What is the meaning of Matthew 2:15? Where he stayed until the death of Herod • Joseph, warned in a dream, took Mary and the Child to Egypt and remained there until Herod’s death (Matthew 2:13-14, 19). • Egypt functioned as both refuge and waiting room—just as it once sheltered Jacob’s family during famine (Genesis 46:2-4). • God’s timing is precise; He protected His Son from Herod’s slaughter (Matthew 2:16) and moved the family only when the threat was gone, echoing His earlier word to Moses: “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead” (Exodus 4:19). • The episode quietly affirms that evil rulers can neither hurry nor hinder God’s redemptive plan (Psalm 33:10-11). This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet • Matthew frequently pauses to show that events in Jesus’ life complete Old Testament prophecy (Matthew 1:22; 2:17; 4:14). • “What the Lord had spoken” underscores that prophecy originates with God, not merely with human authors (2 Peter 1:20-21). • Fulfillment is more than prediction coming true; it’s God actively steering history so that every promise finds its target in Christ (Luke 24:44; Acts 2:23). • Each fulfillment note invites confidence in the reliability of Scripture and reassurance that God’s Word never fails (Isaiah 55:10-11). “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” • Matthew cites Hosea 11:1, where “My son” originally refers to Israel’s exodus. Jesus personally re-enacts that story—He is the true and faithful Israel (Isaiah 49:3; Matthew 4:1-11). • The quote shows a pattern: God redeems His people from bondage and brings them into covenant fellowship, just as He did with Israel (Exodus 4:22-23). • By identifying Jesus with the nation, Scripture reveals that all Israel’s hopes and history culminate in Him (Galatians 3:16; 4:4-5). • The Father’s call “Out of Egypt” foreshadows a greater deliverance—Jesus will lead a new exodus from sin and death (Luke 9:31; Hebrews 2:14-15). summary Matthew 2:15 weaves history and prophecy together: Jesus’ stay in Egypt shields Him from Herod, echoes Israel’s past, and proves God’s Word unfailing. The Child retraces Israel’s footsteps so He can succeed where the nation stumbled, becoming the obedient Son who rescues all who trust in Him. |
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