Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Raymond de Hoop <rdehoop AT tref.nl>]

Jonathan D. safren <yonsaf AT beitberl.ac.il> wrote on 04-02-2001 07:46:

> Pardon my ignorance - and here I am ignorant - isn't Matthew a Jewish name?
> Mattai - a hypocoristicon of Matityahu - "Gift of YHWH"?

In that respect you  are correct, Jonathan. The matter is that recent
research has put some emphasis on the negative attitude Matthew refelcts
occasionally towards the Jewish people. However, because the matter is
uncertain -- and will remain, I suppose -- I wrote that he might be a
gentile "or strongly related to a community consisting of gentiles". Being
himself a Jew originally he was related to the new community existing of
gentiles, who were for some reason negative towards the Jews (reflecting the
schism between Jews and christians?).

However, though being a christian I am not NT-scholar. For that reason I
referred to ABD, vol. IV. The matter is rather complicated indeed.

Yours,

Raymond