Matthew 1:1-4:22 Notes

The first four chapters of Matthew's narrative give us a presentation of the way in which Matthew wants readers to understand and God's act in and through Jesus. These first chapters also anticipate certain themes and issues that will develop later in the narrative. Ulrich Luz summarizes the first four chapters well: Matthew's prologue has a "double function"— "beginning" and "prolepsis." "It is a stroke of genius on Matthew's part."Below I highlight a few of the more important themes:

Continuity and Conflict with Israel

The past and present (for Matthew) of Israel looms large in Matthew's narrative. Jesus enters as the capstone of not the world's history, but of Israel's history. The people whom Jesus is to save from their sins (1:21) is most easily understood in the context of the opening chapters as Israel. However, the story ends a bit differently (28:16-20) with a mission to go to "all the nations." Reading closely through the entire story is the best way to reconcile these two passages.

As mentioned, the opening of Matthew's narrative places Jesus centrally within major streams of Israelite/Jewish tradition. The first place we encounter this is in the opening genealogy where Matthew specifies that Jesus is "son of " and "Son of ." The presented in Matthew 1:2-17 is structured around central points in the historical narrative of Israel: Abraham in v.2; David in v.6b; the exile in vv.11-12. Not only does the genealogy place Jesus as an heir or physical descendant of major figures in Israel's history, but the culmination of this history is Jesus. That is, according to the main structural blocks of the genealogy, Israel's history is divided according to these main parts: Abraham, David, exile, Jesus, as Matthew summarizes in v.17. Israel's history for Matthew leads to and reaches its climax in Jesus.

In the birth narrative in 1:18-2:23 and the stories of Jesus' baptism and temptation in 3:1-4:11, Matthew identifies Jesus with Israel itself as God's son. We see this first in the citation of Hosea 11:1 in :15, "Out of Egypt I have called my son." In the temptation story there are significant connections made between Jesus and Israel in Deuteronomy 6-8. The scenes are similar: both are in the wilderness, both undergo "testing" (expeirazw); the tests in Matthew recall the tests Israel experienced in Deuteronomy 6-8 (hunger; testing the Lord; idolatry). In addition, all of Jesus' responses come from Deuteronomy 6-8, where Moses addresses and prepares the before their entry into Canaan. In essence, Jesus filling the role of God's people in the exodus, is identified with this people, and the scenes of baptism and temptation remind the readers of that first act of deliverance.

Throughout the story, continuity is also found in the use of Scripture in conjunction with Jesus' life. "Fulfillment" is one popular word in relation to Matthew's use of Scripture, and the fulfillment of Scripture plays a significant role in the opening chapters of the story.

Conflict with Israel also is a big theme. In the birth narrative, Jesus' birth initiates conflict with the Jewish leaders. The chief priests and scribes know about the birth of the , yet they are reluctant to report it. Don't they know better, we wonder? Yet, the magi from the east are more eager to find and worship this Jewish king than are the leaders of the people whom he is to save. There is more going on here than mere stubbornness. The Jewish leaders seem tied closely with the king appointed by Rome: Herod. It seems as though the Jewish leaders are afraid to upset Rome, or they have found their relationship with Rome favorable and compromised their place as God's people because of this—at least this seems to be Matthew's perspective. The announcement of a new Jewish king would be a threat to the Roman king and even a threat to Jewish stability under Rome. For the Jewish leaders a new "King of the " should be good news. They, however, seem in comparison with the magi to be reluctant and remain in their place by the side of the Roman king than the Jewish Messiah. By this, Matthew seems to insinuate in this beginning story what will happen later in the narrative: the Jewish leadership has taken their side, and it is in conflict with Jesus, the Messiah, the son of David and son of Abraham. Rather, it is with the side of Rome, whether because of passive fear or active support of Rome and their position in the court of Herod.

Again conflict arises in :1-12, where John the Baptizer speaks out against the and . Comparison with :7-9 in which John addresses the "multitudes" shows Matthew's emphasis. For Matthew, the tension with the Jewish leadership begins at the outset.

Divine Intervention

The first chapters are characterized by God's divine intervention. This is on more than one level. On the level of the grand scale, Jesus' birth is God's divine intervention into the world. The genealogy places Jesus' coming within history, situating it strategically as the culmination of Israel's hopes. Jesus as part of God's action in the world is more precisely stated in the narrative: in 1:21 Jesus is the one who will "save his people from their sins"; in 1:23, Matthew cites from 8:8 to claim that Jesus is "God with us"; in 2:6, Matthew cites Micah 5:2, stating that Jesus will be the shepherd for God's people Israel.

On the smaller scale of Matthew's narrative, God intervenes through dream and action. Through dreams and , God directs Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and the magi away from danger and secures Jesus' safe entrance into the world. The power of Rome unsuccessfully attempts to thwart God's intentions in Jesus. God shows up in the baptism to announce the significance of Jesus as God's "beloved son." God shows up actively only rarely in Matthew's story from this point on. Yet, the pervasive divine intervention sets a tone, and suggests who is working "behind the scenes" throughout Jesus' life.

Eschatology.

What is "eschatology"? It comes from the Greek word "eschatos" (e;scatoj) which means "end" or "final." "Eschatology" is concerned with final things—things pertaining to the fulfillment of time or in this case God's grand narrative. In this case, the "final things" with which Matthew's presentation of Jesus is concerned are those of the grand narrative of God and God's dealings with the world in and through Israel. The genealogy of Jesus shows that Jesus climaxes Israel's history. He is the fulfillment of Israel's messianic hopes. The presentation of John the Baptizer puts Jesus' coming into the world in an eschatological context. What does this mean? Let's explore what the description of the Baptizer suggests. The description of John is strikingly similar to the prophet Elijah in 2 Kings 1:8. :5-6 speaks of a return of Elijah in the end, at the coming of the "day of the Lord." In a word, according to Matthew Jesus's coming marks God's action of finally bringing the world to rights—it is the "day of the Lord." How this happens will be worked out throughout the course of the telling of the story. The important point is that God's work in Jesus bears a finality to it—the rest of history is best viewed and lived in light of Jesus.

The "nations" or "Gentiles."

These opening chapters of Matthew's story hint at and anticipate certain points about the "nations" or "Gentiles." Who are these people? Basically any who were not Jews or part of Israel. Where does Matthew hint at the Gentile issue? What does Matthew have to say?

First, we find mention of certain non-Jewish people in the genealogy. Interestingly, these are also mothers: , , Ruth, and "the wife of Uriah." Among a few possible reasons why Matthew mentions these women (to anticipate the scandal of the pregnancy of an unwed Mary; to point out God's working through unexpected means and people), one is to suggest that they set the tone for God's acceptance of Gentiles into God's people.

A second place where Matthew hints at the Gentile issue is in the entrance of the magi onto the scene. Interestingly, these people who are not of Jewish origin are the first to seek and pay homage to the new Jewish king, whereas the Jewish leaders do not, and consequently the people do not. This hints not only at the theme of Gentile recognition and worship of God's Messiah Jesus, but also is understooed in relation to the rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leadership.

The proclamation of the Baptizer also hints at what is to come. Not only does his proclamation cast judgment on the Pharisees and Sadducees, but it also suggests some movement beyond what they presume it means to be God's people—the "children of Abraham." In 3:7-10, there is the suggestion that God will raise up people who are not necessarily from Jewish descent; the definition of who is a child of Abraham is being challenged.

These, then, are four big issues that are raised in the opening chapters of Matthew's : 1) continuity and conflict with Israel; 2) divine intervention; 3) eschatology; 4) Gentile inclusion. What is important is that these issues are all intertwined with Jesus' entrance into the world and significance for the world.