Banished Messiah

By arguing that Matthew's Gospel can be read as a "homecoming story" according to the ancient formula of the "Banished and Returning Prince," Robert Beck offers a fresh and provocative reinterpretation of the Gospel. He exploits this understanding of the narrative to disclose new elements within the plot, to identify a fresh resolution to conflict development within the tale, and to arrive at an unprecedented explanation of the place of violence and nonviolence within Matthew's text. The tr...