‘And when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and you must remain there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” ’

Then as soon as they had departed the angel of the Lord approached Joseph, again in a dream (compare Mat 1:20), and bade him ‘Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and you must remain there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” Note the emphasis on the young child. The mother is again secondary. (It is not ‘take your wife and child’). And they were to flee to Egypt and remain there until they were told further what to do. They were now under divine supervision. And the reason for the urgency is then explained, Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him.

We should note here the reason why Herod was seeking to destroy Him. It was because He was ‘the King of the Jews’. This has not only been stated by the Magi but has also been the burden of Matthew’s presentation up to this point. So the King of the Jews was now to take refuge in Egypt where Israel had once taken refuge so long before. This is not surprising. Egypt regularly acted as an asylum for threatened Jews, and there were in fact at this time already over a million Jews in Egypt.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Calling: The Infancy and Childhood of Jesus the King The narrative material in Mat 2:13-23 is unique to the Gospel of Matthew as it records Joseph’s flight into Egypt and return to Nazareth. While Mat 1:1 to Mat 2:12 places emphasis upon the predestined nature of Jesus Christ through the testimony of Scripture, Mat 2:13-23 emphasizes His divine. Scholars generally view this passage of Scripture as a single unit because of its common theme of the infancy and childhood of Jesus Christ. With God’s intervention in the affairs of Joseph and his family, Grant Osborne says one of the central ideas of this passage is “divine sovereignty in salvation history,” [328] and David Turner mentions “the sovereignty of God” in his comments on Mat 2:15 b and “divine providence” in his comments on Mat 2:16-18, [329] while Donald Hagner refers to “divine providence” in this passage of Scripture. [330] Closer to the concept of divine calling, Charles Erdman uses the phrase “divine guidance,” [331] and Bernhard Weiss uses the phrase “divine command” [332] regarding this passage. Willoughby Allen captures the concept of divine calling well by saying, “Just as of old the Israelite nation, Jehovah’s firstborn (Ex 412), had been called out of Egypt to be the chosen people ; so Jesus the Son of God by supernatural conception was called out of Egypt to save His people.” [333] While the concepts of divine sovereignty, providence, and guidance are more easily recognized and commonly expressed by commentators regarding this passage, more specifically, Mat 2:13-23 records three occasions in which God intervenes as He spoke to Joseph in a dream and “called” him to relocate his family into Egypt because of Herod’s wrath and back to Nazareth. Thus, the concept of “divine calling” is more easily recognized as divine sovereignty, intervention, or providence.

[328] Grant R. Osborne, Matthew, in Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010), 94.

[329] David L. Turner, Matthew, in Baker Evangelical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Ada, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 90, 92.

[330] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13, in Word Biblical Commentary: 58 Volumes on CD-Rom, vol. 33A, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker, (Dallas: Word Inc., 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 3.0b [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2004), 34-35.

[331] Charles Erdman says, “Two facts, however, are emphasized by the writer: the story, like that of the Magi, is one of divine guidance, and, secondly, all its incidents are declared to be in fulfillment of inspired prophecy.” He then says, “Thus by means of his own choosing God is ever guiding those who are devoted to the interests of his Son.” He again says, “Yet his [Jesus] dwelling there [Nazareth] was due to divine guidance.” See Charles R. Erdman, The Gospel of Matthew An Exposition (Philadelphia: PA: The Westminster Press, 1920), 31-32.

[332] Bernhard Weiss, A Commentary on the New Testament, vol. 1, trans. George H. Schodde and Epiphanius Wilson (New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1906), 12.

[333] Willoughby C. Allen, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to S. Matthew, in The International Critical Commentary, eds. Charles Augustus Briggs and Samuel Rolles Driver (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1907), 18.

The Literary Evidence of the Theme of Mat 2:13-23 – The literary evidence of the theme of divine calling in Mat 2:13-23 is seen in the use of the same Greek word used in Rom 8:30 that is also used in Mat 2:15 in a similar sense, “Out of Egypt have I called my son,” and in Matthew 2:25, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Therefore, Mat 2:15 interprets this divine intervention in the life of Joseph and his family as a divine “calling.”

Rom 8:30, “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

During these three callings in which God spoke to Joseph (Mat 2:13; Mat 2:19-20; Mat 2:22), Matthew records the fulfillment of three Old Testament prophecies as a further testimony of His calling as the Messiah: (1) Joseph’s flight into Egypt in Mat 2:13-15 is in fulfillment of Hos 11:1; (2) Herod’s massacre of the Jewish children in Mat 2:16-18 fulfills Jer 13:11; and (3) Joseph’s return to the city of Nazareth where Jesus was raised (Mat 2:19-23) testifying of the fulfillment of Scripture that He would be called a Nazarene, the exact reference being uncertain. Scholars recognize that these three sections (Mat 2:13-15, Mat 2:16-18, Mat 2:19-23) are clearly divided by the fact that each unit ends with an Old Testament quotation. [334] Matthew inserts the following fulfillment of Old Testament Scriptures within their respective sections:

[334] David Turner says, “Though the analysis here divides the rest of the chapter into three sections (13-15, 16-18, 19-23) coinciding with three formula quotations, Matthew 2:13-23 as a whole should be viewed as a unit containing the withdrawal and return of the Messiah.” See David L. Turner, Matthew, in Baker Evangelical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Ada, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 88; R. T. France believes Matthew 1:18 to 2:23 is structured around the Matthean formula quotations derived from , saying, “Sometimes the appeal to Scripture is overt, as in the five quotations which form the structural basis of 1:18 2:23” See R. T. France, The Gospel of Matthew, in New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2007), 25.

Mat 2:15, “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

Mat 2:17-18, “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”

Mat 2:23, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

The Literary Evidence of the Structure of Mat 2:13-23 – The literary evidence that supports the divisions within Mat 2:13-23 is the fact that the three sections (Mat 2:13-15; Mat 2:16-18; Mat 2:19-23) begin with participial clauses, with 13-15 and 19-23 also beginning with the Greek genitive absolute construction. These three prophecies that were fulfilled during His childhood confirm God’s divine calling of Jesus Christ as the Messiah and King. Matthew is careful to quote each of the three prophecies that were fulfilled during His infancy and childhood. The rest of Matthew’s Gospel (chapters 3-28) deals with the fulfillment of specific Old Testament prophecies regarding His earthly ministry, His passion, and resurrection.

Outline – Here is a proposed outline:

1. O.T. Fulfillment of Calling from Egypt Mat 2:13-15

2. O.T. Fulfillment of Herod Massacres the Children Mat 2:16-18

3. O.T. Fulfillment of Calling as a Nazarite Mat 2:19-23

Comparison of Narrative Material Regarding Jesus’ Childhood in Luke and Matthew – Luk 2:39-40 tells us how Jesus and His family returned to Nazareth after His birth. However, we must be able to reconcile this account with that of Mat 2:13-15, which describes Joseph’s flight to Egypt until the death of King Herod before returning to Nazareth. Apparently, the family did not go immediately to Nazareth, but first fled to Egypt and later made their way to Nazareth. We know from Luk 2:22 that His parents stayed in the area of Bethlehem at least one month, during which time they dedicated baby Jesus in the Temple. We do not know precisely the time of the visit of the wise men from the East, but it was within the first two years of Jesus’ birth. A popular way to harmonize the Gospel narratives on Jesus’ childhood is give the following order of events: Jesus’ birth (Luk 2:1-7), the visit by the shepherds (Luk 2:8-20), Jesus’ dedication in the Temple (Mat 2:22-23), the visit by the wise men (Mat 2:1-12), His flight to Egypt and the killing of the children in Bethlehem (Mat 2:13-18), Jesus’ return to Nazareth (Mat 2:19-23, Luk 2:39), His childhood in Nazareth (Luk 2:40). [335]

[335] A. T. Robertson, A Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ Based on the Broadus Harmony of the Revised Version (New York: George H. Doran Company, 1922), xiv.

Luk 2:39, “And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.”

Mat 2:13-15 The Messiah’s Childhood: Calling from Egypt Matthew’s first testimony of how Jesus’ childhood calling fulfilled Old Testament prophecy is recorded in Mat 2:13-15, where he records the story of Joseph’s flight into Egypt until the death of Herod, and calling back to Israel. This event fulfilled the prophecy of Hos 11:1 and is quoted in Mat 2:15.

Hos 11:1, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”

Mat 2:15, “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

We should keep in mind that the underlying emphasis of Mat 1:1 to Mat 2:23 is on the divine foreknowledge of God the Father in effecting His plan of redemption for mankind. Thus, we see the angel of the Lord intervening in Joseph’s life to show him God’s divine providence at work in his life.

Mat 2:13  And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Mat 2:13 “saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother” – Comments – Notice that it did not say, “Joseph’s child.” The Gospel of Matthew is careful not to imply that Joseph is the biological father.

Mat 2:13 “and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word” Comments The angel of the Lord brought Joseph word to return to Israel in Mat 2:19-20, “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.”

Mat 2:13 “for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him” Comments The Greek phrase (about to seek) carries a greater note of imminence than the future tense. Some modern English translations bring out this sense of urgency better than the KJV.

ESV, “for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

NCV, “because Herod is starting to look for the child so he can kill him.”

NRSV, “for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

Mat 2:13 Comments Mat 2:13 serves as a clear illustration of how the Lord guides us in our spiritual journey. My experiences has been that the Lord has always been faithful to speak to me in a supernatural way, usually in a dream, when a major change or decision was coming in my life. Thus, an angel of the Lord warned Joseph of what to do in a dream. I have also learned to continue on the same path of God’s last supernatural instruction until a season of change comes, and the Lord directs me otherwise. Thus, did the angel tell Joseph to stay in Egypt until the Lord instructed him otherwise.

As long as I follow this simple principle, I have found that I am in the Lord’s plan for my life. It is when I make major changes without the Lord’s direction that I am in danger of missing God’s will. It is important to note that the Lord does not speak to us in such strong ways regarding every little issue in our life. It is just when a major change is coming that the Lord is always faithful to instruct us, just as He did with Joseph.

Also, although Mary was a godly person as was Joseph, the Lord will give the head of a household instruction, realizing that those under that household will follow.

Mat 2:14  When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

Mat 2:15  And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Mat 2:15 Comments – Comments – The phrase (that it might be fulfilled) is unique to the Gospel of Matthew, being used nine times (Mat 1:22; Mat 2:15; Mat 2:17; Mat 2:23; Mat 4:14; Mat 8:17; Mat 12:17; Mat 13:35; Mat 21:4), with similar phrases being used loosely three times in other places in Matthew (Mat 13:14; Mat 26:56; Mat 27:9). [336] The reason this phrase is unique to the Gospel of Matthew is because the primary theme of this Gospel is the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, which states that Jesus Christ is the coming Messiah, who will reign as King of the Jews. Thus, the Gospel of Matthew continually declares that Jesus Christ fulfills Old Testament Messianic passages.

[336] A tenth Matthean formula can be found in Matthew 27:35 in the KJV. However, the rules of modern textual criticism require the omission this phrase from the UBS 4 because it is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, only nine formulae will be considered in this commentary.

Mat 2:16-18 The Messiah’s Childhood: Herod Massacres the Children Matthew’s second testimony of how Jesus’ childhood calling fulfilled Old Testament prophecy is recorded in Mat 2:16-18, where he records the story of Herod’s massacre of the Jewish children. This event fulfilled the prophecy of Jer 31:15 and is quoted in Mat 2:17-18.

Jer 31:15, “Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not.”

Mat 2:17-18, “Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”

Extra-biblical References to Herod’s Massacre of the Jewish Children Donald Hagner believers there is one possible reference to Herod’s massacre of the Jewish children recorded in Mat 2:16-18. The Roman author Macrobius (A.D. 5 th c.) writes, “When he heard that the boys were in Syria, King Herod ordered the murder of the Jews, within two years of age, his son was killed, said: It is better to be Herod’s pig than his son.” ( Saturnalia 2.4.11) [337]

[337] Macrobius, Macrobii Ambrosii Theodosii Opera quae supeersunt, vol. 2, ed. Ludwig von Jan (Quedlinburghi et Lipsiae: Typis ed sumptibus GG. Bassii, 1852), 235.

Mat 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Mat 2:16 “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth” – Comments – Having worked for years in a developing nation, where corruption is still an issue, I have seen corrupt and immature leaders and managers make emotional, impulsive decisions like Herod does here. They tend to take no counsel from advisors. These types of decisions are not for the good of the people that these leaders serve, but are based on ego and fear of losing power and control.

Mat 2:16 Comments – Suetonius (A.D. 70-130), the Roman historian, records a similar event prior to the birth of Octavius Augustus (b. 63 B.C.), the Roman emperor from 31 B.C. to A.D. 14. [338] Perhaps King Herod was familiar enough with this previous event to follow it by killing the children when confronted with a similar situation.

[338] Suetonius writes, “According to Julius Marathus, a few months before Augustus was born a portent was generally observed at Rome, which gave warning that nature was pregnant with a King for the Roman people. Thereupon the Senate in consternation decreed that no male child born that year should be reared. But those whose wives were with child saw to it that the decree was not filed in the treasury, 2 since each one appropriated the prediction to his own family.” (Octavius Augustus). See Suetonius, The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius, trans. Joseph Gavorse (New York: The Modern Library, 1931), 108

Mat 2:17  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

Mat 2:17 Comments – Comments – The phrase (that it might be fulfilled) is unique to the Gospel of Matthew, being used nine times (Mat 1:22; Mat 2:15; Mat 2:17; Mat 2:23; Mat 4:14; Mat 8:17; Mat 12:17; Mat 13:35; Mat 21:4), with similar phrases being used loosely three times in other places in Matthew (Mat 13:14; Mat 26:56; Mat 27:9). [339] The reason this phrase is unique to the Gospel of Matthew is because the primary theme of this Gospel is the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, which states that Jesus Christ is the coming Messiah, who will reign as King of the Jews. Thus, the Gospel of Matthew continually declares that Jesus Christ fulfills Old Testament Messianic passages.

[339] A tenth Matthean formula can be found in Matthew 27:35 in the KJV. However, the rules of modern textual criticism require the omission this phrase from the UBS 4 because it is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, only nine formulae will be considered in this commentary.

Mat 2:18  In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

Mat 2:18 Comments – While praying in October 1987 about where the Lord would have me to go and to minister the name of Jesus, the Lord seemed to quicken this verse about “Rama,” to go to a land where death and destruction, weeping and wailing, prevailed. Little would I realize that in July 1997, ten years later, I would be in Uganda, East Africa, a land where the most awful atrocities to mankind were ever committed during the dictatorships of Idi Amin and Milton Obode, who ruled their nation with an iron fist from the early 60’s until the mid 80’s, after which such atrocities took place in northern Uganda by Joseph Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army rebels from the mid 80’s until the late 2000’s.

Mat 2:19-23 The Messiah’s Childhood: Joseph’s Return to Nazareth Matthew’s third testimony of how Jesus’ childhood calling fulfilled Old Testament prophecy is recorded in Mat 2:19-23, where he records the story of Joseph’s return from Egypt to the city of Nazareth where Jesus was raised. Mat 2:23 testifies to the fulfillment of the prophecy that He would be called a Nazarene, the exact Old Testament reference being uncertain.

Mat 2:23, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

We should keep in mind that the underlying emphasis of Mat 1:1 to Mat 2:23 is on the divine foreknowledge of God the Father in effecting His plan of redemption for mankind. Thus, we see the angel of the Lord intervening in Joseph’s life to show him God’s divine providence at work in his life.

Mat 2:19  But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Mat 2:19 Comments King Herod ruled over Jewish Palestine from 37-4 B.C. There are no credible records of the age of Jesus at the timeof his death in 4 B.C.

Mat 2:20  Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.

Mat 2:20 Comments The Lord made a similar statement to Moses when telling him to return to Egypt to lead God’s children out of bondage.

Exo 4:19, “And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.”

Mat 2:21  And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Mat 2:22  But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

Mat 2:23  And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Mat 2:23 “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth” – Comments – Why did he go to Nazareth of Galilee? The Gospel of Luke reveals that this was their former home. So naturally they would have a tendency to return to people whom they knew. Note:

Luk 1:26-27, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth , To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.”

Luk 2:3-4, “And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth , into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)”

Luk 2:39, “And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth .”

Mat 2:23 “that it might be fulfilled” – Comments – Comments – The phrase (that it might be fulfilled) is unique to the Gospel of Matthew, being used nine times (Mat 1:22; Mat 2:15; Mat 2:17; Mat 2:23; Mat 4:14; Mat 8:17; Mat 12:17; Mat 13:35; Mat 21:4), with similar phrases being used loosely three times in other places in Matthew (Mat 13:14; Mat 26:56; Mat 27:9). [340] The reason this phrase is unique to the Gospel of Matthew is because the primary theme of this Gospel is the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, which states that Jesus Christ is the coming Messiah, who will reign as King of the Jews. Thus, the Gospel of Matthew continually declares that Jesus Christ fulfills Old Testament Messianic passages.

[340] A tenth Matthean formula can be found in Matthew 27:35 in the KJV. However, the rules of modern textual criticism require the omission this phrase from the UBS 4 because it is not found in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Thus, only nine formulae will be considered in this commentary.

Mat 2:23 “which was spoken by the prophets” Comments – On twelve occasions the Gospel Matthew uses a set of similar “quotation formulas” in reference to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. On six occasions he identifies the prophet by name (Mat 2:17; Mat 3:3; Mat 4:14; Mat 8:17; Mat 12:17; Mat 27:9); on five occasions Matthew refers to “the prophet” without a proper name (Mat 1:22; Mat 2:5; Mat 2:15; Mat 13:35; Mat 21:11); and on one occasion he uses the plural “by the prophets” (Mat 2:23). Since Mat 2:23 contains no direct quotation from an Old Testament prophet, nor does this phrase occur “in any pre-Christian extra-biblical writings known to us,” Donald Hagner suggests that Matthew has in mind “a motif common to several prophets.” [341]

[341] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13, in Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 33A, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas, Texas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Matthew 2:23.

Mat 2:23 “He shall be called a Nazarene” Comments – Because scholars do not clearly identify an Old Testament passage in Mat 2:23, several possible views have been set forth.

1. A Nazarite – Matthew may have been referring to the Nazarite in Jdg 13:5, “for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb” The Hebrew word “ naw-zeer ” ( ) (H5139) ( in the LXX in Jdg 13:5; Jdg 13:7) is similar to the Greek word “Nazarene” (Mat 2:23). Hagner notes that although John the Baptist was identified with as a Nazarite (Luk 1:15), Jesus was accused of being “a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners” (Mat 11:19). [342]

[342] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13, in Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 33A, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas, Texas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Matthew 2:23.

Jdg 13:5, “For, lo, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and no razor shall come on his head: for the child shall be a Nazarite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Jdg 13:7, “But he said unto me, Behold, thou shalt conceive, and bear a son; and now drink no wine nor strong drink, neither eat any unclean thing: for the child shall be a Nazarite to God from the womb to the day of his death.”

Luk 1:15, “For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”

Mat 11:19, “The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.”

2. The Branch On popular view attempts to associated the Nazarene with the Hebrew word “neser” ( ) (H5342) in Isa 11:1, which refers metaphorically to Jesus as the “Branch” of Jesse. This Hebrew word is similar as well. Isa 53:2 repeats the Messianic branch/plant metaphor. Hagner notes that although this Hebrew term “the Branch” is used only once in the Old Testament, it developed into an important motif that became woven in the ancient rabbinical writings. [343]

[343] Donald A. Hagner, Matthew 1-13, in Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 33A, eds. Bruce M. Metzger, David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker (Dallas, Texas: Word, Incorporated, 2002), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), comments on Matthew 2:23.

Isa 11:1, “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:”

Isa 53:2, “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The Flight into Egypt and the Return to Nazareth.

One part of Herod’s plan had not worked out: the Magi did not return to reveal the exact whereabouts of the Child. Now the Lord also foiled the design against the Child’s life.

v. 13. And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young Child and His mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word; for Herod will seek the young Child, to destroy Him.

God again makes use of an angelic vision to protect His Son, by giving the necessary instructions to Joseph. See chapter 1:20. The need of haste is expressed: Having arisen, take at once; lose no time. The Child is again named first, everything about His well-being. “And His mother,” the angel says. The phraseology is very careful and once more definitely points to the virgin birth. The reason for the command is also stated, in order to prevent delay. Herod has the intention, he has planned, he is about to search for the Child with the purpose of putting Him to death. Even the place of refuge is named in the divine message. Egypt should be their temporary home until such a time as a further command or communication to Joseph would permit their return to their native land. It is probable that Egypt was chosen because many Jews had settled in that country. The holy family would therefore be among fellow-countrymen and in a Roman province, where the rage of Herod could not pursue them.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Mat 2:13. Into Egypt There were great numbers of Jews in Egypt: some fled thither in the time of Jeremiah; and great numbers were broughtthere afterwards, on account of the temple of Onias. We may just observe, once for all, that the particle , behold, is a frequent Hebraism in the evangelists, which commonly is but an expletive, though sometimes it is emphatical. The angel, would be rendered more properly an angel.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Mat 2:13 . . ] The divine direction and flight into Egypt must be conceived as taking place immediately after the departure of the Magi.

Mat 2:16 . ] historic present.

The continuation of the narrative in connection with the legend of the murder of the children by Herod makes Jesus take refuge in Egypt , not because it was near at hand, not subject to Herod, and inhabited by many Jews, but because a residence in Egypt, and that as an antitype to that of the Israelites in that country, was in accordance with the passage in Hos 11:1 (Mat 2:15 ). A later age named Matarea , near Leontopolis, as the locality (see Paulus, Merkw. Reisen in d. Orient , III. p. 256; Schubert, Reise in d. Morgenl . II. p. 170).

] until I shall have told thee ( , of a case occurring), that is, that thou shouldst come back again. Ellipsis of the common “ it ” is, since the time of Homer (Ngelsbach on the Iliad , pp. 60, 120, Exo 3 ), in universal use.

] Expression of the intention; see Khner, II. p. 204; Buttm. neut. Gr . p. 232 [E. T. 270].

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

B. Mat 2:13-23 (Luk 2:40-52)

(The Gospel for the Sunday after New Year or Day of Circumcision)

13And when they were departed, behold, the [an] angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of [by] the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children4 that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof,5 from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy6 the prophet, saying, 18In Rama was there a voice heard,7 lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which [who] sought the young childs life. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign [reigned] in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, [and] being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Mat 2:13. Behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth.Though the wise men had withdrawn from the influence of Herod, the child was still in danger. It may be presumed that the wise men and the childs parents had conversed together about Herod, and that the magi had begun to entertain strong suspicions of his intentions. Probably Joseph and Mary were to some extent relieved when the wise men left the country without returning to Herod. Still, the anxious vigilance of Joseph continued unabated; and it may be regarded as an evidence of his devotedness, that he again received instruction and direction by a vision in a dream. He did not hesitate for a moment, but immediately fled with the child and its mother.

Mat 2:14-15. Egypt was the only possible place of refuge. It was situated near the southern frontier of Juda. Following this direction, the fugitives at once withdrew to a distance from Jerusalem. Frequented roads led through the desert into Egypt. There they would find a large and more liberal Jewish community under the protection of a civilized government. The supposition that this account was invented for the purpose of fulfilling the passage in Hos 11:1 (which, in the text, is quoted in accordance with the original Hebrew), is entirely incompatible with the scope and meaning of the narrative. Even supposing the story to be legendary, it would have ill accorded with the anxiety of Joseph and Mary about the child to represent them as undertaking a journey for the purpose of fulfilling a prophecy; especially one which, in its literal sense, referred to the bringing of Israel out of Egypt (comp. Exo 4:22; Jer 31:9). The Septuagint translation has (of Israel). As, however, the flight and the return had really taken place, the Evangelist, whose attention was always directed to the fulfilment of prophecy, might very properly call attention to the fact, that even this prediction of Hosea had been fulfilled. And, in truth, viewed not as a verbal but as a typical prophecy, this prediction was fulfilled by the flight into Egypt. Israel of old was called out of Egypt as the son of God, inasmuch as Israel was identified with the Son of God. But now the Son of God Himself was called out of Egypt, who came out of Israel as the kernel from the husk. When the Lord called Israel out of Egypt, it was with special reference to His Son; that is, in view of the high spiritual place which Israel was destined to occupy. In connection with this, it is also important to bear in mind the historical influence of Egypt on the world at large. Ancient Greek civilizationnay, in a certain sense, the imperial power of Rome itselfsprung from Egypt; in Egypt the science of Christian theology and Christian monasticism originated; from Egypt proceeded the last universal conqueror; out of Egypt came the typical son of God to found the theocracy; and thence also the true Son of God, to complete the theocracy.According to tradition, Christ stayed at Matarea in Egypt, in the vicinity of Leontopolis, where, at a later period, the Jewish temple of Onias stood.See Schuberts Reise in das Morgenland, ii. p. 179.

Mat 2:16. That he was mocked, outwitted, made a fool of.The word is frequently so used in the Septuagint. The expression is here employed from Herods point of view.

From two years old, , sc. .From two years old down to the youngest male child on the breast. It follows that the star had been seen by the wise men for about two years before their arrival at Jerusalem. The massacre of the children at Bethlehem has been regarded as a myth, chiefly because Josephus makes no mention of it. Thus even Meyer doubts the historical truth of this narrative, since Josephus always relates circumstantially all the cruelties perpetrated by Herod (Antiq. xv. 7, 8, etc.). But that he recorded so many, scarcely implies that he meant to relate every instance of his cruelty. It is further argued, that, if the massacre had been a historical fact, it would, on account of the peculiar circumstances of the case, certainly have been mentioned by the Jewish historian. We infer the opposite. From the peculiarity of the occurrence, it would have been impossible to mention it without furnishing a more direct testimony, either for or against the Christian faith, than Josephus wished to bear. The supposition that the massacre was not openly and officially ordered, but secretly perpetrated by banditti in the employ of Herod (see Leben Jesu, ii. p. 112), is not gratuitous, but suggested by the text ( ; ). Not that we draw any inference from the confused account in Macrobius8 (see Meyer, p. 174); the Gospel narrative can, however, easily dispense with it.

Mat 2:17-18. Then was fulfilled, etc.The prediction in Jer 31:15 is here quoted freely from the Septuagint. This is another fulfilment of a typical, not of a literal, prophecy. The passage primarily refers to the deportation of the Jews to Babylon. Rachel, the ancestress of Benjamin, who was buried near Bethlehem, is introduced as issuing from her grave to bewail the captivity of her children. The sound of her lamentations is carried northward beyond Jerusalem, and heard at Ramaa fortress of Israel on the frontier toward Judah, where the captives were collected. The meaning probably is, that the grief caused by this deportation, and the consequent lamentations of the female captives, was such as to reach even the heart of the ancestress of Benjamin (which here includes also Judah). As used by Jeremiah, it was, therefore, a figurative expression for the deep sorrow of the exiled mothers of Judah. But in the massacre of the infants of Bethlehem this earlier calamity was not only renewed, but its description verified in the fullest and most tragic manner. Rachels children are not merely led into exile; they are destroyed, and that by one who called himself King of Israel. Accordingly, Rachel is introduced as the representative of the mothers of Bethlehem lamenting over their children (Chrysostom, Theophylact, and many others). The picture of Rachel herself issuing from the grave and raising a lament, indicates that the greatest calamity had now befallen Judah.The words are wanting in Codd. B. Z., etc., and in several translations.

Mat 2:20. They are dead who, etc.In the vision a scriptural expression is used, Exo 4:19, which must have been familiar to Joseph. On the horrible death of Herod, amid alternate designs of revenge and fits of despair, comp. Joseph. Antiq. xvii. 18, 1; 9, 3; De Bello Jud. 1, 33. He died at the age of 70, in the 37th year of his reign.

Mat 2:22. But when he heard that Archelaus, etc.After the death of Herod, his kingdom was divided among his three sons by Augustus. Archelaus obtained Juda, Iduma, and Samaria; Herod Antipas, Galilee and Pera; Philip, Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis. Herod and Philip received the title of Tetrarch. Archelaus obtained at first the designation of Ethnarch (Joseph. Antiq. xvii. 11, 4). The title of King was to be afterward conferred on him if he deserved it by his services. But, nine years after his accession, Augustus banished him, in consequence of the complaints of the Jews about his cruelty, to Vienne in Gaul, where he died (Antiq. xvii. 13, 2; De Bello Jud. ii. 7, 3). Like his father, Archelaus was a suspicious and cruel tyrant. Accordingly, Joseph was afraid to remain in Juda with the holy child. Applying to the Lord for guidance, he was directed, in another dream, to settle in Galilee. This was the fourth revelation with which he was honored. It implies that a high tone of spirituality pervaded his soul. The ever-watchful solicitude of Joseph for the safety of the child of promise might serve as the natural groundwork for these communications, while the repeated revelations vouchsafed during his nocturnal thoughts show that a providentia specialissima watched over the life of the Divine child. Such prophetic dreams exhibit the connection and co-operation of a special Divine providence with the most anxious vigilance on the part of the servants of God. Nor must we forget the connection between the devotedness of Joseph and the fond anxiety of Mary.These four dreams occurred at considerable intervals of time.

Mat 2:23. A city called Nazareth.The town was situated in Lower Galilee, in the ancient territory of the tribe of Zebulon (Lightfoot, Hor Hebr. p. 918), to the south of Cana, not far from Mount Tabor. It lay in a rocky hollow among the mountains, and was surrounded by beautiful and grand scenery. The modern Nazareth is a small, but pretty town. According to Robinson, it has three thousand inhabitants (see Schubert iii. 169; Robinson, 3:421, Eng. ed. 2:333; and other books of travels). Compare also the article in Winer and other Encycls. The name of Galilee was derived from , which originally signifies a circle,hence Galilee, the circuit or surrounding country. The whole country received its name from the district, which was afterward named Hpper Galilee, as distinguished from Lower Galilee. Accordingly, in common conversation, the term Galilee was used to denote Upper Galilee, or the Galilee par excellence. This explains such expressions as Mat 4:12 and Joh 4:43. One might be said to go from Nazareth to Galilee, just as we might speak of travelling from Berlin to Prussia (Proper), or from Geneva to (the interior of) Switzerland. The word Nazareth is supposed to be derived from , surculus, virgultum, as the surrounding district abounds in brushwood or shrubs; Burckhardt, Reisen, ii. 583 (Mat 2:23 is an allusion to , surculus, in Isa 11:1, which Hofmann, in his Weissagung, ii. 64, denies on insufficient grounds). Winer.

He shall be called a Nazarene.As the word Nazarene is not employed in any prophetic passage of the Old Testament to designate the Messiah, various explanations have been proposed:1. According to Jerome, some eruditi Hebri had before his time traced the term to the expression , sprout, in Isa 11:1, by which the Messiah is designated; which view is followed by many modern expositors, as also by Piscator and Casaubon. Hengstenberg, in his Christology, Mat 2:1, supports this explanation, by showing that the original name of the place was , and not . 2. Chrysostom, and many others after him, consider the words in question a quotation from a prophetic book now lost. But in quoting from the Old Testament, the inspired penmen evidently regarded the Old Testament canon as closed, and referred only to books which had been received into it. This also disposes of the opinion that, 3. The quotation is from some apocryphal book (Gratz, Ewald). Still more untenable Isaiah , 4. the notion that the term Nazarene is equivalent to . For Jesus was neither a Nazarite (Mat 11:19), nor is He so called in any prophetic passage. This vague conjecture is rendered even more improbable by the suggestion of Ewald, that the quotation was taken from a lost apocryphal book, in which the Messiah was represented at His first appearance as a Nazarite, and that from this verbal similarity the Evangelist had derived his reference to Nazareth 5. Some commentators have given up the idea of verbal reference. They argue that the expression Nazarene was used by the Jews to designate a slight, ed person; and the Messiah is represented as such in Psalms 22., Isaiah 53. (Michaelis, Paulus, Rosenmller, etc.; comp. the authors Leben Jesu, vol. ii. p. 48), This, or the explanation (1) proposed by Jerome, seems the most likely. Meyer supports the allusion to by referring to the similar expression (Isa 4:2; Jer 23:5; Jer 33:15; Zec 3:8; Zec 6:12), which would also account for the use of the plural numberspoken by the prophets. But it seems to us impossible to suppose that the allusion of the Evangelist should have been based merely on the similarity, and not on the meaning of the two words. Such a view could neither be reconciled with the suggestion of Meyer about Zemach, nor would it tally with Isa 11:1, where the term is used only in allusion to, but not as a designation of the Messiah; so that the idea of a mere verbal fulfilment is out of the question. The conclusion at which we have arrived is, that the title Nazarene bears reference to the outward lowliness of the Messiah; accordingly, the in Isa 11:1 is analogous to the expressions used in Isa 53:2, and to other descriptions of the humble appearance of the Messiah. In other words, the various allusions to the despised and humble appearance of the Messiah are, so to speak, concentrated in that of Nezer. The prophets applied to Him the term branch or bush, in reference to His insignificance in the eyes of the world; and this appellation was specially verified when He appeared as an inhabitant of despised Nazareth, the town of shrubs (Leben Jesu, vol. ii. 120 ff.).

Meyer has recently repeated the assertion, that, according to the account of Matthew, Bethlehem, and not Nazareth, was the original residence of Joseph and Mary; and that, in this respect, there is a discrepancy between Matthew and Luke. This commentator controverts the view of Neander, Ebrard. Hoffmann, and others, who have successfully, as we think, reconciled the statements of the two Evangelists (see Leben Jesu. ii. 122). In reply, it may be sufficient to say, that in all probability Joseph and Mary deemed it their duty to reside at Bethlehem after the birth of Jesus until otherwise directed, more especially as the magi had been directed to Bethlehem in their search after the Messiah, Indeed, Matthew himself furnishes the key for solving the apparent difficulty, when he mentions it as a new circumstance that the birth of Christ took place at Bethlehem. A discrepancy could only have been alleged if Joseph and Mary had, in the first chapter, been represented as residing at Bethlehem. On the other hand, it is easy to account for the special notice of the town of Nazareth in the passage before us, as the Evangelist wished to call attention to the circumstance of Christs residence at Nazareth, and to the prophetic allusions thereto.

The following appears to have been the chronological order of events:Soon after the birth of Christ the wise men arrived from the East. This was followed by the flight into Egypt, and the sojourn there, which must have been very brief, as Herods death occurred soon afterward. The presentation in the temple must have taken place after the return, as, according to the law, it could not occur before the fortieth day, but did not necessarily take place on that day. After the presentation, Joseph and Mary settled in Galilee; and there, at Nazareth, the Lord resided for thirty years (see my Leben Jesu, vol. ii. 110).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. Josephs dreams, in which angelic communications were made for the deliverance of the holy child, afford us a glimpse into the spiritual nature of man, and into the spiritual world beyond. A contest ensues between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness about the holy child. The craft of Herod assumes the form of satanic rage. The Jewish scribes have been successfully duped by him, and made subservient to the purposes of the tyrant. By their scriptural reply to his inquiry they have unconsciously delivered the infant Messiah into the power of the crafty monarch. But the deep and earnest spirituality of the pious heathen worshippers proved sufficient to defeat his plans. Warned of God in a dream, they escaped from the meshes of his iniquitous policy. By an unusual route they returned into their own country, and, to appearance, the holy child was safe. But Herods fury knew no bounds. The thought of having been outwitted by the magi was an additional incitement to wreak his vengeance on the object of their veneration. He now employed a band of ruffians as the instruments of his last desperate attempt on the life of Jesus. No doubt he expected that in the slaughter of the infants of Bethlehem the infant Jesus would perish. Thus did the kingdom of darkness put forth its utmost efforts, which, on the other hand, were counteracted by those of the kingdom of light. But if the powers of darkness proceed warily, those of light act still more warily. The calculations of a sleepless policy were baffled by the sleep of the pious. On the nature and significancy of dreams, see Schuberts Symbolik des Traumes; and the authors dissertation entitled: Von dem zwiefachen Bewusstsein, etc., in the Deutsche Zeitschrift fr christliche Wissenschaft und christliches Leben, Berlin, 1851, N. 30 ff. On angelical communications, see the authors Leben Jesu, i. 48.

In regard to the influence of the spiritual world on the human mind, the following principle may be laid down: The more vividly the soul is roused in its inmost being by wants and perplexities around, the more are we prepared for influences from the spiritual world, good or evil, according to the spiritual condition of the soul. Again, in proportion as the spiritual condition of the soul is undeveloped, though earnest in its aspirations after God, or as a person is engrossed with cares and toils in the ordinary course of his life, the more likely is the influence of the spiritual world to be felt in dreams and visions of the night. As instances in point, we may here refer to the ecstatic state of Hagar, of Gideon, of Mary Magdalene, of the Christian martyrs in the Primitive Church, of the French Camisardes, [the Scotch Covenanters], the Jansenists, and others.
2. The anxious care of Joseph for the safety of the child and its mother may be regarded as a proof that Divine Providence always raises up faithful servants to protect and to promote His own kingdom, and with it the spiritual welfare of mankind. But in this instance the salvation of the world was connected with the safety of a babe, threatened by the craft of a despot, whose dagger had on no other occasion missed its mark. Hence the care of Providence for the safety of this child was unremitting; Josephs vigilance did not cease even in his sleep, while the mothers solicitude was undoubtedly still more eager. Every other consideration seems secondary to that of the safety of the child. Thus has the Lord ever prepared instruments for His work. By Gods grace, devoted and faithful servants have never been wanting in the world, and the King Eternal has always had His faithful ones.
3. The tractate of Lactantius, de morte perseeutorum, commences with an account of the death of Herod. It is a tale of persecution and retribution, renewed in every age.

4. The mysterious import of Egypt in the worlds history appears constantly anew. Out of Egypt have I called My son, is an expression which pervades the whole course of history. But this calling implies not only the Sons residence in Egypt, but also his departure from it.

5. The wail of Rachel is here a symbol of the sympathy of the theocracy in general, called forth by the sufferings inflicted by the outward representatives of the theocracy on its genuine children. The wail of Rachel is renewed in the Church as often as the witnesses of the truth are put to death by carnal and worldly men, who profess to be the representatives of the Church.
6. We do not include the slaughtered infants of Bethlehem in the number of Christian martyrs properly so called, as they did not of their own free choice and will bear testimony to the Saviour.9 They perished simply because they were male childrenchildren of Bethlehem, under two years of age. Still, they have been justly considered the prototypes of Christian martyrdom (Feast of the Innocents, Dec. 28), as they were cut off, 1. in their innocency; 2. as children of Bethlehem, and children of the promise; 3. from hatred to Christ; 4. for the purpose of withdrawing attention from the flight of the holy child, and to secure His safety in Egypt.

7. Nazareth is the perpetual symbol of the outward lowliness and humble condition of Christ and of Christianity in the world. It is the emblem of that poverty which apparently so ill accords with the exalted nature of, and the depth of spiritual life brought to light by, the Gospel. But what to the world seems unfitting, is in reality, and in the sight of God, most fitting; for Christianity is based and reared on deepest humility. Hence the path by which God leads His elect is first downward, and then upward; both the descent and the ascent increasing as they proceed, as we see in the history of Jacob, of Joseph, of Moses, of David, and of others. The prophets were fully and experimentally acquainted with this fundamental principle of the Divine government. Hence they prophesied of the lowliness of the Messiah during the earlier period of His life, of His subsequent humiliation, and of His death at the conclusion of His earthly career.
8. In the life of children, as in that of mechanics and laborers, the mind is taken up during the day with surrounding objects. Hence their inner life during the night is more widely awake and susceptible to dreams and visions. This is the basis for the prophetic dreams of Joseph in the Old Testament, and Joseph in the New.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The homage which Christ receives is the ground of his persecution and sufferings; but persecution and sufferings always lead to more abundant glory.The wise of this world are unable to protect Jesus and His Church. For this purpose God employs His heavenly messengers, and His despised children on earth.Divine Providence brought to nought all the designs of the wicked against the life of the holy child.Children as under the protection of angels.Warning angel-voices during the course of our life.Obedience to the voice of the Spirit.Josephs awakening in the morning. A short time before, he had risen to vindicate the mother: he now rises to rescue the child with its mother.How the whole day is blessed when commenced with faith and obedience.Joseph the model of all foster-parents.Sacrifices for the Lord are the noblest gain.The holy flight of the Lord in its happy results.The holy withdrawal of the Lord the emblem of every holy withdrawal: 1. of that of the Old Testament prophets; 2. of that of Christians; 3. of the spiritual withdrawal from the world in the inner life.Egypt, the land of tombs, the cradle of Gods people.The persecuted Church of God ever at home with the Lord: 1. in flight; 2. in the desert; 3. in a strange land.The Lord continues, while all who rise against Him perish.The children of Bethlehem as types of Christian martyrdom. 1. They are, so to speak, the seal of the faith of Old Testament believers in the Messiah. 2. They confirm the faith of believers in all time coming.Christ among the children of Bethlehem. 1. They die for Him, in order to live for Him. 2. He lives for them, in order to die for them.No expenditure of blood and tears can be too great for the rescue of Jesus: 1. because His life is the ransom of the world; 2. because His life transforms every sacrifice of blood and of tears into life and blessedness.The death of children is of deep import in Gods sight.Lamentation in the Church of God. a. The cry of Abel for vengeance; b. Rachels cry of sorrow; c. Jesus cry of love.They are dead which sought the young childs life. Thus it was (1) formerly. Thus it is (2) still. Thus it will be (3) at the end of time.Archelaus his fathers Song of Solomon 1. Personal guilt; 2. hereditary guilt; 3. the judgment.The savor of despotism banishes happiness from the land.Christ the Nazarene: 1. as an inhabitant of the earth; 2. as an inhabitant of Juda; 3. as an inhabitant of Galilee; 4. as an inhabitant of Nazareth; 5. as the carpenters son even in Nazareth.The lowliness of Jesus prefigured His humiliation, but also His exaltation.The obscurity of Christ, implying, 1. His ignominy: 2. His safety; 3. His ornament.Jesus the great teacher of humility. The thirty years of Christs obscurity the foundation of His three years manifestation.The inward unfolding of Christ had to be guarded from the influences of a corrupt world, and of corrupt ecclesiastical institutions.Christ the Divine nursling under the fostering care, 1. of pious maternal love; 2. of the anxious solicitude of Gods hidden ones; 3. of nature in all its beauty and grandeur.Christians as Nazarenes in the train of the Nazarene.Nazareth itself usually does not know the Nazarene.The heavenly youth of the Lord a mystery of the earth.The glory of God in the lowliness of Christ.The Joseph-dreams in the Old and the New Testament.

Starke:10Joy and suffering are at all times next-door neighbors. When faith is strengthened, trials generally ensue. The Lord knows how, at the right moment, to withdraw His own from danger, and how to anticipate the enemy.God often wonderfully protects his own by small means and humble instrumentalities, as he protected Jesus through the instrumentality of Joseph, a carpenter.Whoever will love the infant Christ must be prepared to endure, for His sake, every sort of tribulation.Jesus has sanctified even the afflictions of our childhood.No sooner are we born again from on high, than persecution arises against us.Rejoice, ye who suffer with Christ. 1Pe 4:13.If thine own people will not bear thee, God will provide a place for thee even among strangers. Rev 12:4-6.Tyrants must die, and thy sufferings will come to an end. Job 5:19.What the enemies of the Church cannot accomplish by craft, they attempt to effect by force.If we suffer with Christ, we shall also reign with Him. 2Ti 2:11.

Heubner:Providence watches over the life of the elect.Augustin: O parvuli beati, modo nati, nondum tentati, nondum luctati, jam coronati.The kingdom of light was from its very commencement assailed by the kingdom of darkness.In times of suffering the disciples of Jesus have often been obliged to shelter their light in the retirement of secret associations, and in strange places of refuge.Joseph an example of obedient trust in God amid signal dangers.Duties are ours, events are Gods. (Cecil.)Herod a warning picture of a hardened, hoary sinner.Mary the model of suffering mothers.What trials a pious mother may have to endure!The early death of pious children a token of Divine favor toward them.The wickedness and violence of men are of short duration; God will always gain the day against them.Let us affectionately remember what protection our heavenly Father has accorded us from our youth upward.The wonderful guidance of God experienced by the pious.Schleiermachers Predigten (vol. iv.): The narrative in the text a picture of sin, which ever attempts to arrest the progress of Christianity.Wimmer: One Lord, one faith. The misery of those who harden themselves, as apparent, 1. in their anguish during life; 2. in the folly of all their measures; 3. in their despair in death.Reinhard: On the dealings of God with our children.

ADDENDA

BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR

The Sinaitic Manuscript of the Bible, which Professor Tischendorf rescued from the obscurity of the Convent of St Catharine on Mount Sinai, and carefully edited in two editions in 1862 and 1863,* two years after the issue of the third edition of Dr. Langes Commentary on Matthew, has been carefully compared in preparing the American edition of this work from Chapter 8 to the close of the Gospel of Matthew. I thought I was the first to do so, but just before I finished the last pages of this volume, I found that Bumlein, in his Commentary on the Gospel of St. John,** and Meyer, in the fifth edition of his Commentary on Matthew, both of which appeared in 1864, had preceded me, at least in print. No critical scholar can ignore this manuscript hereafter. For it is the only complete, and perhaps the oldest of all the uncial codices of the Bible, or at least of the same age and authority as the celebrated Vatican Codex (which is traced by some to the middle of the fourth century), and far better edited by the German Protestant Professor, Tischendorf, than the latter was by the Italian Cardinal, Angelo Mai. In the absence of a simpler mark agreed upon by critics (the proposed designation by the Hebrew has not yet been adopted, and is justly objected to by Tregelles and others on the ground of typographical inconvenience), I introduce it always as Cod. Sin., and I find that Dr. Meyer in the fifth edition does the same. As I could not procure a copy of the printed edition of this Codex till I had finished the first seven chapters, I now complete the critical part of the work by adding its more important readings in the first seven chapters where they differ from the textus receptus, on which the authorized English, as well as all the older Protestant Versions of the Greek Testament are substantially based.

*Novum Testamentum Sinaiticum, sive Novum Testamentum cum Epistola Barnab et Fragmentis Pastoris (Herm). Ex Codice Sinaitico auspiciis Alexandri II., omnium Russiarum imperatoris, ex tenebris protracto orbique litterarum tradito accurate descripsit notheus Friderious Constantinus Tischendorf, theol. et phil. Dr., etc. etc. Lipsi, 1863. The text is arranged in four columns and covers 148 folios; the learned Prolegomena of the editor 81 folios. There is besides a magnificent photo-lithographed fac-simile edition of the whole Sinaitic Bible, published at the expense of the Emperor of Russia, in 4 volumes (3 for the Old and 1 for the New Testament, the latter in 148 folios), under the title: Bibliorum Codex Sinaiticus Petropolitanus. Auspiciis augustissimis imperatoris Alexandri II. ed. Const. Tischendorf. Petropoli, 1862. A copy of this rare edition I have also consulted occasionally, in the Astor Library of New York. For fuller information on this important Codex (in the words of Tischendorf: omnium codicum uncialium solus integer omniumque antiquissimus), we must refer the reader to the ample Prolegomena of Tischendorf, also to an article of Hilgenfeld in his Zeitschrift fr wissenschaftliche Theologie, vol. vii. (1864), p. 74 ff. (who is disposed to assign it to a somewhat later age), and to Scriveners treatise, which I have not seen.

**Hengstenberg, in his Commentary on John, concluded in 1863, pays no attention whatever to this Codex, and is very defective in a critical point of view

Mat 2:18.Cod. Sin. omits , lamentation and, before , weeping. So all the critical editors. The text. rec. seems to be enlarged from the Septuagint.

Footnotes:

[4] Mat 2:16.[Better: all the male children, . Lange: alle Knaben.P. S.]

[5] Mat 2:16.[In all its borders, in all the neighborhood.]

[6] Mat 2:17.[Jeremiah.]

[7] Mat 2:18.[Proper order: A voice was heard in R. Comp. Jer 31:15. The best editions omit , , Lamentation and.P. S.]

[8]Of Augustus: Cum andisset, inter pueros, quos in Syria Herodes, rex Judaeorum intra bimatum jussit interficl, filium quoque ejus occisum, ait, melius est Herodis poicuiresse, quam filium.

[9][The Church distinguishes and celebrates a threefold martyrdom: 1. martyrdom both in will and in fact,Festival of St. Stephen the protomartyr, Dec. 26; 2. martyrdom in will, though not in fact,Festival of St. John the Evangelist, Dec. 27; 3. martyrdom in fact, though not in will,The Innocents Day, Dec. 23. These three festivals follow Christmas, because Christian martyrdom was regarded as a celestial birth, which is the consequence of Christs terrestrial birth. Christ was born on earth that His saints might be born in heaven.On the Holy Innocents compare the old poem of Prudentius: Salvete flores martyrum, and John Kebles Christian Year, p. 47.P. S.]

[10][The Edinb. transl. uniformly has Starcke, following the first edition. But Dr. Lunge, in the second ed., as also in all the other vols. of the Com., changed it into Starke. The difference in spelling arises from an inconsistency of Starke himself, or his printer, in the various volumes of the Synopsis Bibliothec Exegetic. His last mode of spelling, however was Starke, which is also etymologically more correct.P. S.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

What an interesting subject the flight of JESUS into Egypt furnisheth! What! must the Son of GOD flee for safety? Yes! What a Sweet lesson then doth it teach his people, in all their exercises. But wherefore Egypt? Here it was the church was first formed into a Church. Exo 4:22 . And here then the Great Head of the Church shall go. The Prophet Hosea ages before had been taught to prophesy to the church, that out of Egypt would God call his Son. Hos 11:1 . Let not the Reader take offence with the carnal world at this humiliation of the SON of GOD. It behoved him in all points to be like unto his brethren. Sweet thought to my poor soul! Rev 12:4 ; Isa 19:18-25 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

IX

BEGINNINGS OF MATTHEW AND LUKE (CONCLUDED)

Harmony pages 10-11 and Mat 2:13-23 ; Luk 2:39-52

CLOSING PARAGRAPH OF MATTHEW’S BEGINNINGS Mat 2:13-23 In two respects the flight into Egypt is connected with the visit of the Wise Men: First a dream was sent to them not to return to Herod at Jerusalem, and another dream to Joseph to escape with the child into Egypt. Second, the Wise Men’s gift of gold provided the means of paying the expense of the Egyptian trip. Before leaving the subject of the Wise Men, you will recall my warning against the unhistorical accretions to the simple story of them by Matthew. Now, as some compensation for the caution against unworthy legends, I commend with pleasure and without reserve a little book by Henry van Dyke, entitled: The Fourth Wise Man. It makes no pretension to be either history or tradition but, like a parable, has the verisimilitude of history, and is one of the most exquisite portrayals of great abstract principle and truth known to literature. If any of you are puzzled to select an appropriate gift for Christmas, New Year, a birthday or wedding, you cannot do better than to select van Dyke’s little book, which contains The Fourth Wise Man, and other equally exquisite stories.

Dr. Maclaren, in his extended exposition of Matthew, calls attention, with modified approval, to the contention of Delitzsch that Matthew’s Gospel follows the plan of the Pentateuch, with a Genesis ending in a dreaming Joseph entering into Egypt to provide a nurturing home for Israel, Jehovah’s ideal son. Then an exodus from Egypt, here fulfilled again: “Out of Egypt have I called my Son,” followed by the Sermon of the Mount, which answers to the giving of the Law at Sinai; then the forty days of hunger and temptation of our Lord, answering to the forty years of -the wilderness wanderings in Numbers, etc. That there are points of striking correspondence between Matthew and the Pentateuch would naturally follow from the fact that our Lord is the ideal Son and Servant of Jehovah, of whom the national Israel was a type, and hence the history of ancient Israel is itself prophetic.

The whole paragraph, Mat 2:13-23 , naturally divides itself into three parts:

(1) The flight into Egypt, and the prophecy.

(2) The massacre of the Bethlehem babes, and the prophecy.

(3) The return to Nazareth, and the prophecy. We consider them in order:

THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT, AND THE PROPHECY

This is the historic background of the symbolism in Revelation referring to a later persecution of the church and her converts. See the author’s exposition of Rev 12:1-6 . That passage must be interpreted as a symbol concerning future events, but it does prove that Satan, who here prompts the malice of Herod to drive Mary and her Son into Egypt, does there prompt a heathen emperor of Rome to drive the church into the wilderness and make war on her seed. The mistake to avoid is not, like Alford, to interpret the symbol so as to make it mean its historic background.

One acquainted with the Old Testament history may easily observe that for ages whoever fled from persecution in Palestine quite naturally went into Egypt. It was the best of all places for Joseph to take the family while the bloody-minded Herod lived.

It will be observed that from this time on it is the child, not Mary or Joseph, who occupies the chief place “take the young child and his mother.” They remain in Egypt until in another dream Jehovah notified Joseph “that those who sought the young child’s life were dead,” and directing him to return to the land of Israel, as Matthew says, “that the prophecy might be fulfilled, out of Egypt have I called my Son.” This expression is a plain historical statement in the book of Hosea, and yet Matthew is justified in calling it a prophecy merely because the whole history of ancient Israel was prophetic. As has already been said, national Israel was Jehovah’s typical son; Jesus was the ideal Israel, or the true Son of Jehovah. We observe that the latter part of Isaiah concerning “the servant of Jehovah,” finds its application in the antitype, Jesus, and not in the type, Israel.

THE MASSACRE OF THE BABES IN BETHLEHEM, AND THE PROPHECY

On this incident in the history of Matthew, we submit the following observations. Some critics have affected to discredit the historical character of Matthew’s incident because it is not mentioned in Josephus. The reply to the criticism is

The gospel historians, writing directly upon a more limited topic than Josephus, do not need any confirmation from him.

The greater part of the New Testament would have to be rejected if it must be proved from Josephus.

Bethlehem was merely a village, and the number of male children two years old and under would not exceed twenty. The killing of twenty babies by Herod was a small item in his bloody record, quite infinitesimal in comparison with many other of his deeds of cruelty.

Josephus was not merely a Jew, but a sycophantic admirer of the Romans. He would necessarily avoid many references to our Lord. One, however, rejected by some critics as spurious, is very striking. There is also an undisputed reference to John the Baptist, and another one to James, the brother of our Lord. These several passages from Josephus will be considered later, and at greater length.

First, the murder of these babies is in full accord, not merely with the general character of Herod, but particularly with his dying condition, jealous to madness of any one who would likely dispute the continuance of his dynasty, as he had arranged it in his will.

Second, in every age of the world, the bloody death of these babies has attracted the attention of the poet and of the artist, and has excited sympathy for these first martyrs, more perhaps than of any other of the long line of those who died bloody deaths on account of our Lord. They are even called “Little flowers of martyrdom, roses by the whirlwind shorn.” The great Augustine said, “Oh, happy little ones! just born, not yet tempted, not yet struggling, already crowned.” We see in their death an anticipation of Christ’s later words: “I come not to bring peace, but a sword.”

The powers of darkness would naturally seek to cut off his life at the beginning in order to frustrate the great purpose of his mission, and as we have already seen that the dragon, even Satan himself, was prompting Herod to take away the life of the long-promised Messiah. This much good at least resulted from the death of these children: Jerusalem, Herod, and even Satan himself, supposed that their object had been accomplished, and that the one “born King of the Jews” had perished in this massacre. Hence there is no other assault made upon him by the powers of darkness until at his baptism he is not only seen to be alive, but is declared by the Father to be his beloved Son, and at that point Satan renews the attack, but in a different form.

Third, the prophecy concerning this event is a quotation from Jer 31:15-17 : “Thus saith Jehovah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentations, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children; she refuseth to be comforted for her children, because they are not. Thus saith Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith Jehovah; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope for thy latter end, saith Jehovah; and thy children shall come again to their own border.” This declaration from Jehovah, by a vivid personification, represents Rachel, the mother of three tribes, rising from her tomb to bewail their captivity as they are dragged away by the Assyrian tyrant. It is not meant to teach that the departed have a personal interest in those that are left behind them, and bewail their faults and calamities. It is the purpose of Matthew to show that if Rachel could be so personified in the first great disaster to her children it would be fulfilled again in this instance, and the comforting words are much more appropriate: “Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for they shall come again from the land of the enemy.”

Just how long Joseph, with Mary and the child, remained in Egypt, we do not know. But the angel who guided him comes again with these words: “Arise and take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead that sought the young child’s life.” We cannot help recalling a similar word to Moses, when he was recalled from Midian to Egypt “All the men are dead who sought thy life.” We cannot help being impressed with the guiding providence of God in protecting and caring for the child, and in the prompt and implicit obedience of Joseph to every admonition from the Lord.

This declaration, “They are dead that sought the young child’s life,” seems to be prophetic of all the future. Herod died in the horrors of madness, a rotting carcass. Jesus lived. In Act 12 his grandson Herod put to death James, the brother of John the apostle. But the chapter closes with this statement: “An angel of the Lord smote him, and he was eaten of worms and gave up his spirit, but the word of God grew and multiplied.” The apostate Roman emperor, Julian, who tried so hard to destroy the Christian religion and to falsify the prophecies concerning it, when he came to die is reported as saying, “Thou Galilean hast conquered.” Somewhat similar reports are made concerning the death of Tom Paine.

In any event, throughout all the ages of the Christian era the enemies of our Lord and of his kingdom have died and rotted, but the kingdom moved on conquering and to conquer.

And so it shall be until the words of the book of Revelation shall be fulfilled: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It is to this thought that Psa 2 speaks when it says: Why do the nations rage, And the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, Against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, And cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: The Lord will have them in derision. Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.

Those words are quoted by the apostles when they were forbidden to continue to preach in the name of Jesus.

THE RETURN TO NAZARETH AND THE PROPHECY THEREON It appears from the record that Joseph intended to return to Bethlehem, but was troubled to learn that Archelaus reigned instead of Herod over ldumea, Judea and Samaria, as ethnarch, according to the Roman confirmation of Herod’s will. He was as mean and as cruel as Herod, though much inferior in capacity. When he went to Rome to have himself confirmed as king, five hundred prominent Jews followed him to protest against his kingly rule. The Romans allowed him to remain as ethnarch for about nine years, and then removed him permanently and banished him for just cause. In the meantime the angel comes again to relieve the perplexity of Joseph, and directs him to his old home in Nazareth. And here Matthew again finds a fulfilment of prophecies “That it might be fulfilled that he should be called a Nazarene.” There is no one prophecy in the Old Testament which contains those words, but there are many prophecies that speak of him as being under reproach, and the title “Nazarene” was always held by the outside world as a reproach to his claim to the messiah-ship. It was even inscribed on the headboard of his cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” Nathanael said later, “Can any good come out of Nazareth?” And without destroying at all the sense of reproach in the name, the special prophecy to which Matthew refers might be Isa 11:1 : “And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit.” Here only a stump seems to be left of the ancient stock of Jesse and David, and the branch or shoot from the root is called nether. It is quite probable that the word “Nazarene” is derived from the same word, and as a proof of the reproach involved in the name, we have these words in Isa 53:1 : “Who hath believed our message and to whom hath the arm of Jehovah been revealed? For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of the dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and is one from whom men hide their faces; he was despised and we esteemed him not.”

So, whether we regard the term “Nazarene” as merely one of reproach, or whether we derive it etymologically from netzer, the thought is the same, and Matthew rightly construes the prophecy which so speaks of the Messiah.

Jesus lived at Nazareth and visited Jerusalem when twelve years of age (Luk 2:40-52 ). On this paragraph of Luke we observe:

The development of the childhood of Jesus: “And the child grew and waxed strong, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.” This is a clear proof of the humanity of our Lord. It shows the development of body, mind, and spirit.

The Law of Moses required all males to go up three times a year to Jerusalem to the great feasts. They did not scrupulously fulfil this law in their history, but even the Jews of the dispersion were accustomed at least to go up to the Passover Feast, and it is concerning attendance on this feast, which lasts a week, that our lesson speaks.

Jesus Twelve Years Old. Under the Jewish law the -child remained under the teaching of its mother till he was five years old, and then the responsibility passed to his father until he was twelve years old; and at twelve years of age he become what is called “a son of the law.” From this time forward the responsibility of his life rests upon himself more than upon his father or his mother.

It was every way appropriate, therefore, that when Jesus reached this critical period of his life that he should attend the Passover Feast, there to receive instruction not from father or mother, nor from the synagogue teacher, but from the great doctors of the law who held their school in the Temple itself. There were a number of illustrious Jewish doctors at this time in Jerusalem, including the great Hillel, and Gamaliel, the teacher of Paul. While there is no evidence that Jesus and Paul ever met face to face, yet they were about the same age, and Paul went from Tarsus, where he was born, to receive this rabbinical education in the famous Jerusalem schools. He says, “I was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel.” It was also about this time that the celebrated Philo, the Alexandrian Jew, was a pupil in this school of rabbis, though there is no evidence that he himself ever met Jesus face to face, Jesus being there only a short time.

That you may understand the story, there were at such a time as this, from every town and village in the land, pilgrims, grouped together, who would be marching up toward Jerusalem, singing the prescribed songs of the psalter. You will find them in the book of Psalms named, “The Songs of the Going Up.” It is easy to see, therefore, that when the parents started home, they would not notice the temporary absence of Jesus, supposing him to be in the great company. But when, at the end of a day’s journey, they missed him, and could hear nothing of him from any of the returning pilgrims, they themselves went back to Jerusalem to find him.

The record says, “And it came to pass, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions, and all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.” We have just noted in the first verse of this paragraph that Jesus not only grew in wisdom, but that the grace of God was upon him. Which not only means wisdom as applied to the development of the mind of ordinary persons, but a spiritual increase of wisdom through the grace of God resting on him. In a previous chapter we have noted that Christ could read and speak at least three languages, and that he, in his whole life up to this point, whether his mother, or Joseph, or the synagogue was his teacher, was learning the word of God and its meaning. The illumination given him by the Spirit would enable him to understand more than any of the great doctors who, according to their method, were catechizing him and allowing him to catechize them.

The lesson teaches that one taught of God is wiser than all who are taught of men. He himself later said that while Solomon was counted the wisest man in the world, he was greater in wisdom than Solomon. This is not the first instance on record where teachers have been instructed by their more enlightened pupils. It is related of the celebrated Dr. Blair, of Scotland, that his university teacher in theology was carried away with the wisdom of his answers. On one occasion, propounding three questions in Latin, which the student must off-hand answer in Latin, the last question was, Quid est caritas? (what is charity) and the reply came like the lightning flash, Ah, magister, id est raritas (ah master, that is rare).

It is to be deplored that great teachers of theology yield to a tendency to become mere professors, hair-splitting in their niceties of explanation, and gradually forgetting the spirit and power of all true theology. Never was this more noticeable than in the Sanhedrin, with its great Jewish doctors of the law. Only two of them are represented as becoming followers of Christ, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. The rest all perished in their learning.

You will recall how often I have emphasized the value of the catechetical form of instruction questions and counter questions. Nothing but my deafness has prevented me from resorting more to this method.

At this amazing juncture, the child instructing the doctors, Joseph and Mary came upon the scene, which astonishes them much, and with something of reproach his mother says, “Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I sought thee, sorrowing.” The answer of our Lord to his mother not only conveys a counter reproach, disclaiming Joseph as his father, but shows that he has reached a great epoch in his life, to whit: consciousness of his messiahship and the paramount claims of its duties over any earthly relations. His reply is “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be in my Father’s house?” When he says “my Father’s” house, he disclaims the paternity of Joseph, which Mary had at least assumed, or by a marginal rendering, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” It is indeed a pregnant reply, and discloses at least the following things:

(1) That at least now, if at no earlier date, there was a full consciousness in his own mind of his messianic mission.

(2) It is strange that his mother should not have, from the past remarkable events of his life, which she had kept in her heart, understood this, and that from this time on the voice of God must be higher than the voice of his mother in determining his movements and actions. I know that some claim that consciousness of messiahship did not come to him until his baptism, but when we come to interpret the history of that baptism, the proof will be submitted that the consciousness preceded that occasion.

This incident is named by the book, to which your attention has been called, The Sorrows of Mary, as the third sorrow of her heart first, the words of Simeon; second, the flight into Egypt; and third, the announcement that from this time on the path of the child must be away from the family.

(3) We know that his mother did not fully learn the lesson, for twice later she is rebuked by the Son who is her Lord. Once, at the marriage of Cana of Galilee, he says to her interference, “Woman, what have I to do with thee?” And still later, when the family learn that he was so absorbed in teaching and healing that he would not take time to eat, but his kinsfolk counted him mad, his mother and younger brothers came to call him off from his work, as it were under a writ of lunacy, and he replies, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” and resisted their interference with his messianic work.

Having thus stated the paramount law of his messiahship, the record says he went down to Nazareth with them and “was subject to them.” This subjection was another step like his circumcision and his presentation in the Temple in fulfilling to perfection all of the law. It shows that he venerated and observed the Fifth Commandment. In the later history we will consider other visits of our Lord to the Temple, and every time he comes into his Father’s house, his coming is signalized by mighty events.

Luke closes his paragraph by showing the development of his manhood, in these words: “Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” How few, as we have already learned, are the words of our historians concerning the greater part of the life of Christ. Let me repeat them to you again:

“And the child grew and waxed strong, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him” (Luk 2:40 ).

“He was subject to them” (Luk 2:51 ).

“And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luk 2:52 ).

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and he entered, as his custom was, into the Synagogue on the sabbath day” (Luk 4:16 ).

“Is not this the carpenter?” (Mar 6:3 ).

These, indeed, are few words, but they are mighty words. They show not only the physical, mental, and spiritual development of his childhood and his manhood, his observance of the Fifth Commandment in honoring his parents, his observance of the sabbath day in synagogue instruction, but his learning, as all Jews counted honorable, a trade. These were years of preparation thirty years of preparation in order that he might publicly labor three years. Only prepared men accomplish great things, and the greater the preparation the less need for long time in which to do great things. But our young people of the present day count wasted the time devoted to deep and thorough preparation for lifework. They are in haste to rush out, half equipped, for the strenuous battle of life.

QUESTIONS

1. In what two respects was the flight into Egypt connected with the Wise Men?

2. What little book is specially commended?

3. What of the contention of Delitzsch, concerning the plan of Matthew’s Gospel?

4. Cite some striking correspondences between Matthew and the Pentateuch.

5. What symbolism in Revelation finds its historic background in the flight into Egypt?

6. Into what new prominence in the family does the child Jesus now come?

7. What prophecy was fulfilled by the exodus from Egypt, and how do you prove that it was really prophetic?

8. Why do some critics discredit the historical character of Matthew’s account of the massacre of the babes in Bethlehem and your reply to the criticism?

9. What attention has this slaughter of the few babes in Bethlehem attracted in the after ages?

10. Mention one practical good at least that resulted from the murder of these children.

11. What was the prophecy in relation to this massacre, and how do you make it out to be prophetic?

12. What assurance was given to Joseph when the angel directed him to leave Egypt, and compare this with a similar statement to Moses in Midian?

13. How does this declaration, “They are dead that sought the young child’s life,” seem to be prophetic, and illustrate?

14. What danger would have occurred if Joseph had returned to Bethlehem?

15. What prophecy was fulfilled in the return to Nazareth?

16. In what two ways can you show that this would be a term of reproach?

17. What has Luke to say concerning the development of the child hood of Jesus at Nazareth?

18. How often were male Jews required to go up to Jerusalem?

19. How long was a mother responsible for the spiritual instruction of her child? How long the father? and at what age did the Jewish child become a son of the law?

20. What higher instruction was given at Jerusalem for those who were the sons of the law?

21. Cite some of the great Jewish rabbis who taught these sons of the law in the Temple.

22. Name two illustrious men who were under this instruction about the same time with Jesus.

23. When the Jews from the villages and towns of the Holy Land went up to Jerusalem, what hymns of the psalter did they sing on their pilgrimage?

24. How was Jesus qualified to astound the great rabbis in the Temple?

25. How many of the Sanhedrin became Christians?

26. What were the words of Mary to Jesus when she found him in the Temple with the doctors, and his reply?

27. What makes this a great epoch in the life of Jesus?

28. What were the words of Luke to show the development of Jesus into manhood?

29. Repeat again the five short passages that constitute the only story of the greater part of the life of Christ?

30. What do they show?

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Ver 13. Behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream ] Angels cannot enlighten the mind or powerfully incline the will (that is proper to the Holy Ghost to do), but as spirits and instruments of the Holy Ghost they can insinuate themselves into the fantasy (as here to Joseph), stir up fantasms of good things, propound truth to the mind, advise and persuade to it, as counsellors, and inwardly instigate, as it were, by speaking and doing after a spiritual manner, suggesting good thoughts as the apostate angels do evil. How often had we fallen had not these guardians hindered (as Michael opposed Satan, Jdg 1:9 ) by removing occasions, or casting in good instincts into us, either asleep or awake. a

Take the young child, and flee into Egypt ] Perhaps through that terrible and roaring wilderness of Arabia: Deu 8:15 however, this was a part of his passion; for, from his cratch to his cross, he suffered many a little death all his life long; and as it is said of that French king (Henry IV), that he had more wars than others ever saw, so our Saviour suffered more miseries than we ever heard of. Banished he was early, to bring back his banished to paradise, that is, above, their proper country; towards the which we groan and aspire, as often as we look towards heaven, waiting, as with outstretched necks, “for the manifestation of the sons of God,” , Rom 8:19 and saying with Sisera’s mother, “Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?”Jdg 5:28Jdg 5:28 ; “Make haste, my beloved, and be like a roe or a young hart upon the mountains of spices,” Son 8:14 ..

For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him ] The devil in Herod, Rev 12:4 . So Rev 2:10 ; “The devil shall cast some of you into prison,” &c. Is the devil become a justicer, to send men to prison? By his imps and instruments (such as Herod was, that abuse their authority) Satan exerciseth his malice against the saints, lending them his seven heads to plot, and his ten horns to push; but all in vain,Psa 2:5Psa 2:5 .

a Magnus est animus qui se Deo tradidit. Great is the mind who turns himself over to God. Senec.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

13 23. ] FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

13. . ] Arise and take with thee; not, ‘ When thou hast arisen ( in the morning ), take .’ The command was immediate; and Joseph made no delay. He must be understood, on account of below, as having arisen the same night and departed forthwith. The words are also used in Mat 2:20-21 , where no haste is necessarily implied. Egypt, as near , as a Roman province and independent of Herod , and much inhabited by Jews , was an easy and convenient refuge.

. is not a Hebraism, but pure Greek, implying the purpose . See Soph. Trach. 57, and Hermann’s note. Bernhardy, Syntax, p. 357, notices that it is rarely found in earlier Greek writers, but more common as we advance to the middle and later Attic. A few instances occur in Xenophon, more in Demosthenes, and abundance in after-writers. See on the usage, Winer, edn. 6, 44. 4. b.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mat 2:13-23 . Flight to Egypt, massacre in Bethlehem, return to Nazareth . These three stories have one aim. They indicate the omens which appear in beginnings omina principiis inesse solent (Ovid). The fortunes of Christianity foreshadowed in the experiences of the holy child: welcomed by Gentiles, evil entreated by Jews. “The real contents of these sections embody an ideal aim” (Schanz).

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mat 2:13-15 . Flight to Egypt .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mat 2:13 . : assuming that this is the correct reading, the flight to Egypt is represented as following close on the departure of the Magi; the historic present, vividly introducing one scene after another. A subjective state of anxiety is here also to be presumed. Whence arising we can only conjecture. Did the Magi give a hint, mentioning Herod’s name in a significant manner? Be that as it may, Joseph also gets the necessary direction. : Egypt near, friendly, and the refuge of Israel’s ancestors in days of old, if also their house of bondage. , take with a view to taking care of ( cf. Joh 1:11 , “His own received Him not,” ); benigne , Fritzsche : either generally, till I give thee further orders (Fritzsche); or till I tell thee to return (Meyer, Schanz); sense the same; the time of such new direction is left vague ( with sub.). : gives reason of the command. : Herod’s first purpose was to kill Mary’s child alone. He afterwards killed many to make sure of the one. The genitive of the infinitive to express purpose belongs to comparatively late Greek. It occurs constantly in the Sept [7] and in N. T.

[7] Septuagint.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 2:13

13Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.

Mat 2:13 “an angel of the Lord” See note at Mat 1:20.

“Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him” The folly of evil men can be clearly seen in their attempts to thwart the will of God.

SPECIAL TOPIC: DESTRUCTION (APOLLUMI)

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

were departed = had withdrawn or retired.

the angel. See note on Mat 1:20.

the LORD. Here denotes Jehovah. See App-98. Divine interposition was needed to defeat the designs of the enemy; and guidance was given only as and when needed. Compare: Mat 2:20, Mat 2:22. See App-23.

take = take with [thee].

will seek = is on the point of seeking.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

13-23.] FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mat 2:13. , rising) i.e. immediately.- , the child) Greater regard is paid to Him than to His mother.[95]- , …, until, etc.) Thus the faith of Joseph was exercised; all things were not revealed to him at once; he was to await the time of returning [till it should please God to direct him to do so]: nor did the angel speak to him in the meanwhile.-, Herod) of whom Joseph appears to have hoped well from the discourse of the Magi.

[95] And it is rather towards the name and kingdom of Christ, than towards any power external to Christ, that the world bears a grudge.-Vers. Germ.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Mat 2:13-15

4. THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT

Mat 2:13-15

13 An angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream.- When the wise men from the east had departed and were returning home, but not by way of Jerusalem as Herod had requested, “an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream.” It seems that immediately after the departure of the Magi the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream; though the wise men had withdrawn from the influence of Herod, the child was still in danger. The coming of Jesus into the world was attended by angels; angels sang to the shepherds peace on earth and good will to men when Jesus was born; an angel had announced to Mary that she would have a son; an angel had told Joseph to take Mary to wife; and now an angel is guarding the safety of the child. Herod is fighting against God; he is fighting a losing fight; God will take care of the child that is to be the Savior of the world. It does not mean that Joseph dreamed that an angel appeared to him, but that an angel actually presented himself to Joseph while he was asleep.

Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.-Joseph is given specific instruction by the angel; God always speaks to man so that man can understand. He is to “take the young child . . . and flee into Egypt”; the mother is to be taken with the child. Mary is as important now in caring for the child Jesus as she was in bringing him into the world; this was a very precious task imposed upon Joseph. The angel gave him a most precious charge when he told him to take care of the child and his mother; he also was exposed to great danger; he was to protect the child and his mother. God’s providence is exercised over the child; he would take care of the child, but this does not exclude Joseph; it rather places a responsibility on him, as God is to take care of the child through Joseph.

Egypt was at this time a Roman province and was well governed; its jurisdiction was beyond Herod’s authority; the family would be safe from the threatened destruction of Herod. The journey was probably seventyfive miles southwest from Bethlehem to the border, and a hundred miles more would take him into the heart of the country. Egypt was easy of access, and in earlier days it had been a place of refuge for fugitives from Judea. (1Ki 11:40; Jer 43:7.) There were many Jews in Egypt at this time. Alexander the Great, in building the city of Alexandria, had assigned a place to the Jews, granting them equal privileges with the Macedonians. In Egypt was made the greater part, probably the whole, of the famous translation of the Old Testament from Hebrew into Greek, which we have learned to call the Septuagint. Philo, in a treatise written about A.D. 40, says that the Jews in Egypt numbered about a million. It is probable that the gifts of the Magi aided in the support of Joseph and Mary as they journeyed to Egypt. Joseph received the instructions from the angel; everything was to be done under divine direction, and then it would be done simply and successfully. It was not necessary for Joseph to know the times and seasons, but he should obey God in going into Egypt.

Joseph was to remain in Egypt with the child and his mother until he received further instruction as to what he should do. Joseph is to commit himself and his ways unto God. God will direct him at the appointed time to come out of Egypt. We do not know to what town or village Joseph went in Egypt; it is not necessary to guess at the town. Some think that he went to Matareeh, a few miles northwest of Cairo. This was about 4 B.C., when Jesus was a few weeks old. Augustus Caesar was emperor of Rome; Herod the Great was king of Judea. Joseph was prompt in obeying God as he departed that night. The arrival of the Magi, their departure, and the flight of Joseph and Mary into Egypt were not known to the people of Bethlehem; all were done under the direction of Jehovah without any publicity. There were different roads that led through the desert into Egypt, but we are not told which route Joseph followed.

For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.-Joseph was told specifically why he should take the young child and his mother into Egypt; he was under the jurisdiction of Herod while in Bethlehem, and Herod could do what he willed while Joseph was under his authority; so Joseph is to take the child and his mother and get out from under Herod’s jurisdiction; this place was Egypt. When we think of the cruelty of Herod and his abominable character, we can realize the danger that Joseph and Mary were in. We read of deaths by strangulation, deaths by burning, deaths by getting cleft asunder, deaths by secret assassination, confessions forced by unutterable torture, acts of insolent and inhuman lust, all these mark the annals of the reign of Herod; we are not surprised that a Jewish writer would say of conditions that “the survivors during his lifetime were even more miserable than the sufferers.” Another has written of Herod that “it would he better to be his sow than to be his son.” Such presents a vivid picture of the bloodthirsty Herod who sought the life of the young child.

14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night.-It seems that Joseph left the same night that the angel visited him in a dream; he was prompt and faithful in his obedience, for he trusted fully in God. He probably left the same night, for there was need of great haste; Herod would not delay his vengeance when he learned that the wise men had returned another way. Mary and Joseph would not want to wait in the midst of such danger after such a warning. It was customary in the east, when one had to make a long journey, to start early in the morning, hours before daybreak. They could leave suddenly and unexpectedly in the night without danger of Herod’s discovering where they had gone, or even the fact of their leaving. Joseph and Mary begin to see that the high honor of being the earthly parent and protector of the child is freighted with great danger; every God-given honor is attended with great responsibility, sacrifice, and sorrow.

And departed into Egypt.-Egypt was an available place of refuge; it was far enough away to be out from under Herod’s jurisdiction; it was the nearest place of safe refuge; good roads led through the desert to their destination; they would find other Jews there with whom to associate. This flight to Egypt would have three purposes: the security of the child from his enemies; the showing of divine care and valuation of the holy child; and the making of his childhood’s suffering an antitype to the history of chosen Israel. God had imposed upon Mary and Joseph the task of protecting and rearing at all hazards this child; they promptly and cheerfully assumed the task to which God had called them and faithfully fulfilled their mission. Joseph and Mary are now in Egypt where the rage of Herod cannot pursue them.

And was there until the death of Herod.-We do not know how long Joseph and Mary remained in Egypt; it was until after the death of Herod; it is uncertain as to the time that they remained in Egypt. The death of Herod is supposed to have occurred on April 1, 4 B.C.; his death occurred at Jericho; he was nearly seventy years old; it was recorded that he was buried with great pomp at Herodium, which is close to Bethlehem in Judea. Archelaus, his son, was greeted as king, April 2. It is recorded that there was a riot and massacre of the Jews in the temple at the preparation of the Passover on April 10.

Out of Egypt did I call my son.-The prophet Hosea is quoted here, and it is applied by Matthew to Jesus. In Hosea the language is, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” (Hos 11:1.) In Joseph’s taking Mary and the child into Egypt at the command of God, and in his returning from Egypt at the command of God, this scripture was fulfilled. Joseph did not take the family into Egypt in order to fulfill the prophecy; neither can we say that God sent him into Egypt and called him out in order to fulfill this prophecy; but these incidents which occurred with the child Jesus, Matthew by inspiration says, fulfilled this prophecy. Joseph and the holy family going into Egypt and his returning with the family from Egypt were the antitypes of Israel’s entrance into Egypt and the departure from Egyptian bondage. It seems that Hosea referred to Israel’s exodus from the bondage of Egypt, not as a prophecy, but as a historical fact that took place many centuries before, and recounted there as proof of God’s love for Israel; but the record of Israel’s going into Egypt and returning from Egypt became a prophecy concerning the movement of the child Jesus. Both Israel and Joseph with his family went into Egypt at the command of God;both came out of Egypt at the command of God. Israel was figuratively called God’s son (Exo 4:22), and was considered by the Jews a type of the Messiah. As Israel in the childhood of the nation was called out of Egypt, so was Jesus. We may cite other resemblances in minute detail; his temptation of forty days in the desert resembles Israel’s temptation of forty years in the desert, which itself corresponded to the forty days spent by the spies. (Num 14:34.) In this way we can see how the historical statement of Hosea concerning Israel may also have been a prediction concerning the Messiah, as Matthew here declares it to be.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Chapter 4

Satans First Assault

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

(Mat 2:13-23)

From the beginning of time Satan has opposed his Creator. When God made known to his holy angels his intention to save sinful men by the blood and righteousness of Christ and thus to exalt manhood to the place of highest dominion over all creation, so that even the angels would be servants to chosen, redeemed sinners, Lucifer said, No I will not be servant to man. I will be like the Most High And he led one third of the heavenly host in rebellion against God and against the purpose of God. From the beginning of time Satan has been opposed to Christ and has attempted to nullify the purpose of God. And so it shall be until time shall be no more and the old serpent, the devil, is cast into the lake of fire.

In the passage of Scripture now before us the Holy Spirit describes Satans first assault against the incarnate Christ, his first attempt to destroy the Savior and keep him from accomplishing the redemption of his people. But there is no cause for alarm or fear. Though Satan goes about the earth as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, all his devices and plans are easily foiled by our omnipotent God. Our God is so infinitely and totally sovereign that he is not only beyond the reach of Satan and able to foil the old serpents plans; but he even makes Satans deeds and devices subservient to his own great purpose of grace, as we shall see in this passage.

The Narrative

Matthews narrative of the historical events here recorded are easily and quickly perceived by the most casual reader. Mat 2:13-15 describe our Saviors flight into Egypt with his parents. Being commanded by the angel of the Lord to do so, Joseph took the young child and his mother and fled into Egypt to escape the fury of Herod.

In Mat 2:16-18 Matthew describes Herods slaughter of the infants in the realm of Bethlehem. Many translations and editions of the Bible place a caption above this passage and call it the slaying of the innocents. But that is not accurate. Though babies are innocent of willful transgression and have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, they are far from innocent. All are born in sin and spiritual death (Psa 51:5; Rom 5:12). Adams transgression is imputed to all and his nature imparted to all, so that from infancy we are estranged from God (Psa 58:3) and full of enmity toward God (Rom 8:7).

In his fury and jealousy Herod gave command that every infant in Bethlehem two years old and under be slain. It is almost beyond conception that such an order could be given, much less carried out. Greater, more barbaric cruelty cannot be imagined. Yet, in our day thousands of mothers murder their unborn children in their own wombs, not to protect a crown like Herod, but to avoid the inconvenience of an unwanted child!

Mat 2:19-23 tell us of our Redeemers return from Egypt and settlement of his family in Nazareth. After Herod died, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and told him to return with his family from Egypt, which he did and settled in the little town of Nazareth, where our Lord was raised as the carpenters son.

Those are the historic events covered by these verses. But what do these verses teach us? What lessons do they unfold? What spiritual truths do they illustrate?

The Angels

The very first thing that confronts us in this passage is the ministry of the angels of God. Again and again in these first two chapters we are told, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph (Mat 1:20; Mat 2:13; Mat 2:19). In those days angels of God were frequently used by God to be special messengers of grace. I do not hesitate to avow that God does not speak to men today by angels. He has spoken and speaks to us by his Word. We need no other Word from him (2Pe 1:19-21).

But that does not at all imply that the angels of God are inactive, or that they no longer serve Gods elect. I do not pretend to know a great deal about angels. However, I do know that the angels of God reverently wait at the throne of God to do his will (Isa 6:2). They encamp round about Gods saints to protect them (Psa 34:7; 2Ki 6:17). The angels of God are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who shall be the heirs of salvation (Heb 1:14). They attend the worship of Gods saints and the preaching of the gospel with keen interest, hoping to learn from us the wonders of redeeming, saving grace and love (Eph 3:10-11). And the angels rejoice every time a sinner repents of his sin, trusting Christ as his Savior and Lord (Luk 15:10).

Inspiration

Second, these verses of Scripture stand as an irrefutable testimony to the inspiration and divine origin of the Bible. I am fully aware of the fact that many today and throughout history have given vague words of prophecy that might be fulfilled in many different ways. And foolish men and women are certain that the lying dreamers and fortunetellers are inspired of God. But Bible prophecies are not vague representations of what might be. Prophecy in the Bible gives names and details with such clarity that, when the prophecies have been fulfilled, they stand as irrefutable proofs that the Bible is of divine origin and is divinely inspired, as it claims to be.

Matthew, more than any of the other gospel writers, takes notice of the fulfilling of the Old Testament Scriptures by Christ. He does so because his gospel was the first to be published among the Jews, who held the Old Testament alone to be the Word of God. Everything he has told us thus far has been the unfolding of Old Testament prophecy. The birth of Christ at Bethlehem (Mat 2:6) fulfilled Mic 5:2. The flight of Joseph into Egypt with the young child and his mother was necessary for the fulfillment of Num 24:8 and Hos 11:1.

Matthew Henry wrote, It is no new thing for Gods sons to be in Egypt. They may be hid in Egypt, but they shall not be left there. Though often found in the strange land and house of bondage, at the time appointed they are fetched out by almighty grace. All Gods elect, being children of wrath by nature, were born in a spiritual Egypt. But in conversion they are called out by effectual power. Even so, as Israel was brought out of Egypt and highly honored, Christ Jesus was brought out of Egypt that he might be brought up to glory. Thus the Scriptures were fulfilled.

The slaughter of the infants by Herod fulfilled the words of Jer 31:15 (Mat 2:17-18). The fact that the Lord Jesus was raised in Nazareth as a Nazarene (Mat 2:23) fulfilled the universal consensus of the prophets that he would be despised and rejected of men. Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Perhaps reference is here made to Isa 11:1. The word Branch is Natzar, from which the word Nazareth comes, which means a shoot, or a sprout.

Being the divinely inspired, inerrant Word of God, the Bible alone is our rule of faith and practice (2Ti 3:16-17; Isa 8:20). Thus saith the Lord, is the standard by which all things in the church of God must be judged and determined. Believing men and women bow to the authority of Holy Scripture in all things. Our doctrine, the ordinances we observe, and the rules of conduct by which we live arise directly from the Book of God. We must neither add to the Scriptures by imposing upon Gods saints the customs of mens creeds, confessions, and opinions, nor take anything away from the Scriptures by refusing anything taught in them.

Enmity Against God

Third, Herod stands before us as an example of the enmity of mans heart against God and his opposition to Christ and his cause. The Lord Jesus came down from heaven to save poor sinners. What could be more noble and beneficial? But as soon as he came into the world Satan had Herod in place and inspired his heart with barbaric cruelty to seek the young child to destroy him.

Reprobate interpreters of history tell us that Christianity has been the cause of great cruelty and bloodshed. But if they were honest they would say, It has not been Christianity, but mans opposition to Christianity that has been the cause of great cruelty and bloodshed. Here are three things that we must never forget, or expect to change

1.The cross of Christ and the gospel of Gods free grace in him are an offence and stumbling block to unregenerate men (1Co 1:21-23; Gal 5:11).

While he was upon the earth, our Savior said, They hated me without a cause, and nothing has changed. The offense of the cross has not ceased. Men do not object to Christ being a Savior. The offense of the cross is that the gospel insists that Christ is the only Savior. Men do not object to Christ being a partial Savior. The offense of the cross is that the gospel declares that Christ alone is Savior.

The gospel of God, the gospel we believe runs in direct opposition to the religious world in which we live. The gospel of Gods free and sovereign grace in Christ is contrary to all the natural religious sentiments of all men. To all men by nature, to all lost, unregenerate men, religious or irreligious, the cross of Christ is an offense. It is not possible to make the gospel palatable to lost men. Every attempt to do so, of necessity, involves compromise. It is not possible to faithfully preach the message of salvation by Gods free and sovereign grace through the merits of Christs sin-atoning death and imputed righteousness without offending those who reject and deny it.

2.The great, powerful, influential men of this world, though they are almost always religious, are the foes, not the friends of righteousness. Josiahs are few. Herods are a legion.

3.The cause of Christ does not depend upon and must never seek the power and patronage of political figures and civil government.

It is written, Put not your trust in princes (Psa 146:3). It is common today, as it has been throughout history, for churches and religious leaders to seek approval and authority from political leaders and by civil law. While we are and should be happy to be free from the fear of political persecution, believers ought to quietly submit to civil authority and never seek to promote and build the church and kingdom of God by civil law (Rom 13:1-7). Let those whose god is such a pigmy, that he needs the laws and swords of men to give him power, do what they will, we are to do everything within our power to lead a quiet and peaceable life with all men (1Ti 2:1-2).

Divine Providence

Fourth, in all that is recorded in these verses we are again reminded of the sovereign rule and wondrous mystery of divine providence. Satan wanted the Christ child destroyed. So he moved Herod with the rage of petty jealousy to kill him. But God had other purposes and designs, which he used Herod to accomplish (Psa 76:10).

Herods wrath forced Joseph to flee with the young child and his mother into Egypt to fulfill Holy Scripture. Herods slaying of the infants in Bethlehem, his hell-inspired, hell-bent slaughter of babies, was the means of Gods mercy to those who were slaughtered, the means by which he brought multitudes of elect infants into glory.

Men often accuse those who believe the teaching of Holy Scripture with regard to election and predestination of teaching that babies go to hell. Such accusations are without foundation. I fully agree with C. H. Spurgeons comments on Mat 2:17-18.

Our Rachels still weep; but holy women who know the Lord Jesus, do not now say concerning their little ones that they are not. They know that their children are, and they know where they are, and they expect to meet them again in glory. Surely, if these women had but known, they might have been comforted by the fact, that though their little ones were slain, The Childrens Friend has escaped and still lives to be the Savior of all who die before committing actual transgression.

I will leave to the theologians to wrangle over their points of logical deduction and theological calculation. I simply tell you what I know. All Gods elect are saved and all babies dying as such are elect, chosen in eternal love, redeemed by precious blood, and saved by omnipotent, free grace. I cannot help thinking, How good it was of our God to keep these maliciously slaughtered children from ever experiencing personal sin. Robert Hawkers comments on this passage are excellent.

In relation to the infants themselves; they were only removed from the evil to come. Had they lived to old age, they would have lived to have seen the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, which the Lord Jesus so mournfully foretold, when they would have said, blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. If those sweet babes who died for Christ died also in Christ; were they not such as John heard a voice from heaven concerning, saying, blessed are the dead which die in the Lord (Rev 14:13)? And is it not said, precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Psa 116:15)? And may we not without violence to the words suppose, that these little ones of Christs fold, were among that holy army John saw on Mount Zion, when he said, I looked, and lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Zion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Fathers name written in their forehead (Rev 14:1-5)?

I do not mean to suggest that infants are not sinners. They are. We are all born in sin. As the sons and daughters of Adam, we all have his nature. But the Scriptures speak of small children as those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression (Rom 5:14). I certainly do not want you to think, as ignorant people often do, that the Lord took those children to make them angels! No! He took them to give them all the fulness of grace and glory with Christ, beloved of God, chosen by grace, redeemed by his precious blood, and born again by the power of his Spirit.

Three Reasons

Let me give you three reasons why I am confident that those children dying in infancy are saved by Gods grace. I mean by that that they are chosen, redeemed, sanctified, justified, and born of God.

1.Our God is good (Exo 34:5-6).

2.No child will ever go to hell and suffer the wrath of God because of the sins of its fathers. God does not send people to hell because of Adams transgressions, but because of their own (Eze 18:20).

3.The only example we have in Scripture of a childs death, with comment concerning its state after death, is that of Davids son. Davids words concerning his son assure us that he was completely confident the child went to glory when he died (2Sa 12:23).

Obedient Faith

Fifth, Joseph here stands before us as an example of the obedience of faith. When the angel of the Lord said to Joseph, Arise, take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, he did not pause to pack his bags, go on deputation to raise support, or solicit funds to make it possible for him to do what God commanded. He simply took his family to Egypt. When the angel of the Lord told him to return to the land of Israel, he returned. Matthew Poole wrote, True faith always produceth obedience to the precept of itThey indeed believe not the Scriptures to be the Word of God, who take no care to live up to the rule of life prescribed in them. Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it (Joh 2:5), conferring not with flesh and blood (Gal 1:15-16). The only thing that causes disobedience is unbelief. Precisely to the degree that we believe God we obey him.

Christs Humiliation

Sixth, this passage shows us a great example of the humiliation of our Lord Jesus Christ as our Mediator. When the Son of God lived on this earth he spent 30 of his 33 years in Nazareth, a small, obscure despised town in Galilee. No one lived in Nazareth except those who could not afford to live anywhere else. This is where the Son of God chose to reside. Let us learn from his example.

We must never seek great things for ourselves (Jer 45:5). It is not nearly as important as people imagine it is to have property, position, power, praise, and money. It is a very great sin to be covetous and proud. But it is no sin to be poor. As J. C. Ryle put it, It matters not so much what money we have, and where we live, as what we are in the sight of God. Where are we going when we die? Shall we live forever in heaven? These are the main things which we should attend.

The fact is great wealth is a great danger to any mans soul. Those who seek the riches of this world know not what they seek. They are likely to fill our hearts with pride and chain our affections to this world. Our Master said, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God! How hardy shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God? Seek not riches, but righteousness. Seek not money, but mercy. Seek not greatness, but grace.

Death

Seventh, we see in this passage that death is a great leveler. Herod was dead! Death enters the palace of kings just as it does the dens of paupers. None can resist its power. The murderer of helpless infants was himself helpless before the Lord God when the hour of his departure from this world had come. At the hour appointed, we too shall die. After death, we will stand before God in judgment. After judgment we will spend eternity somewhere, either in heaven, or in hell. Where will you spend eternity? Are you prepared to meet God? Am I? The only way to be accepted with the Holy Lord God is to be washed in Christs precious blood and robed in his perfect righteousness. For that, we must trust him. May God the Holy Spirit give us grace to Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

the angel: Mat 2:19, Mat 1:20, Act 5:19, Act 10:7, Act 10:22, Act 12:11, Heb 1:13, Heb 1:14

Arise: Mat 10:23, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14

until: Mat 2:19, Mat 2:20, Jos 3:13, Jos 3:17, Jos 4:10, Jos 4:18, Dan 3:25, Dan 3:26, Act 16:36

for: Mat 2:16, Exo 1:22, Exo 2:2, Exo 2:3, Job 33:15, Job 33:17, Act 7:19, Rev 12:4

Reciprocal: Gen 20:3 – a dream Gen 28:12 – he dreamed Gen 34:14 – uncircumcised Num 12:6 – a dream Jdg 7:9 – the same 1Sa 24:20 – I know well 1Ki 3:5 – in a dream 1Ki 11:17 – Hadad 2Ki 9:3 – and flee 2Ki 11:1 – and destroyed Job 12:21 – poureth Psa 22:9 – make me hope Psa 76:10 – remainder Dan 2:19 – in Mat 1:16 – Joseph Mat 18:10 – their Mat 21:38 – This Act 4:27 – both Act 12:19 – sought for him

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2:13

Verse 13. When they were departed indicates that the angel gave these instructlons to Joseph at the same time that he started the wise men on their journey homeward..

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Mat 2:13. The Magi may have communicated their suspicions or revelation (Mat 2:12) to Joseph, to whom as the head of the family the present revelation is made, in a dream, again.

Egypt, as near, as a Roman province and independent of Herod, and much inhabited by Jews, was an easy and convenient refuge (Alford). In Alexandria, its chief city, the Old Testament had been translated into Greek, and there the Jewish and Greek religions and systems of thought were brought into contact, resulting in the philosophy of Philo and his followers.

Until I tell thee, or, say to thee (what thou shalt do)

Will seek, more exactly, is about to seek.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Observe here, 1. Our Lord’s humiliation, by persecution in the very morning of his life; he was banished almost as soon as born. Flee into Egypt, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Ungrateful Herod! Was this entertainment for a Savior? What! raise the country upon Christ, as if a destroyer, rather than a Savior, had landed upon thy coasts! Oh! barbarous injustice! to deny a subject the protection of those laws under which he was born: the child of a beggar might claim that as his birthright, which was here denied to the Son of God.

Lord! how great an humiliation was this, not only to become an infant, but in thine infancy to be hurried up and down, and driven out of thine own land as a vagabond!

Observe, 2. How our Lord himself in a time of persecution flies for safety, who was able a thousand ways to have preserved himself from the danger: teaching us that in times of difficulty and danger, ’tis neither unwarrantable nor unbecoming to preserve our lives by flight; surely ’tis no shame for us to fly, when our Captian doth both practise it and command it also. Christ by his own example hath sanctified that state of life unto us, and by his command has made it lawful for us.

Observe, 3. The place which Christ flies unto for safety, and that is Egypt: an unlikely place, considered in itself; who could expect liberty in that house of bondage? But any place is good, if God sends us thither, and Christ be in our company. His presence can make Egypt itself not only safe, but delightful also.

Observe, 4. How readily Joseph complies with the divine command: instantly he arose, and took the young child, and fled. Faith gave wings to his obedience, and instantly vanquished all his fears, and afforded a fuller supply than all the treasures of the Arabian princes.

Teaching us, That when our direction is clear, our compliance is speedy. We cannot be too forward and expeditious in the execution of divine commands.

Observe, 5. Though Joseph at the divine command of God flies presently from Herod’s rage, yet he flies privately, by night, and prudently begins his journey when least notice should be taken of his motion:

Teaching us, That although we have never so many promises of safety and deliverance, yet we must not put God upon working miracles for our preservation, when it may be obtained in the use of means.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Mat 2:13. And when they were departed Probably very soon after; for Bethlehem being only about two hours journey from Jerusalem, no doubt Herod would have speedy intelligence of the motions of the wise men: the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child, &c. How watchful was the providence of God over this holy child and his righteous parents: while Joseph and Mary slept secure, enriched by the presents of the wise men, God watches for their safety, and makes them acquainted with the danger which hung over them. They are commanded to flee into Egypt, which was situated so near to Bethlehem, that they could easily arrive there in a few days. And the same divine providence also superintends and preserves all that have an eye thereto, and confide therein, and are Gods true people. Only they must obey his voice, and use the means he has appointed for their preservation. Even Jesus, the only begotten and beloved Son of the Father is not preserved without being taken into a foreign country. The command given by the angel to Joseph and Mary, to flee into Egypt, shows, that this vision happened before their return to Nazareth. For otherwise, it is much more probable they would have been ordered to flee into Syria, which was much nearer to Nazareth than Egypt; to which they could not have passed from thence without going through the very heart of Herods dominions, unless they had taken a very large circuit with great expense and danger. For Herod will seek the young child to destroy him Being alarmed by the extraordinary circumstances which had lately taken place, and fearing lest this child should, in time, be a formidable rival to his family. For when the wise men had come so far to pay their homage to a new-born prince, the several reports of what had lately happened would, upon this occasion, be revived; and the behaviour of two such celebrated persons as Simeon and Anna, on the presentation of Christ in the temple, which might at first be only taken notice of by a few pious persons, would, probably, be now reported to Herod, and must add to the alarm which the inquiry of the sages gave him. Respecting Egypt, to which the holy family was commanded to flee, we may here observe, that after the death of Antony and Cleopatra it became a Roman province, and many Jews fixed their abode there, who, speaking the Greek language, made use of the Greek version of the Scriptures, and had even a temple there, which Onias had built them. These circumstances, doubtless, would make the abode of Joseph and Mary in that country more comfortable to them than it otherwise would have been; yet it is natural to suppose, that this information and command from the angel would be a great trial of their faith. To say nothing of the concern it must give them to learn that the life of this divine child was threatened by so crafty, powerful, and bloody a prince as Herod. Joseph was but a carpenter, and therefore, we may suppose, in low circumstances; and Egypt was a strange land, and a land where, it is likely, he had few, if any, acquaintances, and no visible way of subsistence. But, no doubt, he was able to trust that God whose beloved Son was given him in charge, and who had appeared in so signal and manifest a manner for the redemption of his people, and for the childs protection.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

XIV.

FLIGHT INTO EGYPT AND SLAUGHTER OF THE

BETHLEHEM CHILDREN.

(Bethlehem and Road thence to Egypt, B. C. 4.)

aMATT. II. 13-18.

a13 Now when they were departed [The text favors the idea that the arrival and departure of the magi and the departure of Joseph for Egypt, all occurred in one night. If so, the people of Bethlehem knew nothing of these matters], behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise [this command calls for immediate departure] and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt [This land was ever the refuge of Israel when fleeing from famine and oppression. One hundred miles in a direct line from Bethlehem would carry Joseph well over the border of Egypt. Two hundred miles would bring him to the river Nile. In Egypt he would find friends, possibly acquaintances. There were at that time about one million Jews in the Nile valley. In Alexandria, a city of 300,000, from one-fifth to two-fifths of the population were Jews, two of the five wards being given over to them; and the Talmud describes how, in its great synagogue, all the men of like craft or trade sat together. Thus Joseph might there find fellow-craftsmen, as did Paul in Corinth– Act 18:3], and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. [Thus joy at the honor of the magi’s visit and worship gives place to terror at the wrath of Herod. The quiet days at Bethlehem are followed by a night of fear and flight. The parents of Jesus were experiencing those conflicting joys and sorrows which characterize the lives of all who have to do with Christ– Mar 10:30, 2Ti 3:12.] 14 And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt [What a criticism upon Israel when Egypt, the house of bondage, the seat of tyranny, the land of the immemorial enemies of God’s people, was regarded as a place of refuge from its ruler. Jesus was saved by flight. God invariably prefers the ordinary to the extraordinary means]; 15 and was there until the death of Herod [as Herod died soon after the flight to Egypt, the sojourn of the family of Jesus in that land must have been brief, for they returned after his death]: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord [the message is the Lord’s, the words and voice are the prophet’s] through the prophet [see Hos 11:1], saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son. [This prophecy, no doubt, had a primary reference to the Exodus, and was an echo of the words of Moses at Exo 4:22, Exo 4:23. In their type and antitype relationship the Old and New Testaments may be likened to the shell and kernel of a nut. Israel was Israel, and God’s Son, because it included in itself the yet unformed and unborn body which was later to be inhabited by the spirit of the Word or Son of God. The seed of Abraham was called out of Egypt, that the promised seed enveloped within it might have a body and nature prepared in the land of liberty, and not in that of bondage. Israel was the outer shell, and Christ the kernel, hence the double significance of the prophecy–the twice repeated movement of the nation and the Man.] 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked [the magi, no doubt, intended to return to Herod, and would have done so but for the dream, but when they failed to return, they seemed to Herod to have taken pleasure in deceiving him, and the very honesty of their conduct passed for the lowest depth of cunning] of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth [wroth at being made sport of, and doubly wroth because of the serious matter as to which they presumed to jest], and sent forth [murderers, suddenly], and slew [Thus early did persecution attend those associated with Christ ( Mat 10:24, Mat 10:25). This brutality was in keeping with [50] Herod’s character. Jealousy as to his authority led him to murder two high priests, his uncle Joseph, his wife, and three of his own sons, besides many other innocent persons. Fearing lest the people should rejoice at his departure, he summoned the leading citizens of all the cities of his realm, and, shutting them up in the circus grounds at Jericho, ordered his sister Salome and her husband to have them all put to death at the moment when he died, that the land might mourn at his death] all the male children that were in Bethlehem [As Bethlehem was not a large place, the number of martyrs could not have been large. It is variously estimated that from twelve to fifty were slain. Had the parents of Bethlehem known that Jesus was on the way to Egypt, they might have saved their own children by giving information as to the whereabouts of the right child; that is, if we may assume that they were being butchered], and in all the borders [Adjacent places; settlements or houses around Bethlehem. The present population of the town is fully five thousand; it was probably even larger in Christ’s time] thereof, from two years old and under [According to Jewish reckoning this would mean all children from birth up to between twelve and thirteen months old, all past one year old being counted as two years old], according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men. [That is, he used their date as a basis for his calculations. It is likely that six months had elapsed since the star appeared, and that Herod doubled the months to make doubly sure of destroying the rival claimant. Not knowing whether the child was born before or after the appearing of the star, he included all the children of that full year in which the star came.] 17 Then was fulfilled [ Mat 2:6, Mat 2:15, Mat 2:18 give us three different kinds of prophecy. The first is direct, and relates wholly to an event which was yet future; the second is a case where an act described is symbolic of another later and larger act; the last is a case where words describing one act may be taken as fitly and vividly describing another later act, though the acts [51] themselves may bear small resemblance. Matthew does not mean that Jeremiah predicted the slaughter at Bethlehem; but that his words, though spoken as to another occasion, were so chosen of the Spirit that they might be fitly applied to this latter occasion] that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet [ Jer 31:15], saying, 18 A voice was heard in Ramah [This word means “highland” or “hill.” The town lies six miles north of Jerusalem. It was the birthplace and burial-place of the prophet Samuel. It is also supposed to be the Aramathea of the New Testament. See Mat 27:57], Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children [Why these tearful mothers in Bethlehem? Because that which Christ escaped remained for his brethren, their children, to suffer. If he would escape death, all his brethren must die. But he died that all his brethren might live]; And she would not be comforted, because they are not. [The words here quoted were originally written concerning the Babylonian captivity ( Jer 31:15). Ramah was a town of Benjamin ( Jos 18:25). Jeremiah was carried thither in chains with the other captives, but was there released by the order of Nebuchadnezzar ( Jer 40:1, Jer 39:11, Jer 39:12). Here he saw the captives depart for Babylon, and heard the weeping of the poor who were left in the land ( Jer 39:10); hence the mention of Ramah as the place of lamentation. He represents Rachel weeping, because the Benjamites were descendants of Rachel, and, perhaps, because the tomb of Rachel was “in the border of Benjamin,” and not far away ( 1Sa 10:2). The image of the ancient mother of the tribe, rising from her tomb to weep, and refusing to be comforted because her children were not around her, is inimitably beautiful; and this image so strikingly portrayed the weeping in Bethlehem that Matthew adopts the words of the prophet, and says that they were here fulfilled. It was the fulfillment, not of a prediction, properly speaking, but of certain words spoken by the prophet.]

[FFG 49-52]

Fuente: McGarvey and Pendleton Commentaries (New Testament)

SOJOURN IN EGYPT

13-15. Now Joseph, a true, godly man, dreams. God talks to him in the stilly hours of his nightly slumber. It is a long way for Mary to ride a donkey, and carry the Babe in her lap. Fortunately, He is now a month old. Then there was a complete overland route from Canaan to Egypt through the Isthmus of Suez, which, a few years ago, has been cut through by a canal, one hundred miles long, one hundred yards wide, and thirty feet deep, at the cost of one hundred millions of dollars. I have several times crossed the track of Joseph and Mary, with Jesus, into Egypt. I was in the house now a Coptic church in Old Cairo, where they say the holy family spent the time in Egypt; also, under the great sycamore-tree, twenty miles from that house, where tradition says they tarried and rested. Hosea foresaw this event long centuries before it occurred, and wrote, Out of Egypt have I called My Son.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Mat 2:13-18. The Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents.While Mt. says Jesus was born before Herods death (how long before he does not say), Lk. suggests, by his reference to Quirinius, that it was after. But see Luk 2:1-3*.

Mat 2:15. Hos 11:1*. It looks as though Mt. made the incident fit the quotation, cf. Abbott, op. cit., p. 413. A second-century Jewish tradition speaks of Jesus working as a labourer in Egypt, and practising magic ere he returned to Palestine and proclaimed Himself a God. There were a million Jews in Egypt in the first century A.D.

In place of the slaughter of the Bethlehem children Lk. gives the story of the presentation in the Temple. The massacre is not narrated by Josephus, though he dwells on Herods crimes (cf. p. 609). It may be an echo of a Jewish legend about Abrahams escape from Nimrod, and also recalls the story of Pharaoh (Exo 1:15 to Exo 2:10).

Mat 2:17. Then was fulfilled: Mt. does not here say in order that; he will not attribute to Herod (or to Judas, Mat 27:9) a Divine purpose. See Jer 31:15*. The two years (Mat 2:16) suggests not that the Magi arrived two years after the Birth, but that the star appeared two years before it, and their quest had lasted so long.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

2:13 {2} And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

(2) Christ having just been born, begins to be crucified for us, both in himself, and also in his members.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

2. The prophecies about Egypt 2:13-18

Matthew continued to stress God’s predictions about and His protection of His Messiah to help his readers recognize Jesus as the promised King.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

For the second time in two chapters we read that an angel from the Lord appeared with a message for Joseph (cf. Mat 1:20). This indicates that the message had unusual importance.

The order of the words "the child and His mother" is unusual. Normally the parent would receive mention before the child. This order draws attention again to the centrality of Jesus in the narrative.

Egypt was a natural place of refuge at this time. Its border was just 75 miles from Bethlehem, though the nearest town was about 150 miles, and it provided escape from Herod’s hatred. Herod had no authority there. Furthermore, there was a large Jewish population there as well as a substitute for the Jerusalem temple. [Note: France, p. 79.]

Joseph learned that he was to remain in Egypt until God directed him elsewhere, not until Herod died. Again the sovereignty of God stands out.

"In obeying at once this command from God and the other commands that follow, Joseph’s righteousness (Mat 1:19) casts Herod’s wickedness in ever sharper relief." [Note: Kingsbury, p. 49.]

In many respects Jesus recapitulated Moses’ life and experiences. Moses had also been the target of the ruler of his day who sought to destroy him and all the other male Hebrew babies by ordering them slain (Exo 1:15-22). Matthew wanted his readers to see Jesus as a second Moses as well as the true Israel.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)