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In: Matthewâs Non-Messianic Mapping of Messianic TextsSearch for other papers by Bruce Harold Henning in
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The predominate view of Matthewâs use of Scripture claims he has a Christocentric hermeneutic of fulfillment. This volume argues such a description must be expanded to the proposed category âbroadly eschatologicalâ to account for Matthew alluding to messianic texts from the Scriptures but not mapping the messiah figure to Jesus. Though Matthew certainly has messianic uses of potentially non-messianic texts, room must also be made for his non-messianic uses of potentially messianic texts. To this end, four case studies are examined â the use of eschatological shepherd imagery from Jer 23:1â6, Ezek 34, and Zech 10:2â4 in Matt 9:36 and 10:6; the use of vineyard care-giver imagery from Isa 5:1â7 in Matt 21:33â46; the use of imagery related to eschatological temple construction in Matt 21:42â43, 16:18, and 7:24â27; and the use of Isaiahâs herald from Isa 61:1â3 in Matt 5:3â4 and 11:5. Each of these references has a different degree of clarity and mapping scheme, but each can be shown to have the potential of a messianic interpretation by considering the features of the original text or later uses in the history of interpretation. Yet in each case study, Matthew either focuses on the nature of the eschaton itself or places the disciples in the place interpreters might have expected the messiah to be. Using the perspective of Cognitive Linguistics and especially Blending Theory, this thesis argues that these messianic images map to the disciples via the Vital Relation of âroleâ as opposed to âidentity.â While Matthew only depicts Jesus as having the identity of the messiah, his allusions to the First Testament agree with his broader theology of discipleship in depicting the disciples as sharing in the messiahâs mission.