Evaluating Matthew's birth narrative and the proof texts

Question 1

Give the three main reasons as to why Matthew’s birth narrative is seen as having solid historical grounding

Answer 1

• There are geographically factual places and historically factual people
• Compared to Luke’s rather more fantastical birth narrative, there’s just one miracle and the ony angels that appear do so in dreams
• If the virgin birth was based on a misinterpretation of Isaiah 7:14, the only other improbable event was the massacre of the innocents, which doesn’t seem that unlikely

Question 2

What is the only miracle in Matthew’s birth narrative?

Answer 2

The virgin birth

Question 3

How does Matthew’s birth narrative contradict Luke’s?

Answer 3

• There is no Roman census
• Jospeh and his family head to Egypt instead of Nazareth

Question 4

Give some evidence that suggests Matthew’s birth narrative is inplausible

Answer 4

• Contradicts Luke’s birth narrative
• He presents a Jesus’ birth as a political event that attracted foreign dignitaries and brought about a massacre. However, this was not something that either John or Luke decided to pick up, which would seem odd if it were historically accurate

Question 5

What flaw do all of the proof texts share upon closer examination?

Answer 5

They are quoted out of context and describe events occuring in the ancient Kingdom of Judah 500-750 years previously

Question 6

How do conservative Christians harmonise the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke?

Answer 6

Jospeh and Mary came to Bethlehem from Nazarath, were visited by the Magi and and the shepherds, escaped Herod’s massacre then returned home to Nazareth

Question 7

How do some christians get around the issues of the proof texts by treating them as dual prophecies/

Answer 7

They have both a preterist meaning that the prophet consciously intended, and a futurist meaning that the prophet perhaps did not intend

Question 8

How does Raymond Brown argue the proof texts should be understood?

Answer 8

Symbolically rather than hiostorically.

Question 9

What did Brown think the proof texts were written to convey?

Answer 9

Matthew’s belief that Jesus was the Messiah, the ‘new Moses’ and the Son of David

Question 10

How did Matthew intend for the proof texts to influence the Gentiles?

Answer 10

To reassure them that the Messiah is important to them too

Question 11

How did Matthew intend for the proof texts to influence the Jews?

Answer 11

To address jewish criticisms that Jesus did not qualify as the true Messiah

Question 12

What do the proof texts hint?

Answer 12

That the Gentiles will become Jesus’ followers but the Jews will reject him

Question 13

What do the proof texts warn the reader about?

Answer 13

That the evil rulers of the world will try to kill Jesus and his followers, but promises their plans will fail because of God’s guiding power

Question 14

Give the two main arguements in favour of the idea that the birth narrative and proof texts prove that Jesus is the Messiah

Answer 14

• They show that Jesus was born in Bethlehem to a family descended from King David
• The proof texts establish the idea that Jesus is the Messiah

Question 15

Give the three main arguements against the idea that the birth narrative and proof texts prove that Jesus is the Messiah

Answer 15

• Matthew’s genealogy is very flawed and may be fictional
• The birth narrative contains details that are very improbable or are not recorded from independent sources at the time
• The OT prophecies have preterist interpretations that are much more obvious and simple