Dr. Grant LeMarquand at Trinity Episcopal Seminary has developed an intriguing analysis of the structure of Matthew’s Gospel, showing that in Jesus (Heb. Yeshua) the story of Joshua (Heb. Yeshua) is reversed, stemming in part from Matthew’s reference to the woman who encounters Jesus in Matthew 15 as a Canaanite. This thesis can also be seen as part of a broader theme paralleling Jesus with the Old Testament narrative at all kinds of places, to show the transition to the parallel-but-radically-better New Covenant in Jesus. In fact, Matthew seems to go even further and highlights the failures of the Jews as God’s people in contrast to the faith of Gentiles.

 

Here are the main points:

 

1) The foreign, non-Jewish woman of Mt.15:21-28 is called a Canaanite – which is historically anachronistic – there were no peoples called Canaanites at that time, so Matthew is signaling something here.

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2) She asks for mercy and in the end, gets it, as with Rahab.

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3) In Deut. 7:1-6 seven nations, all related to and specifically including the Canaanites, are to receive “no mercy” and are to be totally destroyed by the Israelites as they took possession of the land God had promised to them.

 

4) In the broader context of Matthew’s Gospel:

• In Mt.14.13-21, the feeding of the 5000, there are 12 baskets left over. This is recognized as symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel – so we have here a new exodus and a new Moses feeding Israel in the wilderness, thereby reconstituting the New Israel.

• In Mt.14.22-36, the (miraculous) crossing of the water (into pagan/Gentile territory?), follows the pattern of the OT narrative in the crossing of the Jordan River.

• In Mt.15.1-20- Pharisees come to confront Jesus on the nature of defilement, being spiritually clean or unclean, and he turns all of their categories on their heads.

• The Canaanite woman who, according to the Law in Deuteronomy. and following the Old Testament story line, should be killed and receive no mercy, instead confronts Jesus with a life and death matter of mercy and – in a reversal of the story in Deuteronomy/Joshua- receives mercy! -and she is even identified as a woman of great faith!

• In Mt.15.29-31 more folks (still in a ‘pagan’ non-Jewish area?) are healed.

• Mt.15.32-39 recounts the feeding of the 4000 (still in pagan territory?) -and how many baskets are left over? seven- Why seven? -There were seven tribes that were to be destroyed (including the Canaanites) according to Deut 7. So what is Matthew saying? The Old Testament perspective seen in Joshua is reversed in Jesus!

 

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Other elements of Matthew’s Gospel reinforce this perspective…

 

1) Matthew’s Gospel starts with the genealogy of Jesus as true son of Abraham and David (and so is the rightful fulfillment of the covenant promises to them). In this genealogy Matthew includes mention of faithful Gentiles (Rahab and Ruth), while also obliquely pointing out some major failings among the Jewish line leading to Jesus (cf. Judah and Tamar, and David’s sin with Uriah’s wife). (1:1-17)

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2) Jesus is presented as the true King of the Jews. (2:1-2)

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3) Instead of Egypt being a place of bondage, it becomes a place of refuge. (2:13)

 

4) Also, Mt.2:15- In fact, “out of Egypt I called my son” re. Jesus, is taken from Hosea 11:1, where it is spoken against rebellious Israel as God’s “son”.

 

5) Jesus is shown to be the true Son of God, fulfilling all righteousness (3:17)

 

6) 40 days of temptation in the wilderness are successfully dealt with by Jesus, vs. 40 years of wandering and rebellion by Israel, including:

• The Sermon on the Mount by Jesus parallels giving of the Law to Moses at Mt Sinai

• The healing of a man with leprosy vs. Miriam being stricken with leprosy (8:1-4)

• The great faith of the pagan Roman centurion (8:5-13)

• Large crowds follow Jesus, notably including people from the Gentile areas of Syria and the Decapolis (4:24-25)

• The healing/“conquering” of Gentile “territory” as represented in the Gadarene demon-possessed men (8:28-34)

• The healing of both the ruler’s daughter and the woman who had been unclean for 12 years; Mark notes that the girl was also 12 years old) (i.e., Israel?) (9:18-26)

• Jesus sends out 12 disciples with His authority who will get a mixed reaction going only to the Jews, vs. the faithless Israelite spies in Canaan (10:1-42)

 

7) A lack of faith and a hard-hearted response by many Jews to Jesus is emphasized. (9:3-6, 10:17-18, 11:3, 11:20-24, 12:1-14, 12:24, 13:57-58)

 

8) The parables by Jesus about the Kingdom of Heaven being realized in Him are being introduced just as John the Baptist, the last person of the Old Testament greats, is being killed. (13:1-52, 14:1-12)

 

9) Following John the Baptist’s death, Matthew shows that the New Covenant of Jesus is for both responsive Jews and Gentiles (14:13-13:39):

• The feeding of 5000 with bread and fish, with 12 basketfuls left over (vs. manna and quail?)

• The breaking down of “clean” and “unclean” distinctions (15:1-20)

• Peter’s lack of faith (14:31) vs. the great faith of the Canaanite woman (15:21-28)

• The feeding of the 4000 with 7 basketfuls left over (15:29-39)

 

10) This section and the transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant climaxes with the unbelief of the Jewish religious leaders (16:1-5), Jesus pointing to a profound significance of the 12 and the 7 (16:5-11), followed by Peter’s confession of faith (16:11-20), Jesus’ 1st prediction of his death and resurrection, and the Transfiguration associating Jesus with Moses and Elijah (representing the Law and the Prophets, respectively) with Jesus being affirmed again as Son of God (17:1-5).

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