Lecture 17: Infancy Narratives

Early Years

Part 2

II. Infancy Narratives

A. Who is Jesus – Matthew 1

1. Jesus as Son of Abraham and Son of David (1:1-17)

2. Jesus as Emmanuel "God With Us" (1:18-25)

B. Where is Jesus – Matthew 2

1. Bethlehem (2:1-12)

2. Egypt (2:13-15)

3. Ramah (2:16-21)

4. Nazareth (2:22-23)

C. Old Testament quotations as examples of different hermeneutic devices

1. "A virgin shall conceive" – Double fulfillment?

2. "Born in Bethlehem" – Single fulfillment?

3. "Out of Egypt I have called my son" – Single typology?

4. "Rachel weeping for her children" – Double typology?

5. "He shall be called a Nazarene" – General theme?

D. The Infancy Narratives: Luke

1. Similarities dominate: angel, promise, child, query

a. Birth of John the Baptist predicted (1:5-25)

b. Birth of Jesus predicted (1:26-38)

2. Accounts Intersect: mother of Lord, called blessed

3. Differences dominate: prophet vs. Savior, Christ, Lord

a. Birth of John the Baptist (2:1-40)

b. Birth of Jesus (2:1-40)

4. True Humanity

E. Two Great Reversals

1. Matthew

a. Who worships Jesus? (pagan astrologers)

b. Who opposes Jesus? (usurping "Jewish" leaders: "Herod and all Jerusalem")

2. Luke

F. The Johannine Prologue (John 1:1-18)

1. The Logos and God (vv. 1-5) [creation, humanity]

a. The Witness of John the Baptist (vv. 6-8)

b. The Witness of John the Baptist (v. 15)

2. The Logos and Humanity (vv. 16-18) [re-creation, God]