Read more
There are five marked quotations from Psalms in the Gospel of Matthew. These are: (1) Ps 91:1-12 in Matt 4:6; (2) Ps 78:2 in Matt 13:35; (3) Ps 8:3 in Matt 21:16; (4) Ps 118:22-23 in Matt 21:42; and (5) Ps 110:1 in Matt 22:44. Piotr Herok argues that the investigated texts are related to each other not only by the presence of the introductory formulas, making clear that a given citation comes from Scripture, but also through mutual thematic convergence, concerning in various degrees king David, the temple, and the theme of Jesus' identity. Thanks to the new literary context, in which the quotations are embedded, Matthew reinterprets them significantly while giving them a new dimension clearly distinguishing them from the rest of the psalm quotations found in his work. This aims at presenting Jesus as not only the Son of David, but first of all the Son of God.
About the author
Piotr Herok graduated from the University of Opole (STM), the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (STL), and the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (SSL, SSD). Currently, he serves as an assistant professor of Sacred Scripture at the Faculty of Theology at the University of Opole, Poland.
Member of Association of Polish Biblical Scholars.Adam Kubiś is Professor at the Faculty of Theology / Institute of Biblical Studies at the John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin.Marek Jagodziński, Prof. Dr. hab., is Professor in the Chair of the Orthodox Theology at the Faculty of Theology, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland, and Major Seminary in Radom, Poland.
Summary
There are five marked quotations from Psalms in the Gospel of Matthew. These are: (1) Ps 91:1–12 in Matt 4:6; (2) Ps 78:2 in Matt 13:35; (3) Ps 8:3 in Matt 21:16; (4) Ps 118:22–23 in Matt 21:42; and (5) Ps 110:1 in Matt 22:44. Piotr Herok argues that the investigated texts are related to each other not only by the presence of the introductory formulas, making clear that a given citation comes from Scripture, but also through mutual thematic convergence, concerning in various degrees king David, the temple, and the theme of Jesus’ identity. Thanks to the new literary context, in which the quotations are embedded, Matthew reinterprets them significantly while giving them a new dimension clearly distinguishing them from the rest of the psalm quotations found in his work. This aims at presenting Jesus as not only the Son of David, but first of all the Son of God.
Foreword
This study shows that Matthew applies to Jesus five marked psalm quotations as a coherent whole, in his new specific interpretative contexts, to address the Old Testament expectation of the Messiah as Son of David, while showing this title is insufficient because Jesus is firstly Son of God.
