This article uses a narrative analysis to contribute to the discourse on the characterisation of Jesus in the Matthean Gospel. Characterisation can be achieved in various ways. Much is revealed about characters through their actions and words, and how other role-players in the text respond to them. Sometimes there is a narrator who tells the reader about a character. The kind of character depends on the traits or personal qualities of that character and how that character performs during specific incidents. Along with God himself, Jesus forms the principal character in the First Gospel. His teachings and actions are central to the text and the actions of other characters are directed towards him. The article focuses on one aspect of characterisation, namely, on what characters say about Jesus. Such words can come from supporters or antagonists. The article concentrates on what God the Father says in support of Jesus. The Father’s point of view is normative in this narrative. The evangelist utilises the utterances of God the Father as a narrative strategy to gradually assure the prominence and authority of the character of Jesus. Matthew’s narrative clearly recounts Jesus’ authority – an authority that comes from God and not only points towards him but also finally becomes his own. The Father attests that Jesus is greater and more authoritative than any previous messenger of God. It is Jesus who ultimately states that all authority has been bestowed upon him and therefore he can send out the disciples with his Great Commission. God’s heavenly voice expresses the significant status of Jesus as the main character and exposes the malignity of his antagonists.
Reading Gospels as narratives
The ‘story’ of a narrative includes events, setting and characters (Kingsbury
A variety of characters feature in Matthew’s Gospel. Characters can consist of individuals, such as God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, an angel or John the Baptist; or character groups, such as the wise men, the disciples, Moses and Elijah, Jewish leaders or the crowds. Characters can be supernatural, human and even anthropomorphic beings, like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem. Along with God himself, Jesus is the principal character, the protagonist,
This article investigates one aspect of the characterisation of the Matthean Jesus, namely, what God the Father says in support of Jesus.
As mentioned before, God is the main agent behind the narrative of Matthew. His point of view is normative (Carter
Parallels between Jesus’ baptism and his transfiguration.
Baptism | Parallel | Transfiguration |
---|---|---|
βαπτισθῆναι (3:13–16a) | Setting | Μετεμορφώθη (17:1–2) |
καὶ ἰδοὺ (3:16b) | And behold | καὶ ἰδοὺ (17:3a) |
πνεῦμα θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν ἐρχόμενον (3:16c) | Vision | Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας (17:3b) |
καὶ ἰδοὺ (3:17a) | And behold | καὶ ἰδοὺ (17:5b) |
φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν (3:17) | Voice from the heavens | φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν (17:5c) |
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα (3:17b) | God’s words | Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα· ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ (17:5c) |
In the first scene, the voice of God is supported by the vision of the Holy Spirit, and in the second scene it is supported by Moses and Elijah. In both events, the interjection ‘and behold’ highlights the significance of the spoken words. In both cases, the invisible God speaks from the heavens. With Jesus’ transfiguration, God repeats his words with Jesus’ baptism, but adds ‘listen to him’.
God’s voice is first mentioned in the scene where Jesus is baptised (Mt 3:13–17), where he testifies about Jesus.
In this scene, the character of John is depicted as a type of Elijah (cf. 2 Ki 1:8; Zch 13:4), although he is not identified as such until Matthew 11:14. As character supporting Jesus, he is the one who has to prepare the way for the Lord (Mt 3:3) and the one who is expecting the One to come (Mt 3:11). In the Dialogue with Trypho (Dial 8.4), Justin Martin sheds light on this role of John
John performs his mission to prepare the way for the One to come. He therefore warns the people to get their lives in order, ‘[
As the impending Jesus is baptised to ‘πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην’ [to fulfil
However, Jesus was not baptised because he was a sinner requiring purification, but to realise these Scriptural hopes (Davies & Allison
After being baptised, Matthew and Mark mention that Jesus emerged from the water, while Luke mentions that Jesus was praying.
When he emerged from the water, two significant signs followed. The heavens opened and a dove descended upon Jesus (
Signs when Jesus emerged from the water.
Matthew 3:16 | Mark 1:9–10 | Luke 3:21–22 |
---|---|---|
βαπτισθεὶς δὲ | ἐβαπτίσθη εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου. | καὶ Ἰησοῦ βαπτισθέντος |
ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· | καὶ εὐθὺς ἀναβαίνων ἐκ τοῦ ὕδατος | καὶ προσευχομένου |
καὶ ἰδοὺ ἠνεῴχθησαν οἱ οὐρανοί, | εἶδεν σχιζομένους τοὺς οὐρανοὺς | ἀνεῳχθῆναι τὸν οὐρανὸν |
καὶ εἶδεν πνεῦμα θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν ἐρχόμενον ἐπ’ αὐτόν· | καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα ὡς περιστερὰν καταβαῖνον εἰς αὐτόν· | καὶ καταβῆναι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον σωματικῷ εἴδει ὡς περιστερὰν ἐπ’ αὐτόν, |
The onlookers of then would have been able to interpret the significance of these signs.
After Jesus’ public act of humility with his insistence on being baptised, God publically announces Jesus as his own son. God’s voice brings all the previous testimonies of Jesus to a climax. Jesus is inaugurated at the beginning of his public ministry with this voice from heaven (
The voice from heaven.
Matthew 3:17 | Mark 1:11 | Luke 3:22 |
---|---|---|
καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα· | καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν· | καὶ φωνὴν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ γενέσθαι· |
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα. | Σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα. | Σὺ εἶ ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν σοὶ εὐδόκησα |
Matthew repeats the interjection, ‘καὶ ἰδοὺ’ [‘and behold’, previously in Mt 3:17a], to highlight the significance of the voice from heaven, which forms the high point of the baptism scene. Similar to the other Synoptics, Matthew depicts God as an invisible divine speaker whose voice speaks directly from heaven.
Heavenly voices frequently occur in the Old Testament (e.g. Gn 21:17, 22:11, 15; Ex 19:19; Dt 4:10–12, etc.), the New Testament (e.g. Jn 12:28; Ac 9:4, 10:13–15, 11:7–9; 2 Pt 1:1:18) and Jewish texts (e.g. Josephus, Ant 13.283; 2 Bar 13:1, 22:1) that refer to God who speaks.
The heavenly voice announces the sonship of Jesus. As Son of God, he experiences a relationship with God that is unique. While in Mark 1:11 and in Luke 3:22 the voice from heaven contains a personal address, with ‘You (σὺ) are my Son’ and ‘in you (σοὶ) I rejoice’, the voice in Matthew 3:22 makes a public announcement with an identification formula: ‘[
The divine sonship of Jesus has already been expressed by the narrator in Matthew 1:18–25 when the angel appeared to Joseph and told him that the child would be called ‘Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’, and in the fulfilment quotation ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son’ (Mt 2:15). However, it is significant that this fact is now confirmed from heaven
For Matthew, ‘Son of God’ [ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ] forms an important Christological title. Jesus is even recognised as the Son of God by the demons (Mt 8:29). In a hymn of jubilation, Jesus declares his unique relationship with the Father, which gives him unique authority (Mt 11:27). He demonstrates this in his authority over the weather (Mt 14:33). Jesus’ disciples use this title on the lake (Mt 14:33), as does Peter in his confession (Mt 16:16). Jesus indirectly presents himself as the Son of God in the parable of the tenants (Mt 21:37). He is charged as such by the high priest and accepts it as such (Mt 26:63). He is recognised as the Son by the centurion (Mt 27:54). This recognition by the centurion is emphasised by supernatural events and confessions by the whole guard (Mt 27:40, 43, 54).
As a Messianic title, ‘Son of God’ was a pregnant title in Judaism and the ancient world in general to claim filial relationships with deities (Davies & Allison
It seems that Psalm 2:7 forms the most appropriate background to this divine announcement at Jesus’ baptism. Psalm 2 was used as an enthronement psalm. Eschatological Messianic expectations were later linked to this psalm (Keener
In Matthew, this filial relationship is further emphasised by the numerous occasions of Jesus calling God his Father. In Matthew, Jesus refers to God as the Father some 44 times (e.g. Mt 11:27, 24:36, 28:19), compared to four in Mark and 17 in Luke. In these calls, Jesus differentiates between ‘my Father’ (Mt 11:27, 12:50) and ‘your Father’ (Mt 5:16, 48, 6:4, 6, 15, 18, 7:11), emphasising the unique relationship and mutual knowledge between Jesus and the Father
The phrase ‘the beloved’ [ὁ ἀγαπητός] qualifies ‘the Son of God’ and matches ‘in whom I rejoice’ [ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα] (Mt 3:17). In Jewish traditions, God’s special love for Israel is often expressed (e.g. Jub 31:15, 20). Rabbi Akiba (3, 14) comments: ‘[
This divine declaration in Matthew 3:17 is challenged by the devil. The devil also acknowledges Jesus as God’s Son, but unlike God, he is not pleased with this identification. The devil addresses Jesus as the ‘Son of God’ in his temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:3 and 6. Jesus does not succumb to the temptation of illustrating his unique sonship with spectacular acts. Instead, he confirms his sonship by submitting to the will of the Father (Turner
In Matthew 17:1–8, the scene is set as a visionary experience [ὅραμα], which typically consists of the setting of the scene, the dream vision as such and the responses of the recipients of the vision (Dodson
In Jewish tradition, significant people received visions of the end of times, for example, Abraham (2 Esd 3:14) and Isaiah (Jn 12:41). In Jewish apocalyptics, there was the expectation that Moses and Elijah would appear together as part of the eschatological wind-up of history (cf. Dt Rab 3:17; 2 Esd 6:25–26).
This narrative reflects the typology of Moses on Mount Sinai,
Synoptic comparison of the voice from the cloud.
Matthew 17:5 | Mark 9:7 | Luke 9:34–35 |
---|---|---|
ἰδοὺ νεφέλη φωτεινὴ ἐπεσκίασεν αὐτούς, | καὶ ἐγένετο νεφέλη ἐπισκιάζουσα αὐτοῖς, | ἐγένετο νεφέλη καὶ ἐπεσκίαζεν αὐτούς· ἐφοβήθησαν δὲ ἐν τῷ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν νεφέλην. |
καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης λέγουσα· | καὶ ἐγένετο φωνὴ ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης· | καὶ φωνὴ ἐγένετο ἐκ τῆς νεφέλης λέγουσα· |
Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα· ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ. | Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ. | Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἐκλελεγμένος, αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε |
There are significant variations in the wording of the voice from heaven in the Synoptic Gospels: in Mark, the voice declares ‘οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός’ [this is my beloved Son]; Luke adds ‘ὁ ἐκλελεγμένος’ [the chosen]; and in Matthew, the wording correlates with the words of God’s voice at the baptism of Jesus (Mt 3:17
God once again confirms Jesus’ identity as his Son, this time to the three disciples. It should be noted that this confirmation follows the prediction of Jesus’ death, as it offsets the shock of the passion (Witherington III 2006:325). The disciples are assured that Jesus is still the Son of God, even though he will be killed. While their traditional Messianic hopes have been shattered, it would be replaced with better ones.
The three disciples are instructed to ‘listen to him’ [ἀκούετε αὐτοῦ], which is an echo from Deuteronomy 18:15. In Deuteronomy, Yahweh promises to provide a prophet-like Moses to whom they must listen. There is no need to resort to divination, magic or necromancy to determine his will (Block
It is only in Matthew’s account that the disciples responded to this vision and voice from heaven by falling on their faces and being exceedingly fearful (Mt 17:6).
God’s voice during Jesus’ transfiguration provides further information of who Jesus truly is. As Son of God, he is the full manifestation of God’s glory. He supersedes the great prophets of the past. God’s people should listen to him.
Matthew portrays God only twice in direct action in the narrative, when he is invisible and perceived only as voice from heaven. When God speaks, he speaks of Jesus. Matthew directs all attention to Jesus. God’s voice expresses the identity and authority of Jesus. He transfers his voice and authority to Jesus. Jesus comes into focus in his relation to God. He is the focus of God’s love and plan for history. Jesus is not merely one of many prophets, but God’s ultimate revelation. He characterises and authorises Jesus in relation to himself as his Father.
In the baptism scene, John objects to baptising Jesus. However, Jesus insists to fulfil all righteousness. Once baptised, the Father publically announces that Jesus is the Son of God, and Jesus is tempted by Satan to manifest his divine sonship in a display of worldly power. However, as this would defy the will of the Father, Jesus does not succumb. In Matthew 16:22, he is once again tempted to construe his sonship by avoiding the suffering of the cross. Once again God the Father confirms that Jesus is the Son of God. In the crucifixion scene, Jesus avoids the temptation of escaping from the cross, when those who pass by challenge him to come down from the cross if indeed he is the Son of God (Mt 27:40). When the chief priests, the teachers of the Law and the elders mockingly cry out, ‘[
Matthew’s narrative clearly recounts Jesus’ authority, an authority that not only points to him but eventually becomes his own. God attests that Jesus is greater and more authoritative than any of his previous messengers. As Jesus is ‘God with us’ from infancy (Mt 1:23), he speaks throughout the Gospel with the voice of God. He appropriates and interprets God’s words and overrides other interpretations.
God’s testimony of Jesus in Matthew evokes response. A person cannot remain neutral or unaffected in the presence of Jesus. In the narrative, Jesus’ disciples recognise him as the Son of God when he walks on the water and stills the wind, ‘Ἀληθῶς θεοῦ υἱὸς εἶ’ [Truly, you are the Son of God] (Mt 14:33), and when Jesus asks ‘Who do you say I am?’, Simon Peter answers ‘Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος’ [You are the Christ, the Son of the living God] (Mt 16:16). Conversely, in the crucifixion scene, those who pass by respond by insulting Jesus: ‘[
This obedience was well placed, as God raised him from the dead (Mt 28:1–10). The consequence is that all authority in heaven and on earth is given to him and that his disciples have to adhere to his great commission (Mt 28:18), as God has previously declared that his disciples should listen to him (Mt 17:5). With his all-inclusive authority, Jesus continues to be with his disciples always to the very end of the age (Mt 28:20). Jesus’ authority comes from God. It does not only point to him, but it eventually becomes his own.
The author declares that no competing interests exist.
I declare that I am the sole author of this research article.
This article followed all ethical standards for a research without direct contact with human or animal subjects.
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any affiliated agency of the author.
This literary paradigm in Gospel studies should not invalidate historical and theological questions about the text (Hays
Chatman (
A character is a paradigm of constructed traits that a reader attaches to a name (Burnett
Greimas (
Besides God the Father, as series of other characters in the narrative witness in support of Jesus, for example, the Holy Spirit, angels, the wise men, John the Baptist and his disciples.
While God’s view is normative in the narrative, he is opposed by the devil.
The Dialogue with Trypho is a 2nd-century Christian apologetic text, documenting the attempts by Justin Martyr to prove from Scripture that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. The
Deuteronomy 19:15 states the need for two witnesses.
France (
Righteousness is a recurring theme in the First Gospel. Matthew uses δικαιοσύνη in a soteriological and ethical sense. For example, salvation and ethical conversion are symbolically effected through baptism. Through his baptism, Jesus fulfilled all δικαιοσύνη, as he was being (re-)confirmed as the Son of God who is to bring divine perspective of righteousness in the world and exemplify human commitment for it. John is described as a figure that rightly recognised Jesus and also fulfilled all δικαιοσύνη in his teaching and conduct. The Matthean community should do the same.
The Wisdom of Solomon 1:1–15 states that the fulfilment of all righteousness is what is required of a true king: ‘[
In Matthew 5:20, the followers of Jesus are said to exceed the scribes and Pharisees in righteousness by completely submitting themselves to the will of God. What believers are called to do is fulfilled by Jesus.
Luke places special emphasis on the prayer life of Jesus and his teachings on prayer.
Several ancient authors have noted that when gods gave testimony on matters, their voices were confirmed by visions from the heavens (Talbert
‘You would rend the heavens and come down …’ (Is 64:1).
The evangelist almost quotes word for word the introduction to the throne-chariot vision in Ezekiel: ‘[
Even the Aeneis of Vergilius 9:20–21 mentions the opening of heavens for the gods to speak.
Cicero (Top. 20.76–77) refers to the flight of birds along with omens from the gods. The philosopher Pythagoras teaches his disciples on bird omens and regards birds as messengers from the gods sent to those whom the gods truly love (Lamblichus, Vit. Pythagoras. 6.1).
Some rabbinic sources, however, link voices from heaven to
In John 1:34, the Baptist recognises Jesus as the Son of God because of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus, without reference to the dove or the voice from heaven.
The opening words of the quotation in Matthew 12:18–21 have verbal resemblance to these divine words.
In Matthew, the followers of Jesus who submitted to the will of the Father would also be called ‘sons of God’ if they were to be peacemakers (Mt 5:9) and would love their enemies (Mt 5:45).
Matthew accounts that Jesus directly addresses his heavenly Father (Mt 11:25–26, 26:39, 42, 27:46) and encourages his disciples to do the same (Mt 6:9–13).
Peter’s intention with the huts may have been to provide temporary shelter while they stayed on the mountain, there may have been more to this suggestion. In the ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean world, it was a common practice to commemorate epiphanies by erecting temples or pillars (Talbert
Absent from Matthew’s account is that Peter did not know what he was saying according to Mark.
Other ancient writers entertained similar expectations. According to the 2nd-century AD diviner, Artemidorus Daldianus (Onir. 1:2), an ὅραμα, often pre-enacts a future event.
This transformation narrative correlates with 2 Peter 1:16–18 where transfiguration is regarded as proof of the power of Jesus and Parousia.
The narrative does not mention on which mountain the transfiguration took place. Traditionally, it was thought that it took place on Mount Tabor. However, if it happened close to Caesarea Philippi, it could have been on Mount Hermon.
Jesus is addressed as ‘beloved Son’, a title which Moses and Elijah did not carry.
In Matthew 27:54, the centurion and those guarding with him at the cross of Jesus were also overcome by fear. Once again Jesus is confessed to be the Son of God. He is exalted in the state of humiliation.
Similar responses to theophanies are also found in Revelation 1:17, Numbers 22:31–35, Joshua 5:13–15 and 2 Maccabees 3:22–34.
The scorn of the chief priests, teachers of the Law and elders, ‘If God wants Him (εἰ θέλει αὐτόν)’, is ironic in comparison with the Father’s conformation that Jesus is his beloved Son with whom he is well pleased [μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα] (Mt 3:17, 17:5).