Cover

Acknowledgments

Table of Contents

List of abbreviations

Introduction

I. The Volume’s Project

1. Two Collected Essays in 2009 and 2011 on Jesus’ Infancy Stories

2. Categories and History at Stake

3. Theological Impact: the Third Category of Texts “Useful for the Soul”

II. The Volume’s Content

I. Infancy Gospels and Stories

Francesca Prescendi: Divine Fathers, Virgin Mothers and Founding Children. Italic Myths about Conception and Birth

I. Introduction

II.The Sons of Fire

III. Impregnating Fire and Virgin Mother

IV. Conclusion

Christian Grappe: Les Evangiles canoniques de l’enfance et les récits d’enfance intertestamentaires

I. La conception surnaturelle de l’enfant à naître

II. Les parallèles entre le récit matthéen de l’enfance de Jésus et les récits relatifs à celle de Moïse

Simon Claude Mimouni: La virginité de Marie: entre textes et contextes (Ier–IIe siècles)

I. Origines de la conception virginale hors du mouvement chrétien

II. Origines de la conception virginale dans le mouvement chrétien

1. Remarques sur le récit de l’enfance de Jésus d’après l’Evangile selon Matthieu

III. La conception et la naissance virginale de Jésus par Marie dans le débat contre les ébionites et les gnostiques

IV. La conception et la naissance virginales de Jésus par Marie dans le débat contre les Judéens et les Grecs non chrétiens

1. Contre les Judéens non chrétiens

2. Contre les Grecs non chrétiens

V. Conclusion

Post scriptum

Enrico Norelli: Les plus anciennes traditions sur la naissance de Jésus et leur rapport avec les testimonia

I. L’état actuel de ma recherche

II. La thèse de l’illégitimité de Jésus et l’hypothèse des testimonia

III. Des testimonia derrière Mt 1–2?

IV. Remarques conclusives

Christophe Guignard: Jesus’ Family and their Genealogy according to the Testimony of Julius Africanus

I. The Traditions Used by Africanus and their Origin

II. The Desposynoi Tradition: Materials from and about the Desposynoi

III. Materials Attributed to the Desposynoi

1. Herod’s Origin

2. The Burning of the Jewish Genealogical Records

IV. Information about the Desposynoi

1. The Geographical Issue

2. The Desposynoi and their Family Genealogy

V. The Historical Setting of the Desposynoi Tradition and its Value

VI. The Desposynoi Tradition and the Genealogies of the Gospels

VII. Conclusion

Adriana Destro & Mauro Pesce: The Cultural Structure of the Infancy Narrative in the Gospel of Matthew

I. Matthew 1–3 and the Advent of God’s Final Kingdom

II. The Cultural Politics of Matthew

1. The Genealogy as the Foundation of a King and his Kingdom

2. The Pre-Determined Succession of Times and Peoples

3. Stars and the Destiny of Peoples

4. Revelations in Dreams

5. Between Flight and Fight

(a) Fight as the Total Annihilation of the Adversary

(b) Flight as a Mechanism of Salvation

III. The Construction of a “Religious System” in the Gospel of Matthew

José Costa: The Matthean Reading of Isaiah 7.14 and the Midrash of Ancient Rabbis

(a) Verse 10

(b) Verse 11

(c) Verse 12

(d) Verse 13

(e) Verse 14

(f) Verse 15

(g) Verse 16

(h) The first part of Isaiah 8

(i) The second part of Isaiah 8

Joseph Verheyden: Creating Difference Through Parallelism. Luke’s Handling of the Traditions on John the Baptist and Jesus in the Infancy Narrative

I. A Most Complex Task: Recovering Sources and Traditions

II. Reading “in Parallel”

III. Conclusion

Claire Clivaz: Beyond the Category of “Proto-Orthodox Christianity”: An Enquiry Into the Multivalence of Lk 1.35

I. Introduction: Toward a “Multivalent” View of the Annunciation Story

II. The State of Research on Lk 1.35: Open Questions

III. Beyond the Category of “Proto-Orthodoxy” in the Early Indirect Evidence of Lk 1.35

IV. Beyond the Category of “Orthodox” Readings in Later Indirect Evidence for Lk 1.35

1. P.Gen. IV.149 and Lk 1.35

4.2 The Coptic Homily of Pseudo-Cyril of Jerusalem

V. Conclusion: Toward a Multivalent View of Lk 1.35

II. Stories and Identities in the Infancy Gospels

Jörg Frey: How Could Mark and John Do without Infancy Stories? Jesus’ Humanity and His Divine Origins in Mark and John

I. Introduction

II. Ignorance or Rejection? Two Common Explanations

III. The Introduction of Jesus and his Humanity in Mark

1. Jesus’ Humanity in Mark and the Depiction of his Family Relations

2. The Introduction of Jesus and his Origins

3. The “Arche” of the Gospel (Mark 1.1–3) and the Origin of Jesus

IV. Jesus’ Humanity and the Question of his Origins in John

1. Jesus’ Humanity in John and the Depiction of his Family Relations

2. The Introduction of Jesus into the Johannine Story

3. The Threefold Origin of Jesus according to the Johannine Prologue

(a) The Three Parts of the Prologue

(b) The Threefold Origin

(c) The Meaning of v. 14a: Incarnation as Inhabitation

V. Conclusion

David Pastorelli: The Genealogies of Jesus in Tatian’s Diatessaron The Question of their Absence or Presence. A Response to J. Frey

I. Sources and Method

1. Eastern Witnesses

(a) Arabic Harmony

(b) Persian Harmony

(c) Ephrem’s Quotations

2. Western Witnesses

(a) Latin Witnesses

(b) Middle Dutch Witnesses

(c) Middle English Witness: the Pepysian Harmony

(d) Middle High German Witness: the Zurich Harmony

(e) Middle Italian Witnesses

II. Witnesses to the absence

1. The Arabic Harmony

2. Ephrem’s Commentary on the Diatessaron

3. Conclusion

III. Witnesses to the Presence

1. The Eastern Witnesses

2. The Western Witnesses

3. Conclusion

Andrea Taschl-Erber: Subversive Erinnerung. Feministisch-kritische Lektüre von Mt 1–2 und Lk 1–2

I. Einleitung

II. Mt 1–2

1. Feministisch-kritische Lektüre von Mt 1–2

2. Die Stammmütter Jesu in der Mt Genealogie

3. Geistgewirkte Empfängnis einer Jungfrau – Rettung aus der Gefährdung

III. Lk 1–2

1. Zeit der Mütter?

(a) Lk 1.5–25: Zacharias verstummt und Elisabet wird schwanger

(b) Lk 1,26–38: „Freu dich, von Gnade Erfüllte, Gott ist mit dir“

(c) Lk 1.39–80: Prophetische Reden

(d) Lk 2: Die Frauen verstummen

(e) Die subversive Erinnerung an Frauenstimmen

2. Relecture des Motivs der unfruchtbaren Frau

3. Magnificat: Prophetische Sozialkritik und politischer Widerstand verkündet von Frauen

IV. Schlussresümee

Moisés Mayordomo: Matthew 1–2 and the Problem of Intertextuality

I. “Intertextualities”: Definitions, Plurality and Power

1. Intertextuality as a Critical Term

2. Intertextuality as a Methodological Concept

3. Intertextuality “in Practice”: Some Suggestions for New Testament Exegesis

a) Intertextuality from the Author’s Perspective

b) Intertextuality as a Quality of Texts

c) Intertextuality from a Reader’s Perspective

4. Conclusion

II. Intertextuality in Mt 1–2

1. Matthean Auto-Reflexivity

2. Case Studies

(a) The “Book of Genesis” (1.1a)

(b) Tamar in the Genealogy (1.3a)

(c) The First Formula Quotation (1.22–23)

(d) The Star – An Intertextual Signal? (2.2)

(e) The Intertext of the Jewish Leaders (2.5–6)

(f) God Calls his Son from Egypt (2.14–15)

(g) The Persecution of the Child (2.16)

(h) Rachel Weeps (2.17–18)

(i) Mt 2.23 – Unde?

III. Conclusion

Elian Cuvillier: Enjeux ecclésiologiques de Matthieu 1–2. Approche historique et narrative

I. État de la question et hypothèse de lecture

II. Les destinataires de Mt 1–2

III. Mt 1–2 comme élaboration d’un discours communautaire

1. Mt 1–2 : une communauté universelle

2. Mt 1–2 : la communauté matthéenne comme corpus mixtum

3. Mt 1–2 : le fondement christologique de la communauté

4. Mt 1–2 : une communauté qui rend témoignage au Messie

IV. Conclusion

Anders Runesson: Giving Birth to Jesus in the Late First Century. Matthew as Midwife in the Context of Colonisation

I. Introduction

II. Pharisees and the Risen Messiah: Some Comments on Sources and Setting

III. Raising up Children to Abraham in the Land of Israel

IV. The Global Politics of Virgin Birth

V. Seeing without Knowledge, Knowing without Sight: Magi, Priests and Scribes at Herod’s Court

VI. Concluding Remarks: Birthing Jesus Beyond the ‘Religious’ Box

Simon Butticaz: Lk 1–2: Auftakt einer tragischen Geschichte? Christliche Identität im Gespräch mit Israel

I. Die bewegte Geschichte eines Kindheitsevangeliums

1. Markion und das lukanische Kindheitsevangelium

2. Die tendenziöse Einordnung der Tübinger Schule

3. Die symptomatische Umgehung nach H. Conzelmann

4. Lk 1–2: Spuren einer vergangenen Epoche?

5. J. Jervell oder der Rückschwung des Pendels

6. R. Tannehill: Eine nuancierte Wiederaufnahme

II. Die Gestaltung einer ambivalenten Identität

1. Vorbemerkungen

2. Eine Fortsetzung der biblischen Geschichte

3. Ein jüdisch-zentrierter Bericht

4. Ein Strauß jüdischer Hoffnungen

5. Unterschiede in der Wiederaufnahme

III. Fazit

Luc Devillers: The Infancy of Jesus and the Infancy of the Church. From the Canticles (Luke 1–2) to the Summaries (Acts 1–7)

I. Introduction

II. A Study by Grygłewicz

III. A Fresh Approach

1. The Canticles of the Gospel

2. The Summaries of Acts

3. A Series of Recurring “Refrains”

IV. Between Canticles and Summaries: Are There Any Lexical Links?

V. Between the Canticles and the Summaries: Are There Other Similarities?

1. From the Magnificat to the Summaries of Acts

2. The Benedictus and the Nunc dimittis Compared with the Summaries

VI. The Spirit in the Narratives of the Infancy of Jesus and of the Community

1. The Spirit, the Summaries and the Hymns

2. The Presence of the Holy Spirit upon or in Individuals or Groups

VII. “The Birth of the Church”, or Several Beginnings of Many Churches?

VIII. Conclusion

Daniel Gerber: D’une identité à l’autre. Le Magnificat, le Benedictus, le Gloria et le Nunc dimittis dans le rôle de passeurs

I. Des modèles possibles de prière

II. Un passage exprimé à l’aide de « discours adéquats »

III. La reconfiguration du passé en fonction d’un maintenant normatif

IV. Une sotériologie désormais liée à un nom unique

V. Une paix d’un autre ordre

VI. Une attention préférentielle portée aux humbles

VII. L’exigence d’une attitude double

VIII. Les autres

IX. Remarques conclusives

Benedict Viviano: God as Father in the Infancy Gospels (Matt 1 and 2, Luke 1 and 2)

I. My Earlier Research

II. God in the Infancy Gospels

III. Conclusion of the Infancy Gospels Research Series

III. Infancy Gospels: Stories and Identities

Sever J. Voicu: Ways to Survival for the Infancy Apocrypha

I. The Inventory

II. The Paidika

III. The Proteuangelium

IV. Secondary apocrypha

V. The transmission of the Proteuangelium

VI. The transmission of the Paidika

VII. Apocrypha in the Liturgy

VIII. Apocrypha as Historical Sources

IX. The Theory of Interpolations

X. Ideological Interpretation

XI. Concluding Remarks

Lily Vuong: “Let Us Bring Her Up to the Temple of the Lord”. Exploring the Boundaries of Jewish and Christian Relations though the Presentation of Mary in the Protevangelium of James

I. The Jerusalem Temple and the Great Day of the Lord

II. The Continued Power and Importance of the Priesthood in the Protevangelium of James

III. Concern for Jewish ideas Surrounding Ritual Purity: Mary Likened to a Temple Sacrifice

IV. Mary and the Concern for Jewish ideas Surrounding Menstrual Purity

V. Conclusion

Frédéric Amsler: Les Paidika Iesou, un nouveau témoin de la rencontre entre judaïsme et christianisme à Antioche au IVe siècle ?

I. Introduction

II. Les témoignages anciens des Paidika

1. Irénée de Lyon et l’Epistula apostolorum

2. Epiphane de Salamine

3. Jean Chrysostome

(a) Homélie sur Jean XVII

(b) Homélies sur Jean XXI et XXIII

(c) Judaïsme et christianisme en Syrie au IVe siècle

III. Les Paidika Iesou et leur rapport au judaïsme

1. L’impasse de l’interprétation «ébionite»

2. L’appellation de Jésus dans les Paidika

3. Les mentions de l’âge de Jésus dans les Paidika

4. Paidika 2, 1 et 3, 1

(a) Texte et traduction de Paidika 2, 1 et 3, 1

(b) Intertextualité et polysémie lexicale de Paidika 2,1 et 3,1

(c) Deux options interprétatives de Paidika 2,1 et 3,1

IV. Conclusion

Ursula Ulrike Kaiser: Die sogenannte „Kindheitserzählung des Thomas“. Überlegungen zur Darstellung Jesu als Kind, deren Intention und Rezeption

I. Einführung: Die Frage nach der Kindheit Jesu

II. Beobachtungen zur Rezeption des zornigen, fluchbringenden Jesuskindes in der Textgeschichte

III. Jesus als Kind. Darstellungskonventionen und realisierte Intentionen

1. Vergleichbare Darstellungen besonderer (Götter-)Kinder

2. Konventionen hellenistischer Biographik im Hinblick auf die Kindheit des Helden

3. Das Kind Jesus als Kind

(a) Altersangaben in den Paidika und ihre Relevanz

(b) Schulrealitäten

4. Fazit: Die Synthese von literarischer Konvention und Kindheitsdarstellung in den Paidika

IV. Schluss: Warum musste es überhaupt Kindheitsgeschichten über Jesus geben?

Geert van Oyen: Rereading the Rewriting of the Biblical Traditions in The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (Paidika)

I. Introduction

II. Paidika 17 // Luke 2.41–52

III. The New Testament in Paidika

IV. Some Final Reflections

Jean-Daniel Kaestli: Mapping an Unexplored Second Century Apocryphal Gospel: the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris (CANT 53)

I. An Apocryphal Text in Need of a Title and a Critical Translation

II. The Episode of the Midwife From the Narrative of the Compilations to the Narrative of the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris

1. The Story of the Midwives in the Protevangelium of James and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew

2. The Story of the Midwives in the Compilations Incorporating the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris

3. How to Reconstruct the Story of the Midwife of the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris?

4. The Birth of the Light and the Birth of the Child

III. The Origin of the Theme of the Midwife and the Role of Testimonia in the Composition of the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris

1. A Painless Childbirth Making the Intervention of a Midwife Unnecessary

2. The Search for Other Testimonia behind LNS

IV. The Relationship of the Liber de Nativitate Salvatoris to the Revelation of the Magi in the Chronicle of Zuqnin

1. Transmission and Outline of the Revelation of the Magi

2. The Numerous Similarities between RevMag and LNS

3. What Can We Learn from the Similarities between the LNS and the Revelation of the Magi?

Valentina Calzolari: Les récits apocryphes de l’enfance dans la tradition arménienne

I. Le corpus arménien des récits sur l’enfance: état de la question et acquis de la critique textuelle

1. Délimitation du corpus

(a) Les trois formes textuelles du Protévangile de Jacques en arménien et les récits apparentés

(b) Les deux recensions de l’Évangile de l’enfance

(c) Le corpus arménien de l’Évangile de l’enfance reconstitué par Abraham Terian

2. Acquis de la critique textuelle

(a) Le Protévangile de Jacques en arménien

(b) L’Évangile de l’enfance arménien

II. La virginité de Marie, antitype d’Ève, dans la littérature et la mariologie arméniennes

1. La virginité de Marie dans l’Évangile de l’enfance

2. Parallèle Ève– Marie en miroir du parallèle Adam–Jésus

3. La typologie Ève-Marie dans la littérature arménienne

4. Marie dans les textes médiévaux

III. La réception des récits apocryphes de l’enfance chez les auteurs arméniens médiévaux et dans la liturgie (synaxaire)

1. Le témoignage des auteurs arméniens médiévaux sur le caractère irrecevable du texte

2. Les récits apocryphes comme sources des notices du synaxaire arménien

IV. Thèmes apocryphes inspirés des récits de l’enfance dans les enluminures des évangéliaires arméniens médiévaux

Philip Alexander: Jesus and his Mother in the Jewish Anti-Gospel (the Toledot Yeshu)

I. The Toledot Yeshu Texts

II. The Toledot Yeshu’s Anti-Infancy Gospel

III. The Toledot Yeshu as Counter-Narrative

IV. The Toledot Yeshu as Parody

V. The History of the Toledot Yeshu Anti-Infancy Gospel

VI. Afterword

Daniel Barbu: Voltaire and the Toledoth Yeshu. A Response to Philip Alexander

François Rosset: “False” and “True” Infancy and Apocryphal Gospels in the Century of Voltaire

I. The Apocryphal Gospels in the 18th Century: General Points

II. Baron d’Holbach and the Anti-Religious Movement

III. The Range and Variety of Voltaire

Bibliography

List of Contributors

Index of Ancient Sources

I. Old Testament / Hebrew Bible

II. New Testament

III. Apocryphal and Para-Biblical Literature

IV. Early Christian Literature / Patristics

V. Dead Sea Scrolls

VI. Jewish sources

VII. Classical Greek and Latin Literature

Index of Modern Authors

Index of Subjects