The Son of David in Matthew’s Gospel in the Light of the Solomon as Exorcist Tradition

In this study, Jiri Dvoracek focuses on the usage of the Son of David title in Matthew’s Gospel. He assumes that Matthew’s image of the healing Son of David can be explained from the existing Jewish concepts - in particular in the light of the Solomon as exorcist tradition. In the first part, he examines important texts concerning the Son of David. The author argues that in the first century C.E. the designation Son of David could have referred not only to the triumphant royal Davidic Messiah - but within an exorcistic and healing context, it could have referred also to Solomon, himself a great exorcist and healer. In the second part, Jiri Dvoracek demonstrates in his exegesis of Matthean texts how Matthew used the royal messianic and the Solomon as exorcist tradition in order to create the image of the Son of David as a merciful, messianic, healing king, who in his wisdom, healings and exorcisms even surpasses David’s son Solomon.