The final narrative the Gospel records give us in relation to Christ as a young child is filled with danger at every corner. In many ways, it reminds us of the exodus story, for we have another “Pharaoh” (Herod) who opposes the people of Israel (personified in Joseph, Mary and Jesus). Another edict is given to destroy the children, this time in Bethlehem. There is a departure from Egypt into the promised land, “the land of Israel” (vv20-21). And Jesus is the new Moses, supernaturally preserved so that He might bring His people out of bondage. The story is filled with peril, but none of it is a threat to the divine purpose, for nothing is hidden from divine eyes. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Pro 15:3).1
The action of these verses can be broken down into three sections (vv13-15, 16-18, 19-23). The action occurs in three locations: Egypt, Bethlehem and Nazareth. The action is guided by three dreams, all given to Joseph. Matthew has already related the details of two dreams, one given to Joseph for guidance and instruction (1:20ff.), and another given to the wise men for guidance and protection (2:12). The action centers around three fulfillments of Scripture, each of which concludes one of the sections. Two prophecies have already been highlighted by Matthew in relation to the Lord Jesus. One emphasized how He was born (Isa 7:14), the other where He was born (Mic 5:2). Now he presents three more. Matthew does not want us to miss the obvious: Jesus is the long-promised Messiah. Let us look, then, at the three sections of this final narrative.
The Flight to Egypt (vv13-15)
“And when they were departed [i.e., the wise men], 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” (vv13-14). The eyes of the Lord could see the intended evil in the soul of Herod, and so instructed Joseph to make the flight into Egypt. In Old Testament times, Egypt had served as a haven for other Israelites in political trouble (1Ki 11:40; 2Ki 25:26; Jer 26:21).2 At the time of Christ, many Jews lived in Egypt and Herod would have no jurisdiction over them there. It made sense to flee in that direction, so under the cover of darkness, Joseph and Mary made the trek, obedient to the message given by the angel of the Lord.
They remained 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). Matthew cites Hosea 11:1, a reference to Israel as “God’s son,” whom He called out of Egypt. The reality of Jesus as God’s Son is an important theme in Matthew (3:17; 4:3,6; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40,43,54), and he makes a wonderful connection here with Hosea’s prophecy. It was not long, however, before Herod realized what had happened. His eyes (and spies) were not as powerful as those of the Almighty.
Rachel’s Trail of Tears (vv16-18)
“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” (v16). Since Bethlehem is only about five miles from Jerusalem, Herod recognized rather quickly that the wise men were not going to return to him after all. In a rage, he took immediate action, and a bloodbath began in Bethlehem and beyond. The population of Bethlehem was not very large, probably no more than 1,000 people. But it would still mean the death of perhaps 20 innocent children.
Herod’s action reminded Matthew of another prophecy, this time from Jeremiah: “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” (vv17-18). Matthew sees a fulfillment of Jeremiah 31:15. Ramah was a town about five miles north of Jerusalem and where Rachel was likely buried (Gen 35:16-19). It was also the place through which God’s people were marched, having been captured by the Babylonian army as they traveled north from Jerusalem. “Concerning this event, Jeremiah envisioned in chapter 31 the mother of Israel, as if alive in her tomb, weeping for her children as they walked to captivity right before her eyes … Rachel’s tears – the tears of the exile – have reached their climax in the tears of the mothers of Bethlehem.”3
Since Matthew pointed us to Jeremiah 31, it might be helpful to look at its context and some of its contents. It is a chapter not only filled with tears but with hope. In the very next verse (16), the Lord tells His people, “Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears.” The One whose eyes see everything tells His people to dry theirs. Why? Because the people would “come again from the land of the enemy.” The Lord also promised, “And there is hope in thine end” (v17). By quoting from this chapter, Matthew wants us to see that the long trail of tears is finally over. The coming of Christ the King would bring hope for His sorrowing people and usher in a glorious new covenant (vv31-34).
But Matthew wants us to look to the Old Testament prophets one last time in our story.
Homecoming for the Nazarene (vv19-23)
“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 they4 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” (vv19-21). We are not told exactly where the young couple settled, but going back to Bethlehem seems the logical choice. Joseph might have wanted to remain there, a suitable residence for his royal Son.
Ironically, the person who dies in the story is not Herod’s target but Herod himself. History tells us that this Herod died in 4 B.C., with his son Archelaus replacing him. Archelaus proved to be no better in character than his father and he was deposed for misrule in A.D. 6. Obviously, his reputation was known even by Joseph: “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” (v22). Galilee was ruled by Herod Antipas and was more likely to be a safe place for the upbringing of the Messiah.5
Notice that each time Joseph was given directions he immediately obeyed. He did not question whether the dream was real or need an additional confirming dream to guide him. Such unhesitating obedience challenges us all. And the all-seeing eye of God proved to guide him once more. “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth6: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (v23). It can be immediately observed that no specific Old Testament prophecy states that Christ would be “called a Nazarene.” But notice an important difference in Matthew’s final reference to the fulfillment of Scripture.
Unlike the previous citations, which Matthew says were spoken by “the prophet” (singular), he refers here to that “which was spoken by the prophets” (plural). It is best, therefore, not to look for one specific reference to Christ being called a Nazarene (indeed, there is none). Rather, we should notice those prophecies which speak of Christ being despised and rejected, since Nazareth was a place looked down upon, indeed, repudiated. We recall Nathanael’s question, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (Joh 1:46). Therefore, prophecies come to mind which describe the Messiah as being “despised and rejected” (Isa 53:3), “despised of the people” (Psa 22:6) and hated “without a cause” (Psa 69:4). His homecoming to Nazareth, where Joseph and Mary were from, was hardly a big event to celebrate.We marvel at our humble and meek Savior! But again and again, the story of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, the promised Messiah, proved to be the fulfillment of Holy Scripture.
Our series ends with Christ in Nazareth. The incarnation brought Him from His throne in glory All the Way to Bethlehem. For a short time, He was in Egypt to fulfill Scripture, then in Nazareth for a few decades, hidden away in obscurity. His public ministry then began, and we find Him moving among the towns of Galilee, Judaea, and other areas of Israel, even Samaria. At last, we see Him in Jerusalem before a mob of people crying out for His blood. His journey did not stop in Bethlehem or Egypt or Nazareth or Galilee or Samaria or Gethsemane or even Jerusalem. We see Him outside that city’s gates hanging on a tree. The One who went All the Way to Bethlehem to be with us went All the Way to Calvary so that we might be with Him.
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.
2 R.T. France, Matthew: Tyndale New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1985), 86.
3 Douglas Sean O’Donnell, Matthew: All Authority in Heaven and on Earth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013), 54.
4 We might wonder who “they” are. David L. Turner, Matthew: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 97, sees this as a generalizing or allusive plural, referring only to Herod. An important individual may be described with the plural.
5 France, 88.
6 Luke omits the material from Matthew 2 in his account but includes the note about returning to Galilee and settling in Nazareth (Luk 2:39).
