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 Matthew's 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 Matthew's 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.