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Matthew

About this book
Chapter 2

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem 2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”⁠ 3 When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.⁠ 5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet: 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”⁠ 7 Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 9 After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. 11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back by another route to their own country.⁠ 13 After they had gone, 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 stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.” 14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.”⁠ 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged.⁠ He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under,⁠ according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud wailing, Rachel weeping for her children, and she did not want to be comforted, because they were gone.”⁠ 19 After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 21 So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to 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. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 23 He came to a town called Nazareth and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus would be called a Nazarene.⁠

Texts in conversation

Compare Matthew 2:15 and 4 Ezra 6:58

New Testament · Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses

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Summary

Matthew cites Hosea about God calling his son out of Egypt to depict Jesus’ childhood escape as a reenactment of Israel’s history. 4 Ezra similarly describes Israel as God’s firstborn son, mourning the nation’s suffering under foreign powers.

Passages

Matthew 2:15

New Testament
13 After they had gone, 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 stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.” 14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” 16 When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
70–90 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in Matthew

4 Ezra 6:58

Pseudepigrapha, Apocalypses · 2 Esdras
56 As for the other nations, which also come from Adam, you have said that they are nothing, and are like spittle. You have likened the abundance of them to a drop that falls from a bucket. 57 Now, O Lord, behold these nations, which are reputed as nothing, being rulers over us and devouring us. 58 But we your people, whom you have called your firstborn, your only children, and your fervent lover, are given into their hands. 59 Now if the world is made for our sakes, why don’t we possess our world for an inheritance? How long will this endure?”
70–132 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4 Ezra

References

"... In the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, God is presented as a loving Father who draws Israel back to Himself as His son. God will bring His kingdom and destroy Israel's enemies on account of His sons. As God's sons, Israelites are under God's guidance and protection. Those who are God's sons in truth will receive His majesty, and God will rejoice in His sons forever. In Jubilees 1:25-26, God tells Israel, 'I will be their Father and they shall be My children. And they all shall be called Children of the living God ... I am their Father ... I love them.' Israel as God's son should live in righteousness. In Jubilees, physical descent from Jacob makes one part of God's children. Israel's sonship carries ethical accountability. Israel is called God's 'firstborn' son a number of times. In 4 Ezra 6:58, the suffering of 'your people whom you have called your firstborn, your only begotten' is lamented. Ethiopic Enoch 62:11 says that God will take vengeance on those who mistreat His elect children. Israelites are called the "sons of heaven" in 101:1 ..."
Wayne Allan Brindle, A Definition of the Title "Son of God" in the Synoptic Gospels (Dallas Theological Seminary, 1988), 101–103.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Matthew 2:15 and 4 Ezra 6:58

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