5 Understanding the Infancy Narratives

7/25/2019 5 Understanding the Infancy Narratives

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SOURCES:Dr. Margaret Nutting-Ralph

AND GOD SAID WHAT?Ne !"r#: $auli%t $re%%& '(()

Etienne Charpentier

HOW TO READ THE NEW

TESTAMENT*ue+"n Cit,: Claretian $uliati"n%& /001

TWO DISTINCT STORIESIt i% har2l, n"tie2 "r reali+e2 that in e3er,atte4pt t" rereate the Chri%t4a% %t"r, eitherthr"ugh narrati"n "r thr"ugh i4age% in anati3it, %ene& hat atuall, happen% i% a5u%i"n "5 t" 2i%tint in5an, narrati3e% 5"un2in the Sripture%.

Matthe6% an2 7u#e6% a"unt "5 Chri%t6%irth& th"ugh agreeing at ertain p"int%& aret" %eparate %t"rie%& eah "n3e,ing apartiular the"l"gial 4e%%age.


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IN8ANC! NARRATI9ES7ittle i% #n"n a"ut the in5an, "5 e%u%.

It a% n"t "5 pri4"r2ial intere%t t" theearl, Chri%tian%.

It i% i4p"rtant t" #n" that the

e3angeli%t% ere n"t e,e-itne%%e% "5Chri%t6% irth& an2 that their a"unt% ereritten a5ter the re%urreti"n. Hene& the%t"rie% ere ritten in the light "5 their

5aith in the ri%en an2 gl"ri;e2 Chri%t.The in5an, narrati3e% are atte4pt% t"

2e%rie e%u% Chri%t thr"ugh ani4aginati3e %t"r, regar2ing hi% "rigin%.at hr"n"l"g, "5e3ent%& "r the atual e3ent% that t""#plae. Rather& the auth"r% r"te thein5an, narrati3e% to tell us who Christis.

Matthe6% In5an,

Narrati3e


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Matthe r"te 5"r ei%h"n3ert% t" Chri%tianit,. He

ante2 t" pre%ent e%u% a% theNe M"%e%& the 5ul;ll4ent "5 thepr"4i%e2 Me%%iah. Hene& in hi%in5an, narrati3e& he u%e2 Ol2

Te%ta4ent %,4"li%4% that"ul2 ea%il, e3"#e the 4e4"r,"5 the 4e%%iani pr"pheie%.

e, 8eature% "5

Matthe6% In5an,Narrati3eThe Geneal"g, "5 e%u%

The Ann"une4ent t" "%eph

@irth in a h"u%eB in

@ethlehe4The Star

The 9i%itati"n "5 the Magi


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The Ma%%are "5 In5ant%

The 8light int" Eg,pt

The Return t" Na+arethTHE GENEA7OG!

The Me%%iah ha% t" e "5 the Da3i2iline. Matthe6% a"unt egin% ith ageneal"g, t" atte%t t" thi% 5at: e%u%

i% the Chri%t& the S"n "5 Da3i2& theeginning "5 the ne reati"n

THE

ANNOUNCEMENT TOOSE$H

The Angel appear% t" OSE$H ina DREAM


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th"ugh "%eph i% 4erel, e%u%65"%ter 5ather.

@IRTH IN@ETH7EHEM& IN AHOUSE

Matthe6% a"unt %ugge%t% that"%eph an2 Mar, li3e2 in @ethlehe4&hene the Chil2 a% "rn in a h"u%e.e%u% ha2 t" e "rn in @ethlehe4 t"rein5"re the i2ea "5 hi% eing in theDa3i2i line& @ethlehe4 eing Da3i26%

it,.The in5ant a% "rn in a h"u%eeau%e he a% a #ing& n"t ;t 5"r a%tale a% in 7u#e6% pre%entati"n.

THE STAR

Rea2 Nu4er% ':/1


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THE 9ISIT O8 THE

MAGI AND THEMASSACRE O8IN8ANTS

The auth"r ante2 t" %h" h" e%u%

a% reete2 , the ei%h auth"ritie%an2 the i3il p"er ut a% aepte2, the Gentile%.The Gi5t% "5 the Magi tell u% h" e%u%i% The S"n "5 G"2& the Me%%ianiing& the Suering Ser3antIt i% n"te"rth, that the 4a%%are "5the in5ant% e3"#e% the 4e4"r, "5M"%e%6 %ur3i3al in a %i4ilar ini2ent.

THE 87IGHT INTOEG!$T AND RETURNTO NAFARETH


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The ight int" Eg,pt an2 thereturn t" Na+areth %h" in

%,4"li 5a%hi"n h" in e%u%&the pe"ple ahie3e a %ue%%5ule>"2u%. The a, t" the ing2"4"5 G"2 i% at la%t "pen.Again thi% e3ent e3"#e% the4e4"r, "5 h" M"%e% a%%pare2 5r"4 the 4a%%are ,eing an a2"pte2 %"n "5 Eg,pt.

7u#e6% In5an, Narrati3e

7u#e r"te 5"r the Gentile"n3ert% t" Chri%tianit,. Heante2 t" pre%ent e%u%& n"t a%the r",al 4e%%iah& ut a% a 4anh" a4e 5"r all& e%peiall, 5"r

the l"l,.


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e, 8eature% "5

7u#e6% In5an,Narrati3eThe Ann"une4ent t" Mar,

The 9i%itati"n

The "urne, t" @ethlehe4@irth in a 4anger

The Angel% an2 the Shepher2%

The $re%entati"n in the

Te4ple

THE ANNUNCIATIONMar, "5 Na+areth %,4"li+e2 the l"l,"5 I%rael


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THE 9ISITATIONThe p""r


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ESUS6 @IRTH IN A

MANGER7u#e6% a"unt %a,% that e%u% a% rappe2in %a22ling l"the% an2 lai2 in a 4anger&again& t" highlight Chri%t6% i2enti;ati"nith the p""r an2 the l"l,.

There i% n" plae in the innB thi% G"2

inarnate i% n"t a tra3eler that %ta,% "nl,5"r a night& ut a G"2 that 2ell% ith hi%pe"ple

The %a22ling l"the%B line in the pa%%age i%an eh" "5 Wi%2"4 1:/-& e%tali%hingChri%t6% hu4anit,.

The 4anger i% a plae here "ne plae% 5""2

5"r the ani4al%. @, u%ing thi% i4ager,& 7u#ei% telling hi% au2iene that e%u% i% 5""2 5"rhi% pe"ple.

THE ANGE7S AND

THE SHE$HERDSThi% in5an, narrati3e a% ritten2uring the era "5 ap"%t"li preahing.The ap"%tle% ere %hepher2%B "5


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G"26% pe"ple. Th"%e h" reei3e theG""2 Ne% ann"t ut e 4e%%enger%


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e%u%6 parent% are Mar, an2 "%eph

Mar, an2 "%eph are engage2 ut

n"t 4arrie2 at the ti4e "5 e%u%6"nepti"n"%eph i% "5 the Da3i2i line

Mar, "nei3e% thr"ugh the H"l,

Spirit An angel 2iret% that the hil2

%h"ul2 e na4e2 e%u%The angel %a,% that e%u% i% t" e a

%a3i"re%u% i% "rn in @ethlehe4 at the

ti4e "5 Her"2 the Great

e%u% i% rai%e2 in Na+areth

THE 9IRGIN @IRTHMiraul"u% %t"rie% %urr"un2e2 theirth "5 pr"4inent 4en in the Ol2Te%ta4ent


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H"e3er& G"26% pre5erene 5"r the9irgin& 4u%t n"t %i4pl, e %een a% a

%petale t" 4ar3el at. It i% anar4ati"n that G"2 i% plea%e2 iththe %ingle-hearte2.

SOURCES:Dr. Margaret Nutting-Ralph

AND GOD SAID WHAT?Ne !"r#: $auli%t $re%%& '(()

Etienne Charpentier

HOW TO READ THE NEW

TESTAMENT*ue+"n Cit,: Claretian $uliati"n%& /001

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5 Understanding the Infancy Narratives