Matthew's Account of the Massacre of the Innocents in Light of its Reception History

Sung J. Cho

• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9780567699572
• eBook ISBN: 9780567699541
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

Sung Cho addresses the seeming contradiction of Herod the Great's massacre in Matthew 2: 16-18, questioning why such a tragedy had to occur, why it was included in the good news of Jesus, and what connection it has to ancient prophecies. In creating a reception history of the Massacre of the Innocents, Cho progresses through two millennia worth of interpretation and depiction to highlight key works for discussion. Beginning with a close reading of Matthew 2: 16-18, Cho moves to analyse depictions of the tragedy in the Early Patristic Tradition, from the sixth century to the early modern period, and thus to the present day; complete with an examination of visual interpretations of the massacre. Cho's examination provides a positive step to understanding the depths of human suffering with the help of many diverse perspectives.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Series
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Figures
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• 1 Matthew and Reception History
• 2 A Close Reading of Matthew 2:16-18
• 3 Massacre of the Innocents in Early Patristic Tradition (Second to Fifth Century)
• 4 Massacre of the Innocents from Sixth Century to 1516
• 5 Massacre of the Innocents from 1517
• 6 Visual Interpretations of the Massacre of the Innocents
• 7 Concluding Reflections
• Appendix A: Massacre of the Innocents in Modern Commentaries
• Appendix B: The Massacre of the Innocents in Commentaries from 1517 through the Nineteenth Century
• Appendix C: Massacre of the Innocents in Art
• Select Bibliography
• General Index
• Scripture Index