The third volume of the Pope’s wonderful work (here are my reviews of the first two volumes, #1 Latest Read: Jesus of Nazareth and the second Lenten reading: Jesus of Nazareth, by Pope Benedict XVI).
But as he says, not really a volume; more a short monograph or extended essay; the book is only 128 pages long.
Here’s what the Pope writes in the forward:
It is not a third volume, but a kind of small “antechamber” to the two earlier volumes on the figure and the message of Jesus of Nazareth. I have set out here, in dialogue with exegetes past and present, to interpret what Matthew and Luke say about Jesus’ infancy at the beginning of their Gospels.
The infancy narratives are more controversial than the body of the Gospels (Mark and John have no infancy stories) because they are not based on the apostolic witness, and many interpreters view them as more theological constructs with a goal of linking the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) to the body of the Gospel witness.
Benedict offers his insights as he looks at various interpretations, and spells out his own academic opinions, which he makes clear are not dogmatic statements – simply his own reflections.
The Pope covers everything, from the two annunciations (to Mary in Luke and Joseph in Matthew) to Luke’s story of Jesus being lost in the Temple. I found his insights and thoughts on Mary especially interesting.
He will often sum up his reflections with a preliminary statement, like this one, on page 118, after his discussion of the Three Wise Men (The Magi).
… the question arises, how are we to understand all this? Are we dealing with history that actually took place, or is it merely a theological meditation, persented under the guise of stories?
He then states, in quoting another scripture scholar (and he agrees with this sentiment)
“No foundations would be shaken if it were simply an invention of Matthew’s based on a theological idea.”
What is the Pope’s personal opinion on this? Well, get the book.
I am going to dig out some of my old books by the American scripture scholar Raymond Brown and compare the two men’s thoughts, which will agree on some points and disagree on others.
You can find the book here on Amazon, where I’ll be posting a version of this review. Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives
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