Matthew, Disciple and Scribe
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61. Konradt (Israel, Church, and the Gentiles, 206) again argues that “sons of the kingdom” refers not simply to Jews but to Christ believers: “The ‘sons of the kingdom’ are ‘fruits’ of the ministry of the Son of Man.” But Konradt seems to be stretching the data. The context of this passage again is about a centurion’s faith, and Jesus notes how he has not seen such faith in Israel. Therefore “sons of the kingdom” more likely refers to Jews. But it does not have to follow that all the sons of the kingdom are thrown into outer darkness. Rather, this functions as a warning to the sons of the kingdom who may become jealous of the centurion’s faith and the gathering of the nations to Abraham’s table.
62. France (Gospel of Matthew, 417–18) and others call chaps. 11–12 “varying responses” to Jesus for the following reasons: (1) John the Baptist wants to believe, (2) the children are able to discern the truth (11:25–27), and (3) Jesus’s true family is composed of those who do the will of God (12:46–50). France argues that the varying responses in chap. 13 support the idea of chaps. 11–12 not being primarily negative. Yet if these positive responses are read in light of the narrative flow, then they seem to contrast with the large-scale rejection presented. The local towns reject Jesus (11:20–24), the religious leaders demand a sign (12:38–42), they claim that Jesus is in league with the devil (12:22–32), and they begin to threaten his life (12:14). In addition, the section is tied together by references to “this generation,” which is not a congratulatory phrase.
63. The connection between wisdom and what is secret or hidden is a common theme: Prov. 10:14; Job 15:18; 28:21; Isa 29:14; Sir. 20:30; 41:14.
64. On this see Allison (“Structure, Biographical Impulse, and the Imitatio Christi,” 140), who argues that in Matt. 14–17 is the establishment of the new people of God. Peter’s emergence in this section “correlates with the emergence of the church.”
65. Both the numbers four and seven were used symbolically in Semitic and other literature. Seven has to do with perfection, and four came to mean completeness because of symbolizing the four corners of the earth. The OT speaks this way of the earth. Ezekiel 37:9 says to the wind, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live” (emphasis added). Job 1:19 mentions the same type of idea. For other interesting uses of four in the Bible, see Isa. 11:2; Jer. 15:3; 49:36; Ezek. 1; 10; Zech. 2:6; Rev. 7:1; 9:13–15; and many others.
66. See Kirk, “Conceptualising Fulfilment in Matthew”; Gundry, Use of the Old Testament; Stendahl, School of St. Matthew; Stanton, “Matthew’s Use of the Old Testament.”
67. Other significant mountain feeding passages are Jer. 31:10–14 and Ezek. 34:14, 26–27.
68. Donaldson, Jesus on the Mountain, 129.
69. The final parable in response to the religious leaders continues the theme of the first two parables but with different imagery (Matt. 22:1–14).
7
Jesus and Israel’s Destiny
Sometimes the hardest things to see are right in front of us, even all around us. It was G. K Chesterton who said, “The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.”1 In a similar way, we have traveled through the life of Jesus through the eyes of the discipled scribe, attempting to see his teacher afresh and with more depth. We have done so in order to put our foot down again in the familiar country of Gospel literature as if we were foreigners again. The mountains begin to look different, as if they have come from a common history; the faces are somehow familiar, as if we have seen them before; their clothes look worn with a rich history, and the lakes and rivers flow from a time past. This chapter returns to the land of Matthew but climbs the mountain peaks of Matthew to take a bird’s-eye view of the landscape.
In this chapter my aim is to demonstrate that Jesus is not merely represented as a new individual but that Matthew’s plot as a whole completes the story of the nation. Jesus not only embodies and mimics the life of characters but of Israel as a whole. Israel can be viewed through its individual figures, but Israel can also be conceived as a corporate entity. Matthew offers Jesus’s life through both of these lenses, and therefore we would be remiss if we didn’t follow the scribe in his teaching. More specifically, I will argue that Matthew sequences his narrative as the plot of Israel, in which Jesus leads the nation out of exile.2 If David is associated with the kingdom, Moses with the exodus, and Abraham with family, then Israel’s narrative can be put under the banner of exile. Matthew reveals Jesus through the curtain of the history of Israel; the story of Jesus is the story of Israel in repeat. Jesus is not merely the son of David, or the son of Abraham, but the Son of Yahweh, who perfects the narrative of Israel.
This sequencing of Matthew’s narrative should not be surprising for four reasons.
The OT shows signs of not only telling history but also of retelling it in familiar forms. The OT authors told not only a linear history but also a cyclical one. Multiple water crossings, feedings, exiles, returns from exile, famines, stories of anti-kings, prophets, and true kings are told in recognizable ways, with key words showing development and associations.3 The OT sets the pattern that Matthew imitates. Copying and imitating was not as much of a problem in the ancient world; it was a prime way of communicating.4
Matthew writes a “gospel story.” The “good news” of the coming reign of Yahweh through his representative continues here in Matthew’s narrative. If Matthew is continuing the gospel narrative, then he would most likely do so by showing how what is “new” relates to what is “old.”
Matthew is the Gospel about fulfillment. Jesus fulfills the narrative of Israel as a nation, not merely pieces of its history or a few of its leaders. No; this Gospel says the story of Israel is comprehensively complete in Jesus.
Matthew shows incredible precision in his structuring. The writer moves things around from Mark’s narrative and sets things up in a unique way. The placement of his stories is not haphazard but purposeful.
These four arguments set us off on the trail of attempting to see the history of Israel as a whole in Matthew’s portrayal of Jesus. But before we embark, I should clarify what I am and am not arguing. I am not claiming that all the echoes and resonances follow a chronological sequence; I am arguing that the large narrative blocks point toward this arrangement. For example, Ps. 22 is used in great detail in Matthew’s portrayal of the crucifixion. But this doesn’t necessarily work against the fact that Matthew employs monarchy themes in chapters 11–12 (David, Solomon, temple, and rest). Matthew can portray Jesus as the suffering and vindicated son of David at the end of his Gospel and at the beginning, while still following a basic narrative development and focusing on the monarchy in chapters 11–12. Therefore pointing out that there are references to Moses or Adam or Abraham at the end of the Gospel does not overturn this sequential argument. The sequence and intermixing of persons and events don’t have to be at odds, because the Scriptures intermix people, places, and time.
Narratives function at several levels, and those who search for “one meaning” in narratives are not attending to the richness that lies within. Matthew doesn’t have to restrict himself to one point. He can use one narrative to present Jesus as both a Moses-type figure and a David-type figure. He can intermix these not only because this is how narratives work, but also because all of Israel’s history is unified in Jesus. All of these figures connect not only because they are part of Israel’s history but also because they are unified in Christ. Moses, David, and Abraham’s lives carry all the way through, yet there is also a sense in which readers can view the transitions of this Gospel from a higher level.
Multiple analyses can stand side by side rather than our needing to argue that only one character or theme predominates in Matthew’s account. Readers don’t need to choose teams but can end up seeing the varied layers of meaning presented in the text. Jesus can recapitulate the roles of both major individuals and the nation as a whole. In fact, these two
should not be opposed, for the role of individuals and the role of the nation itself are tied together. For example, when Jesus is tempted in the wilderness, he is acting as the new Adam, new Israel, and new prophet. When he feeds the people on the mountain, he is providing food both as a new Moses and a new Elisha. When Jesus gives the Great Commission, it is mirroring Cyrus’s edict (2 Chron. 36:23), the commission to Moses (Deut. 31:14–15), and the commission to Joshua (Josh. 1:1–9). Matthew can be generous with his intertextual links while also being structured and thoughtful.
The sequential and nonsequential references also don’t need to be at odds, because there is a difference between looking at specific texts that speak to fulfillment and examining how Matthew employs the OT in his larger structure. These coincide at times, but they can also be distinguished. In chapter 2 I explained how Matthew uses “shadow stories” that mirror Jewish history. In this chapter I will look not only at the fulfillment quotations but also at how the narrative transitions reflect and repeat the history of Israel.5 Matthew can be very imaginative and resourceful, employing these themes throughout his Gospel while also following a basic chronology. There are enough correspondences in the chief narrative movements to lead us to conclude that Matthew accomplishes something bigger than merely presenting Jesus as the new Moses, or the new David; he retraces the history of Israel through his portrayal of Jesus. Jesus’s footsteps fill in the strides of Israel as he leads the people out of exile.
The Story of Israel in the Structure of Matthew
Structure is clearly important to Matthew. Many call Matthew the most structured of all our Gospels.6 Matthew relates his message largely by how he put things together, like an architect communicating through the construction. How an artist has placed things speaks volumes about what they are trying to say. In the same way, this scribe has constructed his biography of Jesus in what we could call a “fulfillment form.” The placement of each piece builds the argument. Yet the reality is that the structure of Matthew continues to be debated. We can boil down the proposals to three large categories.7
Some follow the geographic outline, mainly paying attention to the where of Jesus’s travels. Many in this camp see some sort of introduction, usually extending to about 4:11. Then Jesus’s ministry in Galilee begins. This ministry lasts from 4:12 to 20:34, though most will note that the journey south to Jerusalem begins in 16:21. Finally Jesus nears Jerusalem in 21:1 and then goes to his death and resurrection in chapters 26–28.
Others follow a plot outline, focusing on Jesus’s actions. The presentation of Jesus is given in 1:1–4:16, the proclamation of Jesus is given in 4:17–16:20, and the passion and resurrection of Jesus is given in 16:21–28:20. This outline respects the repeated phrase “from that time Jesus began to” (Ἀπὸ τότε ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς) found in 4:17 and 16:21.
Others will follow what we can call a narrative-discourse outline. This breaks the book into sections alternating between narratives and discourses and having an introduction and conclusion. This outline respects the repeated phrase “and when Jesus had finished these words” (Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς λόγους τούτους), found with some variations in 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; and 26:1. As France and others have pointed out, this language stands out in Matthew and clearly intends to provide important transitions in the material. This formula is not only repeated five times, but each time it stands at the end of a major block of Jesus’s teaching, or what we could call a discourse.
These outlines don’t need to be opposed to one another; they are different ways of looking at Matthew’s narrative structure. The geographic outline provides a look at Jesus’s travels, highlighting the exile and return of the Davidic king. It also allows readers to see “where” Jesus ministers and helps paint a portrait of the various responses to Jesus. The narrative-plot outline also rightly recognizes major transitions in the life and ministry of Jesus, allowing readers to follow the preparation for ministry, the presentation of Jesus, and the passion of Jesus. The narrative-discourse outline recognizes that Matthew groups his material into blocks and provides clues as to when and where key transitions take place.
I tend to favor the narrative-discourse outline for a few reasons. First, it is the most detailed outline. It provides more transitions and allows readers to see how the discourses are related and how the narratives connect to the discourses. Second, it allows us to see Jesus as the teacher and his followers as disciples and scribes. Third, it best enables us to see Jesus repeating the history of Israel as a whole.8 While some parts are clearer than others, the clarity of the bookends and the center compel readers to begin searching for more connections. Matthew 1:1–17 reflects a Genesis and new-creation intertext, Matt. 26–28 imitates the exile and return from exile, and Matt. 13 centers on a wisdom tradition.
The argument I provide here builds on, at least in part, the work of three other scholars: B. W. Bacon, Dale Allison, and Peter Leithart. Bacon argues that this organization is part of Matthew’s attempt to present his Gospel as the new Pentateuch. He suggests that the Gospel was structured by an alternating fivefold pattern of discourses and narratives, which combine to form five “books” of the Torah.9 Bacon’s theory has both defenders and detractors.10 To label Matt. 1–2 as a prologue and chapters 26–28 as an epilogue seems to give far too little emphasis to these important sections. Also, Bacon’s assertion that the Pentateuch alternates between “narrative” and discourse” is not entirely convincing. While it is fair to point out some of these criticisms, Bacon’s fundamental insight is on track. Matthew does gather his teaching into large blocks, and there are examples of other Jewish literature that consciously imitate the Pentateuch’s five-book structure.11
Dale Allison has probably done the most work in noting the connections to Moses in the narrative of Matthew.12 In my opinion, Allison has solidified the importance of Moses throughout Matthew’s Gospel. But it is striking that most of the clear Moses echoes appear in Matt. 1–9. As Leithart says, though Allison’s proposal on the large structure for Jesus as new Moses is quite compelling, there is still something lacking. “Half of the strongly Mosaic passages are exhausted by the end of Matthew 7.”13 After that, they seem more spread out.
Peter Leithart has come alongside Bacon and Allison and added some key details.14 The discourses are not imitating the five-book structure of the Pentateuch, but the fivefold story of Israel as a whole. Jesus recapitulates not only the Pentateuch but also the narrative of the nation itself. Matthew moves not only from the infancy narrative of Moses (Matt. 1–2) to the commissioning of a successor (28:16–20) but also from creation to the end of exile. Therefore Leithart proposes that Matthew moves sequentially through the history of Israel, with the five discourses and the surrounding narrative marking out major periods of Israel’s history. Hence we cannot study only the discourses, for the narratives also give us hints that Matthew is following the history of Israel. The discourses certainly stand as large billboards—alerting readers to the path one is to follow—but the narratives also supply vital “packaging” that further supports the view that Jesus comes as the new Israel. He walks in Israel’s footsteps, completing the strides the nation was never able to accomplish and suffering the fate the people deserved.
Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7) New Moses
Sending out the Twelve (Matt. 10) New Joshua
Kingdom parables (Matt. 13) New Solomon
Community discourse (Matt. 18) New Elisha
Prophetic discourse (Matt. 23–25) New Jeremiah
New Creation, New Wisdom, and New Adam in Matthew 1:1–17
For Matthew, the birth of Jesus is the commencement of the new creation. His introduction immediately propels readers back to Genesis. The first words, “the book of the genealogy,” could also be translated as “the scroll of origin,” “the book of Genesis,” or “the scroll of the lineage.” The explicit phrase (βίβλος γενέσεως) occurs in
the LXX in only two places, Gen. 2:4 and 5:1. Genesis 2:4 is about the origin of heaven and earth (place), while 5:1 concerns the origin of Adam and Eve (people). These first words thus assemble the themes of heaven and earth that track their way throughout the Gospel.15 Jesus reunites these realms as all authority “in heaven and on earth” are given to him (Matt. 28:18). A cosmic and spatial unifying force appears at the birth of Jesus (1:1).16
The genealogy is not only about the new creation but about the new creation with people at the center (Gen. 5:1). Matthew mobilizes his story as a recovery and resuscitation of the people lost by the prophets, priests, and sovereigns of old. He establishes the redemptive-historical context as one of ongoing exile. The one “event” that Matthew names outside of the birth of Jesus is the exile, which acts as a hinge of Matthew’s genealogical structure in chapter 1 and provides the perspective for the Gospel as a whole.17 Matthew views the plot of Israel under the banner of exile and return from exile.18 The king therefore comes to rescue Israel from exile; he has been sent to the lost sheep of Israel. This exile stretches further back than the Babylonian exile, for the exile actually begins with Adam (Gen. 3).19 Though the people of God are in exile, hope bursts through the shadows: a child has come. While Gen. 5 is a picture of genealogical death, the ending of Matthew’s βίβλος γενέσεως is not death but resurrection life. A child has been born who will never die.20
The revelation of Jesus as the new creation also connects with wisdom themes.21 Wisdom possesses creative and redemptive functions in the Scriptures and other Wisdom literature outside the Bible. Wisdom 9:2 says, “and by your wisdom you have formed humankind,” and wisdom “was present when you made the world” (Wis. 9:9). Proverbs 8:22–31 claims: