Birth texts and prophecies

In what narratives is the suffering servant?

Isaiah

What is the background of Isaiah?

Prophet

Religious experience in temple with vision of God on throne-numinous

Delivered to people of Judah that God is to condemn them for their sinful ways like greed and mistreating the poor

Predicted future messianic age

Which scholar first observed the servant songs?

Duhm

What does Isaiah 42 say (1st servant song) ?

God chooses servant to bring justice to the world

What does Isaiah 49 say (2nd servant song) ?

Servant describes how they'll be the "LIGHT TO THE GENTILES" and needs to go through pain and suffering

How does servant song 2 link to Jesus?

As it was important for Jesus that his message was for ALL- Jew or Gentile

What does Isaiah 50 say (servant song 3) ?

Servant describes the abuse they'll face

Servant song 3 quote?

"I OFFERED MY CHEEKS TO THOSE WHO PULLED OUT MY BEARD"

How does servant song 3 link to the teachings of Jesus?

Echoes teaching to turn the other cheek and anticipates the abuses Jesus will endure- crucifixtion

What does Isaiah 52 say (servant song 40 ?

Describes servant as a "MAN OF SORROWS"

Reasons the suffering servant and Jesus link?

Takes on other's pain and suffering without appreciation

Both described as 'men of sorrow'

Atoning death to heal others

Songs predict the Messiah Jesus-Suffering Messiah

Isaiah links songs to line of David

Songs are quoted/applied to J in New T

What do modern Jews think the servant songs are and why?

Symbolic of Israel not a prediction of J

Due to suffering of Jews after the destruction of the temple and exile, scholars feel the songs resignate with the suffering they endured instead of being a prediction

"man of sorrow " pulled at beard"

What does Messiah mean?

Anointed one

What kind of Messiah did Jews look forward to?

One who would reform the priesthood, abolish Jerusalem Temple and set holier form of worship

Hopeful for a prophet who would guide their nation back to God

What did Moses promise?

That God would send another prophet just as great who would teach people how to be good Jews in testing times

What type of Messiah do Christians argue Jesus to be?

A king, priest and prophet, suffering

What was the messianic age?

That the messiah's arrival would usher new age of peace of Earth and end war

What was the Messianic Secret?

Jesus' request for people not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah until it was time to reveal it, because they wanted him to become a political messiah

How did Isaiah describe the Messianic age?

"He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for the people"

"nation will not take sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore"

What was one of the most important qualifications for someone to be the Messiah?

That they are descended from the greatest king of Israel-David

Why is David seen as an idol?

He was a great warrior as led resistance against Saul

What hope intensified amongst the exiled Jews in Babylon after the destruction of Judah?

Believed the bloodline of David still existed and that a true son of David will come to the throne

Why did Jews believe the rule of the son of David would be different?

As his rule would be a success as he will defeat the enemies of Jews and the rule of the house of david will be established forever

What is an issue with the Suffering messiah?

No evidence of 1st century Jews believing the messiah will suffer or that Isaiah 53 was suppose to predict a messiah

Morna Hooker quote on the suffering servant being Israel?

"Israel, who has been chosen by God as his servant, is to be restored from exile and will manifest God's glory"

Reason why Wrede thinks Jesus deliberately wanted to be mysterious to hide him being the Messiah to ordinary people?

Due to speaking in Parables (Mark gospel)

What was Wrede's theory?

That Jesus never did claim to be the messiah but that late Christians in that century thought him to be

What type of ministry did Jesus have according to Wrede's theory?

an "un-messianic ministry" where he never set himself up as a king or prophet or try to free Jews of Roman occupation

Instead taught message of God's love and forgiveness dying a very un-messianic death on the cross

What did Wrede conclude over the passages in Mark's gospel?

That where Jesus admits to being the messiah that they were fictional and that instead Mark invented them

Strengths of Wrede's theory?

Based on Markan priority- didn't have to keep identity of Jesus secret as written later

Links to Suffering servant being messiah as if it was the resurrection that made Jesus' followers believe he was the messiah so stories of him being messiah prior to death are not historically true

Weaknesses of Wrede's theory?

Redaction criticism example

Reasons as to why Jesus would want identity to be a secret- being seen would interupt Jesus' real mission and message if mobbed in crowds

Example in Mark of Jesus not being secret over his identity?

Mark 11:10 as he makes no attempt to silence the crowd as he rides a donkey in symbolising that he has come in peace which fulfils Zechariah 9:9 prophecy

Reasons the messianic secret prove Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah?

Explains for Jesus' secrecy in Mark's gospel but this disappears in later gospels and makes sense of him speaking in parables to hide true meaning

Theory supported by fact 1st century Jews didn't expect suffering messiah

Reasons why the messianic secret DOES NOT prove Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah?

Theory exaggerates Jesus' secrecy (e.g., healed leper miracle not kept secret)

Other reasons for secrecy- wanting to avoid political entanglement or celebrity that distracts from his mission

What do the proof texts in Matthew serve the purpose of?

Connecting Jesus to Jewish messianic prophecies and establish Jesus as the new messiah

What happened to the Old T prophecies in Jesus/New T?

They are not repeated but realised in Jesus

What prophecy does Jesus being born a virgin birth link to?

Isaiah 7:14

Purpose of the prophecy of Jesus being born a virgin birth?

To connect his birth to the work of God throughout Israel's history

Illustrates the divinity and power of messiah as links them to holy spirit

Which proof text links to Micah 5:2?

One stating that the messiah would be born in Bethlehem

Significance of the messiah being born in Bethlehem?

The messiah would restore Israel to greatness

Significance of the messiah being from the line of David?

Be the answer to the issues faced in Israel as from line of greatness as follows line of other great figureheads of the religion

What do the all the prophecies show?

That the messiah was born to restore Israel to greatness, save its people from suffering and protect them

What did scholar Brown say over the killing of the innocence?

That it echoes Moses story and so portrays Jesus as the "second moses"

Therefore, the massacre is symbolic not historical

Why do one of the proof text have Jesus relocate the Nazareth?

To show Jesus is here as much for the gentiles as the jews

What prophecy does Jesus being from region of Nazareth link to?

Isaiah 4;3

Why do some scholars think there is a conjunction between O.T and Jesus as a nazrene?

To identify Jesus in conjunction to nazrenes

What did scholar Brown say Matthew is able to do by linking Jesus to Abraham?

Addresses 2 audiences

Jewish as a descendent of David

Gentiles due to Abraham

What does the proof text of Jesus fleeing to Egypt link to?

Hosea 11:1-4 prophecy

Why have Jesus flee to Egypt?

To connect to the experience and history of Egypt as connects to Joseph fleeing

What does Matthew establish?

A genealogy from Jesus to David to Abraham which subtly hints that Jesus is part of God's plan for Israel from the beginning which the birth narratives affirm

What type of genealogy do scholar think it is to be understood as?

A legal genealogy

What do the birth narrative of Matthew do?

Identify the early life of Jesus and his coming as a messianic figure as the genealogy establishes his messianic nature in a legal fashion

Who are the first people to recognise Jesus and why is this of importance?

Magi who are gentile and so by having the first people to recognise Jesus not be Jews this is Matthew's way of indicating that God's promise to Abraham is being fulfilled as it was said that Abraham's descendent would be a "blessing to all nations"

What are the symbols of the Magi's gifts/

Gold- gift for a king symbolising Jesus as Kingly messiah

Frankincense- burnt in temple during worship representing Jesus as a priestly messiah

Myrrh- ointment to mask smell of corpse, symbolising Jesus' suffering and death as the suffering servant

What prophecy does the massacre of the innocence link to?

Jeremiah 31:15

Why does Matthew have Jesus relocate to Galilee rather than Judea?

Matthew calls it "Galilee of the Gentiles" whilst Judea is thoroughly Jewish so fits with his theme that Jesus has come as much for the Gentiles as he has for the Jews themselves

What does Brown argue to be the purpose of the birth narratives?

To not be regarded as historical but instead they're religious symbols conveying Matthew's beliefs about Jesus being the Messiah, the 'new Moses', and son of David

Who were the birth narratives written to reassure according to Brown?

Gentile Christians

Reassure that the Messiah is important to them too

What does Morna Hooker argue the birth narratives act as?

A key to unlocking the rest of the gospel as "the beginning of the story hints at the ideas that will be made plain at the end"

What do the birth narratives hint at that happens?

Gentiles' will become his followers

Jews will reject him

Warns that evil of the world will try to kill him

How do the birth narrative and proof texts prove Jesus to be the Messiah?

Shows J was born in Bethlehem to a family descended from King David=exactly what was expected from a messiah

Only moved to Nazareth in Galilee later

Childhood matches Old T prophecies

How do the birth narrative and proof texts FAIL TO prove Jesus to be the Messiah?

Matthew's genealogy is flawed and may be fictional as they contain improbable details like magi visit and massacre of innocence

What did Hooker say is the function of the birth narratives?

To foreshadow the events and outline sig of J's coming

Purpose of Luke's birth narrtives?

Outcast recognised and accepted

J has lowly birth , born into poverty, shepherds visit

Genealogy of Matthew vs Luke?

M-Link to ABRAHAM:father of Judaism

L-link to ADAM:son of man (universal,outcasts)

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