Transcript Slide 1

Infancy Narratives
A Closer Look
Refer to Lk (Ch. 1 & 2) &
Mt: (Ch. 1 & 2)
Similarities in Matthew and Luke
Examples:
 Both in the time of Herod
 Mary is a virgin
 Jesus is conceived through the Holy Spirit
 Jesus is identified as the Son of David
 Name of Jesus imposed by heaven
 Jesus is a Saviour
 Jesus born in Bethlehem, after Mary and Joseph
have been living together as man and wife
 Joseph, Mary and Jesus settle in Nazareth
Differences in Matthew and Luke
LUKE
 MATTHEW
Angel appears to Mary to tell her of
impending birth of Jesus (1:26)
 Angel appears to Joseph to tell
him of Mary’s impending birth of
Jesus (1:20)
Jesus born in a manger (2:7)
 Jesus born in a house (1:10)
Angels appear to shepherds in the
fields (2:9-16)
Mary & Joseph go to Bethlehem for
the census before the birth of
Jesus (2:4-5)
 Magi from the East follow a star
(2:1)
Jesus had fulfilled what the Holy
Spirit had revealed to Simeon
(prophet outside the Temple)
 Angel appears to Joseph, after
Jesus is born, & tells them to flee
to Egypt (2:13-15)
 Jesus’ birth is fulfilling Old
Testament prophesies
Structure and Emphasis in
Matthew
 Being a Jewish Christian, Matthew’s
concern is to show Jesus as fulfilling the
prophesies and hopes of the Jewish people
Jesus is compared to Moses:
 1. Matthew models his account on the birth of Moses - the
most important religious authority in Judaism
 2. Jesus escapes the massacre of the infants (Mt 2:16) as
Moses did (Ex 2:3)
 3. They both travel to Egypt (compare Ex 4:19 and Mt 2:19)
 4. Moses leads the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt saving
them (Ex ch. 12 & 13) ….Jesus will save his people from
their sins (Mt 1:21)
 5. Moses is seen as the teacher and Law-giver in Judaism
– he receives the Law of God (10 commandments) on
Mount Sinai, and teaches the people of Israel….Jesus is
shown as a teacher and Law-giver – he teaches from a
mountain (eg Mt ch. 5)
Jesus is compared to Moses:
Purpose
 1. By parallelling Jesus with Moses
Matthew is emphasising Jesus’ great
importance for the Jewish people
 2. Matthew presents Jesus as the “New
Moses” - teacher and Law-giver who has
authority from God. He is the “fulfilment” of
the law and therefore the messiah the Jews
have been waiting for.
Matthew use of Prophesy

Matthew structures his narrative around
the Jewish scriptures ...he does this 5
times – see (1:18-25; 2:1-12; 2:13-15;
2:16-18; 2:19-23)
Matthew use of Prophesy:
Purpose


To reassure the Jewish audience – they do
not lose their Jewish heritage by following
Christ
Matthew shows that all the events
surrounding Jesus happened in order to
fulfil what was written in the prophets and
he is therefore the fulfilment of Jewish
hopes.
Matthew includes the Visitors
from the East
 Matthew depicts important visitors from the
east – therefore Gentiles - greeting and
honouring the infant Jesus
Matthew includes the Visitors
from the East: Purpose



Showing that Gentiles were accepting Jesus –
indicates his significance – they are the first to
recognise Jesus as King of the Jews.
They may have been kings reverencing Jesus –
indicates Jesus’ divinity being honoured by
earth’s kings.
This passage is consoling to Jewish Christian’s
at the time (who were being excommunicated
from the Jewish community), because even at
his birth gentiles rather than Jews were
accepting Jesus.
Matthews primary concerns
 To show Jesus represents both:
– CONTINUITY-(Jesus fulfills the Law and
prophecies about the Messiah)
and
DISCONTINUITY –(Jesus establishes a new
Church)
The GOOD NEWS is not only for the Jews but
for the whole world (eg seen in Wise Men
at birth)
In Summary………..
 Matthew has Jesus primarily concerned with the
salvation of Israel (15:21 – 28)
 Matthew is also concerned with the Law and how
Jesus fulfills the Law
 Matthews theology of salvation is that
the Good News was firstly given to the
Jews, has been rejected by them and is
now offered to the Gentiles.
 Geography shows this: Jesus begins ministry in
Galilee, meets disciples there (Jewish territory)
then sends them out to the whole world (ie. from
Jewish to pagan/Gentile territory)
Structure and Emphasis in Luke
 Luke, writing predominantly for Gentile
Christians, emphasises salvation for all
people – especially the oppressed, the poor,
outcasts, sinners……
Luke compares the Birth of Jesus
to the birth of John the Baptist:


Read 1:5-25, 57-80
EG: both births are foretold by the angel
Gabriel; both are born under the influence
of the Holy Spirit, both are named through
divine inspiration, both will do God’s work.
Luke compares the Birth of Jesus
to the birth of John the Baptist:
Purpose




To demonstrate the transition of one epoch
(period of history) – the Epoch of Israel –
represented by John the Baptist to a new epoch
– the Christian Epoch – represented by Jesus.
Luke wishes the reader to recognise that Jesus
and John are “twin agents of God’s salvation.”
The stories not only parallel each other, there is
“step-parallelism” used as a literary devise – in
order to reveal the significance of who Jesus is.
EG: John is great in the sight of the Lord (1:15),
Jesus will be called the Lord (2:11); John will be
filled with the Holy Spirit (1:15), Jesus is born in
the Holy Spirit (1:35)

Luke’s Structure stresses
symbolism:
Shepherds: Shepherds were a poor, and despised
class of people – their occupation did not allow
for obeying all Jewish laws (eg time for prayer
and cleanliness) – therefore they were
considered sinners.

Purpose: In contrast to Matthew (who depicts
wealthy and influential people greeting Jesus)
Luke has the poor and sinners greeting the
child…..showing that Jesus has come for all
people, the poor and sinful included.
Luke’s Structure stresses
symbolism:

No Room: Not only are the lowly attracted to
Jesus, but Jesus himself assumed the
condition of the lowly –

Purpose: To show that Jesus was born
poor and homeless and therefore is
identified with them.
Luke’s Structure stresses
symbolism:

Manger: Jesus is placed in a manger – the
trough out of which the animals feed.

Purpose: To accentuate his poverty further.
This is also symbolic that just as animals
feed from a manger, humanity is going to
be fed by Jesus
Luke stresses Great Joy


Luke’s writing is joyful – Luke’s characters are
spirit-filled people rejoicing over what God has
done for them.
EG: The angels proclaim to the shepherds “good
news of a great joy which will come to all people”
(2:10); Many of the characters bless, or praise
God for what he has done for them – Mary
proclaims: “My soul magnifies the Lord, my spirit
rejoices in God my saviour.” (1:46-47)
Luke stresses Great Joy: Purpose
 Luke is living in a time when many Gentiles
are converting to Christianity – the message
of Jesus is spreading out to the world –
Luke depicts this as a joyful event because
a “Saviour” has been born for “all people.”
Luke’s major Themes & Concerns
1. Salvation is UNIVERSAL- everyone including
poor and Gentiles are invited into the Kingdom of
God
eg. Jesus born in poverty; shepherds visiting
2. MESSIANIC JOY –
eg. Magnificat; angels singing; shepherds joy;
Elizabeths joy
3. Profile of WOMEN –
eg. Mary – visit by angel; song of praise
4. HOLY SPIRIT –
eg. Jesus, John the Baptist, Elizabeth,
Zechariah all filled with the Holy Spirit