House of Disciples: Church Economics and Justice in Matthew

The household was the basic unit of the early church; it also constituted the basic unit of political economy until the Industrial Revolution. This richly detailed work uses the notion of house as a unifying theme establishing the identity and concerns of the early Christian churches. What emphases did Matthews gospel have for that audience - which Crosby establishes was urban-based and prosperous - and what does it mean to First World Christians today? Through an in-depth exploration of Matthews gospel and its socioeconomic milieu House of Disciples shows how the world of the early church continues to challenge Christians nineteen hundred years later. It makes a unique contribution to both New Testament scholarship and the practice of a contemporary spirituality.