Matthew’s Narrative Web Over, and Over, and Over Again danice Capel Anderson Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series 91atthew." 3 of the such as such as ranges e Great specific 28.5-7. 1 Judas’ 16; and 7-50 by {linked on) and ‘the one y pieces nial and ation of ) recalls, 6.75, press to g of the re bribe (27.62- petition ats. For r by the ore, how- ammaries lations in 14975), ective of 4. Plot 153 repetition of the characteristic formula are retrospective." They recall scriptural anticipations uttered in story time at a point prior to the beginning of the narrated action.” The repeated formula forces the implied reader to sée the narrated events as part of a pattern relating them to the earlier sacred utterances. Jesus’ life is a series of fulfill- ments of sacred prediction, sacred foreshadowing. Jesus’ eschatological predictions move in the other direction. They occur within the narrative frame, but anticipate events which will occur later. Since Jesus is a reliable character who makes other predictions fulfilled in plotted incidents, the implied reader is left to believe that these will be fulfilled in story time as well.? Examples of eschatological predictions involving repetition are the Son of Man parousia predictions (10.23; 13.41; 16.27; 16.23; 19.28; 20.18; 24.27, 30, 36-37, 39, 44; 25.31, and 25.64) and the predictions that those who are found wanting will be ‘thrown into a fiery furnace’ (13.42, 50) or ‘cast into the outer darkness’ (8.12; 22.13; 23.50) or ‘placed with the hypocrites’ (24.51) where in all three cases ‘there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth’ (8.12; 13.42, 50; 22.13; 24.51; 25.30).4 ‘There are other examples of anticipation and retrospection involving repetition in Matthew. The above enumeration has indicated some of the most important. Three others have been chosen for detailed dis- cussion in this section. They are (1) dreams, (2) passion and resur- rection predictions, and (3) the prediction that Jesus will be raised and go before the disciples to Galilee. a. Dreams ‘The first example of anticipation involving repetition is the use of supernatural revelation of the future by means of dreams. The Gospel contains six such anticipations, each containing the phrase Kot’ Svarp: 1.20-21; 2.12; 2.13; 2.19-20; 2.226; and 27.19.5 The word Svap is 1, See Petersen’s discussion of scriptural citations in Mark in Literary Criticism, pp. 50-54, 2. Some of the predictors, Isaiah and Jeremiah, for example, fall within the scope of the genealogical frontispiece of the Gospel. 3. See Petersen, Literary Criticism, pp. 64-79, for the same principle in Mark. 4. Verses 8.12, 13.42, 50, 24.51 are direct predictions of Jesus; 22.13 and 25.30 are the words of characters who speak indirectly for Jesus in stories he tells, 5. Fora discussion of the first five from a redactional point of view see Brown, Birth of the Messiah, pp. 105-19. For a brief discussion of the force of this repetition154 Matthew's Narrative Web unique to Matthew in the New Testament. It is found only in these passages, Three passages involve appearances of an angel of the Lord by means of a dream: 1.20-21; 2.13; and 2,19-20, seven words in common, All of the dream anticipations are integrated in the narrative. ‘The information given is available both to the character who has the dream and to the implied reader. However, only-one.of the. chara sharing. the c ._ ofthe .dceam-with.another foreshadow future plot developments for the reader and provide plot motivation, They also contribute to characterization as they reveal characters’ responses to the dreams, Five of the dream anticipations are concentrated in the birth story. Four are revelations to Joseph, The fifth, 2.12, is to the magi. The first, 1.20-21, provides the motivation for Joseph not to divorce Mary and to legitimize Jesus by naming him. It also anticipates an important future role for Jesus in the derivation of his name: But while he thought on these things, behold an ange! of the Lord by a dream appeared to him saying: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary your wife: for the thing begotien in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; for he will save his people from their sins Since the birth story is part of the exposition of the plot and introduces Jesus to the implied reader, this foretelling of Jesus’ role is important, The source of the anticipation is significant. The implied reader ‘overhears’ the angel’s words directly so there can be no mistake about their reliability or content. The angel's words are also immediately reinforced and elaborated by a direct authorial comment in 1,22-23, Part of the realization of the anticipation occurs after this comment, In 1.24-25, upon awakening, Joseph obeys the angel's command in words which echo it (1.20-21 = 1.24-25, fifteen words in common). The repetition emphasizes that the commandment was obeyed exactly. This suggests that the rest of the angel's words will come to pass as well. Suspense of anticipation is created. When and how will Jesus save his people from their sins? ‘The second dream passage occurs in 2.12: ‘And having been warned by a dream not to return to Herod, they [the magi] departed by another way to their country.’ ‘The narrator explains in this passage see Lohr, ‘Oral Techniques’, p. 413.“in these the Lord words in narrative, © has the characters -another cipations vide plot 2y reveal rth story. agi. The ree Mary mportant bya take And vehis plot and s’ role is : implied in be no are also zormment after this » angel’s words in ent was ords will Then and a warned arted by 5 passage 4. Plot 155 how the magi know Herod was not sincere in his desire to worship Jesus (1.8) and how Jesus is saved by supernatural intervention, The anticipation and realization occur in the same verse. In a sense the passage also provides stage directions, ushering the magi offstage. Finally, it portrays the magi positively as recipients of divine reve- lation, This passage is very similar to 2.22b which will be discussed below (2.12 = 2.22, five words in common). The repetition of super- natural intervention by a dream emphasizes the divine oversight of the child. It unifies the events associated with his birth as part of one divine plan, Behind the plot events is the order of God. The third dream passage immediately follows the second in 2.13: ‘When they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appears by a dream to Joseph saying: Rising, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child and destroy him.’ The narrator’s introduction is almost exactly the same as the introductions to Joseph’ first and third dreams (1.20 = 2.13, seven words in common in the introduction; 2.12 = 2.19-20, nine words in common in the introduction). As in those cases the implied reader ‘overhears’ the angel’s words. This time, however, contemporaneity of the implied reader with Joseph and the angel is achieved with the use of the historical present in 2.13 (gaiveran). ‘This dream anticipates two future plot events, the flight to Egypt and Herod's slaughter of the innocents. Like the magi’s dream, it represents divine intervention to save Jesus’ life. Through repetition it unites the events of the birth story. It also provides the motivation for the next major action, the flight into Egypt. The divine authority for the flight is also reinforced by the fulfillment quotation of 2.15b. As in 1,24-25, the angel’s command is repeated almost word for word in Joseph's fulfillment of it (2.13 = 2.14-15, fifteen words in common). When Herod seeks to kill the baby in 2.16 all of the angel’s words except the promise to tell Joseph when to return have been realized. Herod’s slaughter of the innocents is narrated after the dream and flight and prior to the foretold dream which brings about the return from Egypt. It is set off by an inclusio mentioning his death (2.15a and 2.19a). It is plotted slightly out of chronological order. Herod cannot kill babies after he is dead (2.15a). It provides retardation; sandwiched between the dream which causes Joseph to flee and that which brings him home. ‘The introduction and dream which bring Joseph home, 2.19-20, are156 Matthew's Narrative Web almost exact duplicates of those which caused him to flee (2.13 = 2.19- 20, eighteen words in common). Again the historical present is used. ‘This repetition represents the fulfillment of the angel's promise to tell Joseph when to return (2.13). It also provides the motivation for the next plot event, the journey home: ‘But Herod having died, behold an angel of the Lord appears by a dream to Joseph in Egypt saying: Rising take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel; for the ones seeking the life of the child have died.’ This anticipation is immediately realized; again emphasizing by repetition Joseph's obedience and the fulfillment of the anticipation (2.20 = 2.21, twelve words in common). ‘The final dream in the birth narrative (2.22b-23), like that of the magi, is simply described in the voice of the reliable narrator, rather than displayed. It, too, is a warning to depart in such a way as to escape the ruler (2.12b = 2.22b, five words in common), providing stage directions: ‘And being warned by a dream he departed into the part of Galilee and coming dwelt in a city called Nazareth.” It provides the anticipation, motivation, and realization in one sentence. ‘The divine authorization of the move to Nazareth is reiterated by the fulfillment quotation which follows in 2.23b. What are the effects of the repetitions involved in these dream anticipations? Why are they concentrated in the birth narrative? First, like the fulfillment quotations, which are in their own way retro- spective, they authoritatively give divine sanction to Jesus and events of his life. The repetition unifies the episodes and establishes a pattern, ‘That they are divine revelations and not merely supernatural is vouchsafed because an angel of the Lord appears in three major dreams. All of the dreams represent divine intervention to preserve the life and safety of Jesus. Second, the events anticipated almost all occur soon in almost precisely the same words as predicted. This emphasizes not only the obedience of Joseph and the magi, but also the reliability of anticipations as indicators of future events in this narrative—at least those anticipations with divine sanction, A third 1. The anticipation, the original utterance, occurs in story time long before the plotted narrative begins, The narrator draws attention to the fact that certain events have been foretold and now are occurring, The fulfillment quotations recall that earlier point of foretelling. 2. Even the first dream prevents Jesus from being bom as an illegitimate child “unprotected by a human father.itis used, ise to tell om for the behold an ot saying: Israel; for ipation is Joseph's 1, twelve rat of the or, rather vay as to providing J into the areth.” It sentence. ed by the se dream ve? First, ay retro- nd events a pattern, vatural is ee major preserve almost all ted. ‘This tt also the s in this A third before the ‘tain events recall that imate child 4. Plot 157 function of all but the first dream is to provide motivation (divine motivation) for the chain of events, for the geographical movements— the arrivals and departures—of characters. They move the action along. In addition, repetitions highlight the symbolic significance of several of these movements in the plot as a whole. Since the birth story is an important part of the plot's exposition, the clustering of these dreams and of fulfillment quotations there is not surprising. ‘The narrator needs to establish Jesus’ identity as well as the context for his life and mission, to set the scene for future plot developments. Thus the first and third functions mentioned above are important. The narrator also is laying the ground rules for the telling of his or her tale and so the second function is important. The same pattern of fulfillment will be seen later in the passion-resurrection predictions made by the divinely authorized Jesus. The implied reader knows from the birth story that authoritative (in the voice of divinely authorized characters or direct narrational) anticipations almost invariably come to pass. ‘The last instance of the unique phrase Kas’ Svap occurs in 27.19, There Pilate’s wife tells him of a dream as he sits on the judgment seat: ‘Now as he sat on the judgment seat his wife sent to him saying. Have nothing to do with that righteous man; for I suffered many things today by a dream because of him.’ This dream serves as a plot interlude between Pilate’s question, ‘Whom do you wish I may release to you. Barabbas or Jesus the one called Christ?” (27.17) and the chief priests’ and elders’ persuasion of the crowds to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus (27.20). It also provides the motivation for several future plot actions. The first is Pilate’s hand-washing and declaration of innocence, The second is the people’s acceptance of responsibility for Jesus’ death (27.24-25). It is not as clear and detailed an anticipa- tion as the dreams of the birth narrative. It creates a vague foreboding. Neither is it presented directly. Instead Pilate’s wife has her dream reported to Pilate along with her interpretation: Pilate should have nothing to do with Jesus. Since the implied reader hears only her report, he or she does not have access to the details of the dream itself. This partially explains the vague hint of doom. The repetition of the phrase xorc’ Svarp in a new context recalls its use in its earlier context, the birth story, Supernatural portents accompany the key plot events of Jesus’ birth and death. This time, however, the dream does not protect Jesus. It does, however, emphasize his innocence.