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The Gospel writers, Matthew and Luke each have a different presentation of the person or
Christology of Jesus. Whilst recording the life, work and mission of the historical person
of Jesus, they have each given their texts different nuances and emphases. These
differences in Matthew and Luke’s Christologies are apparent in the way in which they
have chosen to write the Infancy Narratives of Jesus and after describing the Christology of
both writers, they will be compared through the lens of this narrative.
The Gospel of Matthew is written to convey that Jesus is unequivocally, the Son of God.
Senior notes that ‘Son of God’ is the most significant title Matthew gives to Jesus in his
Gospel1 and Bauer goes further to say that Jesus as Son of God is the overarching theme of
Matthew’s writing.2 Matthew has retained all of the references to ‘Son of God’ contained
in the Gospel of Mark and added some of his own and some from the Q source.3
Matthew
uses this title to denote several characteristics of the relationship Jesus has with God.4
Jesus’ origin is in and through God as he has been conceived through the Holy Spirit (Mt
1:20-21). Jesus as Son of God has an intense and intimate relationship with his Father;
“All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except
the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone who the Son chooses to
reveal him.” (Mt 11:27) And Jesus is the obedient Son of God, even to death. The
Temptation of Jesus demonstrates his commitment and obedience to God, even after forty
1
Donald Senior, The Gospel of Matthew (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997), 54.
D.R. Bauer, "The structure of Matthew's gospel: A study in literary design." (Wiltshire: Sheffield Academic
Press, 1989), 143.
3
D.A. Carson, "Christological Ambiguities in the Gospel of Matthew," in Christ the Lord. Studies in
Christology Presented to Donald Guthrie, ed. Harold H. Rowdon (Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1982), 111.
4
Bauer, "The structure of Matthew's gospel: A study in literary design," 145.
2
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days in the wilderness when each time, he is able to resist temptation turning instead, to the
wisdom of the Old Testament (Mt 4:1-11).
Jesus is described by God, Peter, centurions and demons as the Son of God and describes
himself in this way also. 5 In the passage describing the baptism of Jesus, the Spirit of God
descends upon him and the voice of God is heard saying “this is my Son, the beloved, with
whom I am well pleased.” (Mt 3:17) According to Bauer, Matthew often uses the title of
Son of God at particularly significant places within the text, at the climaxes of the main
divisions of the Gospel.6 An example of the use of this device is Peter’s confession of
Jesus as “the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Mt 16:16) which ends the second
division of the Gospel concerned with the work and mission of Jesus and the people’s
response to it.
Another of Matthew’s key Christological themes is of Jesus as both the fulfilment of the
hopes and aspirations of the Israelites and the fulfilment of the law and the prophets.
Matthew’s Gospel opens with the genealogy of Jesus which firmly places him within the
context of the history of Israel and cements his identity as Jewish.7 In this opening,
Matthew gives Jesus the titles of “Jesus the Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of
Abraham” (Mt 1:1). This immediately alerts the reader to the influence of the Old
5
Terence L. Donaldson, "The Vindicated Son: A Narrative Approach to Matthean Christology"
in Contours of Christology in the New Testament, ed. Richard N. Longenecker (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), 109.
6
Bauer, "The structure of Matthew's gospel: A study in literary design," 144. This notion is also supported
by Benedict. T. O.P. Viviano, "The Gospel According to Matthew," in The New Jerome Biblical
Commentary, ed. Raymond.E Brown, SS., Joseph. A Fitzmyer, SJ., and Roland. E Murphy, O.Carm. (New
Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc., 1990), 631.
7
Ibid., 94.
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Testament that continues throughout the Gospel. Senior asserts that the Infancy Narrative
has a somewhat ‘sombre’ tone to it as the early life of Jesus is paralleled to the history of
Israel; linking the threat to Jesus’ life as an infant and his family’s escape from genocide
and arrival in Nazareth as displaced people with the story of the Israelites.8 Jesus is called
out of Egypt (Mt 2:15) just as Israel was, as recorded in Hosea 11:1. Matthew uses the
device of ‘formula citations’ throughout his Gospel to remind the reader of the role Jesus
plays as the fulfilment of the law and the prophets.9 And most significantly, Jesus himself
says “Do not think I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to
abolish but to fulfil” (Mt: 5:17).
Some scholars have taken this notion further and see that Matthew is portraying Jesus as
the new Moses. According to Senior, the “defining moment” of the teaching of Jesus in
the Sermon on the Mount narrative reminds the reader of Moses going up to Mount Sinai to
receive the Torah.10 The transfiguration of Jesus is another story which harkens back to
the character of Moses, Matthew including reference to him in the narrative (Mt 17:1-13).
The ‘newness’ of Jesus as a person has the historical familiarity of Moses: “Indeed, the old
vindicates the new, through resemblance of the two. In Judaism the present was regularly
legitimated by the past: memories were the measure of all things.” 11 Moses is written
8
Senior, The Gospel of Matthew, 92.
Bernard. P. Robinson, "Matthew's Nativity Stories: Historical and Theological Quesions for Today's
Readers " in New Perspectives on the Nativity, ed. Jeremy Corley (London, GBR: Continuum International
Publishing, 2009), 118. See Mt 1:22-23 for an example. Nolland (cited in Robinson) notes that Matthew’s
Gospel is “saturated by the Old Testament”, 130.
10
Senior, The Gospel of Matthew, 102.
11
Dale C. Jr. Allison, The new Moses: a Matthean typology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993), 273.
9
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about or referred to at least seven times in Matthew’s Gospel.12 The five speeches given
by Jesus contained within the Gospel can be related to the five books of the Torah as
written by Moses and like Moses and Joshua (Deut 34:9), Jesus commissions his apostles to
continue his mission after his death (Mt 28:14).13
And so Matthew is able to build on
what his readers already know contained within the Old Testament and show that Jesus had
come as the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham, that he would bless all nations
through his descendants.
Luke makes the purpose of his Gospel clear in his opening paragraph stating that he is
writing “so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been
instructed” (Lk 1:4). Luke traces the ancestry of Jesus back to Adam which adds a
universal quality to his Gospel,14 and portrays the message of Jesus as for all; Jesus comes
to bring universal salvation for “all generations”.15 Luke paints Jesus as someone who
respected Jewish law but also engaged with Samaritans and Gentiles. Luke uses titles for
Jesus such as master and teacher that are more inclusive than rabbi16 and leaves out some
12
Benedict. T. Viviano, "Making Sense of the Matthean Genealogy in Matthew 1:17 and the Theology of
History," in New Perspectives on the Nativity,.ed. Jeremy Corley (London, GBR: Continuum International
Publishing, 2009), 96. See Mt 8:4; 17:3, 4; 19:7, 8; 22:24 and 23:2.
13
Earl Richard, Jesus: One and Many. The Christological Concept of New Testament Authors (Wilmington,
Delaware: Michael Glazier, 1988), 147.
14
Carl Purinton, Re-Interpretation of Jesus in the New Testament (Piscataway, NJ, USA: Gorgias Press,
2009), 15.
15
Donald L. Gelpi, Firstborn of Many: A Christology for Converting Christians, Volume 2 (Milwaukee, WI,
USA: Marquette University Press, 2000), 340.
16
Purinton, Re-Interpretation of Jesus in the New Testament, 16.
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material from Mark that would serve specifically Jewish interests (Mk 7:1-23).17 This
opens up his Gospel to all people as a source of truth.
Luke presents Jesus as the Son of God, conceived through the action of the Holy Spirit,
ordained by God at his baptism when the Holy Spirit descends upon him and anointed by
God in the words of Isaiah read by Jesus in the synagogue (Lk1:35; 3:21-22; 4:16-20).
This creative work of the Spirit links us back to Genesis where the power of God’s spirit
created the world and Adam, who is also referenced in Luke’s genealogy (Lk 3:38).18
Fallon comments that Luke is highly concerned with the work of the Holy Spirit within the
person of Jesus; that Jesus works under the influence of God’s powerful spirit and that the
spirit is the source of the ministry of Jesus.19 Fallon also asserts that it is the Spirit of God
that connects Jesus with the prophets before him and with his apostles after his death and
resurrection.20 This emphasis on the work of the Spirit within Jesus identifies him as the
servant of God and one who has an intimate relationship with his Father. This relationship
is often expressed through prayer in Luke and God responds also in prayer, in a ‘heavenly
voice’ (Lk 9:35).21
17
"Gospel of Luke," in A Dictionary of the Bible, ed. W.R.F Browning (Oxford Reference Online: Oxford
University Press). This passage deals with Jewish rituals and laws related to eating.
18
J. SJ. Navone, Themes of St Luke (Rome: Gegorian University Press, 1970), 120. See also Gelpi, Donald,
“The Firstborn of Many: A Christology for Converting Christians: Volume 2”, 360.
19
Michael MSC. Fallon, The Gospel According to Saint Luke. An Introductory Commentary (Kensington:
Chevalier Press, 1997), 23.
20
Ibid.
21
Howard Marshall, "The Christology of Luke's Gospel and Acts," in Contours of Christology in the New
Testament, ed. Richard N. Longenecker (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2005), 128.
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Connected with Jesus as filled with the Spirit of God is Luke’s portrayal of him as Messiah.
This is clear from the beginning of the Gospel.22 The angels announce the birth of Jesus;
“to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Lk
2:10-12). Jesus is defined by Luke as the “ruler of God’s people” who will be both a
Saviour and a deliverer.23
Jesus is noted as a descendant of David through Joseph (Lk
3:23-31) providing a link back to the Old Testament and the promises of God to send a
Messiah to save Israel. Byrne believes that the drama of Luke’s narrative has its roots in
the promises made to Israel by God recorded in the Old Testament by the prophets.24 Thus
we have in Jesus, the continuation and fulfilment of the story of the people of Israel.
An important aspect of the Christology of Jesus for Luke is Jesus as the inclusive
missionary, finding the lost, forsaken, oppressed and poor and “restoring them to unity with
God”.25 Many scholars have noted Luke’s affinity with the margins of society and his
desire to portray Jesus as having come to earth to bring them the good news and ultimately
salvation. Jesus has his own beginnings in humble and poor surroundings (Lk 2:7) and his
parents make the offering of the poor when they present him in the temple for the first time
(Lk 2:22-3). Luke’s Gospel has Jesus turning the social world upside down by lifting up
the lowly and poor and challenging the rich to give away everything they have and follow
22
Sean Freyne, "The Galilean Jesus and a Contemporary Christology," Theological Studies 70, no. 2 (2009),
http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5031253977, 3.
23
Marshall, "The Christology of Luke's Gospel and Acts," 123.
24
Brendan S.J. Byrne, The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel (Strathfield: St Paul's
Publications, 2000), 47.
25
Robert. J. OFM. Karris, "The Gospel According to Luke," in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary
ed. S.S. Raymond E. Brown, S.J. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and O.Carm. Roland E. Murphy (New Jersey: Prentice
Hall Inc, 1990), 676.
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God.26 Jesus is seen through Luke’s eyes as a “humanitarian” Jesus with the ability to
“reclaim the lost”.27
Byrne interprets Jesus’ attention to the poor, oppressed and needy within the context of his
notion of the ‘hospitality of God’ in Luke’s Gospel. He states that Jesus’ life is a visitation
from God to the people of Israel and the world; for those who are willing to accept Jesus,
the wider ‘hospitality of God’ becomes open.28 Whilst Byrne sees this hospitality in the
context of meals or general hospitality, it is entirely possible to extend this notion to
include God’s acceptance and love for all those who are marginalised in any way. Jesus
demonstrates this in Luke’s Gospel countless times as he engages with the leper (Lk 4:1216, the paralytic (Lk 4:17-26), the widow’s son (Lk 6:11-17) and tells parables about the
Kingdom of God (Lk 10:25-37). In the story of Zacchaeus, Jesus further teaches that for
those who have lived lives of sin, they can repent and be accepted back into the Kingdom
of God if they are willing (Lk 19:1-10). Luke’s Jesus goes even further to give advice to
the rich about their responsibilities to the poor and teaches how hard it is for them to enter
the Kingdom of God unless they renounce their riches. Luke portrays Jesus as clearly
prioritising spiritual wealth over the wealth of riches.
In the recording of the Infancy Narratives, Matthew and Luke have discernable and
significant points of commonality and difference. Both writers are intent on establishing
Jesus as the divine Son of God from the very beginning and this is attested to in both
26
Gelpi, Firstborn of Many: A Christology for Converting Christians, Volume, 340.
Purinton, Re-Interpretation of Jesus in the New Testament, 16, 17-18.
28
Byrne, The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel, 4.
27
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Infancy Narratives. Matthew uses the revelation of the angel to Joseph to announce that
Jesus has been conceived “from the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:20-22) and also uses this
announcement to remind the reader of the promise made by God through the prophets in
the Old Testament (Mt 1:22-23). Matthew refrains from referring to Joseph as the father
of Jesus so the divinity of Jesus is unquestioned and God is the first to call Jesus ‘Son’ (Mt
2:15).29 Matthew also records the name Emmanuel for Jesus meaning God is with us. It
is clear to the reader that this child is intimately connected to God.
In the Gospel of Luke,
the birth of Jesus is foretold by the angel Gabriel to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Luke
chooses to emphasize Jesus as the “Son of the Most High”, and that “the Lord God will
give to him the throne of his ancestor David” (Lk 1:32). Luke also attests to the divinity of
Jesus as the angel tells Mary that she has conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk
1:35). For both Gospel writers, the divinity of Jesus is fundamental to their Christologies.
The infancy narrative of Matthew details the Jewishness of Jesus as the genealogy notes
him as a descendant of both David and Abraham. Jesus is placed firmly within a culture
waiting in expectation for a Messiah promised to them by God.30 The story parallels the
exodus and return of the Israelites as Jesus and his family flee to Egypt (Mt 2:13-15 and
Exod 4:19-20)31 which serves to strengthen the role of Jesus as the promised Messiah.
Gelpi interprets the purpose of the infancy narrative in Matthew as portraying Jesus as the
fulfilment of salvation history found in this new Emmanuel.32 Matthew underlines Jesus
29
Richard, Jesus: One and Many. The Christological Concept of New Testament Authors, 151.
Ibid., 146.
31
Allison, The new Moses: a Matthean typology, 141-42.
32
Gelpi, Firstborn of Many: A Christology for Converting Christians, Volume 2, 348.
30
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as King and Messiah with the visit of the Magi to his place of birth bringing gifts worthy of
a true King.33 The infancy narrative of Matthew serves to introduce the reader to the
fundamental beliefs about Jesus of Matthew; that he is the divine Son of God, truly King of
the Jews and Emmanuel, the very presence of God with us.34
Luke’s infancy narrative is less concerned with connecting the birth of Jesus to the events
of Israel’s history choosing to omit the material contained within Matthew about the flight
to Egypt and the massacre of infants.35 Instead, Luke focuses his attention on the dual
birth stories of John the Baptist and Jesus. Parallels exist between the two stories as they
both feature an Annunciation, Canticle, Birth, Circumcision, Naming and a reference to the
growth of the two boys.36 Luke uses these two birth stories to explore the relationship
between the two men and makes it clear that it is Jesus who is the greater one. Talbert
details three parallel episodes in the Gospel that are specifically designed to notify the
reader of the superiority of Jesus over John.37 John is the last in the line of Old Testament
prophets and prepares the way for Jesus; Jesus is the “centre” of a new salvation history.38
In John the Baptist, Elizabeth has borne the second Elijah but in Jesus, Mary has borne the
Messiah and Son of God.
33
Luz cited in Robinson, "Matthew's Nativity Stories: Historical and Theological Quesions for Today's
Readers ", 125.
34
Ibid., 131.
35
Ibid., 111.
36
Ian Boxall, "Luke's Nativity Story: A Narrative Reading," in New Perspectives on the Nativity
ed. Jeremy Corley (London, GBR: Continuum International Publishing, 2009), 31.
37
Charles H. Talbert, Reading Luke: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Third Gospel (New
York: Crossroad, 1988), 15. Episode One is the annunciations, Episode Two the narratives of the birth and
very early life of John and Jesus and Episode Three refers to the ministry of John and the preparation for
ministry of Jesus (Lk 3:1-4:15)
38
Gelpi, Firstborn of Many: A Christology for Converting Christians, Volume , 348.
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Like Matthew, Luke announces his Christological themes in his infancy narrative. One of
the striking themes of Luke is that Jesus comes to save all, with particular care for the poor,
oppressed and marginalised. Luke chooses to have the angels announcing the birth of
Jesus to shepherds tending their sheep (Lk 2:8-18). Shepherds were on the outer of society
in the time of Jesus and it is significant that they receive the divine revelation of the birth of
Jesus.39
From the very beginning of the story of Jesus, it is to the outcasts, the lowly and
humble that Jesus has come to bring the good news to. The Song of Praise of Mary also
confirms that the Good News is for all people as she, a woman, rejoices in the fact that God
has “looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant” (Lk 1:48).
Whilst the story of Jesus has been recorded many times, each writer nuances it and finds
different aspects of it more compelling and important. Matthew and Luke have each
written the Good News of Jesus with themes that are important to them and their
communities.
For the reader, we are able to discern some of the subtle differences and yet
come to the same conclusions; that Jesus was both human and divine, a true King for the
people of Israel whose reign continues today, and a man who spoke and lived a message of
love, compassion and faith for all peoples who choose to read, listen and follow.
39
Boxall, "Luke's Nativity Story: A Narrative Reading," 31.
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Nativity. edited by Jeremy Corley. London, GBR: Continuum International
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