Contexts & Connections #1-17 (Epiphany) Matthew 2:1-23 January 6, Flight to Egypt. God s Promise of Jesus. Contexts

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1 Flight to Egypt God s Promise of Jesus The Point God guides us as God guided Jesus family and the wise men. Key Verse And there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. - Matthew 2:9 Summary King Herod creates a plot to find the infant Jesus. The wise men follow a star to Jesus and greet Jesus with joy and gifts, but are warned in a dream to not return to Herod. Mary and Joseph takes the infant Jesus to Egypt to escape as King Herod enacts his plot to prevent the rise of a new king that would threaten his power. Accompanying Text Say among the nations, The LORD is king! The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved. [God] will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it. Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD; for [God] is coming, for [God] is coming to judge the earth. [God] will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with [God s] truth. - Psalm 96:10-13 Contexts Linguistics The NRSV translated the Greek en te anatoah in verse 2 as at its rising, which is the more accurate rendering in English. Some translations translated it as in the east, which is a less accurate translation. 1 The quotation in verses is not from the Septuagint (the Greek language translation of the Hebrew Bible widely used by the New Testament writers) but rather, in this case, is a translation into Greek from the Hebrew original. This is a rarity in Matthew and in all the Gospel writers, as nearly all quotations of the Hebrew Bible in the New Testament are quotations from the Septuagint. 2 The apparent quotation in verse 23 is not from any known text in the Hebrew Bible. It is unclear what Matthew is referring to, although some scholars suggest it may be word play on the Hebrew words Nazir or Nazirite, one who is consecrated to God (Numbers 6) and Netzer, meaning branch, as seen in Isaiah 11: Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 1

2 Geography/Setting Bethlehem is the home city of King David, as told in 1 Samuel. Micah 5:2 names Bethlehem as the place from which a king who will rule in Israel shall come from, likely referring to David. Both Matthew and Luke seem to interpret this as a prophecy for the birthplace of Jesus, interpreting the ruler in Micah as Jesus. Unlike in Luke, where Jesus birth in Bethlehem is described in greater detail, Matthew s mention of the birth is almost mentioned in passing as greater importance is given to the contrasting reactions of King Herod and the wise men. 4 Egypt had a long tradition as being a place of refuge for families fleeing persecution or economic pressure. However, many scholars agree that Matthew s quotation of Hosea 11:1 is forced, especially as Hosea was speaking of Israel s slavery in Egypt. Matthew likely knew of the original intention of the text, but likely believed the text could look backwards and forwards and simultaneously be true in both understandings. 5 History Matthew was written by an unknown author sometime in the late 70s to early 90s CE. Mark was the first Gospel to be written and was used as a source for Matthew and Luke, which were written around the same time but independently of each other. 6 The author sets the story during the reign of King Herod the Great (Matthew 2:1), who was a client king over the Roman territory of Judea. Herod reigned from 37 to 4 BCE. Jesus family returns from Egypt after Herod dies and is replaced by his son, Herod Archelaus, who reigned from 4 BCE to 6 CE. Archelaus reign was short as he was widely unpopular, leading him to be banished to Gaul by the Roman Emperor Augustus in 6 CE. Thus, according to Matthew s timeline, Jesus was born and fled to Egypt sometime before 4 BCE, the family returned to Judah, moving to Nazareth sometime between 4 BCE and 6 CE. 7 There is no historical record of the slaughter of the innocents by King Herod mentioned in verses The text Matthew quotes, Jeremiah 31:15, in its original context is about the Babylonian exile: Rachel weeps over her children at Ramah is a metaphor for the children of Israel being sent into captivity, but it is within a hopeful context, as Israel will be restored. As above with Matthew s use of Egypt (see Geography/Setting), Matthew likely knew the original intent of the passage, but likely believed the text could look backwards and forwards and simultaneously be true in both understandings. One further note about the slaughter of the innocents: for the author, this further shows the lengths that the corrupt political systems will go to, but God is ultimately in charge as Herod s death in verse 19 is set up as a direct result of Herod s actions in the preceding verses. 8 Culture/Religion The wise men (Gr. magi) in Matthew were a reference to a specific profession: Magi were originally Persian priests but over time the phrase more broadly referred to astrologers who claimed to have magical, supernatural powers. The magi often were used by rulers to predict the outcome of events, and, as in the case here, they were even used to predict potential threats to a ruler s power. This does not mean that they were highly regarded. By the time Matthew was written, Magi were often used as a literary trope of incompetence, lies, and foolish behavior. In that sense, the wise men could better be translated into English as the exact opposite, the foolish men. Matthew s use of the Magi, the foolish men, as being able to predict the birth of Jesus creates an interesting commentary on both King Herod and the Jewish chief priests and scribes who denied the birth of Jesus: if even these fools could understand that Jesus was the King of Israel, then Herod and the chief priests and scribes were exceptionally foolish to not understand Jesus birth. For more information about the wise men, see Common Misunderstandings. 9 Much is read into the gifts of the wise men. Traditionally, gold represented Jesus kingship, frankincense, as an incense used in worship, his divinity, and myrrh, a medicinal agent, as a foreshadowing of Jesus death. It is unlikely Matthew assigned any specific or symbolic meaning to these gifts, as they were more likely understood as common objects used by magi in their sorcery and astrology. The intention of the gifts for Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 2

3 the author of Matthew is not to foreshadow Jesus death and resurrection, but rather to show the magi giving precious objects from their possession as a sign of their worship of Jesus, attesting to their belief and understanding that Jesus is not just a king, but is divine. 10 Literature/Genre Matthew is a Gospel, which is a theological biography of who Jesus was. A theological biography differs from contemporary biographies in that the Gospels focus on Jesus ministry, often through a particular theological lens. Warren Carter suggests that the author of Matthew is unique among the Gospels in that it adds to the genre of gospel an origin story and naming of the community that the author intended the Gospel to be written for. In other words, the Gospel has an added role in defining the community. 11 Authorial Intention/Occasion The author of Matthew has two primary intentions in this week s reading. First, by establishing King Herod and the scribes and priests, representatives of the social, economic, and religious systems, as in opposition to Jesus, the author sets the stage for the ongoing conflict between the political and religious authorities and Jesus ministry. Second, by connecting Jesus birth and early life to passages from the Hebrew Bible, the author is providing a theological and scriptural argument to support the claim that Jesus is the Messiah. 12 Audience The audience of the passage is likely a small, minority Christian community within a larger religious and political society. The community was likely made up of Jewish converts and the community likely was at risk from the secular Roman and Jewish communities. The community was therefore marginalized by socio -political, religious, and economic structures. By contrasting Jesus and the wise men with King Herod and the scribes and Pharisees, the author sets them at odds with the political, social, and religious structures of the Roman occupation and the leadership of the scribes and Pharisees. 13 Common Misunderstandings According to tradition, the wise men were three in number, named Balthazar, Casper, and Melchior. Some traditions even list them as kings from the east. There is no mention of how many wise men came to Jesus birth nor is there support in Matthew that the wise men were kings. The tradition that there were three likely comes from conflating the number of gifts with the number of wise men. 14 Many adaptions of the nativity story tend to conflate the details of the two different biblical accounts of Jesus birth. Both Matthew and Luke have Jesus born in Bethlehem. Luke tells the story from Mary s perspective, Matthew from Joseph s. Luke s story has Jesus born in a manger or cattle stall, Matthew s story does not specify where in Bethlehem he was born. Luke s story has the angels and the shepherds, Matthew s account has the wise men and the star. Luke s story ends on a positive note, with the shepherds becoming the first evangelists. Matthew s story ends on a tragic note, with the slaughter of the innocents and Mary, Joseph, and Jesus escaping into Egypt. While many songs, film adaptions, art, and even crèche scenes conflate the story, it is good to remember that the two accounts were told to different audiences with different theological messages (see Context and Connections #1-C1 for more information about Luke s account). More Information For more information about when the Gospels were written and the birth narratives in Matthew and Luke, visit for a free online, self-paced tutorial prepared by Philip A. Cunningham. There is even a section on the fulfillment passages in Matthew, that is, Matthew s use of the Hebrew Bible in the birth narrative Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 3

4 Connections Narrative Lectionary Connections Last Week (Matthew 1:1-17) Last week, Matthew provided a genealogy of Jesus, connecting him to the promise of a Messiah in King David s line and to the covenant God made with Abraham. Next Week (Matthew 3:1-17) Next week, we fast forward a generation to see Jesus, now as an adult, begin his ministry by being baptized by John the Baptist. Other Year 1 Connections Year 1 in the Narrative Lectionary focuses a lot on God s redemptive action, beginning with our first text for the year, Noah and the ark in Genesis 6, 8, and 9 (9/9/2018); the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus 14 (9/30/2018); the healing of Naaman by Elisha in 2 Kings 5 (11/4/2018); the birth of Jesus in Luke 2 (12/25/2018); God s redemptive action on the cross in Matthew 27 (4/19/2019); and the resurrection in Matthew 28 (4/21/2019). Other Bible Connections Matthew 1:18-25 directly precedes this passage. Matthew describes the birth of Jesus from Joseph s perspective, with the angel appearing to Joseph (as opposed to appearing to Mary in Luke s account). Matthew quotes the Hebrew Bible three times in this passage: Micah 5:2, Hosea 11:1, and Jeremiah 31:15. Thematic Connections Guided by God s Promises The wise men are guided to Jesus, the fulfillment of God s promise. The holy family is guided by God to Egypt to escape persecution, connecting Jesus to the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. God s Promise of Jesus In the story today, the people who should understand the promise of a Messiah, namely King Herod, the chief priests, and the scribes, do not. However, the foreign astrologers do. This invites us to reflect on how we understand God s promise of Jesus in our own lives are we looking in all the wrong places or are we open to finding Jesus where we least expect him? Liturgical/Seasonal Connections Today is Epiphany, the day in the church year that celebrates the wise men visiting the holy family. Many cultures have special celebrations for Epiphany, such as the making of King s Cakes and house blessing services. The slaughter of the innocents is a stark reminder that even in the midst of joyous holiday celebrations, for some, the holiday season may bring about feelings of loss, grief, or sorrow. Some churches have special Blue Christmas services or offer other resources for people for whom the holiday season may be difficult. Hymns/Music There are many hymns and Christmas carols that feature the wise men: The First Noel, We Three Kings, A Star Shone Bright, Child so Lovely, I Kneel Before You, and What Child Is This? Praise songs that connect to this week s reading include: Chris Tomlin s and Daniel Carson s Glory in the Highest, Shane Barnard and Shane Everett s Worthy of Affection, Keith Getty s and Stuart Townend s Joy has Dawned, and Gayla Borders, Jeff Borders and Lowell Alexander s One King Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 4

5 Media Connections The Nativity Story (New Line Cinema, 2006) is a live-action account of Jesus birth that merges the stories in Luke and Matthew. Notable about this adaption is that the wise men are characterized as the foolish comic relief, perhaps based on the trope of the magi being fools. The Coventry Carol is one of a few Christmas carols that focuses on the slaughter of the innocents, and does so from the perspective of the mothers in mourning. You can listen to King s College Choir s performance of this carol here: Brian Koberlein s article on Forbes has a discussion of scientific possibilities for the Star of Bethlehem: 1 W.F. Albright and C.S. Mann, Matthew (New York: Doubleday, 1971), Ibid., Douglas R. A. Hare, Matthew (Louisville, KY: John Knox Press, 1993), Albright and Mann, 12 and Fred B. Craddock, Luke (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1990), Hare, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, and Philip A. Cunningham, The Birth of Jesus: Two Gospel Narratives, crossroads/resources/birthofjesus/intro/the_dating_of_thegospels.html. 7 Paul J. Actemeier, editor, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, Revised Edition (New York: Harper One, 1996), 66, Hare, Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins: A Sociopolitical and Religious Reading (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2000), Carter, 81-82, Albright and Mann, Achtemeier, Carter, Ibid., 27-30, Hare, Spirit and Truth Publishing All Rights Reserved 5