The Gospel of Matthew and the Value of "Full Bloom Aspect" for Biblical Interpretation

Abstract

Matthew’s first two chapters provide fertile ground for debate surrounding his four fulfillment quotations. In an age when biblical interpretation often defaults to the authority of the reader or leans heavily on presuppositional systems, Matthew provides tools for biblical interpretation in these quotations with a goal of demonstrating the interpretive method Jesus taught His disciples. He invites the reader to learn and practice them as well. The journey of discovery reinforces tried and true interpretive aspects such as historical and grammatical contexts. It also introduces, for some, the aspect of biblical theology, which reminds the reader that every passage of Scripture is a scene in a larger story. The real discovery is full bloom aspect—the exercise of using the illumination of the progression of revelation to shine light on earlier passages, revealing the beauty intended by the Author of Scripture.