Five times from the end of Mathew 1 through the end of Mathew 2 we hear about Jesus in relation to fulfillment of prophecies. Three are about places – Bethlehem, Egypt, and Nazareth – tracing the arc of birthplace, refuge, and home in the early life of Jesus
It is remarkable how readily Jewish prophecies are understood to find fulfillment in the advent of Jesus. At the end of Chapter 1 we learn that the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of a prophecy from Isaiah 7. Toward the beginning of Chapter 2 the Chief Priests and Scribes are consulted by Herod, who himself appears knowledgeable of a predicted Jewish King, and they immediately note that the Scriptures foretold the birth of Messiah – the Christ – in Bethlehem, which is the second prophecy in this text.
The third reference to prophecy cites Hosea 1 – “out of Egypt I called my son.” He had once before called His son – Israel – out of Egypt through the blood of unblemished lambs, on a night when many firstborn boys were put to death, after Pharaoh had previously commanded the death of so many Hebrew male children. Now we learn that God will call his Son – Jesus – out of Egypt to eventually save his people by shedding his blood for the world, this after the slaughter, again, of so many Jewish children. Thus the fourth prophecy, predicting weeping among the comfortless mothers of the Hebrews whose sons had been murdered.
The conclusion of Matthew 2 tells us that Jesus will be called a Nazarene, as was prophesied. This became an important identifier for Jesus throughout the Gospels. He is “Jesus of Nazareth.” He is a man with a hometown, whose parents are recognizable, whose siblings are known. It was not a grand place, apparently: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asked Nathanael in John 1:46. But God chose Nazareth as his hometown.
Throughout this chapter, we see God ordering the affairs of His salvific plan by His word. He quietly guides the figures in the narrative through the prophets, through angels, through men, through dreams, in order to preserve the life of the Savior so he will live to die in God’s time and not before. The Magi are warned about communicating with Herod regarding the baby king. Joseph, as in Chapter 1, is three times given instructions that serve to guide the parents of Christ, to safety in Egypt, to a safe return to Israel, and then to Nazareth.
In each instance we find faithful people listening to God and obeying Him. The narratives are compressed, leaving the reader with the impression that each of these figures confidently obeyed what are sometimes outrageous commands. Marry the pregnant girl. Avoid the king who welcomed you. Flee to Egypt. Return to Israel, but avoid Judea. Return to Galilee. Faithfulness, despite looking foolish. And God confounded the world’s wise.
God doesn’t always speak in such ways, through clear-sounding prophecies and lucid dreams. But He did in this instance. The salvation of the world depended on it.
The third reference to prophecy cites Hosea 1 – “out of Egypt I called my son.” He had once before called His son – Israel – out of Egypt through the blood of unblemished lambs, on a night when many firstborn boys were put to death, after Pharaoh had previously commanded the death of so many Hebrew male children. Now we learn that God will call his Son – Jesus – out of Egypt to eventually save his people by shedding his blood for the world, this after the slaughter, again, of so many Jewish children. Thus the fourth prophecy, predicting weeping among the comfortless mothers of the Hebrews whose sons had been murdered.
The conclusion of Matthew 2 tells us that Jesus will be called a Nazarene, as was prophesied. This became an important identifier for Jesus throughout the Gospels. He is “Jesus of Nazareth.” He is a man with a hometown, whose parents are recognizable, whose siblings are known. It was not a grand place, apparently: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” asked Nathanael in John 1:46. But God chose Nazareth as his hometown.
Throughout this chapter, we see God ordering the affairs of His salvific plan by His word. He quietly guides the figures in the narrative through the prophets, through angels, through men, through dreams, in order to preserve the life of the Savior so he will live to die in God’s time and not before. The Magi are warned about communicating with Herod regarding the baby king. Joseph, as in Chapter 1, is three times given instructions that serve to guide the parents of Christ, to safety in Egypt, to a safe return to Israel, and then to Nazareth.
In each instance we find faithful people listening to God and obeying Him. The narratives are compressed, leaving the reader with the impression that each of these figures confidently obeyed what are sometimes outrageous commands. Marry the pregnant girl. Avoid the king who welcomed you. Flee to Egypt. Return to Israel, but avoid Judea. Return to Galilee. Faithfulness, despite looking foolish. And God confounded the world’s wise.
God doesn’t always speak in such ways, through clear-sounding prophecies and lucid dreams. But He did in this instance. The salvation of the world depended on it.
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