O'Donoghue MTh_Thesis-FinalCopy.pdf - South African Theological ...

three parts.While the literary approach to the structure of Matthew 6:19-34 will be to followTalbert’s outline as displayed above, there are elements from other outlines that willbe considered. For example, Stassen’s idea that a transforming initiative can befound in the text will be examined. While the formal structure outlined by Talbert andStassen may not match exactly, it may be for example, that Jesus saying to store uptreasures in heaven labelled as a command in Talbert’s outline, may also prove to bea transforming initiative.For Stassen (2003:267-208) the transforming initiative would be the act of trust thatfrees the disciple from the ongoing negative consequence of sin, or the “viciouscycle.” The point is that it could be both. So in this these while Talbert’s outline willbe followed to systematically work through the text, there must be room forinnovation as Talbert himself asserts.3.3 ConclusionThis thesis will work on the common scholarly opinion that 6:19-34 is a unit ofthought and can break into the two parts of 6:19-24 and 6:25-34. The sayings ofMatthew 6:19-24 and 6:25-34 are thematically related and structurally similar enoughto be unified. Further the mirror structure, common elements of and an overarchingtheme with 7:1-12 affirms this unity.The chiastic structure model of the text was rejected as it at times breaks up thenatural flow of the argument presented in the SOM. The model that suggests that theSOM and thus 6:19-34 are to be seen as a commentary or exposition on the Lord’sPrayer was rejected as thematically there are inconsistencies between the Lord’sPrayer and the suggested associated units of tradition. Further it was noted that thesayings of 6:19-34 were not necessarily individual units of tradition, but the coherentmessage of an itinerant preacher.Talbert’s model for the division and subdivision of the text will be used as theworking model for the remainder of the literary analysis. His approach was favoured36