a theological exegesis

Biblical Exegesis

Write a theological exegesis on either Matthew 2 or Matthew 23 ( 80 % ) and remark on the relevancy of the transition for today ‘s church ( 20 % ) .

This transition illustrates God ‘s love for His Son and the first disclosure of His Son to the Gentiles, where a fresh creative activity expands due to a doubtful people who embrace God ‘s map and informant to the birth of God ‘s new age.

Matthew ‘s Gospel gives an history of Christ as King, his function and work within the Galilee and Jerusalem part. Phillips suggests Matthew wrote his Gospel when Jerusalem fell in A.D.70, when “Christianity was good established in the world” ( Phillips. J. 1999. p. 14 ) leting Matthew, to pull upon his ain experience and informant to the plants of Christ.

There has ever been argument, whether Mark or Matthew ‘s Gospel came foremost, yet if it was Mark, what is the footing of the other informations that Matthew and Luke reveal that is non found in Mark! Whereas Q “the merchandise of scholarly speculation” ( NBC. 1953. p. 900 ) offers a secondary beginning alongside Mark where Matthew and Luke could hold derived their information, the “two beginning theory” of Mark and Q.

Matthew, a Jew, instructor and evangelist wrote his Gospel for Judaic readers in Palestine, where most Hebrews lived ( France. R. 1992. p.91 ) and looked for an anointed King from the Davidic line who would reconstruct Israel ( Psalm 72:8 ) .

Out of the synoptic Gospels, merely Matthew mentions the Church ( 16:18 ) believing the “Gentiles would inherit God ‘s blessing through coming to faith in Christ” ( Phillips. J. 1999. p. 15 ) . Peake ‘s Commentary emphasizes “Christian religion and life as non a new faith, but as a new constituency of Israel” ( Peake. 1962. p. 7770 )

The Matthean Birth Story

( 1: 1- 18 ) Before chapter two, Matthew presents the family tree of Jesus as “the Davidic descent of Jesus” ( Peake. 1962. p. 769 ) to link Jesus “as closely as possible with the developing intents of God as revealed in the Old Testament” ( France. R. 1992. p. 168 ) .

In Matthew Joseph is the cardinal figure where Mary and he live in Bethlehem and by particular disclosure are led to Nazareth. Here the narrative unfolds through Godhead counsel through dreams so that every facet happens to carry through the prognostication. In Luke, Mary is the cardinal figure and Luke ‘ events are non mentioned in Matthew, which suggests Matthew has drawn upon other traditions available to him. Matthew ‘s reference of “each inside informations go oning in order to carry through the prophecy” ( Peake ‘s. p. 771 ) points to Matthew holding restricted himself to material where he found biblical foundation.

This narration of the Matthean birth of the Messiah, of whose rubric Matthew uses clearly, to denote the coming of the “true King of Israel in the line of David” ( NBC. 1953. p. 900 ) leads the reader back to Israel ‘s history and the old compact yet guides the reader forward to the whole Gospel of Christ in the message of redemption.

The Visit Of The Magi

( 2:1 ) We pick up the narrative in chapter two where Matthew tells us that Jesus, the Grecian word matching to the Hebrew Yeshua ( God saves ) has been born which reveals that this narrative happened after Jesus ‘ birth but does non state where it happened or the day of the month. Then Matthew notifies the reader that it was the royal metropolis, Bethlehem of Judea, the “House of Bread” ( John 6:35 ) and where David had been born, instead than Galilee ( Josh 19:15 ) . While Matthew references Bethlehem on five occasions, John mentions it one time and Luke twice, proposing that Bethlehem was non an of import location although this was changed by the Messianic birth, “by no agencies are you the smallest of the swayers of Judah” ( Matt 2:6 ) . This puts the narrative in a geographical context by conveying topographic point names such as Bethlehem to the reader ‘s attending, whereas Luke references the Nazareth events ( 1: 26-35 ) which Matthew sidesteps.

Matthew introduces King Herod who is non Judaic but was made male monarch of Judea by the Roman swayers in 40. B.C.

Matthew ‘s narrative introduces the Magi but does non state how many appeared from the E ( NIV ) whereas the NRSV portrays this Grecian word, as “ wise men” . The Magi were astrologists who had calculated that a royal birth had taken topographic point someplace in Palestine which needed “a province visit” ( New Bible Commentary. p.908 ) which Matthew seems to hold accepted that the Gentiles reaction was absolutely normal although the NBC points it to being instead doubtful! Yet if the star was in the East, why did the Magi non travel to Afghanistan which was in the East whereas Bethlehem was in the West? Could it be that the Magi were from the East instead than the star and the mention is given to the Magi?

Peake suggests these wise work forces were prestidigitators who either practiced the out humanistic disciplines and condemned by Judaic rules ( Acts 13:10 ) or philosophers who as Gentiles came to inquire after Christ though their “historicity is challenged frequently” ( Green. J. 1992. p.72 ) . ? ? ? ? suggests the Magi came from the Old Testament ( Isaiah 60: 1-11 ; Psalm 72: 10-11 ) or as a Midrash from the book of Kings ( 1:10 ) .

In Matthew, the birth of Jesus is marked by a star which may hold echoed the former Balaam prognostication ( NBC ) where “a star will come out of Jacob” ( Numbers 24: 17 ) although Peake, challenges that Matthew does non associate the star to Numbers 24:17 which became of import for the community of Qumran. Whereas in Luke ‘s narrative and harmonizing to tradition, Jesus ‘ birth is shown to the Judaic shepherds, the first 1s to hold contact with Christ ( Luke 2:15 ) on the dark of his birth by an angel who announces the announcement of good intelligence which resonates with Isaiah ‘s declaration. ( 61:1 ) .

( 2:2 ) The Magi knew that Jesus was “born King” instead than “born to be King” ( Morris. L. 1992. p.37 ) yet Turner challenges that we need to grok this phrase as “the new-born King of the Jews” . Nevertheless Matthew high spots Jesus ‘ Kingship by stressing that the Magi came to idolize Him which revealed that Jesus was Lord to the universe ( Mi 5:2 ) .

( 2:3 ) Matthew tells us that “when king Herod heard this” he was really disturbed yet the readers are non told how Herod heard this intelligence although we can presume that the Magi ‘s presence and their inquiry of “Where is the one Born King of the Jews” ( 2: 2 ) would hold reached him. Why was Herod already a male monarch so troubled? Matthew emphasizes the point of Herod being “disturbed” taking the readers to oppugn whether Herod had already given himself the rights of the boy of David by retracing Jerusalem ‘s Temple which so explains why Herod felt so threatened by an reliable descendent of the Davidic royal line. Therefore the Magi ‘s inquiry affected non merely Herod but all Jerusalem who were identified with king Herod and feared that the “kingdom of the Messiah” would conflict with secular power.

Matthew creates a steadfast differentiation between Herod who, although a barbarous male monarch earned the moniker “Herod the great” for his achievements in the building of the temple in Jerusalem in contrast to Jesus “the newborn King of the Jews” ( Binz. S. 1996. p.22 ) .

( 2:4 ) Matthew ‘s Tells us that Herod called all his experts together, “ the council, the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem” who were good read in the Hebrew Scriptures and prognostications ( Binz. S. p.22 ) and would cognize with certainty where the Messiah is born. Although Matthew speaks of high priests and scribes more than other authors within the New Testament on this juncture, leaves out the Pharisees proposing a weak connexion with the high-priests.

( 2:5 ) In John ‘s Gospel the Jews proclaimed that no-one would cognize where the Christ would come from ( John 7:27 ) which is in contrast with the Sanhedrin who clearly tell Herod that it would be Bethlehem where the Messiah is born and utilize Bible to back up their analysis ( Micah 5:1 ) . Yet it suggests that “this location was chosen by the Evangelists” ( Green. J. McKnight. S.1992.p. 69 ) from the prognostication of Micah but merely Matthew links this connexion whereas Luke uses Bethlehem for its historical nature.

Although the Sanhedrin could state Herod immediately where the Christ is to be born, they did non move on the Magi ‘s intelligence ( Morris. L. 1992. p.39 ) .

( 2:6 ) Matthew has added “by no means” to the Micah text in his Gospel, foregrounding the message that Bethlehem might be unimportant but, through the birth of Jesus the Christ she will derive position although some translators suggest that Matthew has “contradicted the prophesier by infixing it” ( Morris.L. p. 27 ) . The Judaic council would hold kept purely to the Hebrew text “Bethlehem Ephratha” whereas Matthew replaced this with, “But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah” although both give the same significance. Matthew has altered the last line of poetry 2 from Micah “Whose beginnings are from of old, from ancient times” so that it will link, “Who will be the shepherd of my people Israel” to David, “You shall shepherd my people Israel” ( 2 Samuel 5:2 ; 1 Chronicles 11:2 ) and the symbolic nature of a loving shepherd yet does non mention to the swayer ( NIV ) as the Messiah.

( 2:7-8 ) Herod wanted to avoid promotion so called the Magi in secret to happen out “the exact date” ( NIV ) the star appeared. Matthew reveals Herod ‘s cunningness in naming the Magi in private and pull outing from them the day of the month but hides his ain fright and green-eyed monster by looking spiritual to the Magi, “so that I excessively may travel and idolize him” ( NIV ) in false worship. Yet what is amazing is that Herod sends the Magi off to “search diligently” for the Christ kid whereas Bethlehem was merely seven stat mis off from where Herod was in Jerusalem and Herod could hold sent his ain work forces to descry on the Magi but chooses to swear them alternatively with his direction for them to describe back.

( 2:9-10 ) The Magi leave Herod and go on on their manner and see the star one time more, the star that had directed them “in the East” yet Matthew is bespeaking ( in para with verse two ) that the star kept traveling “until it stopped over the topographic point where the kid was” ( NIV ) . While Matthew does non bespeak where the kid was and says, “the place” Luke foremost tells his readers that the shepherds found Jesus “ lying in a manger” ( Luke 2:16 ) .

The Magi are reassured that God was pass oning with them & A ; maintaining His promise to those with the temperament of joying and attempts in righteousness ( Isaiah 64: 5 ) . Although Matthew ‘s text says the star “went in front of them” Matthew does non state us that the Magi followed the star whereas Philips remarks the Wise Men “ followed the mark in the sky” ( JPCS. 1999. p. 42 )

( 2:11 Matthew ‘s precedence here, is to admit the kid foremost and so Mary, though Joseph is non mentioned. The Magi present themselves foremost to the kid, “and they bowed down” ( NIV ) as foretold in ( Psalm 72: 11 ) whereas the ( NRSV ) uses the linguistic communication, “ wage him court ” which is a solo word in Greek ( proskuneo ) and points to a position of fear and authorization.

The ( NIV ) says “they opened their hoarded wealths and presented him with gifts” as was usage in the Eastern civilization as echoed by the Queen of Sheba when sing King Solomon and her giving of gifts ( 1 Kings 10:2 ) which foreshadowed the Magi ‘s visit. Whereas the ( NRSV ) refers to the term, “offered” gifts, a verb that was besides used in concurrence with offering forfeits ( Leviticus 4:3 )

In the NIV the Magi present their gifts of gold, incense and sweet cicely and although Matthew does non bespeak the significance of the gifts, Christianity has pointed to there being symbolic mentions in gold for a male monarch, incense for deity and sweet cicely that expresses affliction and decease.

( 2:12 ) Very frequently the verb “warned” signifies a celestial declaration or disclosure ( Matt 1: 20 ) yet Matthew portrays this warning twofold ; through the Wise Men ‘s dream as a heavenly bid from God non to return place via Herod but by an alternate path though Matthew does non state the reader why, and where the transformed Magi went back to their state with another manner, the beliefs and Way of Jesus ( Acts 9:2 ; 18:25 ) .

Matthew seems to hold included the Magi in his Gospel for the intent of showing how these Gentiles, wise work forces or magi went to great lengths to seek Jesus out. Whereas Herod would hold been cognizant that the prognostication from the ancient Scriptures did non personally or right honor the “new boy of David” who had been humiliated ( John 1:1 ) through an unknown birth, “He came into the universe, and the universe knew him non. Therefore Matthew leads his readers through a sequence of actions that show how God ‘s intents already foretold in the O.T, are nearing fulfilment.

The Escape To Egypt

( 2:13-15 ) Joseph is visited once more by an angel in a dream who commands him to take the kid and Mary into Egypt to get away the coming wrath of Herod.

The holy household are told to remain in Egypt until Herod has died which puts them far off from “the temple of the Lord though they had with them the Lord of the temple” ( Henry. M. 1960. p. 1210 ) . Matthew emphasizes that Scripture is fulfilled by foregrounding the “and so” ( NIV ) or “was to” ( NRSV ) which is in concurrence with “out of Egypt I called my son” by citing ( Hosea 11:1 ) and uses fluctuation from LXX though non “his children” ( LXX ) . Matthew at this point refers to Jesus as the “Son of God” ( Morris. L. 1992 ) though Peake suggests there is “nothing Messianic about it” ( Peake. p. 772 ) . Yet Israel ‘s Exodus from the yesteryear, finds closing in Jesus as he re-experiences and executes through his ain life, Israel ‘s history.

Matthew connects “the flight to Egypt” with the birth of Moses ( Exodus 2 ) every bit good as some sway from the Passover Haggadah where Laban is much more barbarous than Pharoah which sees Jacob sent off to Egypt by “the Godhead word” ( Peake. P. 772 ) whereas Morris suggests it echoes Israel traveling off into expatriate ( Morris. p. 44 ) although they did finally return. Yet in contrast to Matthew who portrays unending enduring ( v.18 ) there is hope in the terminal of Jeremiah ‘s prognostication ( 31:17 ) which suggests the return of Jesus from his ejection to Egypt and His hereafter Resurrection ( 28: 7-10 ) .

( 2:16-18 ) Herod realizes the Magi have deceived him and in his rage ( Eccles 7:17 ) commands all male childs aged two or under in Bethlehem and its environing country to be slaughtered to do certain that it matched the clip the Magi had given and that the Christ kid did non last. Therefore Jeremiah ‘s prognostication is fulfilled two times ; “a voice is heard in Ramah” ( LXX 38:15 ) that is nearer to the Hebrew text than LXX ( although with fluctuations such as “the nouns being nominative in Matthew and possessive in LXX” ( Morris. L. ) where Rachel wept for Israel, her kids as they were exiled to Babylon ( Jeremiah 31:15 ) . Jeremiah ‘s 2nd fulfillment is through the abattoir of the inexperienced person and martyred babies “who shed their blood for Him who afterwards shed his for them” ( Henry. M. p. 1211 ) .

The Return To Nazareth

( 2:19-20 ) Herod had ruled for 35 old ages with panic and now Herod is dead which is a important poetry as it shows a alteration is at hand.

Matthew lets his readers know that God, His power and control are non merely in Israel but extended to Egypt where The Lord appears to Joseph in a dream stating “go to the land of Israel” .

( 2: 21-23 ) Joseph obeys God ‘s will to travel to “the land of Israel” where the Christ kid will now be safe yet is hesitating to travel to Judea because Archelaus now ruled even more viciously than his male parent, Herod by slaying 3,000 Jews in the temple at Passover ( Phillips. J. 1999. p. 47 ) . Matthew lets it be known that God gives Joseph heavenly way because of his apprehensiveness, to travel to an exact location by another dream, to Galilee and hence sees an chance to fit the prognostication “He will be called a Nazarene” yet nowhere is it in the Old Testament prophecies although the NIV suggests it refers to Old Testaments anticipations. Nazareth comes from the Hebrew linguistic communication, “Netzer” which signifies disdain as Nathanael challenged Jesus ( John 1:46 ) . Schofield suggests a connexion between Matthew 2:23 and Isaiah 11:1, “there shall come Forth a rod from the root of Jesse and a Branch shall turn from its roots” ( Phillips. J. p.48 ) which has the interlingual rendition of netzer where Nazareth originated.

The Relevance For Today ‘s Church

Matthew ‘s scriptural narrative, “the full Gospel” is important to today ‘s Church as the whole ground of the Magi ‘s visit, is the disclosure of Christ as Lord and King to the Gentiles. As Jesus is Lord of all people Matthew, needed to stress Jesus ‘ illustriousness, by either spread outing the narration of Moses ( Ant. 2.205-7, 215-16 ) whom Matthew regarded as a “type of Christ” ( Morris. L. p. 34 ) or by composing a narrative where the Magi came to idolize the babe Jesus and were the first to declare the Divinity of Jesus Christ by puting gifts at His pess which acknowledged Jesus right to govern their lives, his priesthood and future perfect forfeit for wickedness.

Although the Wise Men were regarded as practising prestidigitators ( BAGD ) which is against God, Ignatius ‘ “malam partem” points out that Christ disbanded all thaumaturgy ( Ephesians? ) and is exultant over all evil as apparent upon the cross.

Throughout Matthew ‘s history we see strong links to Old Testament prognostication with Matthew puting accent on the prognostication being fulfilled in the birth of Jesus Christ, ( Matt 21:4 ) the Son of David and Son of Abraham, through whom all states of the Earth will be blessed ( Genesis 12:3 ) . There is an ecclesiastical subject contained within Matthew ‘ Gospel that inquiries who is to inherit the Kingdom! Matthew emphasises that those who inherit the land will be those like the Magi, who recognise Jesus as the Messiah and worship Him as he truly deserves through paying Him court ( 28:17 ) .

Bibliography

Bible Citations taken from. 1973. New International Version Study Bible. Published by Zondervan: Michigan, USA.

Bible Citations Taken from: 2005. The Holy Bible. N. R.S.V. Published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd: London.

Binz. J. S. 1996. Advent of the Savior: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives of Jesus. Published by The Liturgical Imperativeness: Collegeville, Minnesota. USA

France. R.T. 1989. Matthew – Evangelist & A ; Teacher. Paternoster Press: Guernsey.

Henry. M. 1960. Edited by: Rev. Leslie. F. Church. Matthew Henry ‘s Commentary- On The Whole Bible. Published by Marshall Pickering: London.

Morris. L. 1992. The Gospel Harmonizing To Matthew – The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Published by Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester, England.

New Bible Commentary. 1954. Edited by – D.A. Carson. R.T. France. J. A. Motyer & A ; G. J. Wenham. Published by Inter-Varsity Press: Leicester, England.

Peake ‘s Commentary Bible. 1962: Edited by -Matthew Black and H. H. Rowley. Published by Thomas Nelson and Sons LTD: London.

Phillips. J. 1999. Exploring: The Gospel of Matthew. The John Phillips Commentary Series. Published by Kregel Publications: Grand Rapids. MI. USA.