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Homework for 9/26 (taught from Portland)

Read one chapter every day. Keep a journal and write down at least one question you would like to ask the author of Matthew.

Date: September	Matthew Chapter
9/5-11	Mt 1-6 Submit your question
9/12-18	Mt 7-12 Dear Matthew, why did you...?
9/19-25	Mt 13-18 Dear Matthew, I really liked what you did...
26 WEDNESDAY CLASS	19 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what MARK wrote...

Homework for Saturday 9/29 -- Meeting in Waterville from 10 am to 5 pm. (Driving directions)

Bring a copy of the syllabus
Read the introduction of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament: pages 1*-15*. Try to understand how this edition is structured.
Decipher the critical signs in the apparatus of the Greek text for Luke 24:50-53 (don't be frustrated, this is hard! Just give it you best try). Bring your notes and questions to class.
Do the readings outlined above Mt 19-21. The parallels in Mark John and Luke are noted in the margin of the Greek text.

Directions to Waterville First Congregational Church UCC: Waterville, 7 Eustis Parkway

From north of Waterville:

Take I 95 to Exit 130 (formerly Exit 34) - the ME-104/Main St. Exit
Make a left turn at the exit.

From south of Waterville:

Take I 95 to Exit 130 (formely Exit 34) - the ME-104/Main St. Exit
Make a right turn at the exit.

Continue on ME-104/Main St. going past Elm Plaza and McDonald's.
Get in the right lane and take a right at the next light.
The church is at that corner.

For a map at MapQuest.com click here.

Thank you so much for doing this exercise -- wonderful thoughts that you share. I am sure, Matthew would be delighted!

	Try not to read more than one chapter per day.
	Do not read the commentary (text book) at this time.
	If possible, submit your question every day.
	Do not submit more than one question per chapter.

Date: September	Matthew Chapter
9/5-11	Mt 1-6 Submit your question
9/12-18	Mt 7-12 Dear Matthew, why did you...?
9/19-25	Mt 13-18 Dear Matthew, I really liked what you did...
26 WEDNESDAY CLASS	19 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what MARK wrote...
27 Thursday	20 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what LUKE wrote...
28 Friday	21 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what JOHN wrote...
October 1 Monday	22 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what MARK wrote...
2 Tuesday	23 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what LUKE wrote...
3 Wednesday	24 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what JOHN wrote...
4 Thursday	25 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what MARK wrote...
5 Friday	26 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what LUKE wrote...
6 Saturday	27 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what JOHN wrote...
8 Monday	28 Dear Matthew, I had a look at what MARK wrote...
READING WEEK	Write your two page structural analysis of Matthew (see Homework)

Homework for 10/17 (taught from Bangor)

Continue to read each chapter – answering the questions

Structure the Gospel According to Matthew in 7-14 parts and write a two page paper (Rules of Structural Analysis -- Acrobat pdf file)

1. Describe your observations

2. Describe your conclusions

3. Either bring a print out to class (you may write it by hand as well) or email it to me: dtrobisch@bts.edu . Thank you.

Example:

PART ONE

Reading 1Corinthians I recognized the following obvious structural signals, which were set by the author. In 1:11 he says that he was informed by Chloe's people about quarrels among different groups in the congregation. In 7:1 he says that he received a letter from the Corinthians. From that point on the different topics addressed are almost always introduced by the same phrase "Now about...".

Analyzing the pattern of these structural signals, I conclude that the author tends to structure the text by using signals that point forward without connecting the following text to the previous one. "Now about..." each time introduces a new topic .

PART TWO

Based on these observations I further conclude that Paul's source of information (Chloe's people, the letter from Corinth) structures the text in two major parts and within those parts there are subsections introduced by headings. Therefore the structure of 1Corinthians as suggested by the author is:

I. 1:1-9 Prayer of introduction

II. 2:10-6:20 Response to Chloe's people

	1:11-4:21 Paul party versus Peter party versus Apollo party versus Christ party
	5:1-6:20 A case of sexual misconduct

III. 7:1-16:12 Response to the letter from Corinth

	7 About Sex and Marriage
	8-11 About the Lord's Supper
	12-14 About Spiritual Gifts
	15 About Resurrection
	16:1-4 About the Collection for Jerusalem

IV. 16:5-24 Travel Plans and Greetings

Homework for 10/31 (taught from Bangor)

Compare Matthew 19:3-9 to Mark 10:2-12. What do they have in common? What is different? Why? Write down your thoughts and bring your notes to our class.

Pick either one book or two articles that are listed in our text book, The Gospel of Matthew, by Daniel J. Harrington. You may have to place an inter-library loan. Read and take notes. Do not yet write your review.

Here are my notes on how to log in to FirstSearch, a convenient way to place inter-library loans. The password to open the PDF file is: background.

Homework for 11/7

Write your book review.

Instructions for Book Reviews // Samples // Posted Reviews // Submit your book review by posting it to this form (copy and paste). Avoid typos in bibliographical data. Your review will be graded.

Compare Matthew 9:1-8 to Mark 2:1-12 on the background of the Two-Source-Theory assuming that Matthew knew Mark. What did Matthew change? Why did he change it? Try to make your opinion plausible by pointing out other places in the gospel where Matthew changes Mark following the same editorial intention.

Homework for 11/28

Start your paper. With bibliography 15 pages. Choose a passage from Matthew and compare it to a similar passage in another gospel (canonical or extracanonical). The goal of this paper will be to describe one aspect of the literary quality of this gospel compared to another gospel. For example: What was the intention of the author? How does the author portray Jesus or another character? How does the author move the plot? How much poetic license does the author use?

	How to write an exegetical paper (Ignore the comments on oral presentations).
	Auditors: Even if you don't write a paper, pick a story and look at the parallels and take down some notes.

Finish your book reviews.

Diagram of the Two-Source-Theory

Homework for 12/1

	Read Matthew 8-20 again and revisit the notes you took when you read it the first time at the beginning of the semester. This will form the basis of our all-day session on Saturday.
	Bring the textbook (The Gospel of Matthew (Sacra Pagina Series, Vol 1) by Daniel J. Harrington) with you to class.
	Work on your paper. Due 12/5 if you want feedback for a revision.

Homework for 12/5

	Fill out the QUIZ.
	Compare the passion story Mark 11-15 with the version of Matthew 20-27. Write down a list of passages (chapter, verses) that Matthew adds to the account in Mark (always assuming the Two-Source-Theory is right). Bring your list to class.
	Work on your paper. Due 12/5 if you want feedback for a revision.

Homework for 12/12 (Last Class)

	One way of interpreting the last speech of Jesus, the Great Commission, is that the author wanted to remind the readers of this gospel to revisit the main points of Jesus' message. Analyze Matthew 28:16-20 and note as many literal references to other passages in this gospel as you can find. For those who read Greek: compare the Greek text as well.
	Print out and read what Eusebius of Caesarea (first half of the fourth century) has to say in his History of the Church about the origins of the Gospel According to Matthew.
	If you are late on your written assignments for this course, now is the time to work on it.