Wayne Baxter offers up a superb study of Matthean Christology by expounding the meaning of the shepherd imagery used to describe Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Baxter shows with careful argumentation how that shepherd imagery, far from being innocuous, is freighted with immense Christological convictions so that Jesus shepherds Israel, his disciples, and the church in a way more fitting for one who represents and even embodies the God of Israel.
— Rev. Michael F. Bird, Ridley College
It is common to have the titles Son of God, Son of Man, Christ, and Lord examined under the banner of high Christology. However, Baxter looks at a less common image applied to Jesus: shepherding. Baxter rightly argues the shepherd motif is prevalent in Matthew and may indicate more than readers imagine on a first reading. The background to this motif reveals Yahweh himself must shepherd Israel. Therefore Matthew portraying Jesus as Israel's shepherd is suggestive. I would encourage you to pick up this work to get a better sense of how the shepherd motif functions in Matthew.
— Patrick Schreiner, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Good biblical scholarship often attends to a neglected idea or theme in Scripture. Baxter is a perfect model, drawing attention to Matthew's shepherd language and imagery used in relationship to Christ. Addressing the question, does Matthew have a "shepherd Christology," Baxter answers with a resounding "yes." And he meaningfully connects this to broader interest in whether Matthew had a "high Christology" or not. This is an excellent contribution to Gospel studies.
— Nijay K. Gupta, Northern Seminary
Does Matthew’s depiction of Jesus as “shepherd” indicate anything about the evangelist’s Christology? Few ponder this question deeply and none so well as Wayne Baxter. Reaching far back into the Hebrew Bible and through Second Temple Judaism, Baxter demonstrates the role of YHWH as Israel’s “shepherd” who rules over his people as King is embodied in the Matthean presentation of Jesus in his “Shepherd Christology.” In this new book the author’s analysis of the multi-faceted character of Matthew’s depiction of Jesus as divine shepherd will surely need to be taken seriously in debates regarding early Christology.
— Daniel M. Gurtner, Gateway Seminary
In this rich but accessible study, Baxter situates the Gospel of Matthew’s “Shepherd Christology” within its ancient Jewish context to depict Jesus as the singular messianic king who enacts God’s merciful and compassionate rule over his people. Students of Second Temple Judaism, the Gospel of Matthew, and the development of early Christology should take note!
— Joshua W. Jipp, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
Divine Shepherd Christology is a superb and thorough study of the Shepherd theme in Matthew. Baxter ably shows how important and unique this motif is for Matthew, as well as how important a theme it is for debates on whether the early church held to a high or low christology. This work is worth a careful read.
— Darrell Bock, Dallas Theological Seminary
Matthew draws on the metaphor of Jesus as shepherd to communicate a high Christology. This is Baxter’s thesis, and one he ably argues through careful textual work, narrative sensitivity, and attentiveness to the nuances of intertextuality. He offers a wide-ranging analysis of the metaphor of shepherd within the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Jewish texts, and the New Testament, demonstrating how Matthew’s Christological portrait compares with these texts. Baxter suggests a direct line from the Hebrew Bible’s portrayal of Israel’s God as the idealized shepherd to Matthew’s high Christology. A thoughtful study, well worth engaging.
— Jeannine K. Brown, Bethel Seminary
Interview link:
https://newbooksnetwork.com/divine-shepherd-christology-in-the-gospel-of-matthew
— New Books Network
This book should take its place as a source to be reckoned with in scholarly discussions of Matthew’s depiction of Jesus and of Christology in the early church.
— Religious Studies Review