Original scientific paper
HISTORY AND KERYGMA IN MATTHEW 1-2
Silvana Fužinato
; Catholic Faculty of Theology in Đakovo, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
The first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew are considered difficult texts, in respect to their historical and theological message, and as such are quoted by the document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (2014), The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture. The Word That Comes from God and Speaks of God for the Salvation of the World. Is the infancy gospel of Jesus according to Matthew a historical account? Which salvific truth is revealed therein? The author of the article aims to answer these questions starting with the definition of the historical character of the biblical revelation, clearly distinguishing the historical and the biblical truth. While the historical truth merely informs, the biblical truth aims at formation, observing and interpreting the historical facts in the light of faith. Handing on the salvific truth, biblical writers, including Matthew, use a very efficient medium – the literary genres. Matthew 1-2 includes a genealogy (1,1- 17), the annunciation of the birth (1,18-25) and a midrash (2). The central part of our research is the examination of the historicity and the theological message of Mt 1-2. We concluded that Matthew does not aim to expose the historical facts of the infancy of Jesus according to the modern concepts of history and historical truth. Matthew’s vision of Jesus’ birth is beyond any doubt historical, but foremost theological. This obviously does not exclude the historical value of the account. In response to the double question: who is he? and where does he come from? - Matthew in the first two chapters presents Jesus Christ, his person and mission. In the revelation of the salvific truth, Matthew starts from the historical facts, presenting them in the light of Old Testament prophecies and offering a personal interpretation based on the traditions of his time. Thus, Matthew through the events of the infancy of Jesus presents not only the fulfillment of the Old Testament, but also the fulfillment of the history of salvation that can’t be viewed without and out of Jesus Christ, son of David and son of Abraham.
Keywords
Matthew; gospel of the infancy of Jesus; historical truth; the truth of the Holy Scripture; theological message
Hrčak ID:
205881
URI
Publication date:
23.3.2018.
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