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Spring 2005

Blood, People, And Crowds In Matthew, Luther, And Bach

Michael Marissen Swarthmore College, [email protected]

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Recommended Citation Michael Marissen. (2005). "Blood, People, And Crowds In Matthew, Luther, And Bach". Lutheran Quarterly. Volume 19, Issue 1. 1-22. https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-music/30

This work is brought to you for free by Swarthmore College Libraries' Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Music Faculty Works by an authorized administrator of Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BloodBlood, }People, People, and and Crowds Crowds in Matthew,in Matthew, Luther, andand Bach Bach by MICHAEMICHAELL MARISSENMARISSEN

n allall ofof ChristianChristian Scripture,Scripture, probablprobablyy nnoo lineline hahass beenbeen invokeinvokedd toto Ijustifjustifyy theologicatheologicall condemnationcondemnation ofof JewsJews oror physicalphysical violenceviolence againstagainst JewJewss mormoree frequentlyfrequendy thanthan thethe outcryoutcry forfor Jesus'Jesus' crucifixioncrucifixion expressedexpressed byby "all"all thethe people"people" inin MatthewMatthew 27:25,27:25, "His"His bloobloodd bbee onon usus andand onon ourour children."children." ThisThis versversee appearsappears too,too, ofof course,course, iinn Bach'sBach's St.St. MatthewMatthew PassioPassionn (BWV(BWV 244),244), andand itit isis importantimportant toto askask howhow thethe passagpassagee wawass interpretedinterpreted withiwithinn Bach'Bach'ss greatgreat choralchoral work.11 KeyKey ttoo un­un­ derstandingderstanding thithiss troublingtroubling verseverse are,are, inin mymy viewview,, ththee variousvarious termsterms usedused inin Matthew'Matthew'ss GospelGospel toto referrefer ttoo groupsgroups ofof peoplpeoplee mentionedmentioned inin ththee passiopassionn narrativenarrative (including(including thethe groupgroup thathatt uttersutters thithiss remark)remark) andand thethe particulaparticularr wordwordss useusedd inin Luther'sLuther's NewNew TestamentTestament toto renderrender thesethese termtermss inin German.German. TheThe evidenceevidence stronglystrongly suggestssuggests thathatt Luther'sLuther's BibleBible intensifiesintensifies whateverwhatever anti-Jewishanti-Jewish tendenciestendencies (that(that is,is, hatredhatred ofof oror unreasonableunreasonable prejudicprejudicee againstagainst JewJewss oror JudaismJudaism)) therethere mamayy bebe inin thethe GreekGreek texttext ofof Matthew,Matthew, therebythereby significantlysignificantly affectingaffecting interpre­interpre­ tationtation ofof thethe expressionexpression "his"his blood.blood."" ItIt isis allall thethe mormoree significant,significant, then,then, thatthat thethe commentarycommentary offeredoffered byby ththee otherother textstexts inin Bach'sBach's St.St. MatthewMatthew Passion-madrigalianPassion—madrigalian poetrpoetryy byby Bach'Bach'ss LeipzigLeipzig contem­contem­ porarporaryy ChristianChristian FriedrichFriedrich HenricHenricii ("Picander")("Picander") andand stanzasstanzas fromfrom LutheraLutherann hymnhymnss byby variousvarious authors-appearsauthors—appears ttoo workwork inin thethe oppo­oppo­ sitesite direction,direction, mitigatinmitigatingg thethe anti-Jewishanti-Jewish sentimentssentiments amplifiedamplified byby Luther'sLuther's translatiotranslationn ofof ththee Bible.Bible.

Laos and OchlosOchlos in Matthew, and DasDas VolkVolk in Luther

InIn thethe originaoriginall Greek,Greek, Matthew'Matthew'ss GospelGospel usesuses severalseveral differendifferentt termsterms ttoo refereferr ttoo groupsgroups ofof people.people. TheThe mostmost commoncommon areare laos ("people")("people") andand ochlos ("crowd"), ("crowd") ,each each ofof which which isi soften often somewhatsomewhat vaguevague in in its it s NewNew TestamentTestament usages;usages; thusthus readersreaders havehave toto relyrely onon contextcontext ifif theythey wantwant ttoo identifyidentify thethe groupgroupss moremore specifically.specifically. WithWith hishis recentrecent mono-mono-

1

LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLQUARTERLYY VolumVolumee XIXXIX (2005(2005)) 2 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLQUARTERLYY graphgraph onon thethe crowdscrowds inin Matthew,Matthew, RobertRobert CouslandCousland hahass dondonee aann enormousenormous serviceservice ofof sortingsorting throughthrough a myriamyriadd ooff historicalhistorical,, narra­narra­ tive,tive, andand theologicaltheological issues. 2 TheThe upshotupshot ofof hihiss researcresearchh iiss thathatt therethere isis a strongstrong literaryliterary tendencytendency inin MatthewMatthew ttoo ususee laos ttoo refereferr ttoo ththee peoplepeople ofof IsraelIsrael ((eveeven n ifif itit doesdoes notnot alwayalwayss denotdenotee ththee peoplpeoplee asas a whole),whole), andand toto useuse ochlos either either generallygenerally for for crowdscrowd sor or particularly particularly forfor thethe peoplpeoplee ofof IsraelIsrael asas opposedopposed toto theitheirr leadersleaders.. ThusThus whewhenn puspushh comescomes toto shove,shove, soso toto speak,speak, thethe ochlosochlos and an dthe th eJewish Jewish leaders leader semerge emerg e asas distinctdistinct subsetssubsets ofof ththee laos. SeeingSeeing that tha t MatthewMatthew finds finds echoes echoe sin in thethe HebrewHebrew Bible-throughBible—through talktalk ofof ththee "lost"lost sheepsheep ofof ththee HousHousee ofof Israel"Israel" onon thethe oneone handhand andand thethe "killers"killers ooff prophetsprophets"" oonn ththee other­other— CouslandCousland concludesconcludes thatthat thethe reasonreason ththee GospelGospel ooff MattheMattheww narra­narra­ tivelytively alignsaligns thethe ochlos with with its it sauthor's author's understandingunderstanding of of the the history history ofof JewishJewish IsraelIsrael isis thatthat thethe evangelistevangelist seeksseeks toto \Vinwin thethe proto-Rabbinicproto-Rabbinic JewsJews ofof thethe first centurycentury overover toto hishis proto-Christiaproto-Christiann side,side, wherwheree hhee believesbelieves thethe truetrue futurefuture forfor "Israel""Israel" lies.lies. CouslandCousland allowsallows thatthat therethere areare anomaliesanomalies foforr hihiss literarliteraryy schemescheme.. HeHe notes,notes, forfor example,example, thatthat "the"the useuse ofοι ochlosochlos at a Matthewt Matthew 9:2 9:23,2 3, 2 55 [for [fo r a groupgroup ofof mourners-identifiedmourners—identified asas a "crowd""crowd" onlyonly inin Matthew­Matthew— makingmaking a tumultumultt atat thethe househouse ofof a rulerruler wh\Vhoo iiss identifiedidentified aass ththee syn­syn­ agogueagogue leaderleader ''Jairus""Jairas" onlyonly inin MarkMark anandd LukeLuke]] woulwouldd argueargue againsagainstt anyany simplesimple identificationidentification ofof thethe crowdscrowds witwithh Israel..Israel .... [[andand] ] atat ononee levellevel Matthew'sMatthew's understandingunderstanding...... doesdoes nonott depardepartt fromfrom ththee [varied[varied]] viewview...... [in][in] Mark."33 StompingStomping inin asas a biblical-studiebiblical-studiess amateuramateur wherwheree somesome expertsexperts maymay fearfear ttoo tread,tread, I wouldwould offeroffer ththee additionaadditionall observa­observa­ tiontion thatthat thethe useuse ofoí ochlos at a tMatthew Matthew 26:47 26:47 and and 26:55,26:55 ,this this timetime ap­ap­ parentlyparently toto signifysignify a largelarge quasi-militaryquasi-military groupgroup sentsent bbyy ththee JewishJewish leadersleaders (that(that is,is, anan ochlos consisting consisting not no tof of the the general genera lpopulace populace of of Is­ Is­ rael,rael, butbut ofof courtcourt attendantsattendants whowho werewere atat ththee disposaldisposal ooff ththee JewishJewish leadersleaders forfor policepolice purposespurposes whenwhen necessary,necessary, asas iinn JohJohnn 18:3)I 8: 3),, possiblypossibly makesmakes forfor another,another, oddodd inconsistencyinconsistency iinn Cousland'Cousland'ss word-studyword-study scheme. 4 Also,Also, I wouldwould notenote that,that, significantly,significantly, forfor thithiss GospeGospell ththee or­or­ dinarydinary JewishJewish folkfolk andand theirtheir leadersleaders appeaappearr inin ththee endend ttoo bbee blendedblended togethertogether forfor disapprobationdisapprobation (see(see 28:r28:15 5,, ""...... anandd thithiss storstoryy [that[that JesusJesus waswas notnot risenrisen fromfrom thethe deaddead bubutt hishis bodbodyy hahadd beebeenn stolenstolen frofromm thethe tombtomb byby hishis disciplesdisciples whilewhile thethe guardsguards werweree sleepingsleeping]] hahass beebeenn toldtold amongamong the Jews upup ttoo thisthis day"). 53 ItIt appears,appears, thenthen,, thatthat despitedespite Cous-Cous- MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 3 land'sland's extremelyextremely stimulatingstimulating andand thorougthoroughh study,study, thethe identityidentity ofof thethe crowdscrowds inin MatthewMatthew isis stillstill worthworthyy ofof criticalcritical discussion.discussion. FoForr ththee presentpresent studystudy onon Luther'sLuther's GospelGospel translatiotranslationn andand Bach'sBach's St.St. MattheMattheww Passion,Passion, therethere isis another,another, crucialcrucial issueissue surroundingsurrounding possiblepossible distinctiondistinctionss betweebetweenn "crowds""crowds" andand "people""people" iinn MatthewMatthew.. WhileWhile thethe overalloverall tendencytendency inin MatthewMatthew doesdoes seemseem ttoo bebe forfor ochlos and and laoslaos to t o connoteconnote ethnicallyethnically JewishJewish groups,groups, thertheree areare somesome narrativenarrative andand hishis­­ toricaltorical indicationsindications thatthat thethe crowdscrowds inin thithiss GospelGospel areare ttoo bebe under­under­ stoodstood asas partlpartlyy Gentile.Gentile. ConcerningConcerning thethe narrativnarrativee indications,indications, Cous­Cous­ landland provideprovidess a formidableformidable discussiondiscussion ofof thethe geographicalgeographical referencesreferences inin MatthewMatthew 4:24:23-25 3-2 5,, coming,coming, however,however, toto ththee followingfollowing meticulouslymeticulously formulatedformulated conclusionconclusion onon ththee possiblpossiblee presencepresence ofof Gentiles:Gentiles:

WitWithh oneone exception,exception, thethe membersmembers ofof thethe crowdscrowds originateoriginate fromfrom regionsregions thatthat werweree popularlpopularlyy regardedregarded asas JewishJewish.. OnlyOnly ththee mentiomentionn ofof ththee DecapoliDecapoliss [a[a group­group­ inging ofofte tenn GreekGreek cities,cities, witwithh majoritymajority gentilegentile populationspopulations]] givesgives groundsgrounds toto thethe suppositionsupposition thatthat hehe includedincluded GentilesGentiles inin thethe crowds.crowds. EveEvenn inin thisthis instance,instance, how­how­ ever,ever, itit isis probablprobablee thathatt hehe accountsaccounts ththee DecapolisDecapolis parpartt ofof Eret Eretzz Israel,Israel, givengiven thethe region'sregion s one-timeone-time inclusioninclusion inin thethe DavidicDavidic kingdomkingdom .... ItIt is,is, ofof course,course, possiblepossible thatthat MatthewMatthew envisagesenvisages GentilesGentiles amongamong ththee crowds.crowds. MattheMatthew'sw s referencereference ttoo thethe DecapolisDecapolis coulcouldd allowallow forfor thethe possibilitypossibility.. IfIf so,so, how­how­ ever,ever, thisthis iiss thethe onlyonly poinpointt wherwheree thethe GospelGospel explicitlyexplicitly affordsaffords suchsuch anan 1mpres­impres­ 6 sion. 6

BuButt forfor furtherfurther materialmaterial thatthat isis consonantconsonant withwith ththee notionotionn ofof a gentilegentile presencpresencee inin thethe crowdscrowds specificallyspecifically atat PassoverPassover,, I woulwouldd pointpoint toto a passagepassage fromfrom FlaviusFlavius Josephus'sJosephus's 77ieTlie Jewish l¾ir,War, written,like written, like the the GospelGospel ofof Matthew,Matthew, towartowardd thethe endend ofof thethe first century.century. JosephusJosephus writeswrites thathatt thethe greatergreater partpart ofof thosethose whowho perisheperishedd inin thethe JewisJewishh re­re­ voltvolt ofof thethe yearyearss 66-7066—70 werewere ofof thethe samesame ethnicethnic stockstock [homophulos] asas thethe Jerusalemites.77 HeHe goesgoes onon toto saysay thatthat ththee sizesize ofof thethe multi­multi­ tudetude [plethos] at a tPassover Passove rcan can be b edetermined determined by by taking taking the th enumber numbe r ofof lamblamb sacrificessacrifices andand multiplyingmultiplying byby tenten;; this,this, hhee notes,notes, woulwouldd notnot equalequal thethe fullfull numbenumberr ofof ththee multitude,multitude, however,however, since,since, forfor example,example, menstruatinmenstruatingg womenwomen andand peoplpeoplee witwithh certaincertain diseasesdiseases couldcould notnot par­par­ ticipateticipate inin ththee PassoverPassover mealmeal onon accountaccount ofof theirtheir rituarituall impurities,impurities, andand alsoalso sincesince itit wawass likewiselikewise unlawfulunlawful forfor thethe "large numbers" numbers" of ofvis­ vis­ itingiting foreignersforeigners [[allophulois,allophulois, that tha tis, is non-Jews], non-Jews ]to t obe b epartakers partaker sof o fthis thi s 8 sacrifice. 8 SinceSince JosephusJosephus matter-of-factlymatter-of-factly relaterelatess thethe presencpresencee bothboth 4 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY ofof thethe rituallyritually impureimpure andand ofof GentilesGentiles inin ththee multitudemultitudess atat Passover,Passover, presumablypresumably therethere isis nothingnothing controversialcontroversial oror apologeticalapologetical aboutabout thethe secondsecond ofof hishis twtwoo observations.observations. ThisThis isis notnot toto saysay thathatt thethe GospelGospel ofof MatthewMatthew isis ttoo bbee readread aass thougthoughh iitt wawass meanmeantt ttoo bbee taketakenn asas a straightforwardstraightforward "historical""historical" document,document, oneone roughlroughlyy akinakin toto Josephus'sJosephus's Wt:zrWar (which,(which, ofof course,course, hashas itsits justifyinjustifyingg motivesmotives too).too). Matthew,Matthew, inin comparisoncomparison toto itsits mostmost closelyclosely relatedrelated Gospel,Gospel, Mark,Mark, mormoree stronglystrongly reflectsreflects a JewishJewish background,background, andand thithiss aspectaspect ofof thethe narrativenarrative inin MattheMattheww presumablpresumablyy cannotcannot sim­sim­ plyply bbee attributedattributed toto a greatergreater concernconcern onon thethe parpartt ofof itsits authorauthor forfor historicahistoricall exactitude.exactitude. MMyy questionquestion isis whethewhetherr thethe Gospel'sGospel's namingnaming ofof variousvarious groups,groups, eveneven iiff altogethealtogetherr theologicalltheologicallyy motivatedmotivated,, isis soso forcefulforceful andand unambiguouunambiguouss thathatt itsits earliestearliest audiencesaudiences wouldwould havehave iden­iden­ tifiedtified thethe narrative'snarrative s crowdscrowds notnot simplysimply asas mostlymostly JewisJewishh butbut ratheratherr asas exclusivelyexclusively Jewish.Jewish. InIn lightlight ofof whatwhat JosephuJosephuss reportsreports itit seemsseems thathatt Matthew'Matthew'ss first readerreaderss wouldwould havehave taketakenn itit forfor grantedgranted thatthat thethe PassoverPassover crowdscrowds werweree ethnicallyethnically mixed.mixed. (The(The presencepresence ofof gentilegentile touriststourists inin JerusalemJerusalem atat PassoverPassover inin thethe first centurycentury waswas perhapperhapss a bibitt likelike today'stoday's larglargee numbersnumbers ofof non-Catholicsnon-Catholics attendingattending papalpapal EasterEaster servicesservices atat thethe Vatican.)Vatican.) ThatThat isis ttoo say,say, whilwhilee readerreaderss maymay concedeconcede Cousland'sCousland's pointpoint thatthat ththee authorauthor ofof Matthew Matthew hahass fashionedfashioned hishis crowdscrowds asas a literaryliterary constructconstruct,, itit woulwouldd nonott necessarilynecessarily followfollow thathatt thetheyy shouldshould reject,reject, asas CouslandCousland doesdoes forfor MatthewMatthew,, thethe notionotionn ofof ethnicallyethnically mixedmixed crowds,crowds, especiallyespecially atat Passover.Passover. YeYett whateverwhatever thethe purposepurposess mightmight bbee inin thethe GospelGospel ofof MatthewMatthew forfor usinusingg ththee wordswords ochlos and and laos, laos, they the arey ar loste los int i nLuther's Luther' versions versio nof o thef th e Gospel:Gospel: LutheLutherr rendersrenders botbothh termsterms withwith das Volk (for(for aa fullfull listing,listing, seesee 9 AppendiAppendixx 1,ι, below).9 Thus,Thus, whilewhile inin MatthewMatthew thethe laos mightmight bebe un­un­ derstoodderstood toto bbee thethe JewishJewish peoplepeople andand thethe ochloi to to bebe mixedmixed crowdscrowds ofof mostlymostly JewsJews andand somesome oror eveneven manmanyy Gentiles,Gentiles, inin LutherLuther oneone en­en­ counterscounters onlyonly Jews.Jews. 1010 NoNoww oneone mighmightt objectobject thathatt inin ththee vernaculavernacularr ofof Luther'Luther'ss dayday thethe wordword Volk coveredcovered a ververyy widewide semanticsemantic field thatthat includedincluded a num­num­ beberr ofof termtermss fromfrom thethe GreekGreek NeNeww Testament.Testament. InIn translatingtranslating bothboth ochlos and and laoslaos as a sVolk, Volk, Luther Luthe wasr wa simplys simpl workingy workin gwith wit hthe th limita­e limita­ tionstions ofof ththee linguisticlinguistic toolstools atat hand.hand. AppendixAppendix 1,ι, belowbelow,, wouldwould show,show, inin thisthis case,case, thatthat LutherLuther waswas consistentconsistent inin assumingassuming a broabroadd usageusage.. WeWe MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 5 shouldshould notnot,, inin fact,fact, expectexpect hihimm ttoo dodo otherwise,otherwise, andand thusthus itit woulwouldd bebe altogetheraltogether misguidedmisguided ttoo suspectsuspect thathatt therethere isis anyany interpretiveinterpretive signif­signif­ icanceicance inin Luther'Luther'ss linguisticlinguistic conflationconflation ofof Matthew'Matthew'ss ochloi andand Laos.laos. ButBut itit iiss importantimportant toto notenote thathatt LutherLuther doesdoes comecome uupp withwith un­un- problematiproblematicc worwordd choiceschoices ttoo renderrender ochlos when when the the crowds crowd sin in ques­ ques­ tiontion areare clearlyclearly notnot thethe generalgeneral JewishJewish populacepopulace.. LutheLutherr givesgives ScharSchar forfor thethe ochlos ofbelievers of believers in in Jesus Jesu sat a tActs Act s1: 1:15 1 5; ;Haufe Haufe for fo rthe the great grea toch­ och­ los ofof Jesus'Jesus ' disciplesdisciples atat LukeLuke 6:17;6:17; andand ScharSchar or or Scharen Scharen for fo ther th eochloi ochloi ofof attendantsattendants witwithh policingpolicing dutiesduties atat MarkMark 14:4314:43 andand MatthewMatthew 26:47,26:47, 5555 (cf.(cf. LukeLuke 22:4722:47,, 52;52; JohnJohn 18:3).1118:3).n ObviouslyObviously thethe wordword Volk wouldwould nonott workwork inin thesethese variousvarious cases.cases. ButBut sincesince laoslaos and and ochlos ochlos are ar note no syn­t syn­ onymsonyms inin Greek,justGreek, just asas populus andand turbaturba are are not not inin Latin Latin (that(tha tis, is ,the the languaglanguagee ofof ththee VulgatVulgatee Bible)Bible),, whywhy cancan LutheLutherr nonott bbee expectedexpected toto find anotheranother worwordd thanthan Volk toto covercover allall oror mostmost usagesusages ofof ochlos?ochlos? For Fo r example,example, hhee doesdoes useuse Menge forfor largelarge groupsgroups ofof peoplpeoplee oror angelsangels inin MarkMark 3:8;3:8; LukeLuke 8:37;8:37; ActActss 2:6,2:6, 4:32,4:32, 5:14,5:14, 6:5,6:5, 14:1,14:1, 14:4,14:4, 17:4;17:4; andand HebrewHebrewss 12:22.12:22. IfIf LutherLuther cancan renderrender plethos oror myrias withwith Menge,Menge, whwhyy nonott alsoalso ochlos? The The words word splethos plethos and an dochlos ochlos are ar ine ifactn fac closert close tor to eacheach otherother inin connotationconnotation thanthan areare laos andand ochlos.ochlos. One On emight migh heret her e ask,ask, however,however, whetherwhether itit waswas typicaltypical forfor priopriorr GermanGerman BiblesBibles toto ren­ren­ derder ochlos as a sVolk, Volk, such suc hthat tha Luthert Luthe rwas wa ssimply simpl yfollowing followin gthis thi sstandard standar d usageusage.. But,But, asas itit happens,happens, everyevery oneone ofof thethe pre-Lutherpre-Luther GermanGerman BiblesBibles doesdoes maintainmaintain a linguisticlinguistic distinctiondistinction betweebetweenn crowdscrowds andand people,people, ren­ren­ deringdering thethe Vulgate'sVulgate s populus asas Volk, andand renderingrendering turba consistentlyconsistendy asas Schar (or(or inin somesome Bibles,Bibles, Gesellscheft,Gesellschaft, butbu tin in no no instance instance ever eve ras a s Volk).Volk)}122 ThusThus Luther'sLuther's linguisticlinguistic conflationconflation appearsappears inin factfact toto bbee anan in­in­ novationnovation inin BibleBible translations.translations. IIff manmanyy pre-Luthepre-Lutherr readersreaders ofof MatthewMatthew hadhad traditionallytraditionally beenbeen in­in­ clineclinedd toto equateequate hishis "crowds"with"crowds" with "the"the people"people" anyway,anyway, thisthis doesdoes notnot meameann Luther'sLuther's linguisticallylinguistically innovativeinnovative BibleBible thuthuss becomesbecomes reproach­reproach- lessless:: encounteringencountering onlyonly das VolkVolk for fo rboth both terms,terms ,readers reader sof of Luther Luther are ar e now precluded from from makingmakin g a a distinction distinction between between Matthew's Matthew's ochloi ochloi and an d laos. 1313 Luther's Luther's rendering rendering ofof ochlos ochlos as aVolks Volk could coul dbe b eof o seriousf seriou imports impor t toto questionquestionss ofof theologicatheologicall anti-Judaism,1144 asas thethe GospelGospel narrative'snarrative's keykey momenmomentt inin thethe bringingbringing aboutabout ofof Jesus'Jesus' deathdeath involvesinvolves ththee JewishJewish leadersleaders persuadinpersuadingg ththee PassoverPassover ochloi that tha tthey they should should ask ask Pilate Pilate to to re­ re­ leasleasee BarabbasBarabbas bubutt destroy Jesus Jesus (27:20). (27:20) .Thus Thus whereaswhereas for fo r readersreaders ofof 6 LUTHERALUTHERANN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

Matthew'sMatthew's GreekGreek texttext thisthis maymay arguablyarguably placplacee blamblamee onon mixemixedd crowdscrowds ofof JewsJews withwith GentilesGentiles thathatt havehave beebeenn swayedswayed byby thethe chiefchief priestpriestss andand elders,elders, forfor readerreaderss ofof Luther'sLuther's translatiotranslationn ththee moralmoral responsibilityresponsibility forfor thethe deathdeath ofof JesusJesus cancan onlyonly fallfall onon das VolkVolk (that (that is,is ,exclusively exclusively uponupon 1515 "the"the Jews" ),), whomwhom Luther'sLuther's readersreaders havhavee hearheardd mentionementionedd aroundaround sixtysixty timetimess bbyy thithiss pointpoint inin hishis linguisticallylinguistically innovativeinnovative renderinrenderingg ofof Matthew.Matthew. LutheLutherr andand hishis ecclesiasticalecclesiastical followers,followers, incidentally,incidentally, hahadd mostmost likelylikely reareadd thethe above-citedabove-cited passagpassagee fromfrom JosephuJosephuss aboutabout thethe mixedmixed multitudesmultitudes atat Passover:Passover: LutherLuther himselfhimself andand manymany sixteenth-sixteenth- andand seventeenth-centuryseventeenth-century LutheranLutheran pastorpastorss publishepublishedd countlesscountless collectionscollections ofof sermonssermons forfor a generalgeneral readershipreadership inin whichwhich excerptsexcerpts fromfrom BookBook 6 ofof Josephus'sJosephus s JewishJewish UlarWar are are cited. cited.1616 VariousVarious wordword choiceschoices inin Luther'sLuther's translationtranslation ofof MattheMattheww 2 7 maymay subtlysubtly reinforcereinforce a readingreading ofof solesole JewishJewish responsibilitresponsibilityy withinwithin thethe biblicalbiblical narrativnarrativee forfor inducinginducing PilatePilate toto crucifycrucify Jesus.Jesus. InIn Luther'sLuther's ren­ren­ dering,dering, ththee chapterchapter opensopens withwith allall thethe chiefchief priestspriests andand elderselders ofof thethe Volk (laos, inin Matthew)Matthew) holdingholding aa councilcouncil onon howhow theythey mightmight killkil l Jesus.VerseJesus.Verse 9 thethenn speaksspeaks ofof ththee prophet'sprophet's havinhavingg foretoldforetold ththee betrayalbetrayal ofof JesusJesus forfor thirtthirtyy piecepiecess ofof silver:silver: "Sie"Sie habehabenn genomrilengenommen dreiBigdreißig Sil­Sil- berlinge,berlinge, damitdamit bezahletbezahlet wardward derder Verkaufte Verkaufte,, welchewelchenn sisiee kauftekauftenn vonvon denden KindernKindern Israel"Israel" ("They("They havhavee taketakenn thirtthirtyy piecespieces ofof silver,silver, withwith whichwhich thethe SoldSold OneOne waswas paipaidd for,for, whomwhom thetheyy boughtbought fromfrom thethe chil­chil­ drendren ofof Israel").Israel"). AlreadyAlready inin MattheMattheww totooo thertheree isis necessarilnecessarilyy a con­con­ ceptualceptual linklink betweenbetween "the"the peoplepeople"" inin 2T27:1 I andand "the"the sonssons ofof Israel"Israel" inin 27:9.1177 But,But, throughthrough verbaverball echoesechoes broughtbrought aboutabout withwith specificspecific GermanGerman worwordd choices,choices, Luther'sLuther's texttext wilwilll gogo onon toto linklink thesethese twotwo pas­pas­ sagessages toto versesverses 15,15,20,24 20, 24,, andand 2 5 (that(that is,is, echoesechoes thathatt Matthew'sMatthew's GreekGreek doesdoes notnot effect;effect; seesee Luther'sLuther's versesverses inin tabulatabularr formatformat withwith directdirect trans­trans­ lationslations atat AppendiAppendixx 2,2, below).below). ForFor Luther'sLuther's passionpassion narrative,narrative, then,then, asas throughouthroughoutt hishis renderingrendering ofof thethe Gospel,Gospel, thethe ochlos (singular(singular in in verses verse s 1 155 and and 24;24 ;plural, plural ,ochloi, ochloi, inin versversee 2020)) andand ththee laos willwill simplysimply turturnn outout ttoo bbee oneone andand thethe same-thesame—the JewishJewish populacepopulace:: das Volk.Volk.18ls MorMoree subtly,subdy, andand probablprobablyy unintentionally,unintentionally, Luther'sLuther's texttext alsoalso makes a strongerstronger connectionconnection betweenbetween versesverses 9 andand 2 5 thanthan isis foundfound inin thethe GreekGreek texttext ofof MatthewMatthe w 227 7.. AAtt verseverse 2 5 Matthew'sMatthew's wordword isis tekna, aa term term thatthat LutherLuther providesprovides withwith a literal translation,translation, "children.""children." AAtt verseverse 9,9, MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 7 however,however, thethe GreekGreek textextt inin MattheMattheww speaksspeaks ofof "[the]"[the] sons ofof Israel"Israel" (roughly(roughly followingfollowing ththee GreekGreek SeptuagintSeptuagint texttext ofof Zechariah Zechariah 11:12—13)r r: r 2-r 3),, andand here,here, asas witwithh virtuallyvirtually allall otherother biblicabiblicall instancesinstances ofof "the"the huioi Is­Is­ rael," Luther Luther doesdoes not not provideprovide aa literal litera lrendering. rendering . TheThe termterm employedemployed inin MatthewMatthew,, thethe pluralplural ofof huios, cancan altogether altogether rightlyrighdy alsoalso be be renderedrendered "children,""children," asas itit denotesdenotes eithereither a groupgroup ofof boysboys oror a grougroupp ofof boy boyss withwith girls.girls. Tekna, however,however, can can bebe usedused forfor aa group group mademade upup onlyonly ofoffemales females (for(for example,example, atat r1 PeterPeter 33:6) :6).. ThusThus wherwheree Matthew'sMatthew's chapterchapter 2 7 hashas twtwoo termtermss forfor thethe JewishJewish offspring,offspring, Luther'sLuther's hahass onlyonly one:one: Kinder.Kinder. Again,Again, itit isis ofof coursecourse inin nono wawayy semanticallysemantically oror otherwiseotherwise wronwrongg toto translattranslatee botbothh termtermss asas "children."1199 MMyy pointpoint isis simplysimply thathatt onlyonly iinn thethe translatiotranslationn cancan oneone hearhear ththee crycry inin verseverse 2 5 ("sein("sein BlutBlut komme ...... iiberüber unsereunsere Kinder")Kinder'') asas verbally verbally echoingechoing verseverse 99 ("von("von denden KindernKindern Israel").Israel") . I shouldshould mentionmention herehere thatthat whilewhile inin hishis renderingrendering ofof thethe biblicalbiblical narrativenarrative LutherLuther appearsappears ttoo placplacee solesole moralmoral responsibilitresponsibilityy forfor thethe crucifixioncrucifixion witwithh Jews,Jews, hhee cancan theologicalltheologicallyy interpretinterpret andand applyapply hishis biblicabiblicall narrativenarrative variouslyvariously.. OnOn ththee oneone handhand,, forfor example,example, hhee cancan warnwarn ChristiansChristians inin HolHolyy WeeWeekk ttoo meditatmeditatee onon JesusJesus'' suffering,suffering, notnot onon ththee evilevil ofof "the"the Jews."Jews." TheThe openingopening paragraphparagraph ofof Luther'sLuther s well­well- knownknown sermon,sermon, "A"A MeditationMeditation onon Christ'sChrist's Passion"Passion" ofof r151 5 r 9 readsreads (my(my emphasis):emphasis):

SomeSome peoplepeople meditatemeditate onon Christ'Christ'ss passionpassion bbyy ventinventingg theitheirr angeranger onon ththee JewJewss .... ThaThatt mighmightt welwelll bbee a meditatiomeditationn onon ththee wickednesswickedness [[Bösheyt]Bosheyt] of.of.. ... ththee Jews,Jews, 2020 butbut nonott oonn thethe sufferingssufferings ofof Christ...... YouYou [churchgoers][churchgoers] shouldshould bebe terri­terri­ fied ...... byby thethe meditatiomeditationn onon Christ'sChrist's passionpassion.. FoForr ththee evildoers,evildoers, ththee Jews,Jews, whomwhom GodGod hashas judgejudgedd andand drivendriven out,out, werweree onlyonly thethe servantsservants ofof youryour sin;sin; you are ac­ac­ tually the one who, asas wwee said,said, byby hishis sinsin killekilledd andand crucifiedcrucifi,ed God's God's Son. Son.2121

InIn otherother writings,writings, howeverhowever,, hehe isis jusjustt asas likelylikely toto vilifvilifyy JewsJews andand ap­ap­ parentlparentlyy taketake itit forfor grantedgranted thatthat itit wawass thetheyy whwhoo indeeindeedd crucifiedcrucified Christ.Christ. ForFor example,example, inin hihiss lecturelecture onon thethe famousfamous storystory ofof JacobJacob atat Pe­Pe- nielniel inin GenesisGenesis 32,Luther32, Luther states,states, commentingcommenting onon 32:332:3 1r (my(my emphases):emphases):

WithoutWithout anyany controversycontroversy wwee shallshall saysay thatthat thisthis manman [with[with whomwhom JacobJacob wres­wres­ tledtled]] waswas nonott anan angelangel bubutt our LordLord JesusJesus Christ,Christ, eternaleternal GodGod andand futurefuture Man,Man, ttoo bebe crucifiedcrucified by the Jews. 22

CommentingCommenting thenthen onon thethe "sciatic"sciatic nerve"nerve" inin thethe nexnextt verse,verse, LutherLuther writes:writes: 8 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

...... whatwhat thethe HebrewHebrew wordword [nasheh][nasheh] properlyproperly signifies,signifies, I dodo nonott reallreallyy knowknow.. TheThe propeproperr namename ManassehManasseh hashas beenbeen derivedderived frofromm thithiss wordword,, thathatt isis,, "forget­"forget­ ting."ting." ...... CertainCertain peoplepeople interpretinterpret [[thithis s word]word] aass ththee "sine"sineww ofof forgetfulness,forgetfulness,"" aass thoughthough youyou werewere ableable toto saysay thatthat [JacobUacob]] forgotforgot hihiss placplacee oonn accounaccountt ooff ththee disdis­­ location.location. ButBut thesethese areare JewishJewish ideas,ideas, thatthat is,is, inepineptt anandd foul. 2323

Translation Issues Issues elsewhere elsewhere in Luther'sin Luther's New New Testament Testament

Luther'sLuther's apparentapparent tendencytendency toto renderrender ambiguousambiguous expressionexpressionss inin thethe GreekGreek biblicalbiblical texttext moremore clearlyclearly inin ththee directiondirection ooff theologicaltheological anti-Judaismanti-Judaism inin hishis GermanGerman translationtranslation iiss nonott limitelimitedd ttoo hihiss readingreading ofof thethe crucifixioncrucifixion scenescene inin Matthew.Matthew. ToTo citecite a keykey example,example, thethe GreekGreek texttext ofof MattheMatthew w 212114 :433 readsreads,, "For"For thisthis reasonreason I saysay toto youyou thatthat thethe KingdomKingdom ooff GodGod wilwilll bbee taketakenn fromfrom youyou andand itit willwill bebe givengiven toto a people/people/nationation n [[ethnei]ethnet] producing producing its it sfruit." fruit." BecauseBecause thethe nounnoun employedemployed toto referrefer toto ththee recipienrecipientt ooff ththee kingdomkingdom isis notnot pluralplural ((ethneiethnei is is dative dative singular), singular) ,there there are are several severa linterpretive interpretive pos­ pos­ sibilities:sibilities: ththee kingdomkingdom willwill bbee givegivenn ttoo a renewerenewedd (portion2244 ooff the)the) historicalhistorical people ofof Israel, Israel, or o tor t othe th eChurch, Church, 25 25or o tor tao differenta differen nation,t nation, or o r toto a newnew leadership that tha believest believe sin in Jesus, Jesus, 262 and6 and so s oon. on Luther,. Luther however,, however , rendersrenders thethe recipientrecipient withwith a pluraplurall dativedative nounnoun:: "Das"Das ReicReichh GottesGottes wirdwird vonvon eucheuch genommengenommen undund den HeidenHeiden gegebengegeben werden,werden, diedie seineseine FriichteFrüchte bringen"bringen" ("The("The kingdomkingdom ofof GodGod wilwilll bbee taketakenn from yoyouu andand givengiven toto the gentiles, gentiles, who who [will] [will ]bring bring its it sfruits"). fruits"). Since Sinc ein in all al otherl othe rNew New TestamentTestament instancesinstances ofof the the inflectedinflected formform ethnei-Actsethnei—Acts 10:310:3 5;5; 24:2,24:2,10 IO;; 26:4;26:4; RomansRomans I0:19-Luther10:19—Luther translatestranslates witwithh ththee singularsingular nounounn Volk, hishis renderingrendering withwith thethe pluralplural Heiden inin MattheMattheww 2211 mamayy bbee consid­consid­ eredered overinterpretiveoverinterpretive and,and, frankly,frankly, tendentious. 2 277 (Both(Both ththee VulgatVulgatee andand ErasmusErasmus 1519,1519, unlikunlikee Luther,Luther, followfollow MatthewMatthew iinn renderinrenderingg ththee paspas­­ sagesage withwith dativedative singular.)singular.) InIn lightlight ofof suchsuch a significantsignificant exampleexample iitt iiss perhapperhapss nonott surprisingsurprising thatthat LutherLuther wouldwould (unwittingly?)(unwittingly?) conflateconflate Matthew'Matthew'ss ochloi andand laoslaos inin a wayway thatthat couldcould auguraugur unfavorablunfavorablyy forfor ththee JewisJewishh people.people.

"HisuHis Blood"Blood'1 in in Bach'sBach's St. St. Matthew Matthew Passion Passion28 28

What,What, then,then, dodo BachBach andand PicanderPicander ddoo witwithh MattheMattheww 27:227:255 andand thethe mattermatter ofof responsibilityresponsibility forfor thethe deathdeath ooff Jesus?Jesus? I suggestsuggest thathatt theirtheir MATTHEWMATTHEW,, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 9

worworkk projectprojectss nonott a violenviolentt butbut a redemptiveredemptive understandinunderstandingg ofof thethe verse, 2299 andand I concludeconclude thatthat fosteringfostering hostilityhostility ttoo JewJewss isis notnot ththee sub­sub­ jecjectt oror purpospurposee ofof ththee commentarycommentary onon thethe Gospel'sGospel's passionpassion narrativenarrative inin Bach'sBach's St.St. MatthewMatthew Passion.Passion. ItIt iiss interpretivelinterpretivelyy helpfulhelpful toto knowknow thatthat anan ultra-literalultra-literal translationtranslation ofof ththee Gospel'sGospel's GreekGreek wouldwould reareadd "His"His bloobloodd onon uuss andand ourour chil­chil­ dren,"dren," asas therethere isis nnoo verbverb inin Matthew'Matthew'ss formula.formula. TheThe biblicabiblicall scholarscholar RaymondRaymond BrownBrown notes:notes: "It"It isis notnot wrongwrong toto supplysupply a verbverb ('come'('come' oror 'be'),'be'), asas manmanyy translationtranslationss do;do; bubutt thatthat createscreates ththee dangerdanger ofof mis­mis­ readinreadingg thethe phrasphrasee asas a self-curse,self-curse, a prophecyprophecy,, oror a blood-thirstyblood-thirsty wish"3300 (which(which havehave beenbeen inin factfact thethe mosmostt commoncommon waywayss ofof readingreading ththee verse)verse).. TheThe wawayy Luther'Luther'ss Bible,Bible, andand thereforthereforee Bach'Bach'ss St.St. MatthewMatthew Passion, givesgives thethe passagepassage is:is: "his"his bloobloodd come over over us u sand and our ou rchildren." children. " BacBachh woulwouldd havhavee beenbeen familiarfamiliar witwithh interpretationsinterpretations thatthat tooktook thethe phrasephrase toto bbee a self-curse,3 311 andand thethe versversee isis certainlycertainly taketakenn thisthis wayway,, forfor example,example, inin hishis colleaguecolleague GeorgGeorg PhilippPhilipp Telemann'sTelemann's I172 7222 paspas­­ sionsion oratoriooratorio Das selige EnviigenErwägen (no. (no 3. I,31 my, m yemphases: emphases "So: "S oyou yo ucry cr y out,out, damneddamned [vermaledeite] sinners, sinners 'His, 'Hi bloods bloo dcome com eover ove usr u ands an dover ove r ourour children?'children?' You havhavee taketakenn itit [[thathat t isis,, "his"his blood"blood"]] upon yourselvesyourselves asas a curse;curse; buthut for me itit willwill comecome toto blessing").blessing"). But But Bach'sBach's St.St .Matthew Matthew PassionPassion readsreads 27:2527:25 differently,differently, waitinwaitingg untiuntill afterafter versversee 2626 (the(the scourgingscourging ofof JesusJesus byby thethe RomanRoman soldiers)soldiers) toto breabreakk thethe biblicabiblicall nar­nar­ rativrativee withwith commentary.3 322 TheThe St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion inin factfact meditatesmeditates nonott onon thethe responsibilityresponsibility ofof "the"the [JewishUewish]] peoplepeople"" forfor Jesus'Jesus' cruci­cruci­ fixion,33fixion,33 butbut onon ththee "generously""generously" redemptiveredemptive powepowerr ofof "his"his blood."blood." TheThe textextt ofof thethe altoalto ariaaria "Konnen"Können TriinenTränen meinermeiner J.tangen"Wangen" reads: rezas: KonnenKönnen TranenTränen meinermeiner WangeWangenn IfIf ththee tearstears ofof mmyy cheekscheeks cannotcannot NichtNichtss erlangen,erlangen, achieveachieve anything,anything, 0,O, soso nehmnehmtt meimeinn HerHerzz hinein!hinein! o,o, thethenn taketake inin mmyy heart!heart! AbeAberr laBtlaßt eses bebeii denden Fluten,Fluten, ButBut letlet it,it, atat ththee streamsstreams -— WennWenn diedie WundenWunden mildmildee whenwhen ththee woundswounds [[oof f blutenbluten,, JesusJesus]] generously3344 bleed­bleed— AucAuchh diedie OpferschaleOpferschale sein!sein! alsoalso bebe ththee offeringoffering basin!3basin!35

Bach'sBach's musicalmusical setting,setting, too,too, givesgives powerfupowerfull expressionexpression toto ththee ideaidea thatthat Jesus'Jesus' blood-streaminblood-streamingg chastisementchastisement isis onlyonly inin appearanceappearance a cursecurse butbut iinn essenceessence a blessingblessing:: ththee incessantincessant rhythrhythmm ofof violentviolent marcato pairs pair sof of dotteddotted sixteenthsixteenth andand thirty-seconthirty-secondd notesnotes fromfrom ththee recitativrecitativee "Erbarm"Erbarm 1010 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY es Gott!" (which(which commentscomments onon thethe floggingflogging JesuJesuss receivereceivedd aatt thethe handshands ofof thethe RomanRoman soldiers)soldiers) palpablypalpably softenssoftens bbyy morphinmorphingg intointo soothingsoothing legato pairs pairs of of dotted dotted eightheighth andand sixteenth sixteenth notesnotes in in the the aria aria "Konnen"Können TriinenTränen meinermeiner vlizngen."Wangen." TheThe classicclassic biblicalbiblical commentarycommentary ofof ththee seventeenth-centuryseventeenth-century or­or­ thodoxthodox LutheranLutheran theologiantheologian JohannJohann Olearius,Olearius, a copycopy ooff whicwhich h BachBach owned,3366 waswas probablprobablyy a sourcesource forfor BachBach andand PicandePicanderr iinn producingproducing thisthis redemptiveredemptive interpretationinterpretation forfor thethe St.St. MatthewMatthew Passion.3377 OleariusOlearius suggestssuggests thatthat MatthewMatthew 227:2 7:25 5 connoteconnotess botbothh judgmentjudgment andand redemption.redemption. HeHe writeswrites concerningconcerning ththee verseverse::

His blood; .1\TB. XB. GenesisGenesis 4. 4 .Matthew Matthew 2323:35 :3 5. .[About] [About ] thisthis blood-guilt blood-guilt ~,TB.XB. PsalmPsalm 551:16 1: 16;; togethertogether withwith everyevery curse,curse, threat,threat, andand punishment—aboupunishment-aboutt thithiss SB.XB. Gen­Gen­ esisesis 27:13;27:13; aboutabout thisthis LamentationsLamentations 5:75:7...... come overover us; us; about abou tthis thi s.,:B. XB. GenesisGenesi s 27=13.27:13. [As[As ifif toto say:]say:] "Do"Do thisthis uponupon ourour owownn responsibilityresponsibility;; wwee wanwantt ttoo in­in­ demnifydemnify you.you. LetLet itit comecome onon ourour childrenchildren anandd descendantsdescendants.. ShouldShould 1tit happenhappen toto himhim unjustly,unjustly, thenthen wewe wantwant toto carrycarry thethe guilt.gmlt."" AAtt whicwhichh [it[it isis]] wortworthh re­re­ membering:membering: ...... 2 2.. TheThe horriblehorrible fulfillmentfulfillment afteafterr 4400 yearyearss [[thathat t 1s,is, ththee destruc­destruc­ tiontion ofof JerusalemJerusalem andand itsits TempleTemple inin thethe yearyear 70]..70] .... 33.. ThThee comfortincomfortingg con­con­ versionversion ofof thisthis cursecurse intointo blessing.blessing. ForFor thethe powepmverr ofof ththee bloobloodd ooff JesusJesus ChristChrist comescomes overover us,us, andand purifiespurifies usus;; 1 JohnJohn 1,1, thatthat isis ttoo saysay:: "Your"Your goodnesgoodnesss bbee overover us,"us," PsalmPsalm 33:22,33:22, whichwhich isis redemptionredemption forfor ththee manymany.. NBNB.. PsalPsalmm 130:7.i3o:7.3838

NoticeNotice thatthat GenesisGenesis 27=1327:13 figuresfigures inin Olearius'sOlearius s commentscomments botbothh onon judgmenjudgmentt andand onon redemption.redemption. ConcerningConcerning thithiss versversee (wher(wheree Re­Re- bekahbekah repliesreplies "the"the cursecurse bebe onon me"me" toto heherr sonson Jacob'Jacob'ss worrworryy thathatt ifif hehe goesgoes toto hihiss blindblind fatherfather IsaacIsaac pretendinpretendingg ttoo bbee hihiss oldeolderr brotherbrother Esau,Esau, hehe willwill bringbring onon himselfhimself a cursecurse insteainsteadd ofof ththee hoped-fohoped-forr fa­fa­ therltherlyy "Blessing"Blessing fromfrom ththee Lord"Lord" ofof ththee first born)born),, OleariuOleariuss writes:writes:

[Rebekah[Rebekah said,said, "Let"Let thethe curse]curse] comecome overover meme;; iitt meemeett mmee andand remairemainn oonn me."me." SoSo saidsaid thethe Jews:Jews: "his"his bloodblood comecome overover us,"us," namelnamelyy ththee punishmenpunishmentt ooff ththee in­in­ nocentnocent blood.blood. MatthewMatthew 27=25.27:25. [Rebekah][Rebekah] saisaidd ["the["the curscursee bbee onon me"me"]] ttoo con­con­ vincevince Jacob,Jacob, forfor sheshe knewknew assuredlyassuredly thatthat herehere thertheree wawass nonott a cursecurse ttoo facfacee butbut a blessrng.blessing. SoSo sayssays alsoalso David,David, PsalmPsalm 33:22.Your33:22.Your goodness,goodness, Lord,Lord, bebe overo\^er us,us, aass a steadfaststeadfast protection,protection, NB.NB. PsalmPsalm 91:1-2,91:1—2, andand remainremain overover usus unchangingly.unchangingly.3939

AtAt itsits commentarycommentary onon GenesisGenesis 27:13,27:13, Bach'Bach'ss CaloCalovv BiblBiblee Com-Com­ mentarymentary writeswrites somethingsomething similarsimilar aboutabout cursescurses anandd blessingsblessings::

[Rebekah][Rebekah] saidsaid ["the["the cursecurse bebe onon me"]me"] outout ofof assureassuredd trustrustt thathatt iitt woulwouldd turnturn outout suchsuch thatthat JacobJacob wouldwould receivereceive notnot a cursecurse bubutt a beautifubeautifull fatherlyfatherly blessrng,blessing, atat whichwhich sheshe alsoalso couldcould bbee delighted-whichdelighted—which ascertainmenascertainmentt originateoriginatedd fromfrom MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 1111

God'sGod's answeranswer [to[to RebekahRebekah inin Genesis]Genesis] 25:23.4040

NowNow atat hishis commentarycommentary onon PsalmPsalm 33:2233:22 ("You("Yourr goodnessgoodness,, Lord,Lord, bbee overover us,us, asas a steadfaststeadfast protection"),protection"), OleariusOlearius writes:writes:

Be over usus trulytruly andand remainremain steadfast,steadfast, NB.XB. GenesisGenesis 227:13 7: I 3 .. MatthewMatthew 227:25. T 2 5 :H41

ThatThat is,is, "goodness""goodness" inin PsalmPsalm 3333 andand "his"his blood"blood" iinn MattheMattheww 2277 areare botbothh saidsaid inin thethe LutherLuther BibleBible toto bebe "over us,"us," prompting prompting OleariusOlearius toto drawdraw anan interpretiveinterpretive parallelparallel betweenbetween thethe PsalmPsalm andand Gospel.Gospel. ChristiansChristians taketake thethe redemptiveredemptive powerpower (that(that isis,, ththee goodness)goodness) ofof "his"his bloodblood"" toto havehave beenbeen institutedinstituted byby thethe wordswords ofof JesusJesus iinn MatthewMatthew 26:27-28,26:27—28, wordswords thatthat BachBach powerfullypowerfully setset inin thethe St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion ("Drink("Drink from it,it, allall [[oof f you];you]; thisthis isis mymy bloobloodd ooff ththee new422 covenant,covenant, whichwhich isis shedshed forfor manymany forfor thethe forgivenessforgiveness ofof sins").sins"). AAtt hihiss com­com­ mentarymentary onon MatthewMatthew 26:28,26:28, OleariusOlearius writes:writes:

Blood; haima;haima; aboutabout thisthis I 1 JohnJohn I 1:7:7.. ThisThis isis ratificationratification ofof thethe newnew covenantcovenant throughthrough mymy ownown blood..blood .... thusthus correspondingcorresponding toto ththee sacrificiasacrificiall bloobloodd [of][of] Ex­Ex­ odusodus 24:8.4343

AtAt hishis commentarycommentary onon ExodusExodus 24:824:8 ("Then("Then MoseMosess tootookk ththee [sac[sac­­ rificial]rificial] bloodblood andand sprinkledsprinkled thethe peoplepeople withwith it,it, anandd exclaimedexclaimed,, 'Be­'Be­ hold,hold, thisthis isis thethe bloodblood ofof thethe covenantcovenant thatthat thethe LorLordd [has][has] madmadee withwith youyou ...... '") "'),, OleariusOlearius writes:writes:

Blood of the covenant; Dam Dam habberith;habberith; about abou tthis thi sLeviticus Leviticu s26 2 6and an dNehemiah Nehemiah 9, 9 , whosewhose MosaicMosaic covenantcovenant ofof lawlaw correspondscorresponds toto thethe GospelGospel covenancovenantt ofof gracegrace andand thethe bloodblood ofof JesusJesus ChristChrist inin thethe NewNew Testament.Testament. MatthewMatthew 2626.. HebrewsHebrews 44 9:19.Q:I9·44 ThatThat isis toto say,say, sprinklingsprinkling bloobloodd overover "the"the peoplepeople"" iiss understoounderstoodd byby OleariusOlearius toto bbee anan actact ofof blessingblessing bothboth inin ExodusExodus anandd inin ththee Gospel;Gospel; andand thusthus implicitlyimplicitly thethe bloodblood passagespassages inin MatthewMatthew 2266 anandd 2277 areare toto bebe linked.linked. ToTo returnreturn toto Bach:Bach: TakingTaking a blessingblessing toto appearappear behinbehindd a cursecurse hap­hap­ penspens againagain towardtoward thethe endend ofof thethe St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion,, aatt ththee ariaaria "Ach Golgatha," whosewhose thirdthird andand fourthfourth lineslines read,read, "the"the blessingblessing andand salvationsalvation ofof thethe worldworld appearsappears onon thethe crosscross asas a curse."4455 ThThee ideideaa ofof thethe crosscross asas seemingseeming cursecurse butbut actualactual blessingblessing iiss developedevelopedd alsoalso inin thethe nextnext aria,aria, "Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand, uns zufassen,zu fassen, ausgepannt."ausgepannt." 1212 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

LutheranLutheran passiopassionn sermonsermon writerswriters inin Bach'sBach's personapersonall librarlibraryy refereferr toto JesusJesus asas "the"the properproper highhigh priest"priest" [[derder rechterechte Hohepriester]: Hohepriester]: "his "hi handss hand s hehe hashas outstretchedoutstretched [[ausgespannet]ausgespannet] on o nthe th ecross cros sto t oembrace embrac eyou; you;...... hishis handshands hehe hashas outstretchedoutstretched toto blessbless you"4466 (that(that is,is, byby formingforming thethe posturposturee ofof thethe priestpriest inin a prayeprayerr ofof blessing—seblessing-seee alsalsoo ththee EpistlEpistlee toto thethe Hebrews,Hebrews, especiallyespecially 7:25).7:25).

Conclusion

ItIt mightmight bebe usefuluseful toto provideprovide inin briebrieff mmyy readingreadingss ofof Matthew,Matthew, Luther,Luther, andand Bach:Bach: ForFor Matthew'sMatthews Gospel,Gospel, inin thethe narrativenarrative itselfitself JewsJews andand GentilesGentiles ("the("the crowds")crowds") areare togethertogether heldheld morallymorally responsibleresponsible foforr ththee deatdeathh ofof JesusJesus (27:20,(27:20,24) 24);; thethe KingdomKingdom ofof GodGod passepassess ttoo somesome neneww oror renewerenewedd en­en­ titytity (2(21:43) I :43);; andand "the"the Gewish)(Jewish) peoplepeople"" araree depicteddepicted aass cryingcrying outout "his"his bloodblood [be][be] onon uuss andand ourour children"children" (2(27:25 7:2 5,, oneone versversee afterafter PilatePilate hahass declareddeclared himselfhimself innocentinnocent beforebefore thethe festivafestivall "crowd"),"crowd"), presumablypresumably becausebecause MatthewMatthew wisheswishes ttoo pointpoint ttoo thethe violencviolencee heapeheapedd upouponn JewsJews inin thethe yearyear 70,70, thethe generationgeneration ofof "the"the people'speople's"" childrechildrenn oror grand­grand­ children,children, whenwhen thethe JewishJewish TempleTemple waswas destroyed.4 477 ForFor Luther'sLuther's linguisticallylinguistically innovativeinnovative translatiotranslationn ooff ththee Gospel,Gospel, however,however, onlyonly JewsJews willwill andand can bebe heldheld morallymorally responsibleresponsible forfor thethe deathdeath ofof Jesus. 4488 AgainstAgainst Matthew'sMatthew's distinctiodistinctionn betweebetweenn "the"the crowds"crowds" andand "the"the people,people,"" forfor LutherLuther itit isis thethe samesame Volk ofof 27:2027:20 thatthat criescries outout a bloodblood cursecurse uponupon itselfitself inin 27:2527:25;; ththee KingdomKingdom ofof GodGod passepassess fromfrom JewsJews toto thethe Gentiles;Gentiles; andand "the"the Gewish)(Jewish) peoplepeople"" ddoo in­in­ deeddeed cursecurse themselvesthemselves forfor allall timetime post Christi adventum (because,(because, LutherLuther believes,believes, theythey havehave becomebecome a God-forsakenGod-forsaken groupgroup whowho shouldshould naturallynaturally expectexpect continualcontinual persecution).4 499 ForFor Bach'sBach's St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion (whose(whose biblicalbiblical portionsportions comecome ver­ver­ batibatimm fromfrom Luther),Luther), thethe biblicalbiblical narrativenarrative itselitselff depictsdepicts JewsJews aass morallymorally responsibleresponsible forfor thethe deathdeath ofof Jesus,Jesus, whilwhilee inin ththee commentarycommentary portionsportions ChristiansChristians alonealone areare chastisedchastised forfor theitheirr guiltguilt iinn havinhavingg causedcaused Jesus'Jesus' death;death; therethere isis nono mentionmention ofof thethe passinpassingg ofof God'sGod's Kingdom;Kingdom; andand itit emergesemerges fromfrom thethe commentarycommentary thathatt "the"the (JewishGewish)) peoplepeople"" araree understoounderstoodd ironicallyironically toto havehave calledcalled uponupon themselvethemselvess anandd theitheirr chil­chil­ drendren a blessingblessing effectedeffected byby thethe redemptiveredemptive bloobloodd ofof JesusJesus.. MATTHEWMATTHEW,, LUTHERLUTHER,, ANANDD BACHBACH 1313

GivenGiven thethe historicahistoricall evidence,evidence, itit doesdoes nonott appearappear thathatt ththee kindkind ofof interpretationinterpretation ofof ththee GospelGospel projecteprojectedd bbyy ththee wordwordss andand musicmusic ofof Bach'Bach'ss St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion cancan bbee saidsaid toto havehave anyany reasonablereasonable con­con­ nectionectionn witwithh thethe physicallphysicallyy violenviolentt oror determineddetermined eternal-damnationeternal-damnation strainsstrains ofof anti-Jewishanti-Jewish sentimentsentiment oftenoften associatedassociated (whether(whether rightlyrightly oror wrongly)wrongly) withwith Matthew'sMatthew's passiopassionn narrativenarrative.. WhatWhat remainsremains unclear,unclear, howeverhowever,, iiss jusjustt hohoww "generous""generous" listenerslisteners maymay believbelievee ththee redeem­redeem­ inging bloobloodd ofof JesusJesus proclaimeproclaimedd inin Bach'sBach's ariaaria "Konnen"Können TriinenTränen meinermeiner Wangen"J:.¾ingen" toto be.be. WhileWhile thethe PaulinePauline ideaidea ofofjustification justification onlyonly byby gracegrace througthroughh faithfaith surelysurely appliesapplies forfor Gentiles,Gentiles, doesdoes ththee samesame necessarilynecessarily holholdd true,true, accordingaccording ttoo Bach'sBach's St.St. MatthewMatthew Passion,Passion, forfor thethe salvationsalvation ofof so-calledso-called OldOld Israel?5500 ArAree listenerslisteners rightlyrightly ttoo understandunderstand thethe St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion asas construingconstruing salvationsalvation altogetheraltogether inclusivelyinclusively when,when, forfor example,example, inin Bach'Bach'ss recitativrecitativee nono.. 2222 ththee textextt statesstates (my(my emphases):emphases):

DerDer HeilanHeilandd filltfällt vorvor seinemseinem TheThe SaviorSavior fallsfalls VaterVater nieder;nieder; downdown beforbeforee hihiss Father;Father; DadurchDadurch erhebterhebt erer michmich therebythereby hehe liftslifts mmee andand und alle everyoneeveryone VonVon unserunsermm FallFallee fromfrom ourour FallFall HinauHinauff zzuu GottesGottes GnadeGnade wieder.wieder. uupp ttoo God'sGod's gracegrace again.again.

ButBut ifif thethe hopehope behindbehind a redemptiveredemptive understandingunderstanding ofof MatthewMatthew 27:2527:25 isis thatthat all thethe childrenchildren ofof IsraelIsrael willwill acceptaccept thethe savingsaving powerpower ofof Jesus'Jesus' bloodblood,, thisthis couldcould stillstill givegive thethe passagpassagee a "violent""violent" effect:effect: wouldwould ~otnot suchsuch a confessionconfession marmarkk thethe deathdeath ofof "Judaism"?5511

Appendix 11

Usage ofof ochlos ochlos and and laos laos in inMatthew5 Matthew2 62

BIBLES:

E = ElberfelderElberfelder M = passagepassage inin MatthewMatthew Er=Er = ErasmuErasmuss 15191519 NΝ = NeNeww RevisedRevised StandardVersionStandard Version ΚK = KingKing JamesJames VersionVersion NT=NT = GreekGreek NewTestamentNew Testament L = LutherLuther V =Vulgate= Vulgate 1414 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

TERMS: Cc = crowdcrowd ΡP == peoppeoplel e L == laos ΡPl=1 =: plebsplebs M == .'\.1engeMenge Po=Po =ζ populuspopulus MoMO :== multitudomultitudo Ss == Schar MuMu === multitudemultitude Tτ == turba 0O = = ochlos Vν = Volk Vm m = VolksmengeVolksmenge

M LLs353 E KΚ ΝN νV EErr NNTT contexcontextt 1:211:21 V V pΡ p Ρ PPoo PPoo L JesuJesuss wil\.villl savsavee hihiss peoplepeople 2:42:4 V V V pΡ pΡ PoPo Po Po L leaderleaderss ofof ththee peoplepeople 2:62:6 V V V pΡ pΡ PoPo Po Po L MessiaMessiahh wilwilll shephershepherdd mmyy peoplepeople IsraeIsraell 4:164:16 V V V pΡ pΡ PoPo PoPo L peoplpeoplee whwhoo sasatt iinn darknessdarkness 4:234:23 V V V pΡ p Ρ PoPo PoPo L JesuJesuss teachinteachingg iinn theitheirr synagogues.synagogues, healinhealingg ththee peoplepeople 4:24:255 V VmVm MMuu C TΤ T Τ 0O greagreatt crowdcrowdss follofolloww JesusJesus,, fromfrom DecapolisDecapohs,, etcetc.. 5:15:1 V VVmm MuMu C ΤT ΤT O0 crowdcrO\.vdss [follow7 JesusJesus,, frofromm DecapoDecapo-­ lislis,, etc.]etc.] 7:287:28 V VmVm pΡ C Tτ T Τ 0O crowdcrowdss astoundedastounded atat JesusJesus,, wh\.vhoo hahass authorityauthority,, nonott aass "their"their scnbes"scribes" 8:18:1 V VVmm MuMu C Tτ T Τ 0O greagreatt crowdcrowdss follofolloww JesuJesuss frofromm ththee mountaimountainn 8:188:18 V VmVm MuMu C Tτ T Τ 0O greagreatt crowdcrowdss arounaroundd JesusJesus 9:89:8 V VmVm MuMu C Tτ ΤT O0 crowdcrowdss iinn JesusJesus'' owownn towtownn seseee hihimm healinhealingg 9:239:23 V VVmm pΡ C τT ΤT 0O crowcrowdd inin a leader'leader'ss houshousee makinmakingg a commotioncommotion,, thinkinthinkingg youngyoung girlgirl hahadd died,died, bubutt JesusJesus sayssays she'sshe's onlyonly sleepinsleepingg 9:259:25 V VVmm pΡ C Tτ TΤ 0O crowcrowdd iiss puputt outsidoutsidee ththee househouse 9:339:33 V VmVm MuMu C Tτ T Τ 0O crowdcrowdss aatt JesusJesus'' healinhealingg mutmutee de-de­ moniacmoniac:: "Neve"Neverr hahass anythinanythingg hkelike thithiss beebeenn seeseenn iinn IsraelIsrael"" 9:369:36 V VVmm MMuu C Tτ T Τ 0O JesuJesuss hahass compassiocompassionn foforr crowds,crowds, whwhoo areare liklikee sheesheepp withouwithoutt a shephershepherdd 11:711:7 V VmVm MuMu C Tτ T Τ 0O JesuJesuss speaksspeaks ttoo crowdscrowds aboutabout JohJohnn ththee BaptistBaptist 12:1512:15 . VV VmVm MMuu C T Τ 0O JesuJesuss curecuress manmanyy crowdcrowdss followingfollowing himhim,, iinn fulfillmenfulfillmentt ooff Isaiah'Isaiah'ss prophecprophecyy ooff justicjustice e ttoo anandd hophopee forfor ththee gentilesgentiles MATTHEWMATTHEW,, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 1515

12:2312:23 V VVmm Ρp C ΤT T Τ 0Ο alalll thethe crowdscrowds amazeamazedd atat Jesus'Jesus' healinheahngg a mutemute anandd blinblindd demoniademoniacc 12:4612:46 V VVmm Ρp C TΤ T Τ O0 JesuJesuss speaksspeaks ttoo crowdscrowds ooff hihiss trutruee kindrekindredd (not(not hishis mothermother andand brothbroth-­ ers)ers) 13:2a13:2a V VmVm MuMu C TΤ T Τ 0O crowdscrowds gathergather aroundaround JesuJesuss bbyy ththee seasea 13:2b13:2b V VmVm MMuu C Tτ T Τ Ο0 wholwholee crowdcrowd standsstands onon ththee beacbeachh 13:1513:15 V V V pΡ p Ρ PoPo Po Po L thithiss people'people'ss hearheartt hashas growngrow7n dulldull [people[people herheree seemseem equateequatedd withwith ththee crowcrowdd ooff 13:2]13:2] 13:3413:34 V VVmm MMuu C T T Τ Τ Ο0 JesusJesus speakspeakss ttoo crowdscrowds inin parablesparables 13:3613:36 V VmVm MuMu Cc T τ ΤT 0Ο JesusJesus leavesleaves thethe crowdscrowds 14:514:5 V VmVm MuMu Cc PPoo MoMo 0Ο HerodHerod fearsfears thethe crowdcrowd becausebecause theythey regarregardd JohJohnn asas a propheprophett 14:1314:13 V VVmm Ρp C TΤ T Τ 0O crowdscrowds followfollow JesusJesus toto a deserteddeserted placeplace 14:1414:14 V VmVm MMuu C ΤT T Τ 0O JesuJesuss hashas compassioncompassion foforr thisthis crowdcrowd anandd healhealss theirtheir sicksick 14:1514:15 V VVmm MMuu C T Τ TΤ O0 disciplediscipless asaskk JesusJesus ttoo sendsend crowdscrowds awaawayy 14:19a14:19a V VmVm MuMu C T T τ τ 0ο JesusJesus givesgives foodfood toto thethe crowdscrowds 14:19b14:19b V VmVm MuMu Cc Tτ T τ 0ο JesusJesus givesgives foodfood toto thethe crowdscrowds 14:2214:22 V VmVm MMuu Cc T τ Tτ 0ο JesusJesus disnussesdismisses crowdscrowds 14:2314:23 V VmVm MMuu Cc Tτ 0ο JesusJesus dismissedisnussedd crowdscrowds 15:815:8 V V V Ρp p Ρ PoPo PoPo L thithiss peoplpeoplee [the[the phariseephariseess anandd scribes]scribes] honorhonorss meme withwith theitheirr hps,lips, but..but .... inin vaivainn ddoo theythey worshiworshipp meme,, teachinteachingg humahumann preceptpreceptss aass docdoc-­ trinetriness 15:1015:10 V VmVm MuMu C TΤ TΤ 0O speaksspeaks toto crowdscrowds ofof thingsthings thathatt trulytruly defiledefile 15:3015:30 V VVmm MuMu C Tτ T τ 0ο greatgreat crowdscrowds seekmgJesus'seeking Jesus' healinghealing 15:3115:31 V VmVm MuMu C Tτ T τ 0ο crowdcrowd amazedamazed atat Jesus'Jesus' healing,healing, "and"and theythey praisepraisedd ththee GodGod ofof Israel"Israel" 15:3215:32 V VmVm MMuu C Tτ Tτ ο0 JesuJesuss hashas compassioncompassion forfor thethe crowdcrowd 15:3315:33 νV VVmm MMuu cC Tτ T τ 0ο disciplesdisciples worrworryy abouaboutt foodfood forfor soso greatgreat a crowdcrowd 15:3515:35 νV VVmm MMuu Cc τT T τ ο0 JesuJesuss orderorderss crowcrowdd ttoo sitsit 15:3615:36 Vν VmVm MuMu Cc PoPo Tτ 0ο disciplesdisciples feedfeed thethe crowdscrowds 15:3915:39 Vν VmVm MMuu Cc T τ Tτ 0ο JesusJesus sendssends thethe crowdscrowds awayaway 17:1417:14 Vν VmVm MuMu Cc Tτ T τ 0ο JesusJesus andand disciplesdisciples comecome toto ththee crowdcrowrd 19:219:2 V VVmm MuMu C ΤT T Τ 0O largelarge crowdscrowds followfollow JesusJesus imn JudeaJudea,, andand hehe curescures thethemm 20:220:299 V VmVm MMuu C ΤT TΤ 0O largelarge crowdcrowd followfollowss JesuJesuss fromfrom JerichJerichoo 1616 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLQUARTERLYY

20:320:311 V VVmm MMuu C T T Τ Τ 0O crowdcrowd orderorderss blinbhndd menmen seekmgseeking healinheahngg ttoo bbee quietquiet 21:21:88 V VVmm MMuu C T T τ Τ O0 crowcrowdd spreadspreadss cloakcloakss oonn ththee roadroad foforr JesusJesus 21:921:9 V VmVm MuMu C T T τ Τ 0O crowdscrowds callcall toto Jesus,Jesus, "Hosannah""Hosannah" 21:1121:11 V VmVm MMuu C PPoo TΤ 0O crowdcrowdss sasayy JesuJesuss isis ththee propheprophett fromfrom GalileeGalilee 21:2321:23 V V V pΡ Ρp PPoo PoPo L leadersleaders ofof ththee peoplepeople 21:26 V Vm p C T T Τ Τ 0O leaderleaderss areare afraiafraidd ooff ththee crowdcrowd,, forfor 21:26 V Vm Ρ C alalll regarderegardedd JohJohnn asas a propheprophett 21:46 V Vm Mu C T T Τ Τ 0O leadersleaders araree afraidafraid ofof ththee crowdcrowd,, forfor 21:46 V Vm Mu C thetheyy regarregardd JesuJesuss aass a propheprophett 22:33 V Vm Mu C TΤ TΤ 0O thethe crowdcrowrd astonishedastonished atat JesusJesus ' 22:33 V Vm Mu C teachingteaching 23:1 V Vm Mu C TΤ TΤ 0O JesuJesuss warnswarns crowdscrowds andand hihiss disciplesdisciples 23:1 V Vm Mu C aboutabout thethe PhariseesPharisees 26:3 V V p p PoPo Po Po L leaderleaderss ooff ththee peoplepeople 26:26:53 V V V pΡ p Ρ PoPo Po Po L leadersleaders fearfear a notnot amonamongg ththee peo-peo­ 26:5 V V Ρ Ρ plplee iiff JesuJesus s iiss seizeseizedd durinduringg thethe festivafestivall 26:426:477 s M MMuu C T T Τ Τ O0 larglargee crowcrowdd witwithh weaponweaponss seekseek ttoo seizeseize JesusJesus 26:426:477 V V pΡ Ρp PoPo Po Po L leadersleaders ofof thethe peoplepeople 26:526:555 sS VmVm MuMu C T T Τ Τ 0O thethe crowdscrowds [with[with weapons,weapons, seekingseeking toto seizeseize Jesus]Jesus] 27:27:11 V V Ρp p Ρ PoPo Po Po L leadersleaders ofof thethe peoplepeople 27:127:155 V VmVm Ρp C PPoo TΤ O0 PilatePilate accustomeaccustomedd ttoo releasingreleasing a prisoneprisonerr ttoo ththee festivafestivall crowdcrowd 27:227:200 V VVmm MMuu C PPoo TΤ 0O leadersleaders persuadpersuadee ththee festivalfestival crowdscrowds ttoo asaskk foforr BarabbuBarabbuss bubutt ttoo havehave JesusJesus destroyeddestroyed 27:2427:24 V VmVm MuMu C PoPo PoPo 0O PilatePilate washewashess hishis handshands beforbeforee thethe festivalfestival crowdcrowd 27:2527:25 V V pΡ p Ρ PoPo Po Po L thethe entireentire peoplpeoplee respondrespond,, "his"his bloobloodd [be][be] onon uuss andand ourour childrenchildren"" 27:6427:64 V V V Ρp Ρp PPlI Pl PI L chiefchief priestpriestss andand PhariseePhariseess askask PilatePilate forfor guarguardd atat Jesus'Jesus' tombtomb,, soso thathatt hihiss disciplesdisciples wilwilll nonott bbee ableable toto steasteall ththee bodbodyy anandd saysay ttoo ththee peopeo-­ ple,ple, "he"he hashas beenbeen raisedraised fromfrom thethe dead"dead" MATTHEWMATTHEW,, LUTHERLUTHER,, ANANDD BACHBACH 1717

Appendix 2

"versesVerses from from Luther's Luther's rendering rendering of of the the passion passion narrative narrative in Matthew in Matthew

kekeyy termterm iinn LutherLuther directdirect translationtranslation MattheMattheww

2277 1 DeDess MorgensMorgens aberaber hieltenhielten allealle WhenWhen mornmgmorning arrived,arrived, howeverhowever,, allall laoslaos HohepriesteHohepnesterr unundd chedie altestenältesten desdes ththee chiefchief priestpnestss anandd ththee elderselders ooff thethe VallesVolks emeneinen RatRat übeuberr Jesum,Jesum, dada s1esie peoplpeoplee helheldd a councilcouncil aboutabout Jesus,Jesus, soso ihihnn totetentöteten thatthat thetheyy mighrrughtt killkill himhim 2277 9-109-10 DaDa 1stist erfulleterfüllet dasdas gesagtgesagt 1stist durchdurch AndAnd soso isis fulfilledfulfilled whawhatt iiss toldtold byby thethe hu10shuios dedenn PropheteProphetenn Jererruas,Jeremías, dada erer propheprophett Jererruah,Jeremiah,3 '44 whewhenn hehe sayssays spnchtspricht S1eSie habehabenn genommengenommen TheyThey havhavee takentaken thirtythirty piecespieces ofof drei8igdreißig Stlberhnge,Silberhnge, damidarrutt bezahletbezahlet silver,silver, withwith whicwhichh thethe SoldSold OneOne waswas wardward derder Verkaufte,Verkaufte, welchewelchenn s1esie paipaidd for,for, whomwhom theythey boughtbought fromfrom kauftekauftenn vanvon dedenn KmdernKindern Isreal,Isreal, undund thethe childrenchildren ofof IsraelIsrael,, andand havehave givengiven habehabenn s1esie gegebegegebenn umum emeneinen thethemm forfor a potterpotterss field,field, asas thethe LordLord ToTo pfersakkerpfersakker,, alsals rrurmir derder HerrHerr hashas commandedcommanded meme befohlebefohlenn hathat 227157 15 AufAuf dasdas FestFest aberaber hattehatte derder ButBut durmgduring ththee FestivaFesnvall thethe governogovernorr ochlosochlos LandpflegerLandpfleger Gewohnhe1t,Gewohnheit, demdem VolkVolk wawass accustomedaccustomed ttoo releasmgreleasing a emeneinen GefangenenGefangenen loszugeben,loszugeben, prisonepnsonerr toto thethe peoplepeople,, whomeverwhomever welchewelchenn s1esie wolltenwollten thetheyy wishedwished 2277 2200 AberAber chedie HohenpnesterHohenpriester unundd chedie ButBut ththee chiefchief priestpnestss andand ththee elderselders ochlosochlos altestenältesten uberredetenüberredeten dasdas Volk,Volk, dada s1esie persuadepersuadedd ththee peoplpeoplee thatthat theythey uumm BarabbasBarabbas bittenbitten solltensollten undund shouldshould askask forfor BarabbasBarabbas andand destroydestroy JesuJesumm umbrachtenumbrachten JesuJesuss 2727 22-222-233 PilatuPtlatuss sprachsprach zzuu [dem[dem VolkVolk]] WasWas PilatePilate saidsaid toto [the[the peoplepeople]] What,What, [ochlos][ochlos] sollsoll 1chich dendennn machenmachen mirrutt Jesu,Jesu, vanvon thenthen,, shouldshould I dodo witwithh JesusJesus,, ofof demdem gesaggesagtt wird,wird, erer setsei Chnstus'Christus'' SteSie whowhomm 1tit tsis said,said, hhee itss thethe Chrtst'Christ' sprachensprachen allealle La8Laß ihnihn kreuz1genlkreuzigen' TheyThey allall saidsaid HaveHave himhim crucified'crucified' DeDerr LandpflegerLandpfleger sagtesagte WaWass hathat erer ThThee governorgovernor saidsaid WhaWhatt evtlevil thingthing denndenn ubelsubels getan'getan*5 SteSie schneenschrieen aberaber hashas hehe done,done, thenthen'5 ButBut theythey shoutedshouted nocnochh mehmehrr unundd sprachensprachen La8Laß 1hnihn outout snllstill moremore,, saymgsaying HavHavee lumhim kreuzigenkreuz1gen'1 crucified'crucified' 2727 2244 DDaa aberaber PtlatusPilatus sahe,sähe, da8daß eerr ruchtsnichts BuButt whenwhen PilatePilate sawsaw thatthat hehe couldcould ochlosochlos schaffete,schaflfete, sondernsondern da8daß emein vielviel dodo nothing—rathernothin~rather,, thathatt a muchmuch gro8ergroßer GetummelGetümmel wardward,, nahnahmm erer greatergreater commononcommotion waswas developm~developing— WasserWasser unundd wuscwuschh chedie HändHandee varvor hehe tootookk waterwater andand washedwashed hishis handshands demdem VolkVolk undund sprachsprach lchIch bmbin beforbeforee ththee peoplepeople andand saidsaid I amam unschuldiunschulchgg anan demdem BlutBlut chesesdieses innocenmnocentt ofof ththee bloobloodd ofof thisthis Gerechten,Gerechten, sehetsehet ihrihr zu 1' nghteousrighteous one--youone—you seesee toto 1tlit' 2727 2525 DaDa antworteteantwortete dadass ganzeganze VolVolkk undund ThenThen ththee ennreentire peoplepeople answered,answered, laoslaos sprachsprach SemSein BlutBlut kommekomme uberüber unsuns saymgsaying HisHis bloodblood comecome overover usus andand teknonteknon undund uberüber unsreunsre KmderKinder overover ourour childrenchildren 1818 LUTHERALUTHERANN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

NOTENOTESS

1ι ThisThis essayessay waswas firstfirst readread atat thethe conferenceconference PaSS1011,Passion, Affekt 1111dund LerdenschciftLeidenschaft 111in der fmhen frühen .YeuzertXeuzeit KongreßKongri;/3 111in der Herzog August Brbltothek,Bibliothek, 11.11. JahrestreffenJahrestreffen desdes WolfenbutteieWolfenbuttelerr ArbeitskreisArbeitskreis fùfurr Barock­Barock­ forschung.forschung. ApnlApril 2-5.2003.2-5, 2003. Wolfenbuttel,Wolfenbuttel, GermanyGermany LotharLothar Steiger.Steiger, professoprofessorr ementusemeritus ofof pracncalpractical theologytheology andand dogmancsdogmatics atat ththee UmversityUniversity ofof Heidelberg.Heidelberg, dehvereddelivered a formalformal responseresponse thatthat wilw1.lll bebe pub­pub­ lishedlished imn thethe conferenceconference proceedingsproceedmgs,, editededited bbyy JohannJohann AnselmAnselm SteigerSteiger (Wolfenbuttel.(Wolfenbuttel. Wolfenbut­Wolfenbut- telerteler ArbeitskreiArbeJ.tSkreiss furfùr BarockforschungBarocktorschung.. 2005).2005). MyMy thanksthanks ttoo TassiloTassilo &hardt.Efhardt. DanieDarnell Melamed.Melamed. andand PaulPaulaa FrednksenFrednksen foforr criticiscnncismm andand encouragementencouragement 2.2. J.J. RR.. C.C. Cousland.Cousland, TheTìie Crowds inIII the Gospel of Matthew.\Iattherv (Leiden:(Leiden: Brill.Brill, 2002).2002). 3 Cousland,Cousland, Crotl'ds,Crowds, 993 3.. 4.4. ThISThis notwithstandingnotwithstanding thethe commentscomments atat 26.26.55 5 5b abouaboutt Jesus·Jesus' teachmgteaching ofof ththee ochlorochloi min thethe Tem­Tem­ ple.ple. PresumablyPresumably 26:47 shouldshould nonott bebe construedconstrued ttoo meameann thatthat a largelarge grougroupp ofof ththee commonerscommoners ooff IsIs­­ raelrael camecame witwithh weaponsweapons thetheyy hahadd borroweborrowedd fromfrom ththee chiechieff pnestspriests andand elders!elders! AlternativelyAlternam·ely,, however.however, itit mightmight bebe arguedargued thatthat w\Yee areare supposedsupposed ttoo reareadd ththee phrasephrase apo ton arclueronarchreron kmkai presbyteron presbyteron to11 ton laou laou as a s saymgsaying thatthat a largelarge groupgroup ··of"of ththee peoplpeoplee [of[of Israel]"'wasIsrael]" was .."sen sentt fromfrom··" oror ·'authonzed"authorized byby"'" theitheirr leaders.leaders. (It(It isis worthworth nonngnoting thathatt thethe ochlos is is here here manyin any eYentevent notnot depicteddepicted asas a a Yigilante vigilante mob.mob. ,YhoeYer whoever thethe oc/1-och­ los is.is .it it actsacts onon legallegal authonty.)authority.) ButBut wouldwould chiefchief priestspriests andand elderselders wishwish oror needneed toto authorize.authorize, andand arm.arm. a crowdcrowd ofof commonerscommoners toto seizeseize JesusJesus ofof Nazareth?Nazareth? 5 YetYet anotheranother obsernnon:observation: AreAre notnot thethe leadersleaders schemancallyschematically '·above·•"above" thethe laoslaos min Matthe,yMatthew 27.64?27.64? 6 Cousland,Cousland, Crowds, 772-7 2-73 3 SeeSee alsoalso thethe exactmgexacting formulanonformulation ofof WWD D.. DanesDavies andand DaleDale C Alli­Alli­ son,son, A CntrcalCritical and Exegetical Commentary on tirethe Gospel AccordingAccordrng to SaintSamt .\1atthewMatthew (Edinburgh:(Edinburgh: T.T. & T.T. Clark,Clark, 1988-Jn),1988-97), 1-419r-419,, '·Matthew"Matthew mamayy presupposepresuppose a GentileGentile presencepresence amongamong thethe crowds.crowds, bubutt hhee doesdoes notnot emphasizeemphasize this.'·this." 7.7. FlaYmsFlavius JosephusJosephus,, T11eThe JewishJew1s/1 JJa,,Wai, 6.421.6.421. 8.8. JosephusJosephus,, War.Har. 6.426-276.426-27 (see(see alsoalso MishnahMishnah PesalumPesa/um 5 3,3,66 6 6;; andand ExoduExoduss 12:48:12:48; cf.cf. JohnJohn 12.20.12.20. wherewhere thethe gentilegentiless [''Greeks'")["Greeks'"] attenattendd Passover[?]PassoYer[?),, andand LeviticuLevmcuss 22:2522:25.. J1 KingKmgss 8:41—43)8:.p-43).. FoForr back­back­ groundground onon GentilesGentiles "·orshippmgworshipping imn ththee Temple,Temple, seesee ththee Appendix,Appendix, "'Gentile"Gentile ParticipatioParncipanonn min WorshipWorship atat Jerusalem.""Jerusalem." imn EmiEnull Schurer,Schurer, TlieTI1e History ofq( the Jewish People inIII the Age of Jesus ClmstChrist (175(173 ΒB cC—A --i D 135),133), re,·.andrev. and ed.ed. byby GezaVermesGézaVermes & FergusFergus Millar.etMillar, et alal (Edmburgh·(Edinburgh· T.&T. & T.Clark.T. Clark. 1973-87).2·309-131973-87), 2-309-13 Incidentall);Incidentally, thethe classiclassicc WhistoWhistonn translanontranslation ofof Josephus-owmgJosephus—owing ttoo hishis particularparticular ChristiaChristiann bias;-er­bias'—er­ roneouslyroneously assignsassigns thethe ··large"large numbersnumbers•·" ttoo ththee entireentire multitudmultitudee ratherrather thathann toto ·'the"the foreigners"foreigners *.. (my(my thankthankss toto JonathaJonathann Price.Price. TeTell Avn-Aviv UniversityUmversity,, forfor helpinhelpmgg mmee witwithh thisthis passage).passage). JosephuJosephuss cannotcannot bebe refernngreferring toto GennieGentile convertconvertss ttoo JudaismJudaism,, asas proselyteproselytess woulwouldd lawfullylawfully partakpartakee ofof thethe PassoverPassover sacrifice.sacrifice. DrawmgDrawing onon thesthesee passagepassagess imn JosephusJosephus imn connectionconnection ,vithwith a notionotionn ofof mixermxedd crowdscrowds imn ththee GospelsGospels hashas,, ttoo mmyy knowledge,knowledge, notnot beebeenn exploredexplored imn NewNew TestamentTestament studies.studies. 99.. ThisThis 1.ssueissue hashas,, ttoo mymy knowledge.knowledge, notnot beenbeen els.-ploredexplored min LutherLuther studies.studies. IO.10. IItt isis possiblepossible., ofof course,course, thathatt LutheLutherr isis simplysimply reahzmgrealizing a latenlatentt tendencytendency imn ththee languagelanguage ofof MatthewMatthew,, asas itsits authorauthor certamlycertainly doedoess nonott projecproJectt a posmvepositive viewview ofof JewsJews whwhoo electelect notnot ttoo followfollow JesusJesus MMyy question.question, howeverhowever., iiss whetherwhether LutherLuther rmghtmight bebe bringinbnngmgg a falsefalse dantyclarity toto ththee texttext I11 I . . AlmosAlmostt withouwithoutt exception.exception, thesthesee dodo reareadd wrbaturba ("'("crowd" crowd")) min ththee Vulgate Vulgate., ththee BiblB1.blee LutheLutherr knewknew frofromm hihiss youth.youth. ItIt isis importantimportant ttoo know,know, incidentallymcidentally,, thatthat ththee readingsreadings min today'today'ss ··Luther"Luther Bibles"Bibles··' oftenoften differdiffer substantiallysubstantially fromfrom Luther'sLuther's ownown version,·ersion,, whichwhich wawass stillstill musein use min Bach'sBach's day.day. 12.12. Gesellschaft min thethe MentelMentel BibleBible andand thethe vanousvarious translationstranslations derIYedderived fromfrom it,it, Scharm Schar in thethe ZamerZainer BiblBiblee andand Itsits dennnvesderivatives TheThe variantvariant readmgsreadings ofof thesethese manymany pre-Luthepre-Lutherr GermaGermann BiblesBibles areare meticu­meticu­ lousllouslyy provideprovidedd imn ththee maffelousmarvelous referencreferencee "·ork,work, DieD,e erste DeutscheDeutsche Bibel,Bibel, IO10 vols.,vols. , ed.ed. WilhamWilliam Kur­Kur- relmeyerelmeyerr (Tubmgen-(Tubingen* LitteranscherVeremLitterarischer Verein m Stuttgart.Stuttgart, 1904-15).1904-15). I1 3 LutherLuther subscribedsubscribed toto a theorytheory ofbibhcalof biblical translationtranslation imn ,vhichwhich thethe ideideaa waswas,, whenwhen deemeddeemed nec­nec­ essary,essary, toto providprov1.dee readersreaders notnot witwithh a hteralliteral renditiorendmonn bubutt witwithh whatwhat ththee translatortranslator believebehevedd ttoo bbee thethe theologicallytheologically truetrue sensesense ofof thethe texttext:: see.see, forfor example,example, LutherLuther.. "On"On Translatmg:Translating: AnAn OpeOpenn Letter,'Letter,'·" trans.trans. CharlesCharles M JacobsJacobs andand EE.. TheodorTheodoree BachmannBachmann,, imn Luther's Works, volvol 335 5,, W11rdWord and Sacrament I, eded.. E.E. TheodoreTheodore BachmannBachmann (Philadelphia(Philadelphia.. MuhlenbergMuhlenberg PressPress,, 1960),i960), 181-202.181—202. TheThe aiaimm ofof ththee presenpresentt dis-dis- MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 1919 cuss1oncussion ofof thethe crowdscrowds imn MattheMattheww is—howevets-howeverr presumptuoupresumptuouss thisthis maymay sound-lesssound—less toto quesnonquestion Luther'sLuther's methodmethodss thanthan hihiss results.results. 14.14. ByBy "theological"theological antt-Judaism"anti-Judaism" I meameann nonott simplysimply disagreemendisagreementt witWtthh oror cnttquecritique ofof JudaismJudaism bubutt ratherrather ththee teachmgteaching ofof markedmarked contemptcontempt forfor oror categoncalcategorical disrmssaldismissal ofof thethe rehg1onreligion ofof JudaisJudaismm andand itttss practitioners.practitioners. TheThe questtonquestion forfor meme itss whethewhetherr oror ttoo whawhatt extentextent a rendenngrendering ofof thethe passionpassion narra­narra­ tivtivee m MattheMattheww justifiablJusttfiablyy proveprovess usefuusefull toto thosethose whowho wiswtshh toto fosterfoster contemptcontempt forfor JudaisJudaismm oror Jews.Jews. 15.15. SeeSee "die"die Juden"atMatthew28:19;seealsoLuther'srendermgofJuden" at Matthew 28:19;see also Luther's rendering of ActActss 10:22,10:22, "be1demganzen"bei dem ganzen Volk derder Juden"Juden" ("by("by thethe wholewhole nattonnation [ethnos] ofof thethe Jews"),Jews") ,and and ofof JohnJohn 18:35,18:35 , "Bm"Bin 1chich emein Jude?Jude? DemDein Volk unundd diedie HohenpriesteHohenpriesterr habenhaben dichdich mirnirr überantwortetuberantwortet"" ("Arn("Am I a Jew?YourJew? Your [own][own] nattonnation [ethnos] andand thethe chiefchief priestspriests havehave handedhanded youyou overover toto me";me"; constdermgconsidering ththee GospelGospel ofof John'sJohn's overalloverall mtens1fiedintensified anti-Jewisann-Jewtshh sentiment,sentiment, rmghtmight 1tit bbee s1grnficantsignificant thatthat therethere tsis nono mentionmention ofof "crowds""crowds" inin itsits passiopassionn narrative?)narrative?) True,True, thethe VulgateVulgate renderrenderss Matthew'sMatthew's ochlos atat 27:2027:20 thisthis nmetime wtthwith populus,populus, butbut 1tit 1sis importanimportantt toto knowknow thatthat thethe textualtextual sourcesource LutheLutherr useusedd imn translatintranslattngg thethe Gospel,Gospel, Erasmus'sErasmus's NovvmNowm Tes-Tes­ tamentvm Omne ofof 15191519 (a(a GreekGreek NeNeww TestamentTestament withwith Erasmus'sErasmus's ownown recensiorecensionn ofof thethe LannLatin onon fac­fac­ mging pages),pages), specificallyspecifically correctscorrects thethe VulgatVulgate'se s readinreadingg ttoo turba; ErasmusErasmus alsoalso notesnotes forfor 27:20,27:20, "And"And here,here, agam,again, 1tit isis 'crowd,''crowd,' notnot 'people'-ochlos."'people'—ochlos." SmeeSince LutherLuther consultedconsulted heavilheavilyy withwith PhilipPhilip MelanchthonMelanchthon,, toto whomwhom Erasmus'sErasmus's separatelyseparately bounboundd annotationsannotations werewere venvery7 well-known,well-known, and,and, moreover,moreover, smcesince LutheLutherr alsoalso cannotcannot havehave failedfailed toto noncenotice thatthat Erasmus'sErasmus's s1de-by-s1deside-by-side biblicab1bhcall texttext readsreads turba wtthwith ochlos, ltit seemsseems clearclear enoughenough thatthat hehe wawass wontwont toto overndeoverride goodgood mformanoninformation hehe hahadd readilreadilyy atat hihiss disposaldisposal HemnchHeinrich Bornkarnm,Bornkamm, "Luther's"Luther's TranslationTranslation ofof ththee NeNeww Testament,"Testament," imn Luther. A Pro.file,Profile, ed.ed .H. H. G.G .Koerugsberger Koenigsberger (New(New York:York: HillHill & Wang,Wang, 1973),1973), 210-17210-17,notes, notes thatthat LutheLutherr aass a rulerule doedoess correctcorrect thethe VulgateVulgate readmgsreadings imn conforrmtyconformity Withwith Erasmus'Erasmus'ss suggest10ns.suggestions. OnOn MelanchthonMelanchthon andand Erasmus,Erasmus, seesee TrmothyTimothy J.J. Wengert,Wengert, Human Freedom, ChnstianChristian Righteousness-Righteousness· Philip Melanchthon'sA1elanchthon's ExegehcalExegetrcal Dispute with Erasmus

2323.. Luther,Luther, Lectures onon Genesis,Genesis, 145. 145. 2424.. ErnsErnstt Lohmeyer,Lohmeyer, Das Evangelium des Matthaus (Gottingen:Vandenhoeck(Gottingen:Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,Ruprecht, 1962),1962), 315.315. 225 5.. See,See, forfor example,example, JoachimJoachim Jerermas,Jeremías, Rediscovering thethe ParablesParables (New (NewYorkYork: Scribner's,: Scnbner's 1966),, 1966) ,5 511, , 57,57,63 63;; anandd GeorgGeorg Strecker,Strecker, Der l#gWeg der Gerechtigkeit. Untersuchung zur Theologie des Matthaus, 3rd3rd ed.ed. (Gottingen:Vandenhoeck(Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht,Ruprecht, 1971),1971), 33.33. AAtt 347347,, ηn.. 4040,, oflnsof his essay,essay, "Das"Das Gesclnchtsverstand­Geschichtsverstand- msnis desdes Matthaus,"Matthäus," min Das .Vlatthaus-Evangelmm,Matthaus-Evangehum, ed.ed. JoachimJoachim LangeLange (Darmstadt:(Darmstadt: WissenschafthcheWissenschaftliche BuchgesellschaftBuchgesellschaft,, 1980),1980), StreckerStrecker speaksspeaks ofof thethe "hetlsgesclnchtlichen"heilsgeschichtlichen VergangenheiVergangenheitt desdes jüdischejiidischenn VolkesVolkes [[obsolescencobsolescence e ofof thethe JewisJewishh peoplpeoplee imn salvanonsalvation lnstory]"history]" ((quotequoted d imn DavieDaviess andand AllisonAlhson,, A Critical and ExegettcalExegetical CommentaryCommentar}' on the Gospel According to Saint Matthew, 3:190,3:190, n.n. 81).81). 2626.. AnthonyAnthony J.J. Saldarim,Saldarmi, Matthew's Chnstian:fewishChristtan-Jetvish Comm1m1tyCommunity (Clncago:(Chicago: UniversitUniversityy ofof ClncagoChicago PressPress,, 1994),1994), 6o-61.60-61. 2727.. CommentingCommenting oonn thitlnss verse,verse, DaviesDavies andand Alhson,Allison, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According toto SaintSaint Matthew,Matthew, 3:189,3:189, write:write: "If"If thethe GentilesGentiles werewere min view,view; would would wewe notnot expectexpect thethe plural?plural?"" IncidentallyIncidentally,, nonott oneone ofof ththee pre-Luthepre-Lutherr GermanGerman BibleBibless readreadss "gennles""gentiles" here.here. LutheLutherr frequentlyfrequently referreferss ttoo MatthewMatthew 2121:4 :433 min hihiss exegeticalexegetical writingswritmgs.. See,See, forfor example,example, hishis commentscomments onon thethe bookbook ofof JonahJonah imn Luther's Works,IMJrks, volvol.. 19,19, Lectures onon thethe MinorMinor ProphetsProphets II, II, ed.ed .Htlton Hilton C.C .Os,11,--ald Oswald {St.(St .Louis: Louis :Con­ Con­ cordiacordia,, 1974),1974), 97--98:97—98: "That"That JonahJonah isis sentsent fromfrom thethe landland ofof thethe JewsJews mtointo a foreignforeign countrycountry symbol­symbol­ izesizes thatthat ththee SpiritSpirit andand God'sGod's WordWord werweree toto bbee taketakenn fromfrom thethe JewisJewishh peoplepeople andand bestowebestowedd onon thethe Gentiles.Gentiles. ThusThus ChnstChrist sayssays min MatthewMatthew 21:43..21:43 ..... ·"" 28.28. TlnsThis secnonsection expandsexpands uponupon materiamateriall fromfrom AppendixAppendix 1 imn MichaeMichaell ManssenMarissen,, Lutheranism, ant1-anti- Judaism, and Bach's St John Passion (New(NewYork York:: OxfordOxford UniversitUniversityy PressPress,, 1998),1998), 72--'75.72-75. 29.29. SeeSee alsoalso RenateRenate Steiger,Steiger, "Bach"Bach undund Israel,"Israel," ,\,fusikMusik und Kirche 5050 (1980):(1980): 15-22,at15-22, at 20.20. ForFor mod­mod­ erernn biblicalbiblical scholarshipscholarship arguinargumgg a redemptivredempnvee mterpretanoninterpretation ofof 27:25,27:25, seesee RaymondRaymond E.E. Brown,Brown, The Death of the Messiah A Commentary on the Passion l\'a"at,vesNarratives inin thethe FourFour GospelsGospels (New(NewYork: York: Doubleday,Doubleday, 1994),1994), 8839 3 9;; andand Amy-JillAmy-Jill Levine,Levine, The SocialSoaal and Ethnic Dimensions ofqfMatthean Matthean Salvation History (Lewis­(Lewis- tonton:: Mellen,Mellen, 1988),1988), 268-69.268-69. (Brow(Brownn andand LevmeLevine alsoalso mdicateindicate ththee plausibilitplausibilityy ooff other,other, mormoree neganvenegative interpretations.mterpretanons.)) LevineLevine suggestssuggests a hteraryliterary connecnonconnection betweebetweenn MatthewMatthew 27:227:255 andand thethe institutioninstitution ofof ththee EucharistEucharist min 26:2826:28,, andand sheshe goesgoes onon toto saysay thatthat "the"the promisprormsee madmadee atat thethe begmnmgbeginning ofof thethe gospelgospel thatthat JesusJesus wouldwOuld'sav 'savee hishis peoplpeoplee fromfrom theirtheir sms'sins' ((1:21 1 :2 l)) iiss recapitulaterecapitulatedd bbyy thesthesee samesame peoplpeoplee [m[in 227:25] 7:2 5].. TheThe [laos] has,has ,m m veryvery iromc iromc circumstances,circumstances ,bestowed bestowed a a blessmg blessing upon upon itselfitself and and its it soffiprmg." offspring. " 30.30. Brown,Brown, Death of the Messiah, 837.837. 331 1.. See,See, forfor example,example, AbrahaAbrahamm Calov,Calov, Die heiligehe,lige Bibel nach S. Herrn D. Martini LuthenLuther, Deutscher DolmetschimgDolmetschtmg und ErklärungErklarung (Wittenberg,(Wittenberg, 1681-82),1681—82), 5:2845:284 (Bach's(Bach's ownown copy,copy, wit\\1.thh hishis numerousnumerous lngh­high­ lightinghghtmgss andand marginamargmall commentscomments., isis househousedd atat ConcordiConcordiaa SeminarySeminary Library,Library, St.St. Louis)Louis),, emphasesemphases rmne,mine, "This"This waswas a horriblehorrible curse,curse, throughthrough whichwhich [the[the JewsJews]] havehave precipitatelyprecipitately incurremcurredd andand drawndrawn uponupon themselvesthemselves and their entire lineage notnot onlyonly temporaltemporal butbut alsoalso eternaleternal vengeance, vengeance, expulsion,expulsion, andand damna­damna­ tion OfOf ththee likhkee example,example, asas alsoalso ofof suchsuch a truetrue vengeancevengeance,, amongamong nnoo peoplepeople fromfrom thethe outseoutsett ofof thethe worldworld isis [there][there] toto [be][be] read."read." 32.32. Steiger,Steiger, "Bach"Bach undund Israel,"Israel," 19-20.19-20. 333 3.. ItIt shouldshould bbee notenotedd herehere that,that, unfortunately,unfortunately, somesome translanonstranslations ofof thethe St.St. MatthewMatthew PassionPassion li­li­ brettobretto renderenderr ththee closinclosmgg linehness fromfrom thethe choruchoruss "Sind Blitze,Bl1tze, sind Donner," asas askmgasking "hell"hell [to][to] breabreakk toto piecespieces witwithh suddensudden furyfury ththee falsfalsee betrayers, that tha tmurderous murderous race."race." P1cander's Picander' stext tex reads,t reads "den, "de nfalschen falsche n Verrater,Verrater, dasdas mordrischmordrischee Blut"Blut" ("the("the falsefalse [or,[or, "depraved""depraved"]] betrayerbetrayer,, thathatt murderoumurderouss blood")-thatblood")—that isis,, "the"the betrayer"betrayer" isis masculinmasculinee accusativeaccusative smgular,singular, referringreferring toto Jesus'Jesus' discipledisciple JudasJudas IscanotIscariot,, andand thethe nextnext phrasephrase applieapphess toto himhim asas well.well. Blut, then,then, herheree referreferss nonott ttoo a "race""race" (tha(thatt is,is, "the"the Jews")Jews") butbut simplysimply toto ththee charactercharacter min thethe biblicabiblicall narrative,narrative, Judas.Judas. (Compare(Compare suchsuch express10nsexpressions imn EnglishEnglish asas "young"young blood.")blood") IItt shouldshould alsoalso bebe notenotedd thathatt inin thethe ariaana "Ach, nun 1stist memmein Jesus h,n"hin" thethe taltalkk ofof JesusJesus'' beinbemgg caughtcaught min "tiger-claws""tiger-claws" referreferss toto ththee bandsbands ofof chiefchief priestpriestss anandd elders,elders, nonott ttoo thethe JewishJewish peoplepeople asas a whole.whole. 3434 TheThe wordword m1ldemüde isis herheree regularlyregularly translatedtranslated asas "gently.""gently." FoForr thethe word'word'ss lessless well-knownwell-known sense,sense, whicwhichh iiss mucmuchh mormoree likelhkelyy ththee operativoperanvee oneone min ththee presentpresent context,context, consideconsiderr forfor examplexamplee ththee word­word­ mging ofof PsalPsalmm 37:21,37:21, "The"The GodlessGodless oneone borrowsborrows andand [re]pays[re]pays notnot;; ththee righteousrighteous one,one, howeverhowever,is, is mer-mer- MATTHEW,MATTHEW, LUTHER,LUTHER, ANDAND BACHBACH 2211

cifucifull andand generousgenerous [Luther[Luther m1lde,milde, modermodernn LutherLuther BibleBibless kann geben] "On" On thisthis understandingunderstanding ofof m1ldemilde min BachBach asas meaninmeamngg "copiously""copiously" oror "abundantly,""abundantly," nonott "calmly""calmly" oror "gently;'"gently," seesee alsoalso thethe theologicaltheological anandd etymologicaletymological backgroundbackground provideprovidedd byby RenateRenate Steiger,Steiger, '"Wo"'Wo soilsoll ichich fhehenfliehen hm''hin?' DasDas LiedLied undund BachsBachs KantateKantate BWVBWV 5-Theologische5—Theologische unundd musikahschemusikalische AkzenteAkzente imn J S BachsBachs Passionen;'Passionen," min "W1e"Wie freudig.freud1g 1stist memmein Herz, da Gott versohnetversöhnet 1st"-D,eist"—Die LehreLehre vonvon derder Versohnung Versöhnung m in Kantaten Kantaten und und Orgelchoralen Orgelchoralen von Johann Sebastian Bach, eded RenateRenate SteigerSteiger (Heidelberg(Heidelberg [n[η pρ ],], 1995),1995), 37-104,37-104, aatt ρp 78-7978-79 35 IInn ancientancient mythologymythology ththee Opferschale is i sa a basm basin m in whichwhich thethe bloodblood of ofthe the sacrificialsacrificia l arumalanima lis i s collected,collected, JohanJohannn ChristophChristoph AdelungAdelung,, Grammatisch-knt1schesGrammatisch-kritisches Worterbuch Wörterbuch der der Hochdeutschen Hochdeutschen Mundart, Mundart, rev rev eedd (Leipzig,(Leipzig, 1793),1793), 3 6607°7 ConsiderConsider,, tootoo,, ththee offeringofferingss foforr ththee altaaltarr imn ththee DedicatioDedicanonn ooff ththee TabernaTaberna­­ clclee imn NumberNumberss 7,7, wherewhere twelvetwelve timenmess a stlversilver basmbasin (Luther(Luther Schale) isis presentedpresented forfor useuse min gramgrain of­of­ feringfering (Luther(Luther Speisopfer)Speisopfer) 3636 JohannJohann OleariusOleanus,, B1blischeBiblische Erklarnng Erklärung Darmnen, Darinnen, nechst nechst dem dem allgememen allgemeinen Haupt-Schlussel Haupt-Schlüssel der dergantzen gantzen heil1genheiligen Schnfft (Leipzig,(Leipzig, 1678-81)1678-81) ThisThis referencreferencee BiblBiblee iiss especiallyespecially usefuluseful,, asas iitt frequentlyfrequendy alsoalso pro­pro­ videsvides pagpagee referencereferencess ttoo commentariescommentaries min otherother books,books, includinmcludingg standardstandard edinonseditions ofof Luther'sLuther's com­com­ pletpletee works,works, severalseveral ofof whichwhich BachBach alsoalso ownedowned ForFor detaileddetailed informatiomformanonn oonn thethe rehg10usreligious bookbookss min Bach'sBach's libraryhbrary,, seesee RobmRobin A Leaver,Leaver, Bachs Theolog1scheTheologische B1bl1othek Bibliothek (N (Neuhausen-Stuttgareuhausen-Stuttgart t Hanssler,Hanssler ,I 981985 5) ) 3 77 BachBach andand PicanderPicander possiblypossibly collaboratedcollaborated onon thethe theologicaltheological contentcontent ofof Picander'sPicander s poetrypoetry min thethe StSt MattheMattheww PassionPass10n,, forfor thethe hbrettolibretto drawsdraws onon specificspecific wordingswordings from ththee passiopassionn sermonssermons ofHemnchof Heinrich MulleMullerr thatthat BachBach hahadd imn hihiss personapersonall librarhbraryy SeeSee ElkElkee AxmacherAxmacher,, "Em"Ein QuellenfundQuellenfund zuzumm TextText derder Matthaus-Pass10n,"Matthaus-Passion," Bach-JahrbuchBach:Jahrbuch 64 6 4(1978) (1978 )181-91 181-9 1 3838 Oleanus,Olearius, BiblischeB1bl1sche Erklarnng,Erklärung, 5 5252 25 2 3939 Oleanus,Olearius, BiblischeB1bl1sche Erklarnng,Erklärung, 1 1 2 2 208208 4040 Calov,Calov, Die he1l1geheilige Bibel, 1 202022 TheThe first "X""X" min "XXV23""XXV23" hahass beebeenn correctecorrectedd bbyy handhand (by(by Bach?)Bach?) imn Bach'sBach's ownown copycopy 4141 Oleanus,Olearius, BiblischeB1blische Erklarnng,Erklärung, 3 3208 20 8 4422 ManManyy recenrecentt translanonstranslations ofof MatthewMatthew reareadd "this"this isis mymy bloodblood ofof thethe covenant"covenant " TheThe wordword "new""new" wawass addedadded ttoo 2626 2828 imn somesome earlyearly manuscriptsmanuscripts ooff ththee GospelGospel (the(the samesame 1sis trutruee forfor MarkMark 1414 24)24) andand isis carrieearnedd overover intmtoo Luther'sLuther's translationtranslation 4343 Olearms,Olearius, BiblischeB1bl1sche Erklarnng,Erklärung, 5 5 230 230 4444 Oleanus,Olearius, BiblischeB1blische Erklarnng,Erklärung, 1 ι 22 496496 4545 SeeSee GalanansGalatians 331 133 FoForr similarsimilar hnkmglinking ofof curscursee witwithh blessingblessing,, seesee Bach'sBach's churchchurch cantatascantatas Herr,Herr, wie du willt,unlit, so so sch,cksschicks m1t mit mirmir (BWV (BWV 73)73 ) and]esu,and Jesu, der der du du meinemeine Seele Seele (BWV (BWV 78)78 ) 4646 HemnchHeinrich MullerMuller passionpassion sermons,sermons, quotedquoted m Axmacher,Axmacher, Aus LtebeDebe will memmein Heyland Sterben,Sterben, 179,n179,η 2828 4747 HereHere perhapperhapss a contextualcontextual referencereference oughtought ttoo bbee mademade toto ththee GreatGreat ComnussionCommission ofof MatthewMatthew 2828 16-20,16—20, wherewhere JesusJesus says,says, "go"go anandd makemake disciplesdisciples ofof allall nanons"nations" NewNew TestamentTestament interpretersinterpreters areare dividedi\-idedd onon whetherwhether Matthew'sMatthew's worldworld missionmission excludesexcludes oror includesincludes JewsJews (for(for bibliographybibhography,, seesee DaviesDavies anandd AllisonAllison,, A Cnt,calCritical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According toto SaintSaint Matthew,Matthew, 33 684,684, rtr l 39)39) LutherLuther certainlycertainly diddid notnot givgivee uupp onon anan ideaidea ofof convernngconverting "ethruc"ethnic Israel,"Israel," bubutt imn botbothh hihiss earlierearlier anandd laterlater writingwnnngss hehe wawass extremelyextremely contemptuouscontemptuous ooff thethe religionreligion ofof JudaismJudaism HeHe (and(and manmanyy ofof hishis followers)followers) hahadd nnoo doubtdoubt thathatt GodGod viavia ththee RomansRomans destroyeddestroyed ththee JerusaleJerusalemm TempleTemple nonott onlonlyy toto pun­pun­ ishish JewsJews forfor reJectmgrejecting Jesus,Jesus, butbut alsoalso toto abrogateabrogate theirtheir covenantcovenant withwith GoGodd andand toto brinbrmgg defimnvelydefinitively ttoo anan enendd thethe validitvahditvv ofof theirtheir religioreligionn (Se(Seee ththee discuss10ndiscussion andand documentationdocumentation ooff thesthesee issues,issues, forfor ex­ex­ ample,ample, imn Manssen,Manssen, "The"The CharacterCharacter andand SourcesSources ofof thethe Anti-JudaisAnn-Judaismm imn Bach'sBach's CantataCantata 46,"46," 68-8468-84 ) 4848 PerhapPerhapss itit shouldshould bbee mennonedmentioned herheree thatthat LutherLuther anandd ththee NeNeww TestamentTestament authorsauthors apparentlyapparendy seesee nono inconsistencyinconsistency betweebetweenn concomitantconcomitant claimclaimss aboutabout humanhuman responsibilityresponsibility andand aboutabout God'sGod's willwill forfor example,example, peoplpeoplee cancan bbee heldheld responsibleresponsible forfor Jesus'Jesus' deathdeath eveevenn ifif ththee cruafiXIoncrucifixion waswas min truthtruth thethe willwill ofof GodGod 4499 A themthemee min manmanyy ofof Luther'sLuther's writingwnnngss bubutt mostmost prominentlyprominently ofof coursecourse m hihiss "On"On ththee JewsJews andand theirtheir Lies,Lies, 1543,"1543," imn Luther's Works,Hi&rks, volvol 47,47, The Chnst1anChristian inm SoaetySociety IV, trantranss MarnnMartin H Bertram,Bertram, eded FrankhnFranklin ShermanSherman (Philadelphia(Philadelphia Fortress,Fortress, 1971),1971), 123-306123-306 2222 LUTHERANLUTHERAN QUARTERLYQUARTERLY

50.50. ForFor recentrecent biblicabiblicall crmc1smcriticism suggestmgsuggesting thatthat accordmgaccording ttoo historicallhistoncallyy informemformedd readinreadmgg ooff PaulPaul thethe samesame actuallyactually doesdoes notnot holholdd trutruee forfor Jews.Jews, seesee JohnJohn GG.. Gager,Gager, ReinventingRemvelltrng Paul (New(NewYorkYork: : OxfordOxford UniversitUmverntyy Press,Press, 2000)2000);; andand KnsterKrister Stendahl,Stendahl, Final AccountAcco1111t Paul's Letter to the Romans (Philadelphia(Philadelphia:: FortressFortress Press,Press, 1976),1976), esp.esp. 33-44.33-44. StendahlStendahl arguesargues thatthat thethe issuissuee aatt hanhandd imn ththee boobookk oofRomansf Romans ,nswas chethe Justificationjustification ofof Paul'sPaul's gentilegentile converts,converts, notnot ofof smnerssinners min general.general. (Stendahl.(Stendahl, nonoww retiredrenred,, wawass ththee LutheraLutherann bishopbishop ofof Stockholm;Stockholm; chatthat 1sis toto say,say, oneone doesdoes notnot havehave tcoo agreagreee ,nthwith BrotheBrotherr MartiMartinn ttoo bbee a goodgood Lutheran!)Lutheran!) LutherLuther himselfhimself (followmg(following Augustine),Augustine), however,however, tootookk Paul'Paul'ss kekeyy phrasphrasee ·'all"all IsraeIsraell wilw1lll bebe saved"saved" inin RomanRomanss I11:2 I :266 toto meanmean thatthat allall amongamong IsraelIsrael whwhoo araree ttoo bbee savedsaved wilwilll bbee saved;saved; seseee Luther's l«,rks,Works, ,·ol.vol. 2 5,5, LecfllresLectures 011on Romans, trans.trans. WalterWalter G.G. TTillmann 1llmannss andand JacobJacob A.A. 0.O. Preus,Preus, ed.ed. HiltonHilton C Os­Os­ waldwald (St.(St. Louis:Louis: Concordia.Concordia. 1972),1972), IOI,101, thatthat 1s,is, LutherLuther appearappearss tcoo bbee sayinsaymgg thathatt imn factfact "11ot"not alalll IsraelIsrael willwill bebe saved•·saved " (Luther's(Luther's Lectures on Romans wer\\·eree nonott publishedpublished untiuntill ththee 20t20thh century)century.) 51.51. SeeSee Amy-JillAmy-Jill Levme,Levine, "Matthew,"Matthew, Mark.Mark, andand Luke:Luke: GooGoodd NewNe,vss oorr Bad?Bad?"" m]es11s,m Jesus, Judaism & Clmst1a11Christian Anti-JudaismAnti:Judamn ReadingReadmg the SewXew Testament qfterafter the Holocaust, eded PaulPaulaa FrednkseFrednksenn anandd AdeleAdele RemhartzReinhartz (Lou1s,·ille:(Louisville: JohnJohn Knox,Knox, 2002).2002), 77-98.77-98. atat 92.92. SoSo farfar aass I cacann seesee,, ththee validitnlidityy oofLevme'sf Levine's poinpomtt herehere aboutabout possiblpossiblee ''anti-Jewish""anti-Jewish" effectseffects eveneven main a redemptiveredemptive readinreadmgg ooff MattheMattheww 27:227:255 iisms in nnoo wayway weakenedweakened byby acknowledgmgacknowledging thatthat JewishJewish 1dent1tyidentity ,,·aswas ratheratherr mormoree flmdfluid imn ththee firstfirst centurycentury thathann iitt 1sis todaytoday (that(that is,is, manymany earlyearly ''Chnsnans""Christians" wouldwould notnot havhavee identifieidentifiedd themselvethemseh·ess aass .."no nott Jewish"')Jewish") 52.52. LutherLuther BiblesBibles ofBach'sof Bach's dayday quotequote MatthewMatthew 4:23b4:23b almosalmostt verbativerbanmm aatt 9.35b9.35b.. "·herewhere laos 1sis ren­ren­ dereddered asas Volk, mostmost modernmodern BiblesBibles dodo notnot contamcontain thisthis lattelatterr halhalff verseverse.. IItt mamayy bbee interestinmteresnngg ttoo notnotee thatthat thethe pluralplural formform ofoiochlos ochlos appearsappears withoutwithout anyany qualifiersqualifiers imn ththee GreeGreekk ofMatthe,vof Matthew 5:1:7:285:1: 7:28;; 9:8,33.36.9:8,33.36. u7:11-7; 12:46;12:46; 1313 34,36;34,36; 14.13,15,19,22,23;14.13,15,19,22,23; 1515 36,39;36,39; 2r9,II,46;21-9,11,46; 22:3322:33;; 23:1; 26:5526:55,, andand 2277 2020:: ·'many"many crowds''crowds"appear appearss atat 4:25,4:25,8.1,12:15,13:2,15:30,an 8.1, 12:15, I 3:2, 15:30, andd 19.2;I9.2;an andd "al•·anl ththee crowds"acrowds" att 12:2312:23 (se(seee Cousland,Cousland, Crowds 111in .\lattheu1,Matthew, 35,35, nη 19).19). ItIt isis unclearunclear whatwhat thethe s1gmficancesignificance ofof ththee pluraplurall usageusagess isis.. BuButt 1tit nughtmight bolsterbolster thethe assumpnonassumption ofof a nuxed-crowdmixed-crowd awarenessawareness onon ththee parpartt ofof ththee authoauthorr ooff Matthe,..-.Matthew. 553 3.. MMyy resultsresults m thisthis chartchart andand thethe conclusionsconclusions drawdra,vnn frofromm iitt wilwilll bbee unaffecteunaffectedd bbyy dealindealmgg withwith thethe onlyonly slightlyslightly differentdifferent pre19th-centurypre 19th-century edit10nseditions ofof thethe LutheLutherr Bible.Bible. 54.54. AnAn adaptationadaptation ofZechanahof Zechanah 11:12-1u:12-133 (Cf.(Cf. JerenuahJeremiah 18:2-6,18:2-6,19-1-11 19·1-II,, 32:6-15')32:6-15')