the birth narratives

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  • Created by: xxruby
  • Created on: 23-05-21 11:58
Summary of Matthew's birth narrative
-Unnamed angel appears to Joseph
- Joseph marries Mary
- Jesus born in a house
- The Wise Men visit
- Slaughter of the infants by Herod
- Flee to Egypt but return once Herod is dead
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Summary of Luke's birth narrative
- Angel Gabriel appears to Mary
- Mary visits Elizabeth, the census
- Jesus born in a manger
- The shepherds visit
- Return to Nazareth from Jerusalem
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Supernatural events
- Harmonisation of virgin birth, conception by the holy spirit, angels
- Matthew: unnamed angel, guiding star
- Luke: named angel
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Differences in accounts
- Josephs POV (Matthew), Marys POV (Luke)
- Matthew has extensive quotes from the OT
- Matthew speaks of house, Luke of a manger
- Matthew speaks of Wise Men, Luke of Shepherds
- Matthew speaks of Herod's massacre
- Unnamed Angel (Matthew), named angel (
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Historicity of Matthew
- Some claims Matthew fabricated Herod's massacre to fit with OT history, draws parallel between Jesus and Moses who were treated similarly by Pharaoh, link to King David
- Gospel composed 50/60 years after resurrection so how accurate if just a memory?
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Historicity of Luke
- Both accounts say birth at the time of Herod however no mention of the Massacre
- Chronology seems mistaken, happened when Quirinus was governor of Syria but didn't govern at the same time as Herod, Quirinus held a census but not at same time stated in
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What is redaction criticism and harmonisation?
- Redaction: process of editing a version of text
- Redaction criticism: theory that NT writers edited pre-existing material about Jesus to suit their own agenda
- Harmonisation: making one thing compatible with another
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Harmonisation of accounts
- Agree born in Bethlehem and Herod King
- Mother called Mary who betrothed Joseph
- Jesus conceived by holy spirit
- Born to a virgin
- People travelled to see baby Jesus
- Harmonise on fact that Jesus fulfilled OT prophecy (OT revelation of God) but do
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Redaction criticism of Matthew
- Focus on mostly Jewish readership
- From perspective of Joseph, traditional
- Jesus was connected, through Joseph, to King David, so he is fulfilment of OT revelation of God
- Quotes OT prophets and books
- Jesus had come into world for all people and
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Redaction criticism of Luke
- Focus mostly on Gentiles and marginalised
- When quoting OT quotes Greek version, Septuagint rather than Hebrew version
- POV of Mary shows inclusion to marginalised
- Jesus brought salvation to poor and needy, Grace of God bestowed upon underprivileg
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For redaction criticism
- Treats Gospel writers as individual authors
- Not impersonal transcribes of existing metaphors
- Helps understand authors purpose
- Accounts to be read of theology not history
- Differences enhance theological value
- Justifies inconsistencies, authors
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Against redaction criticism
- Has every relevant part been removed and/or is what has been removed relevant?
- Conclusions based on redaction are not based on sufficient enough evidence, did Luke and Matthew adapt significant details?
- Are scholars who apply redaction criticism ob
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Doctrine of Incarnation
- Belief Jesus was God in human form
- Birth was not the beginning and crucifixion was not the end
- Council of Nicene explain the incarnation through hypostatic union, Jesus was fully God and fully human, begotten from God and took nature and flesh from
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Hypostatic union
- Human and divine nature unified in the one person of Jesus
- Fully God as existed from the start with and being God, appearance on earth was only brief period of his existence
- Fully human as a man of flesh and blood, born as everyone else, baby who ha
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Incarnation as kenosis
- Idea that Jesus emptied himself
- Kenotic theology aims to solve issues of hypostatic union, for example how could Jesus be omniscient but a baby?
- Pre incarnate self limitation by Jesus, agreed to take 'form of a slave while maintaining human likeness
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Birth narratives as insight into doctrine of incarnation, agree
- Accounts harmonise at certain points (virgin, holy spirit)
- If Jesus is God, could enter supernaturally
- Matter of faith rather than analysis
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Birth narratives as insight into doctrine of incarnation, disagree
- Mary wasn't a virgin but rather said to be so due to a mistranslation
- Zeitgeist and so too supernatural for our time
- Accounts have been redacted and so not fully reflective of what actually happened (link to redaction criticism)
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Summary of Luke's birth narrative

Back

- Angel Gabriel appears to Mary
- Mary visits Elizabeth, the census
- Jesus born in a manger
- The shepherds visit
- Return to Nazareth from Jerusalem

Card 3

Front

Supernatural events

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Differences in accounts

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Historicity of Matthew

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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