Matthew 1-2 and the Virginal Conception

Roger David Aus studied English and German at St. Olaf College, and theology at Harvard Divinity School, Luther Theological Seminary, and Yale University, where he received a Ph.D. in New Testament Studies. He is an ordained clergyman of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and pastor emeritus of the German-speaking Luthergemeinde in Berlin-Reinickendorf, Germany. Pastor Aus is author of My Name Is "Legion": Palestinian Judaic Traditions in Mark 5:1-20 and Other Gospel Texts (University Press of America, 2003).

As ever with Aus, there are always plenty of new things for the reader to learn, especially with his typically impressive array of rabbinic interpretations…Ultimately, there are few scholars who can match Aus's proficiency in both rabbinic sources and the NT texts, coupled with a genuinely critical attitude…Is it really worth the risk for historically and literary minded scholars to ignore Aus's profound expertise in such areas any longer?

• Chapter 1 Introduction: The Septuagint; Ezekiel the Tragedian; Jubilees; Philo; Pseudo-Philo; Josephus; The MidrashimChapter 2 Flight to Egypt Because of Mortal Danger, and Return from there at the Death of the PersecutorChapter 3 Astrologers' Announcement to the King of the Birth of Israel's Savior, and the King's DreadChapter 4 Search for the Newborn Child in Order to Destroy It, Up to the Age of Two, and Jer 31:15: Searching For; Destroying/Killing the Future Deliverer; Children Two Years and Under in the Region of Bethlehem: Children Two Years and Younger; The "RegionChapter 5 Mary, Miriam and the Holy Spirit, and the Infants Jesus and Moses as Future Saviors: Mary and Miriam; The Holy Spirit and Mary/Miriam; Mary and Jochebed to Bear the Savior of IsraelChapter 6 The Marriages of Joseph and Mary, and Amram and Jochebed: Joseph and Amram: Taking a Wife; Divorcing One's Fiancée/Wife; Being Righteous; Divine Assurance to Joseph and Amram in a Dream; Taking One's Wife Back; Quietly; Apparent Illegitimacy; Chapter 7 SummaryChapter 8 Other Parallels to the Virginal Conception from the History of Religions; Judaic Allegations of Jesus' Illegitimacy; Haggadah and the Historicity of the Virginal ConceptionChapter 9 An Ecumenical EpilogueChapter 10 Sources and References WorksChapter 11 About the AuthorChapter 12 Index of Modern Authors