HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  1.19 Husband. See note on 1.18. Henceforth Joseph (the man) dominates the story (cf. Lk 1–2). Righteous, here meaning “law (Torah) abiding,” and righteousness (3.15) are favorite Matthean terms (see note on 3.15;13.17, 43; Lk 1.6). Dismiss. See note on 1.18; 5.31–32;19.7.

  1.20 Dream (see also 2.12, 13, 19, 22), a means of divine communication, recalls Joseph the dreamer (Gen 37.5–11) and dream interpreter (Gen 40–41). Son of David. See v. 1.

  1.21 Jesus, from the Greek form of a common Hebrew name (Joshua) derived from yasha‘, “he saves”(see 8.25); thus he will save his people from their sins.

  1.22–23 The quotation is from Isa 7.14 (Septuagint) and is the first of fourteen quotations introduced with almost identical formulas; see 2.5b–6;2.15b; 2.17–18; 2.23b; 3.3; 4.14–16; 8.17; 12.17–21;13.14–15; 13.35; 21.4–5; 26.56 (see 26.54); 27.9–10. These formula quotations emphasize that events fulfill prophecy, and thus God’s will. Virgin, based on the Greek Septuagint; the Hebrew ‘almah normally means “young woman.”

  1.25 Until. The author’s birth narrative does not seem to imply the perpetual virginity of Mary (see also 13.55). Named, accepted the child.

  MATTHEW 2

  The Visit of the Wise Men

  1In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise mena from the East came to Jerusalem, 2asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising,b and have come to pay him homage.” 3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiahc was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

  6‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

  are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

  for from you shall come a ruler

  who is to shepherdd my people Israel.’”

  7Then Herod secretly called for the wise mene and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising,f until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw that the star had stopped,g they were overwhelmed with joy. 11On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

  The Escape to Egypt

  13Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” 14Then Josephh got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, 15and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”

  The Massacre of the Infants

  16When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,b he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.i 17Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

  18“A voice was heard in Ramah,

  wailing and loud lamentation,

  Rachel weeping for her children;

  she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”

  The Return from Egypt

  19When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 20“Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21Then Josephj got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. 23There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, “He will be called a Nazorean.”

  next chapter

  * * *

  a Or astrologers; Gk magi

  b Or in the East

  c Or the Christ

  d Or rule

  e Or astrologers; Gk magi

  f Or in the East

  g Gk saw the star

  h Gk he

  h Gk he

  i Gk he

  j Gk he

  2.1–23 The infant Jesus is linked with Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth.

  2.1–12 Gentiles pay homage to the true king, not Rome’s client king, Herod.

  2.1 Rome allowed certain native client kings such as Herod (Herod the Great) to rule (37–4 BCE); see note on 2.22; Lk 3.1. Bethlehem, David’s hometown, five miles south of Jerusalem (1 Sam 16.1–13; see note on 2.5–6; cf. Lk 1.26). Wise men (Greek magoi) from the East, court priests, perhaps from Parthia, who practiced magic and astrology (see text note c).

  2.2 King of the Jews (see also 27.11, 29, 37, 42) contrasts with King Herod (2.1; see Introduction). The title “king” was granted only by Rome; thus the story has potentially subversive implications. His star. See Num 24.17. A famous leader of an Israelite messianic rebellion (132–135 CE) was called Bar Kochba, “Son of the Star.” Pay him homage, i.e., bow down in respect or worship (see vv. 8, 11; 14.33;28.9, 17; see also Ps 72.10–11).

  2.4 Chief priests, high-ranking aristocratic temple priests who performed sacrifices and purification rites (see note on 21.15). Scribes, writing bureaucrats and scholars, usually viewed as in league with inimical Pharisees in Matthew (but cf. 8.19; 13.52; 17.10; 23.2–3). The people are occasionally viewed negatively; see 13.15; 15.8; 21.23;26.3, 47; esp. 27.24–25; cf. 1.21; 4.23; 9.35.

  2.5b–6 The second formula quotation (see note on 1.22–23) combines a modified Mic 5.2 with 2 Sam 5.2, giving Bethlehem geographic precision, prominence, and relevance (see note on 2.1).

  2.11 Frankincense, a fragrant resin. See Ps 72.15; Isa 60.5–6. Myrrh, a resin used for anointing (Ex 30.23–32) and embalming (Jn 19.39–40). The author reports three gifts, but not three kings (a medieval expansion).

  2.12 Dream. See note on 1.20.

  2.13–15 Escape to and return from Egypt echo the stories of Joseph (Gen 37), Moses, the exodus, and thus Passover, a festival that remembers freedom from slavery with all of its political implications.

  2.15b The third formula quotation (see note on 1.22–23) cites Hos 11.1, where “son” refers to Israel (Ex 4.22–23; Deut 1.31); but see note on 3.17.

  2.16–18 The massacre echoes Pharaoh’s ruling at the birth of Moses (Ex 1.15–22), suggesting that Jesus is like Moses; see notes on 1.1–2.23; 2.13–15; 4.2; 4.8; 5.1–7.29; 7.28; 8.1–9.34; 8.4; 11.9; 17.1–8; 19.7; 22.24; 23.2. See note on Wis 11.7.

  2.17–18 The fourth formula quotation (see note on 1.22–23) cites Jer 31.15, which originally referred to the exile of the Northern tribes to Assyria (722/1 BCE).

  2.19–23 The final place of origin of the Messiah is identified as Nazareth (cf. vv. 4–5, 15).

  2.19 Dream. See note on 1.20.

  2.22 Herod’s kingdom was divided among his three sons: Archelaus (ethnarch, ruled Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, 4 BCE–6 CE); Herod Antipas (tetrarch, ruled Galilee and Perea, 4 BCE–39 CE); and Philip (tetrarch, ruled the region northeast of the Sea of Galilee, 4 BCE–33/34 CE). See 14.3–4; Mk 6.17–18; Lk 3.1.

  2.23a Nazareth, an insignificant agricultural village fifteen miles west of the Sea of Galilee, unmentioned in the Hebrew Bible and other contemporary sources (see Lk 2.4; Jn 1.46; 7.41, 52).

  2.23b No known OT passage corresponds to this fifth formula quotation (see note on
1.22–23), but Nazorean perhaps alludes to the messianic “Branch” (Hebrew netzer) of David’s line (Isa 11.1; see Zech 3.8;6.12) or to a Nazirite, a “holy one” who vowed to abstain from wine and cutting his hair (Num 6; Judg 13.5–7; Acts 18.18; 21.17–26; cf. Mt 11.18–19).

  MATTHEW 3

  The Proclamation of John the Baptist

  1In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”a 3This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

  “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

  ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

  make his paths straight.’”

  4Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

  7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 9Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

  11“I baptize you withb water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you withc the Holy Spirit and fire. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

  The Baptism of Jesus

  13Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. 14John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved,d with whom I am well pleased.”

  next chapter

  * * *

  a Or is at hand

  b Or in

  c Or in

  d Or my beloved Son

  3.1–4.25 The author follows the Markan outline for the accounts of John the Baptist, Jesus’ baptism, the temptation, and Jesus’ first public ministry, occasionally adding material from Q and M (see Introduction).

  3.1–6 Cf. Mk 1.2–6; Lk 3.1–6; Jn 1.19–23.

  3.1 John the Baptist. See also vv. 7–17; 11.2–19; 14.1–12; 16.14;17.10–13; 21.23–27; Josephus, Antiquities 18.117. Wilderness, near where the Jordan empties into the Dead Sea. A traditional site is the Wadi el-Kharrar, east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho (cf. 20.29), also associated with Elijah stories (see notes on 3.3; 3.4;4.11; 11.7–19).

  3.2 Repent, change one’s mind for the better. Kingdom…has come near. Only in Matthew does John proclaim Jesus’ central message (see note on 4.17; cf. Mk 1.4).

  3.3 Cf. Mark 1.2–3; Lk 3. 4–6; Jn 1.23. The sixth formula quotation (see note on 1.22–23) cites Isa 40.3. In the Dead Sea Scrolls Community Rule this Isaian verse is the rationale for the Qumran community’s preparing for the way of the Lord (God) in the wilderness near the Dead Sea (1QS 8.12–16); cf. note on 20.29. The Lord, here meaning Jesus. See notes on 3.4; 7.21.

  3.4 John’s clothing recalls Elijah (see 2 Kings 1.8; Zech 13.4; note on 3.1), who reportedly did not die a natural death, but ascended into heaven and was expected to return before the “day of the LORD (God)” (see 2 Kings 2.1, 11; Mal 4.5–6; note on 11.5).

  3.7–10 Cf. Lk 3.7–9. The author inserts into the Markan outline apocalyptic warnings from Q and adds Pharisees and Sadducees.

  3.7 Pharisees, a contemporary Israelite group that rigorously applied the law to everyday living (see, e.g., 15.1–20). They are Jesus’ major opponents in Matthew, especially in Galilee (see Introduction; see also 2.4; 5.20; 16.6, 11; 23). Sadducees, a group of powerful Jerusalem aristocrats, mainly priests, usually hostile to the Pharisees, but in Matthew sometimes linked with the Pharisees as Jesus’ opponents; see 16.1–12; 22.23, 34–40. Vipers, an insulting label meaning poisonous snakes; see 12.34; 23.33.

  3.8 Bear fruit, i.e., by doing good works (see v. 10; 5.17–20; 7.15–20; 12.33; 13.8, 23; 21.43; cf. Mk 10.17–22). See note on 25.31–46.

  3.9 Raising up children to Abraham, the great eponymous ancestor, from stones appears to be an anti-ethnic statement; it may allude to Gentiles as outsiders (but see note on 1.1).

  3.10 Thrown into the fire, a metaphor for eternal punishment (see v. 12; 5.22;7.15–20; see also Mal 4.1).

  3.11–12 Cf. Mk 1.7–8; Lk 3.15–18; Jn 1.24–28.

  3.11 Repentance. See vv. 2, 6, 8. One…coming after me, a messianic allusion (see 11.3;21.5, 9). Carry, i.e., as a slave carries (see 10.24). Holy Spirit and fire. See Acts 2.3; 19.1–7.

  3.12 Winnowing fork, used to toss grain in the air so the wind would blow away the chaff. On other images contrasting the fates of the good and the evil, see 7.24–27; 13.47–50;25.31–46; see also note on 5.45.

  3.13–17 Cf. Mk 1.9–11; Lk 3.21–22; Jn 1.29–34. The author inserts into his rewriting of Mark an explanation for the apparent anomaly that a superior (Jesus) submits to baptism by his inferior (John), especially when baptism is for repentance for sins. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper were practiced in Matthean communities; cf. 28.19; 26.26–30.

  3.15 Righteousness, a favorite term of “Matthew.” Here it means right conduct, correct observance, in accord with God’s will as revealed in scripture (see notes on 1.19; 5.10; 5.17–20). To fulfill all righteousness, a distinctive phrase in this Gospel; its appearance in Ignatius of Antioch (Smyrnaeans 1.1), suggests that the Gospel might have been composed at Antioch, Syria.

  3.16 The heavens, the sky dome covering the flat earth (Gen 1.6–8, 16–17). Above it sat God enthroned (see 22.44; 23.22; Acts 7.49). He came up, i.e., Jesus had been standing (immersed?) in the water. Opened. See Acts 7.55–56; Rev 4.1. Spirit of God. See Gen 1.2, text note b; Isa 61.1.

  3.17 My Son, the Beloved. See Ps 2.7; Isa 42.1; see also Mt 17.5. The Davidic kings of Israel were called “Son of God” (see, e.g., 2 Sam 7.14); for Jesus, cf. Lk 1.32; Rom 1.3–4; Mt 2.15; 4.3, 6; 8.29;11.27; 16.16; 26.63; 28.19; esp. 14.33; 16.16.

  MATTHEW 4

  The Temptation of Jesus

  1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written,

  ‘One does not live by bread alone,

  but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

  5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,

  ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

  and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,

  so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’”

  7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

  8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

  ‘Worship the Lord your God,

  and serve only him.’”

  11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

  Jesus Begins His Ministry in
Galilee

  12Now when Jesusa heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

  15“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,

  on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

  16the people who sat in darkness

  have seen a great light,

  and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death

  light has dawned.”

  17From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”b

  Jesus Calls the First Disciples

  18As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

  Jesus Ministers to Crowds of People