Because we spent so much time on the first chapter of Matthew's gospel, we are already falling behind the syllabus schedule. Our Tuesday class will be mostly discussion of Matthew 1-14, concentrating particularly on the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Please review briefly these chapters before class.I will start Tuesday's class with an explanation Matthew's reference to the "Nazarene" prophecy that no one could seem to find last time. We'll then move on to more discussion of Matthew's use of scripture.
Remember that, when Matthew quotes a brief passage from the Old Testament, he wants to call into his readers' minds a much broader context, sometimes the preceding 5-30 verses or, sometimes the subsequent 5-30 verses.
Please look at a couple of the Matthew Old Testament references (the list below will give you a start), then look at the Old Testament context.below. Comment on that context: what ideas does Matthew want to bring to his readers' attention? In what ways are these ideas particularly important in Matthew's attempt to reach a Jewish audience?
- Matthew 2:17 citation of Jeremiah 31:15
- Matthew 1:23 citation of Isaiah 7:14
- Matthew 2: 6 citation of Micah 5:2
- Matt. 2:15 citation of Hosea 11:1
- Matt. 27:43 ref. to Psalm 22:8
- Matthew 4:4 citation of Deut. 8:3
- Matthew 3:17 hint of Psalm 2:7
- Matthew 4:16 reference to Isaiah 42:7
Rachel is considered to be the “mother of Israel” because she was the favored wife of Jacob (Genesis 29:28-30). In Jeremiah 31:15, her and all of Israel is weeping over the Babylonian captivity that Israel has been forced into. Matthew also tells us that Rachel weeps for the misfortunes of her people and the slaughterings of children as we see in Matthew 2:17.
ReplyDeleteThis is an important passage for the Jewish people of Jesus’s time because they were constantly hoping for a way to get out of captivity. From the days of Egypt to the days of Rome, Israel has been oppressed, and the promises of a savior for their people would not fall on deaf ears. I also find the verses in Matthew chapter 2 point to Mary when she’s at the foot of the cross (John 19:25). For a mother to see her son being crucified would certainly have brought much weeping and lamenting. Thankfully, we see words of comfort in Jeremiah 31:16-17; “there is hope for your future… your children shall come back to their own country”. There was hope in Matthew chapter 2 when the infant Jesus was not killed along with the other children of the time, and there was hope in Him saving Israel after He was nailed to the cross.
Nice job drawing connections from OT to NT!
DeleteIn Micah 5:2, it says that Bethlehem will bring a leader to Israel even though it is one of the smaller towns in Judah. Matthew wants his readers to understand even though Bethlehem is small, it will become a very important city because it will bring Jesus to lead the people of Israel. Matthew tries to reach his Jewish audience by stating that that Jesus' family line goes back into the ancient times, which is very important for Jewish people.
ReplyDeleteIn Matthew 3:17, Jesus is getting baptized and as he gets out of the water, God's voice is heard and He says that Jesus is His Son and God is very pleased. Matthew is getting across that Jesus is the Son of God and this is something that Matthew really wants to get across to the Jewish audience as well.
Matthew does whatever he can to tie the OT with the NT. He really wants his audience to understand what is going on.
DeleteIn Isaiah 7:14, the OT people were given a preview of the first Christmas by prophesizing about how "the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." This, of course, is referring to Mary and Jesus.
ReplyDeleteMatthew references this directly during the birth of Jesus, which is preceded by the lineage of the Jewish line from Abraham down. For the Jew reading this, this is to prove that the Savior is to come from their line. Also, the people mentioned in the lineage also show how the bloodline wasn't necessarily "pure".
In Matthew 4:16 Isaiah said," These people who live in darkness will see a great light." This means that Jesus will open their eyes towards God. Isaiah 42:7 is also the same. Matthew 3:17 and Psalm 2:7 both say God saying Jesus is his son and he is pleased with him.
ReplyDeleteThese ideas are important to the Jewish audience because it can make them switch to being a Christian. It is also important because they need to understand their bloodline is not pure.
Well, the desire to convert to Christianity is always among the individual, but the text could sway them to do so. Otherwise you bring up very good points.
Delete"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son" (Hosea 11:1). In this Old Testament passage, the people were told of the coming of their savior. He will be called from Egypt, and this relates to the Jewish audience because they are in slavery in Egypt. This helps them know that their savior will come from their people.
ReplyDeleteMatthew references this directly in Matthew 2:15, where the baby Jesus is taken, along with his family, to Egypt to escape the rule of King Herod. Once Herod dies, God calls them back to Israel: "Out of Egypt I called My Son." This fulfills the prophecy brought up in Hosea 11:1.
I am going to write about the later verse in Matthew and in Psalms. Psalms 22:8 says "He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
ReplyDeleteMatthew 27:43 says "He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” Like so many other verses, Matthew is doing what he can to connect the Old Testament and the New Testament. Since his audience is predominantly Jewish, he needs to do this for effect.
Matthew is saying "look, it has been written that the Son of God will come and he will have the ability to ask God to relieve him from any pain and suffering. All he has to do is say the word and it will happen." It was written that this would happen and it is actually happening. Jesus was on the cross being crucified.
Deuteronomy 8:3 "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord".
ReplyDeleteMatthew 4:4 "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'".
Matthew probably wanted to bring to the minds of the Jews that Jesus is well versed in the laws of their forefathers. A more literal use would be humans need sustenance to live, but they also need to seek spiritual nourishment as well.
It's informative for these selections to point out to the Jewish community that the new sect of Christianity doesn't stray too far from the same path. The main difference of course would be about the Messiah...
I agree with you of what Matthew is talking about when he says that Jesus is well versed in the laws as well as that the Jews also need to seek spiritual nourishment.
DeleteMatt 27:43-- 43 He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
ReplyDeleteThe way I understand it, is that with Jesus trusting in God that if God wants him God should come rescue Jesus. If he does then the persecutors will believe in him. I believe what Matthew is saying to the Jews is that Jesus trust’s God so much that he willing to die because he knows that he will be taken care of when he dies for the sins of the people.
Psalm 22:6-8-- 6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
8 “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
It seems that even though you are being mocked and hated, you should trust in the Lord, because you will be rescued from all the troubles in your life. It shows up in Matthew because Jesus is being hated and mocked but he is putting trust in God.
I agree with your analysis of those scriptures, especially because you were able to simplify the message and make it easier to understand.
DeleteMatthew 4:16--16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." This verse is talking about Jesus going to free John from prison in Galilee.Right before this Jesus was tempted by the devil but only answered Satan with words from the bible. Matthew is also referencing the old testament in this verse.
ReplyDeleteIsaiah 42:7--7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness."Matthew referenced that because Jesus was fulfilling what Isaiah had prophesied. He wanted to bring the idea that Jesus would free them from all darkness and that he was indeed the messiah, sent there to help them see the light. This is also one of the reasons that Matthew's words are targeted towards jewish readers. He does not write much about jewish customs because he assumes that his readers know them, and he also never writes "kingdom of god" and rather writes "kingdom of heaven" because the Jews did not write out the word God.
Like Kristian I decided to go with Matthew 4:4/ Deuteronomy 8:3. While I agree with Kristian I want to look at the context of Deut 8:3.
ReplyDeleteThe chapter begins with Moses reminding Israel of all the great miracles that God performed for them in their time of need in the wilderness. However he then goes on to tell them that when they go into the promised land and are made full they should not in their fullness forget God and his commandments. He also says that if they choose to only live on bread alone and not to live by the word of the Lord that the nation of Israel will be destroyed just look so many nations before them.
When we look back we know that Israel did not head Moses but rather choose to live on bread alone and where destroyed. When they repented and started living their lives according to the word of God then they were able to return to their land.
Now jumping forward to Matthew we can get a much better understanding of the significance of the devils temptation. Their is nothing wrong with eating however, as can be see with the entire nation of Israel, eating often leads to getting full, growing content, and then becoming lax in following the law of God. In essence the devil was telling Jesus to satisfy his earthly hunger and be full just like Israel and just like Israel become content and then.... When Jesus quoted that particular scripture he was clearly telling the devil that he was on to the devils plan and that he would not fall into the same trap that Israel had.
I would think that the Jews who read this passage would come to see the significance of the temptation/trap that the devil was trying to use and just what Jesus was saying when he made that particular quote.