Sermon Cloud

Intro/Opening: Often as we experience everyday life in this world fail to see the reality of God’s hand in our lives. But there are really two worlds in which we live. The one we see and handle and touch every day, the other is so often imperceptible. 

The great reality that there is an eternal, infinite, holy, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent God active in the events of the world and in our own lives can be lost. 

But it is this world that is paraded before us as we gaze through the window of the Word, where we see God’s sovereign hand working in the lives of ordinary people. 

So it is with Joseph and Mary - an ordinary Jewish couple simply living their lives in faithfulness to God, but have now been swept up into the great drama of God’s redemption, as the Son of God has now come to dwell among men. 

And we too have been swept up with them as we the great glory and wonder of God’s sovereign hand over history and individuals as He set the stage to reveal the hope of all men - the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And it has been the intention of Matthew, by the Holy Spirit, to lay proof upon proof that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah who “will save His people from their sins.” 

And so in our passage this morning (2:13-23) Matthew accounts for us God’s protection of the Child despite opposition from a wicked king. The narrative is divided up in to 3 sections (2:13-15; 16-18; 19-23), each punctuated with the fulfillment formula, by which he continues to establish Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the OT portrait of Messiah through Gods sovereign direction over every detail surrounding the Child’s life, just as was spoken beforehand through the prophets. 

3 Vindications of the Messiah that builds confidence in Him. 

(1) Vindicated through Sovereign Protection; 

(2) Vindicated through Human Misery; 

(3) Vindicated through Cultural Identity 

Read: Matthew 2:13-23.

I. Vindicated through Sovereign Protection. (13-15). 

(13) “Now when they had gone …” - that is the Magi having found the Child and offered their gifts of worship and left Joseph and Mary, surely in wonder at all the events that have taken place in their lives. 

“Behold, and angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream …” - Joseph was probably getting used to this by now; it was God’s chosen method of communicating with all those involved in this unfolding drama of the King’s birth (1:20; 2:12, 13, 19, 22). (Going to sleep must have been filled with anticipation about what he was going to dream that night)!

But Why?  “for Herod seeks the Child to destroy Him” - He now exposes the evil intent of King Herod, which he had all along. What a contrast with the Magi. And here we are confronted with the great ironies that surround Person of Christ. The Magi sought the Child to worship, Herod sought to destroy. One was seeking God’s kingdom, the other was seeking his own.

This is one of the saddest and most tragic ironies that exist. That those who hate Christ; those who seek to destroy Christ and the testimony of Him are seeking to destroy the very truth that can bring them into eternal felicity and fellowship with God.

Herod is only months away from death himself; only months away from standing in the presence of God Almighty to give an account of his life; he is only months from entering into eternity. And here, right before His very eyes is the very one whom he will meet in judgement; the very One who came so that he might be saved from judgment. God even sent him the Magi as a witness.  

The One he is seeking to destroy is the One who will soon destroy him. Salvation is right under his nose, right before his eyes, but rather than humble himself and worship, he seeks to kill the very One that can deliver His soul from eternal death and destruction. 

Nonetheless, Herod is seeking to destroy Him, so Joseph is told to “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt” - (notice what meticulous care Matthew takes to preserve the nature of Christ’s birth - it was “Mary the Child’s mother” not “Mary and your child”).

You may ask yourself the question, “Why Egypt?” Even here we see the wisdom of God. 

Egypt was outside of Herod’s domain and the ancient historian Philo records that there were approximately 1 million Jews in Egypt in 40 AD - so we can assume approximately that same number at the time their flight. Jewish presence in Egypt was not a new development. Since the time of Alexander the Great Jews were welcomed into the land, and as late 150 BC we learn that a Jewish temple was even built to accommodate the growing Jewish population. 

We can assume, then that it would be fairly easy for them to assimilate, and even very likely that they had friends or family to stay with. Either way, we see God’s sovereign care for them in both the warning an the recent provision for the trip gained through the gifts of the Magi.

Nothing happened outside God’s sovereign hand. Eventually the wicked would have their way and Jesus would be crucified, but only on God’s schedule and according to Scripture (cf. 26:54-56; John 12:27). Right now is not the time. Despite the rage of Herod God’s plan was never in jeopardy. 

And just let me note that you can be assured that His plan is not in jeopardy now! God is in sovereign control His creation. The accomplishment of His will among the nations and in our lives is never in question! We are simply to trust and obey. 

“so Joseph rose and took the Child …”

What does Joseph do? He obeys, as always. God speaks and he acts. As already noted Joseph was a righteous man, one already accustomed to obeying the command of God. Same verbs used in command are used to describe Joseph’s action. His righteousness and faith were validated by his obedience. 

“Get up … take … flee … remain” - “got up … took … left … remained” (2:13-15)

So, with the Child and His mother in tow Joseph traveled the approximately 75 mi to the border of Egypt and then who knows how much further after that. And he left at night, which suggest the immediacy with which he obeyed. And probably the need for secrecy. 

But whatever ever his reasoning, there was a greater reality his flight gives testimony to: 

(15b) “This was to fulfill … out of Egypt I called My son” - the key to 2:13-15. Why did Matthew record this event? To vindicate the Person of Christ through God’s sovereign protection, through the flight to Egypt.

This quote is taken from Hosea 11:1, in which Hosea makes reference to God’s calling Israel (His son) out of the land of Egypt in the Exodus.

The question is, “How does Matthew apply this to the Messiah?” 

The problem is that the context of Hosea does not suggest any messianic application, nor was it understood that way by the Jewish leaders. But remember that Matthew is writing to a group of Jews - some believers some not - in order to vindicate Christ as the Messiah and particularly by the fact that He fulfills OT prophecy. 

The NT applies the OT prophecy in several ways: 

(1) Literal Prophecy / Literal fulfillment (Matt. 2:5-6; Micah 5:2)

(2) Literal Event / Typical Fulfillment (Matt. 2:15; Hosea 11:1)

(3) Literal Prophecy / Plus application (Matt. 2:17-18; Jer. 31:15)

(4) Summation (Matt. 2:23). 

It is the second of these we see being employed by Matthew in 2:15, as he applies Hos. 11:1 to this even in Messiah’s life, yet, had a future event that would complete its significance. First, Hosea is picking up on the Father/son relationship that exist between God and Israel established as God declared in Ex. 4:22-23, “Israel is My son, My firstborn” - 

So Matthew recognizes the corporate identity between the Messiah and the nation herself. So that the experience of Israel becomes, in many ways, a parallel to the Person of the Messiah.  (A correspondence by analogy). (cf. Num. 24:8-9/Gen. 49:9).

It has even been suggested that since the Christ in His humanity would come from Israel, that in a very real sense when Israel was called out of Egypt, Christ was called out also. 

In our current passage the connection goes: (1) Pharaoh tried to destroy Israel/Herod sought to destroy Christ, (2) God directly and actively intervened to protect His people/God directly intervened to protect Christ, (3) the Messiah and the promise was to come through Israel/Christ is the fulfillment of that promise.

But it goes even further: (as the context of Hosea suggest) (4) Israel was delivered from human oppression but, because of sin, ultimately failed to be what God intended her to be. The Messiah, the true Son, would also be delivered from human attack, but He would not would not fail to perfectly obey God’s will.  

Israel failed to be the obedient son, but the Messiah would not (3:17; 4:1-11) - now Christ the obedient Son would now be the light to the nations (4:12-16). 

This is why we can have confidence in Him as Savior, the promised One, the acceptable sacrifice who perfectly accomplished God’s will for the salvation of His people. The nation failed because of sin; He was without sin and this is why we can confidently stand on an alien righteousness - that is we are made acceptable to God based on His righteousness and not our own. Humanity failed - despite all her privileges. Sinless humanity united with full Deity did not and could not fail. 

II. Vindicated through Human Misery. (16-18).

(2:16) “When Herod saw ….” - probably all took place in about 1 week. 

“mocked”  - “tricked” NASB ESV NET RSV; “outwitted” NIV NLT; “fooled” NJB; “deceived” NKJV NAB; “mocked” ASV KJV.

Other uses: 

Same term is translated “mocked” later, in prophetic look at to the mistreatment of Christ (20:19; cf. 27:19, 31 what they did to Christ by placing a crown of thorns on His head and taunting Him; 27:41 describes the ridicule of the chief priests, scribes, and elders [same group from 2:4]). 

In either case, Herod’s perception of the Magi’s action was that they intentionally fooled him, which is the point.  

In his eyes he was “mocked” in that his wisdom and authority were overruled; his control over the Magi and the birth of Christ were shown to be deficient. He took it personally!

Herod, feeling humiliated before others was “greatly angered and sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and all its vicinity from two years old and under” - the man was utterly ruled by jealousy and the anxiety any threat to his power (a miserable life). 

Were not sure how many were actually slaughtered by this despot - most likely the number of children murdered was between 15-25 (not thousands). 

Because the murder is not recorded in Josephus some have argued that Matthew is simply making it up to make a point. 

As noted earlier it was completely in line with the known character of Herod. And with all his other atrocities, this was hardly enough to warrant special mention. 

Also, Matthew was writing within 50-60 years of the event, when most who witnessed it would still be alive. Surely it would be foolish and counter productive to lie. 

Why “two years old and under”?

The chronology of the account suggest that the Lord was in all probability only around a year - barely walking and completely dependent upon the care of Joseph and Mary. Helpless, yet under the sovereign protection of the Father. 

As noted last week, Herod had already murdered a wife and three sons (one just 5 days before his death) - out of fear they were a threat to his throne. Most likely in an unbridled rage and keeping in step with his known cruelty - he simply added on time in order to make sure that no one was accidently missed. 

But there was more to it than this: “fulfill the word through Jeremiah” - Again, Matthew punctuates the narrative with the main point. (3^rd type - literal/application/or, type).

Taken from Jeremiah 31:15. 

Interestingly, the context of the “lamentation and weeping” in Jeremiah is the loss of the children through deportation (“they will return from the land of the enemy” 31:16). 

Judah was soon (if not already) to be deported to Babylon (Nebu. Had already launched his attacks [605, 597], the final blow [587] was soon to take place).

“Ramah” - located about about 5mi. N. Of Jerusalem - thus about 10mi away from Bethlehem “is [most likely] singled out by the prophet because it was at this town that those to be taken away [to Babylon, 587] were assembled (Jer. 40:1) [and where the mothers of those children to be taken away wept for them].”

Why “Rachel” - According to Gen. 35:16, 19 Rachel was buried on the way to Bethlehem - and Ramah was a traditional sight of her grave. Thus, “Rachel is weeping” is meant as a personification of the land where she, wife of the Patriarch through whom the promise of Abraham was continued, was buried and thus the land was thus identified with her. 

Rachel is the mother of the children in whose land both the people were detained awaiting the Babylonian exile, and the massacre of the children by Herod - she is poetically pictured as rising from her grave to weep (once again) for the destruction of her children. 

The history of the nation is intertwined with the Person of the Messiah - to the Jewish mind everything in the history of the Jews had religious significance. 

With this in mind, the history of the people from the exile to the promise of future blessing, all of which is centered on the Messiah, becomes a beautifully rich and consistent picture of God’s foreshadowing the life and of the Messiah. The shadows of Israel’s history are now actualized in the Person of the Messiah. 

But the message of Jeremiah 31 is also a message of ultimate hope and deliverance for His people. (*31-34). 

A hope and deliverance that would ultimately be realized in the coming, dying, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  

Thus, as the women wept for their children as the nation went into exile for her sin, so now the mother’s weep once again at the presence of the One who will deliver them from their true bondage to sin. In both events there is pain, and in both the hope of deliverance. “In both cases God will overrule the nations’ sorrow for her ultimate joy.” (Feinberg).

But some may ask, “Why did it have to happen this way? If God is sovereign, couldn’t He have prevented it?” (Theodicy). 

We have no right to ask this question in that way (accusing, setting ourselves up as judge of God’s action [Rom. 9:20])! No one involved is innocent (spiritually) before God. And He can do nothing that is not perfectly just - whether we understand it or not. (Why does He prevent it from happening more?)

In just a matter of time it will be the Lord Jesus weeping over Jerusalem for her rejection of Him (23:37-39). 

But the day will come, even as the passage in Jeremiah looks forward to, when the weeping will end. Right now there is pain, in the future, through the gospel, there is deliverance. 

Now, the mothers weep for their children because of Herod’s violence; soon Mary and others will be weeping over the incarnate Son of God, who though sinless and truly innocent is hung on a tree as a curse, crucified for her own sin and the sin of His people. 

God, so often does not spare His own from pain - but then neither did He spare Himself, and that for our sin. (Rom. 5:8). 

III. Vindicated through Cultural Identity. (19-23). 

(2:19) “Behold an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream” again, God’s sovereign hand of protection (cf. Lk. 13:31-33; John 11:9)

(2:22) “Archelaus” - son of Herod. Is noted for retaining the cruelty of his father. 

Let’s give him a little background. After Herod’s execution of Judas and Matthais (rabbis who removed the eagle Herod placed above the gate at the entrance into the temple) by burning them alive - the people of Jerusalem rebelled. 

Archelaus - marked by the same jealous fury of his father - is reported to have quenched the rebellion, descending on the city of Jerusalem with foot soldiers who marched in the temple area on foot and calvary stationed outside who killed all who ran to escape. By the end of the day over 3,000 Jews, including pilgrims who were there only for the feast of unleavened bread, were slaughtered by the murderous despot. It is estimated that as many as 1 million Jews were present in Jerusalem - you can only imagine the confusion and carnage. 

The barberry of Arhelaus went even beyond this event, and he proved to be such a cruel and incompetent ruler that Emperor Augustus had him removed by 6 AD and distributed his territory among 3 governors, of which Pontius Pilate is the most well known in biblical history. 

“Galilee” is still in the territory of Israel. God first gave the general then the specific. A land N. of Jerusalem. 

“He shall be called a Nazarene” - Where is Matthew getting this from? There is no specific OT prophecy connecting the Messiah to Nazareth. 

Some suggestions: 

(1) The Hebrew letters for name Nazareth, along with the known alternate spellings, bear the meaning of “branch,” and so in accordance Messianic expectation of the Jews, Matthew is linking Him with the well accepted Messianic text of Is. 11:1, as the “a shoot will spring from the branch of Jesse.” However, one has to do a lot of work to get there and the connections made are doubtful. And it does not fit Matthew’s language. 

(2) Another suggest that the designation Nazareth is meant to link him to the Nazarite vow. However, this to is a stretch that it is hard to fit into Matthew’s language, there is no indication of Jesus ever taking any such vow, and is hard to see how anyone reading the gospels would have come to this conclusion. 

(3) Best is to understand Matthew as referring to the ignoble reputation of Nazareth. 

This is hinted at in the language introducing the prophecy. Note this is the first case of Matthew using plural “prophets,” rather than the singular, “prophet.” This indicates it is not a specific prophecy but a summation of various prophecies by various prophets. 

“The verse should be translated as follows: ‘And having gone, he dwelt in a city called Nazareth in order that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets, because he shall be called a Nazarene.’” (Kent).

It is suggested that Nazareth may have consisted of no more than 500 people at the time. Interestingly, it is not mentioned anywhere in the OT, Josephus, or the Talmud. It was a small insignificant town located about 55 N. of Jerusalem, at about 1200 ft above sea level midway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. 

Though the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, one of the largest in Israel, now stands there. And today it is estimated about 20-25k people live there. 

Broadus describes it as a beautiful town that was nonetheless full of a ruthless element (thus Nathanal’s words in John 1:46; Acts 24:5 “sect of the Nazarenes”), and the despising of His being identified with that place. 

“The town was in an elevated basin, about one and half miles across, and was inhabited largely by people noted for their crude and violent ways. The term Nazarene had long been a term of derision, used to describe any person who was rough and rude.” (MacArthur). 

Also, the rejection of Him as Messiah once His Person and mission were announced (cf. Lk. 4:29), all paint a rather unimpressive and rough sort of people. 

And from there we have very little information concerning the early years and childhood of the incarnate Son of God. Though prudence and wisdom has not kept the curiosity of some in check and so many false gospel accounts, of the most absurd nature, and were soundly rejected by the early church. 

Luke tells us that He “grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with both God and men.” Also, we learn of His visit to the temple at the tender age of 12 when we are told that He amazed the learned rabbis with the insight of His questions to them. We learn also from this incident that He was keenly aware of His true linage and could also surmise of His mission. 

“Considering what loving care watched over Jewish child-life, tenderly marking  by not fewer than eight designations the various states of its development, and the deep interest naturally attaching to the early life of the Messiah, that silence, in contrast to the almost blasphemous absurdities of the Apocryphal Gospels, teaches us once more, and most impressively, that the Gospels furnish a history of the Savior, not a biography of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Edersheim). 

This is well said, and indeed true. The One we encounter in the gospels and on the pages of Scripture, while Wonderful and full of mystery, is not just a great man of whom biographies are to be read, enjoyed and then passes along as accounts of an interesting life. 

But we encounter the God in human flesh, who came to be a point of interest, but to “save His people from their sins”; to reveal God; and to fulfill all the prophets and the nation of Israel herself portrayed. 

He was and is a Savior, who is Lord. Yet, in all the grace of His coming and opportunity of mercy that mark His first advent, it is yet received only by those who recognize their deep sin and poverty of spirit. He is a Savior who is also Lord, and so whose salvation comes to the one who believes and approaches on bended knee. He is to be both loved and obeyed - these being two expression for one unified and saving faith.

 He comes with endless grace drawn from the fountain of eternal life; and also with the sickle of judgment ready to cut down all who reject. And it to the latter aspect of His mission that will next be introduced by John the Baptist, who himself was sent to introduce the Savior to the world. 

Boice ends the chapter well by bringing out the implications of Ps. 2.

Herod pictures the kings of the world’s rage against the Lord’s Anointed, but in vain, and foolishly. The King Herod hates, will soon be his Judge. Better to submit that rebel. 

However, “The rulers the world rage against Christ. But why should you? The hands he holds forth for you to kiss are hands that were pierced by nails when he was crucified in your place. One day he is coming as the great Judge of all. On that day the wicked will be punished, but today is the day of his grace. He invites you to come to him … It is a reminder that the only refuge fro the wrath of God is God’s mercy unfolded at the cross of Jesus Christ.” (Boice). 

*Come, sinner, and drink from the fountain of eternal life, before you are swept away in the unescapable currents in the flood of judgment. 

*Christian, rejoice that the Savior has come and was assured by God’s sovereign hand that He would accomplish His mission. 

*And rest assured that He is and will do the same now for all who belong to Him.