The Child and Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew skillfully sets up his Gospel narrative in the opening chapters of the book. Among the themes that he presents is that of the child. This almost anonymous youngster is vulnerable, threatened with death, and yet protected by parents and God. This depiction of a child would ring true for Matthew’s first century hearers as it did for the 21st century women who read this text with me. We saw how Matthew then takes this portrait of the child to structure Jesus’ healing of children and to instruct his disciples in the ways of the reign. Those who would follow Jesus are asked to be humble like the child – vulnerable, threatened, and dependent upon others and God. Indeed, for the Gospel of Matthew, to become like the child is to become like Jesus.