The Royal Son of God: the Christology of Matthew 1-2 in the Setting of the Gospel
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Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 1979 The Royal Son of God: The Christology of Matthew 1-2 in the Setting of the Gospel Nolan, Brian M Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-151874 Monograph Published Version Originally published at: Nolan, Brian M (1979). The Royal Son of God: The Christology of Matthew 1-2 in the Setting of the Gospel. Fribourg, Switzerland / Göttingen, Germany: Éditions Universitaires / Vandenhoeck Ruprecht. NOLAN · THE ROYAL SON OF GOD ORBIS BIBLICUS ET ORIENTALIS Published by the Biblical Institute of the University of Fribourg Switzerland and the Seminar für Biblische Zeitgeschichte of the University of Münster i. W. Federal Republic of Germany Editor: Othmar Keel Coeditors: Bernard Tremel and Erich Zenger The Author: Brian M. Nolan graduated in Modern Languages from University Col lege Dublin in 1956. For the following five years he studied theology in Ireland and Rome, and was awarded the Licentiate in Theology by the Angelicum, Rome, in 1961. In 1963 he received the Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute. He taught Scripture in the Irish Vincentian Scholasticate from 1963 to 1968. The following year was spent in post-graduate study at the Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Frans:aise at Jerusalem. In 1969-1970 he did course work and further research for the doctorate in the Univer sity of Fribourg, Switzerland. He was awarded a D~ctorate in Divi nity (S.T.D.) by this University in 1975. Since 1971 he has been a Lecturer in Biblical Studies and Fundamental Theology at All Hallows Missionary College, Dublin. He has also been a visiting lecturer at St. Patrick's College of Education and Holy Cross College, in Dublin; and at the Pontifical University of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth. ORBIS BIBLICUS ET ORIENTALIS 23 BRIAN M. NOLAN THE ROYAL SON OF GOD THE CHRISTOLOGY OF MATTHEW 1-2 IN THE SETTING OF THE GOSPEL EDITIONS UNIVERSITAIRES FRIBOURG SUISSE VANDENHOECK & RUPRECHT GÖTTINGEN 1979 CIP-Kurztitelaufnahme der Deutschen Bibliothek Nolan, Brian M.: . The royal Son of God. - Fribourg/Suisse: Editions Universitaires; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht. 1979 (Orbis biblicus et orientalis; 23) ISBN 3-7278-0206-5 (Editions Universitaires) ISBN 3-525-53328-4 (Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht) Publication subsidized by the Fribourg University Council, Fribourg, Switzerland © 1979 by Editions Universitaires Fribourg Suisse Imprimerie Saint-Paul Fribourg Digitalisat erstellt durch Florian Lippke, Departement für Biblische Studien, Universität Freiburg Schweiz T~V 1pu~~v EV xpu~~ nüpaµEv, ÖEÜTE AaßwµEV 1& 1oü xapaöECaou tv10~ 1oü axnAa,ou· EXEC l~dvn p~~a &x61La10~ ßAaa1dvouaa ä~EOLV, EXEC nupten ~peap &vopux1ov, 0~ XLELV 6aßtö xptv ExEeuµnaEv· TEXOÜOa ßpe:~o~- tnv ,oü 'Aöaµ xat ,oü 6aßLö 0 ÖLa TOÜto xpo~ TOÜtO EXELxewµEV, xoü t1e:xen : xaLÖLOV VEOV; 6 1tpo alwvwv ego~ Bethlehem has thrown open the way to Eden: come, let us see; we have found delight in a hidden place: come, let us share in that paradise within the cave. There has appeared a root no man watered, flowering forgiveness; there is found a well no man has dug, from which David once yea:r>ned to drink (2 Samuel 23:15). There a virgin has given birth to a child and straightway slaked the thirst both of Adam and of David. Wherefore let us hu:r>ry to that place where has been born a tiny child - who is God for ever! (First Kontakion on the Nativity by St. Romanos Melodus, who was born in Syria about 490 A.D. This opening of the rhythmic sermon is chanted in the Greek Church at Matins on Christmas Day) CHRISTO CONIUNCTIS NOTIS ATQUE IGNOTIS - IMPRIMIS VERO PARENTIBUS - QUI MIHI FIDEM CORDIS ALUERUNT TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 7 Foreword 11 Introduction 13 PART I. THE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND OF MATTHEW 1 - 2 15-91 CHAl"I!ER 1: THE POSSIBLE SOURCES OF MATTHEW 1-2 16-22 A. The Quest for the Sources 16 B. The Result of this Quest 20 CHAl"J!ER 2: THE OLD TESTAMENT RESONANCE OF MATTHEW 1-2 23-47 A. Scriptural Allusions ~n Matthew 1:1-17 24 B. Scriptural Allusions in Matthew 1:18-25 29 1) The Annunciation of the Birth of a Child-Hero 29' 2) Revelat~on by Means of a Dream 31 3) The Creative Power of the Holy Spirit 32 4) The Obedience Formula 33 C. Scriptural Allusions in Matthew 2:1-23 34 1) The Trials of the Patriarchs 34 2) The Archetype of the Exodus 36 3) The Sure Oath to David 38 a. Bethlehem of David versus Herod's Jerusalem 39 b. The Heir to the Throne of David in Jeopardy 39 c. The Child and his Mother 41 d. The Magi and Christ the King 43 D. Summary and Conclusions 46 CHAl"J!ER 3: THE FIRST CENTURY JEWISH RESONANCE OF MATTHEW 1-2 48-91 A. The First Century Jewish Hermeneutik 48 1) The Relevant Literature 48 2) The Function of Midrash 52 a. Midrash is not in itself a Literary Genre 53 b. The Essence of Midrash is not Polarization by Scripture 55 B. The Jewish Hermeneutik and Matthew 1-2 58 1) Matthew 1:1-17 - Times and Persons Graced 58 a. The Numerical Ordering 58 b. The Five Women 62 2) Matthew 1:18-25 - The Roles of Holy Spirit and of Joseph the Just 63 8 a. That which is Generated in her is of Holy Spirit 63 (i) A Virginal Conception in the Egyptian Diaspora? 65 (ii) The Supernatural Origin of Melchizedek 69 Conclusion 70 b. Joseph did as the Angel of the Lord Commanded him 71 3) Matthew 2:1-23 - Magi, Midrashim, and Holy Land 73 a. The Star and the Magi 73 Conclusion 81 b. Midrashim of Famous Men and Our Fathers 82 (i) Abraham 82 (ii) Jacob 82 (iii) Moses 83 Conclusion 88 c. The Prophetie Geography of the Holy Land 89 PART II. THE GOSPEL SETTING OF MATTHEW 1 - 2 92-113 CHAP'l:ER 4: THE SITUATION OF MATTHEW 92-97 CHAP'l:ER 5: THE RELATIONSHIP OF MATTHEW 1-2 WITH THE REST OF THE GOSPEL 98-113 A. The Structure of the First Gospel 98 1) Has Matthew an Overall Plan? 98 2) Matthew 1-2 as a Literary Unit 99 3) The Immediate Context: Matthew 1:1-4:17 103 4) The Correspondence between Matthew 1-2 and Matthew 26-28 104 a. Matthew 1-2 in Relation to 26-27 104 b. Matthew 1-2 in Relation to 28 107 B. The Function of the Gospel of the Origins: Matthew 1-2 108 Conclusion 113 PART III. THE MESSAGE OF MATTHEW 1 - 2: ROYAL COVENANT CHRISTOLOGY 114-240 CHAP'l:ER 6: THE SUBJECTIVE DIMENSION: THE CHRIST WITH US 114-144 A. Matthew 1:1-17 - The Kerygma of the Genealogy 116 B. Matthew 1:18-25 - The Genesis of Jesus the Christ 120 Conclusion 130 C. Matthew 2:1-12 - His Own Received Hirn Not 131 D. Matthew 2:13-23 - The Son of Man has Nowhere to Lay his Head 135 1) A Praising and Persecuted People (Jeremiah 31:15) 135 2) A Catholic People (Matthew 2:22) 139 Summary and Concluding Considerations 142 CHAP'l:ER 7: THE OBJECTIVE DIMENSION: THE ROYAL SON OF GOD 145-240 A. The Christ the Son of David 145 1) The Christ in Matthew 145 Summary 149 9 2) The San of David in Matthew 149 a. Jesus is a San of David 150 (i) The Question of Fact 150 Conclusion 154 (ii) The Significance of this Fact for Matthew 2 154 Conclusion 157 b. Jesus is the San of David 158 (i) The First Century Saint David 158 (a) Sirach 47:1-22 160 (b) The Psalmody of Later Judaism 160 (c) Wisdom 7-9 164 (d) BibZiaaZ Antiquities 59-63 167 (e) Jewish Antiquities 6, §156 - 7, §394 168 Summary 169 (ii) The San of David in Matthew 3-28 170 (a) Matthew 3 and 17: Baptism and Transfiguration 170 (b) Matthew 4: Testing, Kingdom, Shepherd of the Twelve Tribes 172 (c) Matthew 5-7, 13, 18, 23-25: Expounder of the Law, Sage, Judge 176 (d) Matthew 8-11 and 20: The Royal Touch 178 (e) Matthew 12 and 15: The Servant-King and Spirit-filled San Saves 178 (f) Matthew 14 and 15: The Royal Banquet 179 (g) Matthew 16 and 17: Peter-Eliakim, Steward of the New Temple 180 (h) Matthew 21(:1-17) and 22(:41-46): David Restares Zion 181 (i) Matthew 21(:33-46): The "Stone"-Son, Heir to the Vineyard 184 (j) Matthew 22(:1-14) and 25(:1-13): The Bridegroom of Israel 192 (k) Matthew 26-27: The King is Dead! 194 (1) Matthew 28(:16-20): Lang Live the King! 199 Summary 200 (iii) The San of David in Matthew 1-2 201 (a) Matthew's Fulfilment Formula Quotations 201 (b) Matthew 1:1-17 ·- The True King 203 (c) Matthew 1:18-25 - The Great King 204 (d) Matthew 2:1-12 - The Universal King 205 (e) Matthew 2: 13-15 - The Exiled King 209 (f) Matthew 2:16-18 - The King Attacked 210 (g) Matthew 2:19-23 - The King Thriving 212 Summary 215 B. The Christ the San of the Lord God 216 1) The Meaning of Being a San 216 a. The San as Learner 216 b. The San as Loyal 218 c. The San as Legitimated 220 2) The San of the Lord God 221 a.