about the Sermon on the Mount and chiastic structure in his book, The Shape of Biblical Language: Chiasmus in the Scriptures and Beyond (page 123).(See "http://www.inthebeginning.org/chiasmus/xfiles/breck/breckbook.htm")
Posted by: Eric Pyle | September 14, 2005 12:10 AM
Interesting.
You should still come down to Tyler on fall break - it begins October 7th, on a friday. Hope you're doing well, my friend.
Posted by: Joel | September 19, 2005 8:52 PM
The more I reflect upon this chiasm and my sectioning, the more I want to rework it according to some earlier intuitions. The hardest section to "fit" in a chiastic structure is the "Store-up treasure in heaven" section (6:19-34). I think Kingsbury's "other areas of life" section in his thematic outline also suggests something of its untameable nature.
There are a number of good reasons for pairing it with the "love your enemies" section (5:38-48), above all the concern for daily provisions which would naturally arise from giving so much to those who would take advantage of the people of the Messiah.
However, I've grown more and more to think that the "Do unto others as you'd have them do to you" section (7:1-12), really connects with the final two paragraphs in chapter 5, concerning giving to enemies. "Ask and you shall receive" answers the giving to those who ask. Furthermore, there is really no great reason for dividing the last two paragraphs of chapter 5 from the preceding paragraphs all dealing with Christ's authoritative interpretation of the Law and the Prophets. The metaphor of God's court/justice spans 5:17-48. For us to be "perfect" as God is "perfect" is to exercise "just" and "perfect" weights with regards to others (Deut 25:15); God's peace and equity is to be mirrored in his sons.
Those considerations shift the chiasm so that 6:19-34 "Store-up treasure in heaven" pairs with 6:1-18 concerning "Almsgiving, Praying, and Fasting" to form the center of the chiasm. (new diagram pending.)
Posted by: Eric Pyle | September 27, 2005 11:20 PM