Matthew’s Account of the Massacre of the Innocents in Light of its Reception History

Book excerpt: Sung Cho addresses the seeming contradiction of Herod the Great's massacre in Matthew 2:16-18, questioning why such a tragedy had to occur, why it was included in the good news of Jesus, and what connection it has to ancient prophecies. In creating a reception history of the Massacre of the Innocents, Cho progresses through two millennia worth of interpretation and depiction to highlight key works for discussion. Beginning with a close reading of Matthew 2:16-18, Cho moves to analyse depictions of the tragedy in the Early Patristic Tradition, from the sixth century to the early modern period, and thus to the present day; complete with an examination of visual interpretations of the massacre. Cho's examination provides a positive step to understanding the depths of human suffering with the help of many diverse perspectives.