What is the meaning of Matthew 2:21? So Joseph got up • Matthew 2:13 records the angel’s command; here Joseph immediately obeys, just as in Matthew 1:24 when “Joseph arose and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him.” • His prompt action models James 1:22, being a doer of the word, not merely a hearer. • Obedience flows from trust. Joseph’s faith rests on God’s unchanging promises (Psalm 119:60). took the Child • Jesus is the focal point. Even in infancy He is called “the Child,” highlighting His true humanity (Luke 2:7) while remaining the eternal Word made flesh (John 1:14). • Joseph’s role as guardian safeguards the Seed promised in Isaiah 9:6, demonstrating God’s providential protection over His redemptive plan. • Carrying the Child echoes Exodus 13:8–9, where parents pass along the story of deliverance; here the Deliverer Himself is carried. and His mother • God places Jesus within a real family. Mary is honored alongside her Son, affirming the value of motherhood established in Exodus 20:12. • Luke 2:51 shows Jesus later submitting to Mary and Joseph; this early journey begins that pattern of humble family life. • Including Mary underscores that God’s directives care for the whole household, not merely the mission. and went • Joseph acts, not merely plans. Hebrews 11:8 reminds us that faith often looks like getting up and going without full sight of the destination. • The family’s movement out of Egypt fulfills the angel’s earlier warning and shows that trusting God sometimes means leaving apparent safety (Proverbs 3:5-6). • “Went” signals completion; obedience is proven in motion, not intention. to the land of Israel • The return marks the end of exile, echoing Hosea 11:1, already cited in Matthew 2:15: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” • God is re-establishing His Messiah within the covenant land, aligning every step with prophetic Scripture (Genesis 46:3-4—God bringing His people back). • The phrase affirms God’s faithfulness to national Israel while introducing the One who will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). summary Matthew 2:21 shows Joseph’s swift, wholehearted obedience to God’s word, centering on the protection and placement of Jesus within the covenant promises. Each clause paints a picture of active faith: Joseph rises, gathers the Child and Mary, and deliberately returns to the promised land, fulfilling prophecy and demonstrating that God guides, guards, and accomplishes His redemptive plan through willing, responsive servants. |
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