There is confusion in the time line of events of the story of Jesus infancy because only part is told by two different books of the Gospels. Luke doesn’t mention the infant Jesus going to Egypt (Luke 2:39) after performing everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. From there Luke talks about the twelve-year old Jesus in Jerusalem.
Matthew doesn’t mention the infant Jesus returning to Nazareth (Matthew 2;13) Now when they (the Magi) had gone, behold the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt …
Taking the information from both Gospels we have to start with Luke and Jesus around forty day old in Nazareth. Then considering that the Lord had everything in control and was the one orchestrating these events, and the fact it had been almost six weeks since the troubled Herod had the visit from the Magi, I would guess Joseph and family were not in Nazareth very long.
1) What was Herod response?
Mt 2:7-8 (NASB) [7] Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
2) Magi present their gifts
Mt 2:9-12. [9] After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [12] And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
Out of the Magi’s treasures worthy of a King, God’s provided for living in Bethlehem during Mary’s time of purification and the trip to Egypt.
3) The Flight into Egypt
Mt 2:13-14 (NASB) [13] Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.” [14] So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. [15] He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.”
4) Herod Slaughters Babies both north (Ramah) and south (Bethlehem) of Jerusalem
Mt 2:16-18 (NASB) Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. [17] Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: [18] “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; She refused to be comforted, because they were no more.”
Footnote: Matthew 2:18 Amplified Bible Copyright 2015. Copied from Bible Gateway. Ramah was located five miles north of Jerusalem, this city was a staging point for the deportation of Jews to Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar in 586 b.c
5) Return from Egypt
Matthew 2:19-23 (NASB) [19] But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord *appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, and said, [20] “Get up, take the Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for those who sought the Child’s life are dead.” [21] So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. [22] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee, [23] and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
Respectfully,
Robert Ver Beek
June 12, 2017
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