Posts
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you 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 for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region 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."
- Matthew 2:13-23
Yesterday, we read that after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.'" Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you 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 for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son." We observe again the importance of dreams and messages at this time, the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, and the presence of angels. Joseph is a man who has already heard and listened and taken to heart such messages in keeping Mary as his wife, in protecting the Child. As Christ is born, we observe these gifts of the Spirit at work in the world to all those who are instrumental in the story, and even the signs of nature as indicative that all of creation participates in this birth. My study bible says that Egypt is where Israel once took refuge; as Joseph of the Old Testament once saved God's people by bringing them to Egypt (Genesis 39-47), now Christ's stepfather Joseph finds safety for the Savior in Egypt. It notes that it is probable that the gifts of the magi paid for this journey. Out of Egypt I called my Son refers first to Hosea 11:1, and the call of Israel being brought out of captivity. My study bible says that in the Old Testament, "son" can refer to the whole nation of Israel. Here, it says, Jesus fulfills this calling as the true Son of God by coming out of Egypt. Christ as fulfillment of the spiritual history of Israel is already embodying the "types" in the Old Testament.
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Again we see fulfilled the images from the history of Israel; Herod was prefigured by Pharaoh, who attempted to destroy the power of Israel by commanding the death of all the newborn Jewish boys (Exodus 1:16, 22).
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: "A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more." My study bible says here: "Jeremiah recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away to exile (Jeremiah 38:15). On their way to captivity, they passed Ramah, which was near Bethlehem, where Jacob's wife Rachel lay buried. In his prophecy, Jeremiah saw Rachel, even from the grave, moved with compassion for the fate that had befallen her descendants. Here Rachel is again weeping for her children, showing that the saints in heaven have awareness and compassion for those yet on earth. These slaughtered children are regarded as saints and martyrs in the Church and are known as the Holy Innocents. Just as Rachel was told that her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 38:16-17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt."
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead." Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. Again, a prophetic dream in which an angel appeared is given to Joseph in order to protect the Child. My study bible says that Herod the Great died in 4 BC. The date of Christ's birth on which our "AD" or (Anno Domini, Latin for "year of the Lord") calendar is based is off by four years.
Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he hard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And again a warning comes to Joseph in a dream. Archelaus, named here, was banished by Augustus Caesar for his cruelty, in AD 6. My study bible says that this cruelty was revealed as a warning to Joseph; hence, the detour to Nazareth of Galilee. Galilee was governed by another son of Herod the Great, called Herod Antipas, who will play a great role in the lives and deaths of both John the Baptist and Jesus.
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." This prophecy, according to my study bible, cannot be exactly identified. It has been taken as a reference to the rod (Hebrew neser) in Isaiah 11:1, and to the Nazirite (Hebrew Nazir) of Judges 13:5. It's possible that Matthew is alluding to passages in which the Messiah was despised, since Nazareth did not have a good reputation (see John 1:46).
In the story of Jesus, the wondrous continues to accompany His birth and His infanthood. His human "step-father" Joseph continues to be the protector who is able to hear the warnings given in dreams, the angel who appears to guide and protect this family. We don't get a lot of information about Mary in Matthew; instead, here the focus has been more on Joseph, that necessary protector for both Mary and Jesus. And despite the fact that all of creation participates in this birth, in this story (yesterday's reading was about the star that guided the wise men who came to worship Jesus), we also find in this plan the adversity between the "worldly" and the holy. Jesus is not born into a world of perfect human life. He's born into a world where power is abused and abused harshly. It's a world where foreigners sit on the thrones that rule Judea and the Jewish people here also in Galilee where they settle; but the most ruthless are those of the region of Judea, where Jesus was born in Bethlehem, making it impossible for the Child to continue there -- almost immediately so from His birth. So why, we have to ask, is this the story of God coming into the world in human form? It's a great mistake to equate somehow the "perfect life" (on our terms) with the work of God. This Savior or Redeemer comes into the world with a purpose, with a mission, and it's not to be welcomed by everyone, with perfect vision and the ability to receive messages of angels. There is hostility to the good in this world, hostility to what is holy. It comes in so many forms, as antagonism to peace, destruction of joy, vilifying good news. Jesus is here born into a struggle, even as an infant. It is a spiritual struggle in which He will grow as liberator, as One who has come to "set the captives free." All we can do is admire the beauty of this birth and its associations with the beautiful and the splendid, with the wise men who are guided by a star and also by dreams, with the wise Joseph and also Mary, so young but so full of the gifts of God and the knowledge she takes to heart. John the Baptist has been born to the pious Elizabeth and Zacharias, and we have heard also prophecy from the elderly who may depart in peace having seen the birth of the Savior to which they are enlightened (Simeon and Anna). Let us not forget the glory that shone around the shepherds in the field, giving them the good news that absolutely had to be shared, inviting them also to participate in the scene of this birth in Bethlehem. Jesus brings into the world joy and beauty, wondrous prophecy, spontaneous song and poetry, and this good news is shared with those who can accept it and who will be a part of it coming and growing in the world. But we still have the "worldly business" of power, of ruthlessness and expediency, of opportunism, of every struggle we face in ourselves between our own selfish or "worldly" motives and the voice that calls us with a message to take a different route. He has been born into this world to give us everything, and a pouring out of the Spirit upon all, every single one of us. How do we receive it? How does this struggle continue, mirrored in the world around us? How is His peace and joy a part of our lives in the midst of it all? How does His joy infuse even the worst of times in the place of the heart, with Him? Can we hear the good news, even midst the bad?
