The Characterisation of Joseph by Matthew (Matt 1–2; 13:55)
Krzysztof Mielcarek
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin , Polandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-8575-7966
Abstract
The article presents the figure of Joseph and his place in the narrative by the first evangelist in Matt 1–2. Apart from the arguments for the unifying function of Mary’s spouse in the whole Infancy Narrative, the most important features of Joseph highlighted by Matthew are emphasised. Those include the attitude of the righteous man, the fact of belonging to the royal family of King David, the bond and similarity to the actions of the patriarchs, as well as the silent and ascetic nature of the spouse and parent. Despite many similarities to the Lukan narrative, the first evangelist stresses different aspects in his characterisation of Joseph. Using the tools proposed by Cornelis Bennema, the author of the paper also assesses the degree of characterisation of the person under study, his role in the narrative and his representative value for the modern reader.
Keywords:
Narrative by Matthew 1–2, Infancy Narrative, Joseph, characterisation, theology in MatthewReferences
van Arde, A., “The Carpenter’s Son (Mt 13:55). Joseph and Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Other Texts,” Neotestamentica 34/1 (2000) 173–190.
Baran, G.M. (ed.), Sny prorocze, sny wieszcze, objawienia Boże przez sny w tradycji starotestamentalnej (Tarnów: Biblos 2017).
Bauckham, R., “The Brothers and Sisters of Jesus: An Epiphanian Response to John P. Meier,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 56 (1994) 687–700.
Bennema, C., A Theory of Character in New Testament Narrative (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress 2014).
Bovon, F., Luke 1. A Commentary on the Gospel of Luke 1:1–9:50 (Hermeneia – A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible; Minneapolis, MN: Fortress 2002).
Brown, R.E., The Birth of the Messiah. A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, New Updated Edition (New York – London: Yale University Press 1993).
Brown, R.E. et al. (eds.), Mary in the New Testament (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress 1978).
Carlston, C.E., “The Things that Defile (Mark VII. 15) and the Law in Matthew and Mark,” New Testament Studies 15 (1969) 75–96. (Crossref)
Cohen, B., “On the Theme of Bethrotal in Jewish and Roman Law,” Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research 18 (1948) 67–135. (Crossref)
Condra, E., Salvation for the Righteous Revealed. Jesus Amid Covenantal and Messianic Expectations in Second Temple Judaism (Arbeiten zur Geschichte des Antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums 51; Leiden: Brill 2002). (Crossref)
Darr, J.A., “Narrator as Character: Mapping a Reader-Oriented Approach to Narration in Luke-Acts,” Semeia 65 (1993) 43–60.
Davies, W.D. – Allison Jr., D.C., A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to Saint Matthew (International Critical Commentary 1; London – New York: Clark 2004) I–III.
Derrett, J.D.M., “‘Have nothing to do with that just man!’(Matt. 27:19): Haggadah and the Account of the Passion,” Studies in the New Testament. III. Midrash, Haggadah, and the Character of the Community (Leiden: Brill 1982) 184–192. Dobraczyński, J., Cień Ojca (Warszawa: PAX 1977).
Dodson, D.S., Reading Dreams. An Audience-Critical Approach to the Dreams in the Gospel of Matthew (Library of the New Testament Studies 397; London – New York: Clark 2009).
Dupont, J., Les Béatitudes. III. Les Évangélistes (Paris: Gabalda 1973).
Filson, F.V., The Gospel according to St. Matthew (London: Black 1960).
Fitych, T., Polskie publikacje o św. Józefie w okresie posoborowym (1966–1996) (Lublin: Ośrodek ABMK KUL 1997).
Fitzmyer, J.A., The Gospel according to Luke I–IX. Introduction, Translation, and Notes (Anchor Yale Bible 28A; New Haven, CT – London: Yale University Press 2008).
Forster, E.M., Aspects of the Novel (New York: Penguin 1976 [orig. 1927]).
Foster, P., Community, Law and Mission in the Matthew’s Gospel (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2/177; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2004).
Francis, Apostolic Letter Patris Corde (Città del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2020).
Frenschkowski, M., “Traum und Traumdeutung im Matthäusevangelium: Einige Beobachtungen,” Jahrbuch für Antike und Christentum 41 (1998) 5–47.
Giesen, H., Christliches Handeln. Eine redaktionskritische Untersuchung zum δικαιοσύνη-Begriff im Matthäus-Evangelium (Frankfurt am Main: Lang 1982).
Gnuse, R., “Dream Genre in the Matthean Infancy Narratives,” Novum Testamentum 32 (1990) 97–120. (Crossref)
Gordon, C.H. “Paternity at Two Levels,” Journal of Biblical Literature 96 (1977) 101. (Crossref)
Green, J.B., The Gospel of Luke (The New International Commentary on the New Testament; Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans 1997).
Grundmann, W., Das Evangelium nach Matthäus (Theologischer Handkommentar zum Neuen Testament 1; Berlin: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt 1971).
Hagner, D.A., Matthew 1–13 (Word Biblical Commentary 33A; Dallas, TX: Word Books 1993).
Hamori, E.J. – Stoki, J.(eds.), Perchance to Dream. Dream Divination in the Bible and the Ancient Near East (Ancient Near East Monographs 21; Atlanta, GA: SBL Press 2018).
Hanks, P. – Parkin, H., “Personal Naming Systems of the World,” The Oxford Handbook of Names and Naming (ed. C. Hough) (Oxford: Oxford University Press 2016) 169–190.
Harvey, W.J., Character and the Novel (London: Chatto & Windus 1965).
Heike, T., Die Genealogien der Genesis (Herders biblische Studien 39; Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder 2003).
Hetzel, A., “La femme de Pilate, témoin et prophétesse,” Ponce Pilate (ed. J.-M. Vercruysse) (Arras: Artois Presses Université 2013) 189–200.
Ilan, T., Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity. III. The Western Diaspora, 330 BCE – 650 CE (in collaboration with T. Ziem) (Texte und Studien zum antiken Judentum 126; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2008). (Crossref)
John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortations Redemptoris Custos (Città del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana 1989).
Keener, C.S., The Gospel of Matthew. A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI – Cambridge, U.K.: Eerdmans 2009).
Klostermann, E., Das Matthäusevangelium (Handbuch zum Neuen Testament 4; Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 1927).
Klukowski, M., “Funkcja żony Piłata w Ewangelii według Mateusza (27,19). The Function of Pilate’s Wife in the Gospel According to Matthew (27:19),” „Niewiastę dzielną kto znajdzie?” (Prz 31,10). Rola kobiet w biblijnej historii zbawienia (eds. A. Kubiś – K. Napora) (Analecta Biblica Lublinensia 14; Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL 2016) 257–275.
Kubiś, A., “Biblijny obraz św. Józefa,” Sanktuarium świętego Józefa w Rzeszowie–Staromieściu (eds. M. Trawka – B. Walicki – S. Zych) (Rzeszów – Kolbuszowa: Parafia św. Józefa Oblubieńca NMP w Rzeszowie-Staromieściu – Miejska i Powiatowa Biblioteka Publiczna w Kolbuszowej 2022) 11–38.
Kubiś, A., “Człowiek czy anioł? Tożsamość młodzieńca w Markowej narracji o pustym grobie Jezusa (16,5–7),” Przegląd Tomistyczny 21 (2015) 385–420.
Kubiś, A., “Znaczenie pozycji aniołów w grobie Jezusa w J 20,11,” The Biblical Annals 6/3 (2016) 459–493.
Léon-Dufour, X., “Le juste Joseph,” La nouvelle revue théologique 81 (1959) 225–231.
Luz, U., Matthew 1–7 (Hermeneia – Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible; Minneapolis, MN: Fortress 2007) 74–75.
Mangum, D. (ed.), Lexham Context Commentary. New Testament (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press 2020).
Martin, B.L., Christ and the Law in Matthew (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock 2001).
Meier, J.P., “The Brothers and Sisters of Jesus in Ecumenical Perspective,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 54 (1992) 1–28.
Mielcarek, K., “Motyw gwiazdy w Ewangelii według św. Mateusza (2:1–12). The Motif of the Star in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12),” Verbum Vitae 29 (2016) 175–197. (Crossref)
Nellessen, E., Das Kind und seine Mutter. Struktur und Verkündigung des 2. Kapitels im Matthäusevangelium (Stuttgarter Bibelstudien 39; Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk 1969).
Nolland, J., The Gospel of Matthew. A Commentary on the Greek Text (New International Greek Testament Commentary; Grand Rapids, MI – Carlisle: Eerdmans – Paternoster 2005).
Nolland, J., Luke 1:1–9:20 (Word Biblical Commentary 35A; Dallas, TX: Word Books 2002).
Oegema, G.S., “The ‘Coming of the Righteous One’ in Acts and in 1 Enoch,” Enoch and the Messiah Son of Man. Revisiting the Book of Parables (ed. G. Boccaccini) (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans 2007) 250–262.
Paciorek, A., Ewangelia według świętego Mateusza. I. Rozdziały 1–13 (Nowy Komentarz Biblijny. Nowy Testament 1; Częstochowa: Edycja Świetego Pawła 2005).
Painter, J., “James ‘the brother of the Lord’ and the Epistle of James”, Reading the Epistle of James. A Resource for Students (eds. E.F. Mason – D.R. Lockett) (Resources for Biblical Study 94; Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature 2019) 231–251. (Crossref)
Patton, K.C., “‘A Great and Strange Correction’: Intentionality, Locality, and Epiphany in the Category of Dream Incubation,” History of Religions 43/3 (2004) 194–223. (Crossref)
Pawłowski, Z., „Próba Abrahama. Lektura narracyjna Rdz 22. The Test of Abraham. The Narrative Reading of Genesis 22,” Biblica et Patristica Thorunensia 4 (2011) 37–62. (Crossref)
Przybylski, B., Righteousness in Matthew and His World of Thought (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series 41; New York – Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press 1980).
Renberg, G.H., Where Dreams May Come. Incubation Sanctuaries in the Graeco-Roman World (Religions in the Graeco-Roman World 184; Leiden – Boston, MA: Brill 2017) I–II. (Crossref)
Reumann, J., “Righteousness” in the New Testament. “Justification” in the United States Lutheran-Roman Catholic Dialogue. With Responses by Joseph A. Fitzmeyer and Jerome D. Quinn (Philadelphia, PA – New York: Fortress – Paulist Press 1982).
Ridlehoover, C.N., The Lord’s Prayer and the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel (The Library of New Testament Studies 616; London – New York: Clark 2020). (Crossref)
Safwat, M., “Forced Migration and Reconciliation in the Joseph Narrative,” The Joseph Story between Egypt and Israel (eds. T. Römer – K. Schmid – A. Bühler) (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2021) 85–101.
Schaefer, K., “La familia emigra a Egipto (Mt. 2:13–23): hacia la teología de la migración,” QOL. Revista bíblica Mexicana 82 (2020) 189–210.
Schlatter, A., Der Evangelist Matthäus, 3 ed. (Stuttgart: Calwer 1948).
Schrage, W., The Ethics of the New Testament (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress 1988).
Schrenk, G., “Δίκη, Δίκαιος, κτλ.,” Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (eds. G. Kittel – G. Friedrich; trans. G.W. Bromiley) (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans 1964) II, 174–225.
Schweizer, E., The Good News according to Matthew (Atlanta, GA: Westminster John Knox 1975).
Skolnik, F. – Berenbaum, M. (eds.), Encyclopaedia Judaica (Detroit, MI et al.: Gale 2007) IV, 733–734.
Spicq, C., “‘Joseph, son Mari, étant juste ...’ (Mt 1:19),” Revue biblique 71 (1964) 206–214.
Strecker, G., “The Law in the Sermon on the Mount, and the Sermon on the Mount as Law,” The Promise and Practice of Biblical Theology (ed. J. Reumann) (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress 1991) 35–49.
Strecker, G., Der Weg der Gerechtigkeit: Untersuchung zur Theologie des Matthäus (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht 1962)
Strine, C.A., “The Study of Involuntary Migration as a Hermeneutical Guide for Reading the Jacob Narrative,” Biblical Interpretation 26/4–5 (2018) 485–498. (Crossref)
Subash, W.J., The Dreams of Matthew 1:18–2:23. Tradition, Form, and Theological Investigation (New York – Washington, DC – Bern: Lang 2012). (Crossref)
Theophrastus, Characters (ed. J. Diggle) (Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 2022).
Tremblay, H., “Pourquoi Israël s’est-il fait un peuple de migrants?,” Science et esprit 71/3 (2019) 321–333.
de Vaux, R., Ancient Israel. Its Life and Instructions (Livonia, MI: Eerdmans 1997).
Vogels, W., “Natives and Immigrants in Biblical Israel: Their Rights and Obligations”, Science et esprit 71/1–3 (2019) 303–319.
Wilk, F., “De migratione Abrahami als Kontext des Neuen Testaments,” Abrahams Aufbruch. Philon von Alexandria, De migratione Abrahami (eds. H. Detering et al.) (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck 2017) 219–244.
Wolter, M., The Gospel according to Luke (Tübingen – Waco, TX: Mohr Siebeck – Baylor Universtiy Press 2016) I.
Wróbel, M., “Krytyka tekstologiczna i historyczna passusów Talmudu o Jezusie i chrześcijaństwie. Textual and Historical Criticism of Talmudic Passages about Jesus and Christianity,” Estetyka i Krytyka 27 (2012) 15–50.
Wucherpfennig, A., Josef der Grerechte. Eine exegetische Untersuchung zu Mt 1–2 (Herders biblische Studien 55; Freiburg im Breisgau: Herder 2008).
Zahn, T., Das Evangelium des Matthäus (Leipzig: Deichert 1903).
Zeitlin, S., “Personal Status in Israel,” Jewish Quarterly Review 49/2 (1958) 122–132. (Crossref)
The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
Theologian, biblical scholar, born September 25th 1963 in Elbląg.
Theological studies in Lublin: BA - 1987;
postgraduate biblical studies 1987-1993 in Biblical Institute of KUL.
1989/1990 a year of research in Sweden (Holsbybrunn, Orebro, Uppsala).
Ph.D. in 1994: thesis entitled: "Jesus - Evangelizer of the poor", superivisor: rev. Prof. Józef Kudasiewicz at The Department of the New Testament Theology.
1997-1999 postgraduate studies in the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome (Italy) licentiate of biblical studies.
Postdoctoral degree obtained October 14th 2008.
Since 2014 an official commissioner from Roman Catholic Church (appointed by Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity) in the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches.
Main research interest:
Lucan work (Luke-Acts) and LXX.
Bibliography:
Over hundred articles and two monographies: Jezus - Ewangelizator ubogich [Jesus - Evangelizer of the poor], Lublin: AND, 1994 and Ιερουσαλημ, Ιεροσολυμα. Starotestamentowe i hellenistyczne korzenie Łukaszowego obrazu świętego miasta w świetle onomastyki greckiej [Old Testament and Hellenistic roots of the Lucan image of the Holy City in the light of Greek onomastics], Lublin: Wydawnictwo KUL, 2008. Editor of many biblical festschrifts and collective works.
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8575-7966License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- Pursuant to the Act on Copyright and Related Rights of February 4, 1994, the Author of the publication grants to the Publisher of the journal „The Biblical Annals” e a non-exclusive and royalty-free license to use the Work submitted for publication, without time and territorial restrictions in the following fields of use:
a) record the Work and copy it by means of any technique (including printing and electronic recording) on all known data carriers (including IT, electronic and polygraphic), and in all IT systems (in particular those available online);
b) enter the Work into computer memory, disseminate the Work and its copies, as well as market the Work and its copies;
c) publicly perform, replay, display and screen the Work, as well as lend, rent and lease the Work and its copies;
d) make available, market and disseminate the Work and its copies via IT networks, and in particular via the Internet, including the promotion or advertising of the Work, the journal or the Publisher. - The Author shall further grant his/her consent for the Publisher to use and dispose of derivative works.
- The Publisher may sublicense the work.
- Third parties may use the articles and other materials containing the Works, or developed on the basis of the Works in line with the model Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (also referred to as CC BY 4.0).
