Number DOI: http://doi.org/10.33209/2519-4348-2707-9627-2023-11-135

VB. – № 11, 2023. – P. 67-91

Summary

«In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets. Іn these last days, he spoke to us through a Son» (Heb. 1:1-2a). The words of the divinely inspired author consider one of the fundamental features of God’s Word – its dialogic nature. Later, the same author will confirm its other important feature – effectiveness: «Indeed, the word of God is living and effective» (Heb. 4:12a; cf. Is. 55:10-11). These two fundamental features are laying in the basis of a communicative approach to the analysis of biblical texts, taking into account their pragmatic focalization. God’s Word is expressed in human language and constitutes a codified system of speech communication, within the strategy of forming a «reader-model» and his interpretive competences. In addition, the argumentative dynamism of the divinely inspired text implicitly programs the reader’s response-reaction on a pragmatic level, since the biblical text is not only a speech event, but ultimately becomes a criterion of action and lifestyle. This article analyzes the communicative and pragmatic aspects of Jesus’ discourse in Mt. 5:3-16 as a paradigmatic introduction to the Sermon on the Mount in Mt. 5:1 – 8:1. It has been demonstrated that the text of Mt. 5:3-16 is a crystallized network of communication that conveys the ispissima verba Jesu regarding the fundamental requirements for building the authentic righteousness as relationships with neighbors (Mt. 5:21-48), God (Mt. 6:1-18) and created things (Mt. 6:19 – 7:11). The discourse of Jesus in Mt. 5:3-16 contains an argumentation strategy both on the linguistic-communicative level (literary-situational context, syntactic-semantic components of the text), and on the pragmatic level, intended as an actualization and embodiment in the everyday life program of the Kingdom of Heaven. The analysis of Mt. 5:3-16 is an organic component of efforts in the field of biblical studies and hermeneutics by determining the communicative and pragmatic dynamism and aspects of the Gospel’s discourse within the speech-act theory and its interaction with biblical interpretation.

Key words: communication, context, pragmatics, semantics, beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount.

References:

1. Sviate Pysmo Staroho i Novoho Zavitu: v 2-kh ch. (2008) / per. o. I. Khomenko; povnyi per., zdiisnenyi za oryhin. yevr., aram. ta hrets. tekstamy. Kyiv: Misioner.
2. Aland B., Aland K., Karavidopoulos J., Martini C. M., Metzger B. M. (2012). Novum Testamentum Graece. 28th rev. ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgeselschaft [In Greek].
3. Ostrovsky R. (2015). Theological Aspects of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). Analecta of the UCU: Theology. Vol. 2.
4. Acosta R. (2003). Justicia y Reino de los Cielos: análisis literario de las Bienaventuranzas de Mateo. Theologica Xaveriana. Vol. 147 [in Spanish].
5. Aletti J. -N. (2021). Il Messia sofferente. Una sfida per Matteo, Marco e Luca. Saggio sulla tipologia dei Vangeli sinottici. Brescia: Queriniana [in Italian].
6. Allison D. (2012). Studies in Matthew: Interpretation Past and Present. Baker Academic [in English]. 
7. Baasland E. (2020). Radical Philosophy of Life. Studies on the Sermon on the Mount (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 454). Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck [in German].
8. Bauer D. R. (1989) The structure of Matthew’s Gospel: A Study in Literary Design (Bible and Literature Series15). The Almond Press [in English].
9. Berner U. (1985). Die Bergpredigt: Rezeption und Auslegung im 20. Jahrhundert. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht [in German].
10. Betz H. D. (1985). Essays on the Sermon on the Mount. Fortress Press [in English].
11. Betz H. D. (1995). The Sermon on the Mount A Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, including the Sermon on the Plain (Matthew 5:3-7:27 and Luke 6:20-49). Fortress Press [in English].
12. Chan Y. S. L. (2012). The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes: Biblical Studies and Ethics for Real Life. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers [in English].
13. Carter W. (1997). Narrative/Literary Approaches to Matthean Theology: the ‘Reign of the Heavens’ as an Example (Mt. 4.17-5.12). Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Vol. 20, issue 67 [in English].
14. Culpepper R. A. (2021). Matthew. A Commentary (New Testament Library). Westminster John Knox Press [in English].
15. Curkpatrick S. (2002). Between mashal and parable: «likeness» as a metonymic enigma. Horizons in Biblical Theology. Vol. 24, issue 1 [in English].
16. De Sousa Silva C. (2019). Abordagem pragmalinguística de textos bíblicos. Perspectiva teológica. Vol. 51, issue 2 [in Portuguese].
17. Deberge P. (2003). La justicia en el Nuevo Testamento (Cuadernos Biblicos 115). Verbo Divino: Navarra [in Spanish].
18. Decker R. J. (2013). Markan Idiolect in the Study of the Greek of the New Testament / ed. by Porter S. E., Pitts A. W. The Language of the New Testament: Context, History, and Development (Linguistic Biblical Studies 6). Leiden – Boston: Brill [in English].
19. Du Toit A. B. (1977). Analysis of the structure of MT 4:23-5:48. Neotestamentica. Vol. 11, issue. 1 [in English].
20. Fai E. (2022). The Old Testament in Matthew’s Gospel. The American Journal of Biblical Theology. Vol. 26, issue 31 [in English].
21. Fabris R. (1998). Matteo. Traduzione e commento di Rinaldo Fabris. Roma: Borla [in Italian].
22. Garland D. E. (2001). Reading Matthew: A Literary and Theological Commentary (Reading the New Testament). Smyth & Helwys Publishing [in English]. 
23. Gourgues M. (1998). Sur l’articulation des beatitudes. Mattheennes (Mt 5.3-12): une proposition. New Testament Studies. Vol. 44, issue 3 [in French].
24. Grasso S. (2014). Il Vangelo di Matteo. Commento esegetico e teologico. Roma: Città Nuova [in Italian].
25. Green H. B. (2001). Matthew, Poet of the Beatitudes (Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 203). Sheffield Academic Press [in English].
26. Grilli M. (1993). Autore e lettore: il problema della comunicazione nell’ambito dell’esegesi biblica. Gregorianum. Vol. 74, issue 3 [in Italian].
27. Grilli M., Langner C. (2011). Comentario al Evangelio de Mateo (Evangelio y Cultura 5). Verbo Divino [in Spanish].
28. Grilli M. (1992). Comunità e Missione: le direttive di Matteo (Theologie XXIII). Frankfurt am Mein: Peter Lang [in Italian].
29. Grilli M. (2002). Evento comunicativo e interpretazione di un testo biblico. Gregorianum. Vol. 83, issue 4 [in Italian].
30. Grilli M. (2020). Importancia de la lingüística pragmática en la hermenéutica bíblica. Revista Bíblica. Vol. 82, issue 1-2 [in Spanish].
31. Grilli M. (2020). Interpretação e ação: a instância pragmática do texto bíblico / ed. by Grilli M., Giudi V., Obara E. M. Comunicação e pragmatica na exegese bíblica. Sao Paolo: Paulinas [in Spanish].
32. Grilli M. (2016). Vangeli sinottici e Atti degli apostoli (Fondamenta). Bologna: Dehoniane [in Italian].
33. Guelich R. (1976). The Antitheses of Matthew v. 21–48: Traditional and/or Redactional? New Testament Studies. Vol. 22 [in English].
34. Hanson P. D. (1984). War and Peace in the Hebrew Bible. Union Seminary Review. Vol. 38, issue 4 [in English].
35. Hartin P. J. (2008). Ethics in the Letter of James, the Gospel of Matthew, and the Didache: Their Place in Early Christian Literature / ed. by Van de Sandt H., Zangenberg J. K. Matthew, James, and Didache: Three Related Documents in Their Jewish and Christian Settings (Society of Biblical Literature Symposium 45). Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature [in English]. 
36. Hedrick T. J. (2007). Jesus as Shepherd in the Gospel of Matthew (Doctoral thesis). Durham University [in English].
37. Howell D. B. (1990). Matthew’s Inclusive Story: A Study in the Narrative Rhetoric of the First Gospel (Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 42). Sheffield Academic Press [in English].
38. Jeremias J. (1971). New Testament Theology: The Proclamation of Jesus / vol. 1. (New Testament Library). London: S.C.M. Press [in English].
39. Jones P. R. (2012). On Rock or Sand? The Two Foundations (Matthew 7:24-27, Luke 6:46-49). Review and Expositor. Vol. 109 [in English].
40. Kissinger W. S. (1975). The Sermon on the Mount: A History of Interpretation And Bibliography (ATLA Bibliography Series 3). Scarecrow Press [in English].
41. Kodjak A. (1986). A Structural Analysis of the Sermon on the Mount (Religion and Reason 34). Berlin: de Gruyter [in English].
42. Levinsohn S. H. (2009). Is ὅτι an Interpretive Use Marker? / ed. by Porter S. E., Brook O’Donnell M. The Linguist as Pedagogue: Trends in the Teaching and Linguistic Analysis of the Greek New Testament (New Testament Monographs 11). Sheffield Phoenix Press [in English].
43. Lioy D. (2016). A comparative analysis of Psalm 1 and the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12. Conspectus. Vol. 22, issue 9 [in English].
44. Lori G. (2013). Il Discorso della montagna, dono del Padre (Mt 5,1–8,1) (Retorica Biblica). Bologna: Dehoniane [in Italian].
45. Lutz U. (2006). Matteo. Commento ai capp. 1-7. Vol. 1. Brescia: Paideia [in Italian]. 
46. Meier J. P. (1980). Matthew (New Testament Message 3). Wilmington: Michael Glazier [in English].
47. Meier J. P. (1979). The Vision of Matthew: Christ, Church, and Morality in the First Gospel. Paulist Press [in English].
48. Miegge G. (1970). Il Sermone sul Monte. Commentario esegetico. Torino: Claudiniana [in Italian].
49. Mowery R. L. (1994). The Matthean References to the Kingdom: Different Terms for Different Audiences. Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses. Vol. 70, issue 4 [in English].
50. Murani M. (2013). Il compimento della Torah. Gesù e la Scrittura in Mt 5,17-48. Bari: Edizioni Terra Santa [in Italian].
51. Navarro L. S. (2005). La enseñanza de la montaña: comentario contextual a Mateo 5-7. Pamplona: Verbo Divino [in Spanish]. 
52. Neyrey J. H. (1995). Loss of Wealth, Loss of Family, Loss of Honor: The Cultural Context of the Original Makarisms in Q / ed. by Esler P. Modelling Early Christianity: Social-scientific Studies of the New Testament in its Context. New York: Routledge [in English].
53. Neyrey J. H. (1998). Honor and Shame in the Gospel of Matthew Paperback. Westminster John Knox Press [in English]. 
54. Olmstead W. G. (2019). Matthew 1-14: A Handbook on the Greek Text. Baylor University Press [in English].
55. Overman J. A. (1990). Matthew’s Gospel and Formative Judaism: The Social World of the Matthean Community. Fortress Press [in English].
56. Paschke B. (2012). Matthäus 5,13-16 als Antizipation des nachösterlichen Missionsbefehls?: narrativ-kritische Überlegungen. European journal of theology. Vol. 21, issue 2 [in German].
57. Patte D. (1996). Discipleship according to the Sermon on the mount: four legitimate readings, four plausible views of discipleship, and their relative values. Trinity Press International [in English].
58. Patte D. (1987). The Gospel According to Matthew: A Structural Commentary on Matthew’s Faith. Fortress Press [in English].
59. Peabody D. B. (2002). One Gospel From Two: Mark’s Use of Matthew and Luke. Trinity Press [in English]. 
60. Pennington J. T. (2007). Heaven and Earth in the Gospel of Matthew (Supplements to Novum Testamentum 126). Leiden-Boston: Brill [in English]. 
61. Powell M. A. (1996). Matthew’s Beatitudes: Reversals and Rewards of the Kingdom. Catholic Biblical Quarterly. Vol. 58, issue 3 [in English].
62. Przybylski B. (1981). Righteousness in Matthew and his World of Thought (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 41). Cambridge University Press [in English].
63. Quarles С. (2015). The Blessings of the New Moses: An Examination of the Theological Purpose of the Matthean Beatitudes. Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus. Vol. 13, issue 2-3 [in English].
64. Rohmer C. (2013). Valeurs et paraboles. Une lecture du discours en Matthieu 13, 1-53 (Études Bibliques 66). Pende [in French].
65. Roig Cervera M. A. (1995). La estructura literaria del Evangelio de San Mateo (PhD Dissertation). Universidad Complutense de Madrid [in Spanish]. 
66. Stanton G. N. (1992). A Gospel for a New People: Studies in Matthew. T&T Clark [in English].
67. Stassen G. H. (2003). The Fourteen Triads of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:21-7:12). Journal of Biblical Literature. Vol. 122, issue 2 [in English].
68. Stock K. (1988). Discorso della montagna Mt. 5-7: Le Beatitudini. Roma: Pontificio Istituto Biblico [in Italian]. 
69. Talbert C. H. (2010). Matthew (Paideia). Baker Academic [in English].
70. Trites A. A. (1992). The Blessings and Warnings of the Kingdom: Matthew 5:3–12; 7:13–27. Review & Expositor. Vol. 8, issue 2 [in English].
71. Umphrey R. A. (2022). The Role of Matthew 6:19–7:11 in the Sermon on the Mount (PhD Dissertation). Southern Baptist Theological Seminary [in English].
72. Vampa E. (2005). L’interpretazione patristica di Mt 5, 3: ‘Beati i poveri di spirito, perché di essi è il Regno dei Cieli’. Teresianum. Vol. 56, issue 2 [in Italian].
73. Vila Porras C. (2013). De la exégesis de las binaventuranzas a su praxis cristiana Mateo 5,3-10. Cuestiones teológicas. Vol. 40, issue 39 [in Spanish].
74. Viljoen F. P. (2013). Jesus’ halakhic argumentation on the true intention of the law in Matthew 5:21−48. Verbum et Ecclesia. Vol. 34, issue 1 [in English].