What is Midrash?
For thousands of years, Midrash has played an important role in the Jewish interpretation of Scripture. While Midrash appears throughout the New Testament, many Christians are unfamiliar with this term and how it works.
The word Midrash (מִדְרָשׁ) comes from the Hebrew root word darash (ד־ר־שׁ), which means "to seek out," "to inquire," or "to expound."
Midrash is an important aspect of Jewish interpretation as it searches the text and draws out hidden insights that lie beneath a surface-level reading¹.
What Is Midrash?
On one hand, Midrash is an ancient form of storytelling. It preserves insights and stories that accompany the Biblical text, some of which are older than the written text itself. These include: the lives of the patriarchs and matriarchs, the memory of historical events, and insights into the text that the written page never spells out.
Wherever the Bible moves abruptly from narrative to narrative, Midrash often appears, filling the gaps and answering the natural questions a reader may have.
When a word carries a strange spelling or an odd turn of phrase appears, the Midrash offers suggestions as to why.
Midrash - The Living Text
The yearly Jewish liturgical cycle reads through the five books of the Torah from beginning to end. This is known as the Parasha cycle. One might expect the readings to become stale after a few turns, but this is never the case. Largely because of the Midrash.
The weekly sermon that follows the Torah reading is called a Drash, from the same root as the word Midrash. The Midrash keeps the texts alive, drawing relevant homilies from ancient verses and supplying endless material for new audiences.
The Midrash often uses a wide range of metaphors and imagery that are coherent with the Biblical texts, adding depth to the elements of a story. For example, wine can often represent Joy or Secrets. A donkey can serve as an allusion to Abraham, Moses, or even the Messiah.
For more on this, check out our eBook: Rabbinic Metaphors and Symbolism.
A Traveling Tradition
In ancient times, as still today, an itinerant Rabbi could teach from the Midrash, knowing his audience likely had a solid foundation from which to build new insights.
The same holds in the New Testament. What many call parables are an aspect of Midrash. Jesus is often recorded telling stories that echo, or even directly quote, the Midrashic tradition².
In other cases, it seems the Gospel stories themselves are written as a narrative Midrash on well-known prophetic passages. We will include some examples below.
This is the tradecraft of a first-century Jewish teacher at work, drawing on themes his audience was already familiar with.
How Old Is the Midrash?
While some see the Midrash as a work of later centuries, there is important nuance. The compiled volumes of Midrash indeed took shape after the Talmudic period. Yet, the material itself is understood to reach back much further.
Though, given the creative character of Midrash, it is not hard to see its themes and ideas circulating in early form, long before the compilation and publication process began.
There may even be Midrash we no longer have access to, as it did not survive into modernity.
Midrash Matters
Midrash is an important field of study when one wants to go deeper into the Bible. Becoming familiar with how this genre flows, reveals information, (and also conceals) is vital to understanding the Biblical literature.
Want To Learn More?
For more on Midrash, this video will provide further insight.
James - The Hidden Orchard
James - The Hidden Orchard
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