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[Kimono]

St Matthew’s claims of prophecies fulfilled by Jesus

I wanted to ask about an objection that has caused me some doubts,it’s that the prophecies quoted by St Matthew that he claimed were fulfilled by Jesus were out of context or not prophecies at all,I was hoping someone would be able to refute that since it has been on my mind for a while.

For example in Matthew 13:35 he claims that Jesus speaking in parables fulfills psalm 78:2 which says “I will open my mouth in parables”,but the psalm itself wasn’t making a prophecy or describing the messiah.

Also,in Matthew 27:9 he claims that Jesus being sold for 30 pieces of silver fulfills Zechariah 11:12-13 but no prophecy was being made in that verse either

Same idea for “Out of Egypt I have called my Son”,Matthew claims it refers to Jesus but the verse was referring to Israel

Sorry if this is messy,it’s late at night and I’m using my phone.

The question is whether someone can refute the claims that St Matthew was using OT verses out of context when claiming Jesus fulfilled them.

[jimwalton]

Matthew uses standard Jewish rabbinical interpretive methods, like

[list][*] Binyan ab mikathub echad (building up a “family” from a single text) and Binyab ab mishene kethubim (building up a “family” from two or more texts).
[*] Gezerah shavah: An analogy is constructed between separate texts on the basis and comparison of similar expressions, irrespective of the difference between the cases.
[*] Kal Vachomer: What applies in a lesser case will certainly apply in a more important case (if that precedent vindicates the peasant, it will certain vindicate the king!).
[*] Davar hilmad me'anino (Explanation obtained from context).
[*] P’shat. This principle regards the plain, literal sense of the text to carry the interpretation.
[*] Remez. In this mode of interpretation, a word, phrase, or some other element in the text hints at a truth not conveyed by p’shat.
[*] Sod. The principle here is that there may be a mystical, hidden, or secret meaning of a text that can be detected by analyzing the numerical values of the Hebrew letters.

> Matthew 13.35; Psalm 78:2.

This is an example of Gezerah shavah. Matthew picks up the expression of Ps. 19.2 & 78.2, recognizes the similarity between it and the ministry of Jesus, and puts the two together. It can't be denied that the life and teaching of Jesus open up things that have been hidden since the creation of the world.

> Matthew 27.9; Zechariah 11:12-13

This treatment of prophecy is following the principle of remez.

> Matthew 2.15; Hosea 11.1

In using this text, Matthew is employing a typological approach. He is giving us another remez. He takes Hosea 11.1 in light of its relation to the whole chapter 11 and also insight of the entire book of Hosea (the exodus and the history of Israel). Matthew contrasts Jesus as the "son" with Hosea's "son" (11.1). Israel came out of Egypt and were rebellious and judged for it; Jesus came out of Israel, was fully obedient, didn't deserve to be judged, but suffered for the sins of the world anyway. Matthew portrays Jesus as reliving the history of Israel, but doing it right in contrast to them.

[Kimono]

Thanks for your detailed response,I wasn’t aware of these techniques and that Matthew used them.