Discipleship and Family Ties in Mark and Matthew

The book explores the impact of early Christianity on family dynamics during the first two centuries CE, focusing on the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. Dr. Barton analyzes family-related passages through multiple critical lenses—form, redaction, literary, and sociological—to provide a comprehensive understanding. He contextualizes these tensions within Jewish and Greco-Roman traditions, highlighting a common belief that higher religious or philosophical commitments could override familial obligations. The author posits that the Jesus movement fostered a new identity rooted in allegiance to Jesus and his followers.