Christmas 1 Series A

Christmas 1 Series A 

  

Isaiah 63:7–14

Galatians 4:4–7

Matthew 2:13–23

The Lord Jesus Undergoes a New Exodus in Order to Save His People from Their Sins

O God, our Maker and Redeemer, You wonderfully created us aAnd in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously resorted our human nature. Grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us.  

Herod’s efforts to destroy the little Lord Jesus anticipate the cross for which He was born. In response to Herod’s edict, Joseph must “take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt” (Matthew 2:13). But the Lord does not abandon the holy family there. He brings about salvation for all people, just as He “had spoken by the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:15). With might and strength, God accompanies His people, causing “his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses” (Isaiah 63:12). Now through Jesus, even our afflictions are borne by Christ on the cross. “He redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them” (Isaiah 63:9). All of this is accomplished by God’s might so that we, too, are claimed as members of His family. For we “receive adoption as sons” in the only-begotten Son, Christ Jesus, even as He became like us by His conception and birth of the woman. Thus redeemed by Christ, no longer slaves of sin and death but beloved children and heirs of God, we pray in Jesus’ name: “Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4:4–6).

-Matthew 2:13-23

The Flight into Egypt 

Matthew 2:13

Ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ’ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων• Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι• μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό.  

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

Matthew 2:14

ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, 

And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt

Matthew 2:15

καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου• ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος• Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. 

and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."

Herod Kills the Children 

Matthew 2:16 

Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων.

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

Matthew 2:17

τότε ἐπληρώθη τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ Ἰερεμίου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος• 

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

Matthew 2:18 

 Φωνὴ ἐν Ῥαμὰ ἠκούσθη, κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὀδυρμὸς πολύς• Ῥαχὴλ κλαίουσα τὰ τέκνα αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἤθελεν παρακληθῆναι ὅτι οὐκ εἰσίν.

"A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." 

Return to Nazareth 

Matthew 2:19 

Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ Ἡρῴδου ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ’ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ 

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Matthew 2:20

λέγων• Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ πορεύου εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ, τεθνήκασιν γὰρ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ παιδίου. 

saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

Matthew 2:21

ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ.  

And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

The prophet Hosea {11:1} reminds us, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”` Originally God called the nation of Israel out Egypt in the time of Moses.  But Matthew, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit apples it also to Jesus. Matthew sees the history of Israel (God’s son) condensed in the life of Jesus (God’s unique Son)  Just as Israel as an infant nation wend down into Egypt, so the child Jesus went there. And as Israel was led by God out of Egypt, so also was Jesus.

Matthew 2:22

ἀκούσας δὲ ὅτι Ἀρχέλαος βασιλεύει τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἀντὶ [h]τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ἡρῴδου ἐφοβήθη ἐκεῖ ἀπελθεῖν• χρηματισθεὶς δὲ κατ’ ὄναρ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη τῆς Γαλιλαίας, 

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.

Matthew 2:23

καὶ ἐλθὼν κατῴκησεν εἰς πόλιν λεγομένην Ναζαρέτ, ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν ὅτι Ναζωραῖος κληθήσεται. 

And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. -

A true friend of children is one who...

1. Is open to God's guidance - v13, Vv.19-20 

2. Is aware of the worlds threats - V.21 

3. Immediately obeys God - V.14

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software

Image Schnorr von Carolsfeld woodcuts “The Flight into Egypt” © WELS For personal or congregational use