The Byzantine martyrdom of Daniel and the three youths as textual evidence of Matt 27:53
Keywords:
New Testament, Gospel, Jesus, Matthew, resurrection, martyrdom, Daniel, Youths, Alexandria, Babylon, textual analysisAbstract
The article is devoted to a study of exegetical and textual problems in Matt 27:53. This verse belongs to a large section of the Gospel of Matthew that recounts the events at the time of Jesus’ death on the Cross and his resurrection (27:45–53). 27:52– 53 deals with the fact that at the time of Jesus’ death, not only the earth shook, the temple veil was torn and the rocks split, but also the tombs were opened, and certain holy righteous ones were raised up and came to Jerusalem after the resurrection of Jesus and appeared to many. The meaning of 27:53 is not entirely clear: the word ἔγερσις ‘resurrection’, which is unique for the New Testament, is used here, then, the expression μετὰ τὴν ἔγερσιν αὐτοῦ (“after his resurrection”) breaks the structural integrity of this verse and creates problems in understanding it. Several biblical scholars support the idea that this expression was not originally in Matthew’s text, but that it appeared there later for some theological reasons. The article discusses the likelihood that this expression was in Matthew originally, as well as that it was added later by the scribes. The possibility that it was inserted into the text of the Gospel is supported by textual evidence from some ancient texts, both New Testament manuscripts and indirect textual evidence in quotations and allusions from ancient authors. Such evidence includes the little-known early Byzantine martyrdom of Daniel and the Three Youths. In Greek recensions of this legend Matt 27:52– 53 is quoted, but the expression “after his resurrection” is missing. This fact might be regarded as further evidence that this expression was absent from the original text of Matt 27:53, but our analysis demonstrates that this omission in the legend of the martyrdom of Daniel and the Three Youths is most likely due to internal reasons related to its composition and theology. This fact indicates that conclusions about the textual evidence of the New Testament should be drawn not only at the textual level, but also after a thorough contextual and theological investigation of the textual evidence itself.Downloads
References
Сомов 2012 — Сомов А. Б. Концепт воскресение из мертвых в картине мира авторов библейской и околобиблейской литературы // Религиоведческие исследования. 2012. № 1–2 (7–8). С. 169–194.
Сомов 2021 — Сомов А. Б. Предания о мученичестве и воскресении Даниила и трех отроков // Ориенталистика. Т. 4. № 2. 2021. С. 495–488. https://doi.org/10.31696/2618-7043-2021-4-2-459-488.
Сомов 2023 — Сомов А. Б. Воскресение праведных страдальцев в Новом завете: Мф. 27:52–53 // Евангелие от Матфея: исторический и богословский контекст: Материалы Междунар. конф., Москва, 2018 / Под ред. И. Алфеева. М.: Познание, 2023. С. 498–520.
Allen 1907 — Allen W. C. A critical and exegetical commentary on the Gospel according to S. Matthew. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1907.
Allison, Davies 1993 — Allison D., Davies W. D. Matthew 19–28. Vol. 3. London: T&T Clark, 1993.
Antonini 1940 — Antonini L. Le chiese cristiane nell’Egitto dal iv al ix secolo secondo i documenti dei papiri greci // Aegyptus. Anno 20. Fasc. 3. 1940. P. 129–208.
Blomberg 1992 — Blomberg C. L. Matthew: An exegetical and theological exposition of Holy Scripture. Volume 22. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1992.
Bradshaw, Johnson 2011 — Bradshaw, P. F., Johnson M. E. The origins of feasts, fasts and seasons in early Christianity. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2011.
Brown 1994 — Brown R. The death of the Messiah: From Gethsemane to the grave. Vol. 2. New York: Doubleday, 1994.
Buchinger 2014 — Buchinger H. Die vielleicht älteste erhaltene Predigt auf das Epiphaniefest: Vier syrische Fragmente des Titus von Bostra (CPG 3578) // συναξις καθολικη: Beiträge zu Gottesdienst und Geschichte der fünf altkirchlichen Patriarchate für Heinzgerd Brakmann zum 70. Geburtstag / Hrsg. von D. Atanassova, T. Chronz. Wien: Lit, 2014. P. 65–86.
Calderini 1935 — Calderini A. Dizionario dei nomi geografici e topografici dell’Egitto grecoromano. Vol. 1. Cairo: Societá reale di geografia d’Egitto, 1935.
Delehaye 1902 — Synaxarium ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae e codice Sirmondiano nunc Berolinensi / Opera et studio H. Delehaye. Brussels: Socios Bollandianos, 1902.
Flusin 2011 — Flusin B. Synaxarion of the Great Church // Christian-Muslim relations: A bibliographical history. Vol. 3: 1050–1200 / Ed. by D. Thomas, A. Mallett. Leiden: Brill, 2011. P. 574–585. https://doi.org/10.1163/ej.9789004195158.i-804.343.
France 2007 — France R. T. The Gospel of Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2007.
Hendriksen 1973 — Hendriksen W. New Testament commentary: Exposition of the Gospel according to Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1973.
Johnson 2006 — Johnson M. E. The apostolic tradition // The Oxford history of Christian worship / Ed. by G. Wainwright et al. Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press, 2006. P. 32–75.
Klostermann 1909 — Klostermann E. Handbuch zum neuen Testament. Vol. 2: Die Evangelien. 1. Matthäus. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1909.
Klostermann 1971 — Klostermann E. Das Matthäusevangelium. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1971.
Kraemer 1958 — Excavations at Nessana. Vol. 3: Non-literary papyri / Ed. by C. J. Kraemer. Princeton: Princeton Univ. Press, 1958.
Lenski 1943 — Lenski R. C. H. The interpretation of St. Matthew’s Gospel. Columbus, Ohio: Wartburg Press, 1943.
Luz 2005 — Luz U. Matthew 21–28: A commentary / Trans. by J. Crouch. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2005.
Meimaris 1986 — Meimaris Y. E. Sacred names, saints, martyrs and Church officials in the Greek inscriptions and papyri pertaining to the Christian Church in Palestine. Athens: The National Hellenic Research Foundation, 1986.
Merras 1995 — Merras M. The origins of the celebration of the Christian feast of Epiphany: An ideological, cultural and historical study. Joensuu: Joensuu Univ. Press, 1995.
Merx 1902 — Merx A. Die vier kanonischen Evangelien nach ihrem ältesten bekannten Texte: Übersetzung und Erlaüterung der syrischen im Sinaikloster Gefundenen Palimpsesthandschrift, Vol. 2. Fasc. 1: Erlauterung. Berlin: Reimer, 1902.
Meyer 1879 — Meyer H. A. W. Critical and exegetical commentary on the New Testament. Pt. 1: The Gospel of Matthew. Vol. 2. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1879.
Monasterio 1980 — Monasterio R. A. Exegesis de Mateo, 27, 51b–53: para una teologia de la muerte de Jesus en el Evangelio de Mateo. Vitoria: Editorial Eset, 1980.
Morris 1992 — Morris L. The Gospel according to Matthew. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester: Wm. B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press, 1992.
Mounce 1991 — Mounce R. H. Matthew. Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1991.
Nolland 2005 — Nolland J. The Gospel of Matthew: A commentary on the Greek text. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005.
Oepke 1964 — Oepke A. ἐγείρω, ἔγερσις, ἐξεγείρω, γρηγορέω (ἀγρυπνέω) // Theological dictionary of the New Testament. Vol. 2 / Ed. by G. Kittel, G. W. Bromley. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1964. P. 333–339.
Pessina 2019 — Pessina A. Analisi filologica e storico teologica di un inno pasquale primigenio. Il caso di Matteo 27:51b–53: Tesi di dottorato / Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. Milano, 2019.
Pessina 2021 — Pessina A. The use of Patristic literature for the reconstruction of the New Testament: A case study: Matt. 27:51–3 // Papers presented at the Eighteenth International Conference on Patristic Studies held in Oxford 2019. Vol. 20: Biblica; Judaica; Philosophica, Theologica, Ethica / Ed. by M. Vinzent. Leuven: Peeters Publishers, 2021. P. 75–85. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv27vt545.
Petersen 1985 — Petersen W. L. The Diatessaron and Ephraem Syrus as sources of Romanos the Melodist. Leuven: Peeters, 1985.
Quarles 2015 — Quarles Ch. ΜΕΤΑ ΤΗΝ ΕΓΕΡΣΙΝ ΑϒΤΟϒ: A scribal interpolation in Matthew 27:53? // TC: A Journal of Biblical Textual Criticism. Vol. 20. 2015. P. 1–15. https://jbtc.org/v20/TC-2015-Quarles.pdf.
Schenk 1974 — Schenk W. Der Passionsbericht nach Markus: Untersuchungen zur Überlieferungsgeschichte der Passionstraditionen. Berlin: Evangelische Verlagsanstalt, 1974.
Somov 2014 — Somov A. ‘He lifted up His eyes’: Translating Luke 16:23 in the context of cognitive interpretation // Journal of Biblical Text Research. Vol. 35. 2014. P. 291–309. https://doi.org/10.28977/jbtr.2014.10.35.291.
Somov 2017a — Somov A. Metaphorical representations of the biblical concepts of death and resurrection when translating in a Buddhist context // The Bible Translator. Vol. 68. No. 1. 2017. P. 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1177/2051677016687617.
Somov 2017b — Somov A. Representations of the afterlife in Luke-Acts. London: Bloomsbury; T&T Clark, 2017.
Somov 2021 — Somov A. The martyrdom of Daniel and the Three Youths // Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. Vol. 30. No. 2. 2021. P. 198–227. https://doi.org/10.1177/09518207211015964.
Troxel 2002 — Troxel R. L. Matt 27.51–4 reconsidered: Its role in the Passion narrative, meaning and origin // New Testament Studies. Vol. 48. No. 1. 2002. P. 30–47. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0028688502000036.
Turner, Bock 2005 — Turner D. L., Bock D. L. Matthew and Mark / Ed. by Ph. W. Comfort. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005.
van Esbroeck 1991 — van Esbroeck M. Three Hebrews in the furnace // The Coptic encyclopedia. Vol. 7 / Ed. by A. S. Atiya. New York, Toronto: Macmillan. 1991. P. 2257–59.
