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Divine Injustice?: Matthew's Narrative Strategy and the Slaughter of the Innocents (Matthew 2.13-23)

Fuller Theological Seminary, Seattle, Washington U.S.A.

The remarkable parallel between Mt. 2.13-15 and 2.19-23 focuses attention, oddly, on the story of the Slaughter of the Innocents and its formula-quotation from Jer. 31.15, Rachel's cry of despair. Allusions to the birth of Moses, his flight—or withdrawal—from Egypt to Midian, and his later return to represent his people before Pharaoh, suggest that the evangelist is addressing the issue of God's injustice in saving the life of the infant Jesus while letting the babes of Bethlehem die because of him. This is confirmed by the narrative-strategic 'dialogue' between Rachel's voice (2.18) and the voices of the Baptist (3.3), announcing the Lord's return, and of God from heaven (3.17), revealing Jesus as his son, who returns to die in full identity with the people he once deserted.

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