How Does Michael Goldberg Use The Exodus To Present Jesus?

A valuable perspective for comprehending Matthew's Gospel is provided by Michael Goldberg in Jews and Christians. He claims that the book of Matthew uses aspects of the Jewish story, especially the Exodus, to frame the life of Jesus as the Christ. While primarily writing to a Jewish audience, Matthew is able to present Jesus as the new covenant and the realization of Jewish prophecy by referencing well-known themes from the Torah. The flight to Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15), the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and the portrayal of Jesus as the new Moses throughout the Gospel demonstrate this reinterpretation. Through these instances, we are able to see how Matthew employs the story of the Exodus to present Jesus as not only a part of Jewish tradition, but as the promised

Just like Moses, Jesus was born into a family that took care to protect him from the threats of dictators (Pharaoh in Moses' case and Herod in Jesus' case). The story of Moses surviving and returning to save his people from slavery tells the story of the escape to Egypt and the return to Israel. Jesus spent forty days and forty nights in the desert where he was tempted by the devil, just as Moses and the Israelites did for forty years (Matthew 4:1-11). This period of trial and preparation demonstrates Jesus' role as a new leader who will lead his people to spiritual freedom, reminiscent of Israel's journey. As mentioned earlier, the Sermon on the Mount offers a new perspective on the law by presenting Jesus as a new Moses. This perspective remains the same in Matthew, where Jesus, along with Moses and Elijah, represents the Law and the prophets. This event confirms Jesus as the perfect representative of God and humanity and symbolizes his legal and prophetic tradition, the Exodus. Matthew connects Jesus to Jewish tradition and reinterprets these passages, making Jesus the central figure of our