The Macrostructure of Matthew’s Gospel 183 respectively, he does not have a permanent place of abode (cf. 8,20) and moves restlessly from one place to another. This is a pattern which started right back in 2,1-23: following Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem in Judea, Joseph takes him firstly to Egypt, and then to Nazareth in Galilee. Once an adult, he travels from Galilee to the desert of Judea to be baptized by John and he is led into the desert to be tempted by the devil. The temptations bring with them imaginary journeys to the holy city of Jerusalem and to a very high mountain. Following this, there is a sequence (4,12–20,34) in which various places and regions are mentioned. That Matthew uses the same order here as Mark in situating his story firstly in Galilee (4,12–15,20), then in the surrounding area (15,21–18,35), and finally in Judea (19,1–20,34) is not entirely convincing (25). Already in the part situated in Galilee (4,12–15,20), Jesus leaves Galilee and travels to the region of the Gadarenes (8,28-34); conversely, in 15,21–18,35 (that according to Allen should be situated “in the surrounding area of Galilee”), it is mentioned that Jesus and his disciples are in Galilee (17,22), in Capernaum to be precise (17,24). It is only from Matt 21 onwards that there is an obvious unity of place. In 21,1–28,15, the events related take place in Jerusalem or in the surrounding area of this city. The book ends, however, in the region in which Jesus was active for a long period of time: in 28,16-20, the risen Lord appears to the eleven on a mountain in Galilee. Thus, at first sight, few connections are to be found in the spatial setting of the events related. However, the impression given here evaporates when we note that various topographical data are clustered together by means of three refrains that are connected to one another. The first refrain was discovered by F. Breukelman and is to be found in 1,1–16,20 (26). It can be recognized by the verb ajnacwrevw (= to withdraw), that is used in seven cases to indicate a move to another place: 2,12-13 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they (= the wise men) left (ajnecwvrhsan) for their own country by another road. Now after they had left (ajnacwrhsavntwn) [...] 2,14 Then Joseph […] went to (ajnecwvrhsen) Egypt. 2,22-23 But when he heard that [...]. And after being warned in a dream, he went away (ajnecwvrhsen) to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, [...] (25) This pattern is found in: W.C. ALLEN, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to S. Matthew (ICC; Edinburgh 31947) LXIII-LXIV. (26) F. BREUKELMAN, Bijbelse theologie (Kampen 1984) III, 144-166.