Biblical Intertextuality in the Biblical Intertextuality in the Gospels Birth NarrativesGospels Birth Narratives

Professor L. W. HurtadoProfessor L. W. HurtadoSchool of DivinitySchool of Divinity

University of EdinburghUniversity of Edinburgh

Basic Gospels DataBasic Gospels Data

• GMark first Jesus-narrative (ca. 70 CE)

• GMatthew & GLuke (ca. 75-85 CE?), expanded accounts: birth narratives and resurrection-appearance narratives, plus ca. 200 verses of sayings.

• GMatthew & GLuke take GMark in a more biographical-like direction

Gospels Birth NarrativesGospels Birth NarrativesTwo distinguishable & independent accounts,

neither derivable from the other• GMatt: star, magi, Herod, slaughter of children,

Joseph’s dreams, flight to Egypt• GLuke: John-narrative (Zechariah, Elizabeth),

census, shepherds, angels, manger, Simeon, Anna

• Genealogies different!• Agreements: Jesus, Mary & Joseph;

Miraculous/virginal conception; Bethlehem, Nazareth

• Densely “intertextual”

Types of IntertextualityTypes of Intertextuality

• Direct/explicit citation: E.g., “as it is written in X”, “this was to fulfill what was said in Y”

• Allusion: Conspicuous wording pointing readers to specific prior text(s), each text to be read in light of the other.

• Influence of prior texts on the language of a subsequent text (no intention that texts be “inter-read”).

Matthew’s GenealogyMatthew’s Genealogy

• A cast of OT figures, esp. the women! Tamar (1:3; cf. Gen 38); Rahab (1:5; cf. Josh 2); Ruth (1:5; cf. Ruth); “wife of Uriah” (1:6; cf. 2 Sam 11).

• “David the king” (1:6)

• OT contours: Abraham → David → Captivity → Messiah (1:17)

Matthew’s Direct CitationsMatthew’s Direct Citations

• Isaiah 7:14 (Mt 1:22-23). “Look, the virgin shall conceive . . .”

• Micah 5:2 (Mt 2:6). “And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah . . .”

• Hosea 11:1 (Mt 2:15). “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

• Jeremiah 31:15 (Mt 2:18). “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation . . .”

• “The prophets” (Mt 2:23). “A Nazorean”. Cf. Isa. 11:1 et al. (Heb: netzer)

Matthew’s StarMatthew’s Star

Mt 2:1-2“. . . wise men from the

East came to Jerusalem, asking ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

• Numbers 24:17-19“ . . . a star shall come

out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel . . . One out of Jacob shall rule . . .”

Gifts of the MagiGifts of the Magi

Mt 2:11“ . . . opening their

treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.”

Isa 60:1-6 (cf. Tobit 13:11)

“Arise, shine; for your light has come . . . Nations shall come to your light, and kings . . . They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.”

Matthew’s Allusions Matthew’s Allusions to Moses’ Nativityto Moses’ Nativity

(Exodus 1(Exodus 1–2)–2)

• An evil king (Herod) / Pharaoh

• Herod’s slaughter of infants (Mt 2: 16-17) / Pharaoh’s killing of Israelite babies (Exod 1:15-22)

OT/Jewish “Cadences” OT/Jewish “Cadences” in Luke’s Birth Narrativein Luke’s Birth Narrative

• “an angel of the Lord” (1:11)• A barren wife (1:7) and aged husband

(1:18); cf. Abraham/Sarah (Gen 18:1-15); Manoah (Samson, Judges 13)

• “House of David” (1:26; 2:69); “House of Jacob” (1:33); cf. 2 Sam 7:4-17)

• “City of David” (2:4, 11)• “Consolation of Israel” (2:25); “redemption

of Jerusalem” (2:38)

John the BaptizerJohn the Baptizer• Priest/nazirite: “no wine

or strong drink” (Lk 1:15)

• “. . . with the spirit and power of Elijah . . . To turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Lk 1:17)

• Aaron in Lev 10:8-9, “Drink no wine or strong drink” (cf. Nazirite vow in Num 6:1-4)

• “Lo, I send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come an strike the land with a curse” (Malachi 4:5)

Mary’s Song (Lk 1:46-55)Mary’s Song (Lk 1:46-55)“My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”

“He has brought down the powerful . . .and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things

“He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendents forever.”

Hannah (1 Sam 2:1-10): “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in my God”

“The bows of the mighty are broken . . . He raises up the poor from the dust . . .

“ . . . he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed”

Abraham’s promise (Gen 12:1-3)

Also, e.g., Psa 34:3; 35:9; 138:6; 118:15-16; 98:3, etc.

Zechariah’s ProphecyZechariah’s Prophecy

• “You. . .will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways” (1:76)

• “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death”

• “See, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me . . .” (Malachi 3:1)

• “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light …” (Isaiah 9:2)

Select ReferencesSelect References

• Brown, Raymond E. The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke. Garden City: Doubleday & Co., 1977.

• Witherington, Ben. “Birth of Jesus.” Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Eds. J.B. Green, S. McKnight, I.H. Marshall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1992. Pp. 60-74.