Tamar’s Function in the Genealogy of Jesus in the Light of Jewish Justification Hermeneutics

The article presents an analysis of Tamar’s function in the Gospel of Matthew 1:3 in the light of Jewish justification hermeneutics. The author uses an intertextual analysis of precedent phenomena, a comparative method, and a hermeneutic analysis of texts according to the classification of A. Steinsaltz. This research compares the image of Tamar in the following precedent texts: Hebrew Bible, the Book of Jubilees, the Testament of Judas, the works of Philo of Alexandria, rabbinic and patristic literature. The study reveals exculpatory motives in biblical and Jewish literature, such as secrecy and deception for the purpose of salvation, change of nationality, “a marriage made in Heaven”, “a transgression performed for the sake of Heaven”, exceptions that allow the Messianic family to break the law. These results are compared with three main modern interpretations: redemption of sinners, salvation of pagans, scandalous prototypes of Mary. The author claims that Matthew implicitly uses Jewish hermeneutic techniques in his argumentation, such as the hint, gezera shava, binyan av, and kal vahomer. This article is the first part of the study of the four women in the genealogy of Jesus.