New Perspectives on the Nativity

Ed. Jeremy Corley

Reviewed by Jim West

Published this year, this collection of essays focuses on the birth narratives of Jesus in Matthew
and Luke. Chapters in the volume are

1- The Infancy Stories of the Gospels Since Raymond E. Brown (Harry Wansbrough)
2- Luke's Nativity Story: A Narrative Reading (Ian Boxall)
3- Prophetic Voices of Elizabeth, Mary and Anna in Luke 1-2 (Barbara E. Reid)
4- Zechariah's 'Benedictus' (Luke 1:68-79): A New Look at a Familiar Text (Leonard Maluf)
5- The Significance of the Inn for Luke's Infancy Narrative (Nicholas King)
6- Matthew 1-2 and Roman Political Power (Warren Carter)
7- Making Sense of the Matthean Genealogy: Matthew 1:17 and the Theology of History (Ben Viviano)
8- Matthew's Nativity Stories: Historical and Theological Questions for Today's Readers (B. Robinson)
9- The Magi Story Through the Eyes of Pasolini: A Bakhtinian Reading (Christopher Fuller)
10- The Nativity in Recent British Poetry (Ann Loades)
11- The Muslim Mary (John Kaltner)
12- Losing Mystery in History: The Challenge of Recalling the Nativity (Thomas O'Loughlin)

The collection concludes with an appendix by Patricia McDonald comparing Matthew 1-2 and
Luke 1-2. Then readers will find a dictionary of technical terms, persons, and texts. Finally, a
bibliography and a subject index round out the volume.
Of particular interest to me was the essay by Ben Viviano, who shows quite convincingly, that
Matthew's gospel is, '...in the three part structure he provides for his genealogy, presenting the reader
with the partial outline of one of the earliest recorded theologies of history' (p. 91). Viviano
demonstrates his reading of Matthew as 'theology of history' by first describing 'a seven part division of
history', and then moving on to 'implications of the seven age scheme', 'Jesus and Moses', 'Jesus and
Joshua', 'from the coming of Jesus to the end of the world', 'from Adam to Abraham', 'apocalyptic origin
of the seven part division of history?', 'early christian use of the seven age scheme' and finally
'commentators from 1907 to 2007'. In the latter of these he describes the authentically fascinating
thesis of Karl-Heinrich Ostmeyer that the three segments of the genealogy each represent 'a different
aspect of the biblical record. The first section speaks of the patriarchal era, with pagan or foreign
wives. The second offers the royal descent. The third is actually priestly. Matthew thereby wishes to
include the priestly-temple aspect of the biblical tradition...'
With all his evidence in hand, Viviano is then prepared to suggest that 'The genealogy not only
presents Jesus as true king and son of David, but also as priest in some sense (if Ostmeyer is to be
trusted)' and that the mid gospel restriction of the mission to Israel alone (10:5-6) 'finally gives way to
the great commission to all the nations...' (p. 109). The seeds for this mission already having been
planted within the framework of the genealogy.
His argument is quite persuasive. And whether or not Viviano has rightly grasped Matthew's
purpose in the genealogy, he has certainly shed new light on it.
Nicholas King's essay is equally engaging. He reexamines the use of καταλυματι at Luke 2:7
and dismisses the revisionist reading of 'guest room' common among many. He suggests the traditional
reading is more appropriate because 'What Luke is doing in these two chapters is to suggest that God,
who is hardly mentioned explicitly here in the text, but lies just below the surface of every verse, is the
one who is at work, and that no human agency, no setback, is going to thwart the divine project' (p.69).
 King then masterfully demonstrates that Luke intentionally portrays the action of his Gospel as
ceaselessly restless in journey towards a goal. This is particularly evident, in King's view, in Luke's use
of the verb πορρευομαι. The word is rare in Matthew and John and is never used in Mark, but Luke
has it 108 times in Luke/Acts. This leads King to presume that 'It is Luke's view that the word of God
is on a journey, and therefore has not yet come safely into harbor; but it will achieve its destination
despite all the obstacles that the opponents of God may place in its way' (p. 72). 'This is the context in
which we are to understand the καταλυμα in which there was no place for the infant Savior' (p. 73).
In the words of the editor, the entire volume '… boldly claims to offer 'new perspectives' on the
stories of Jesus' birth. While nothing is entirely new, these essays develop earlier approaches in novel
ways, offering a wide variety of perspectives...' (p. 1). They achieve their purpose marvelously.
There's something for everyone here.