Responding to the news of Jesus

The Flight into Egypt

Matt 1v1, 22-25; 2v13-18

This part of the early gospel story is important but often neglected. I'd like to start with the most basic of questions. What is the Bible all about? Is it fundamentally all about us or all about God? We often come at the Bible and read it in a me-first, me-centric way.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said "it is far more important for us to know what God did for Israel and to Jesus than what he wants for us today". We have to respect the ancient historical nature of the Bible before we, secondarily, look at how it applies to me.

The key point here is that Matthew is showing how Jesus is the fulfilment of prophecy, proving to a Jewish audience that Jesus is the Messiah; not a new thing but something with historical roots and credibility. That is why Matthew uses the word "fulfilled" so many times.

What is the main teaching of this text? How does the flight into Egypt fit in with the importance of fulfilment of prophecy?

Some of the fulfilments Matthew speaks of are obvious and clear 9e.g. 1v22) but some of the uses of the old testament are strange and difficult to understand - and this is one of them. Look at v15 again. The words come from Hosea, but when he said it he was looking back at history, at the exodus. not looking forward!

Sometimes they are subtle - Jesus doesn't only fulfil certain proof texts, he also fulfils the pattern of Israel . Israel is the "type" and Jesus is the "anti-type", the substance of all that Israel points to. There are some well known examples elsewhere in the bible:

Israel is the vine, the branch of the Lord (Is5) but doesn't produce good fruit. In John15 Jesus proclaims himself the true vine.
Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years and almost all perished for their disobedience. Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and triumphed.
Exodus 23/24 God speaks of Israel as "my first born son" but what a rebellious son it was. Jesus is called the Son of God and in him God is well pleased (Matt 3v17).

There is a typological recapitulation as Jesus re-enacts the failed "type" of Israel .

What is the application for us? I'd like to consider three things.

1. The great importance of the Old Testament

Some today dismiss or set on one side the old testament, sometimes with the professed idea of being "simple and concentrating on Jesus in the Gospels" - but the old testament is necessary to thoroughly understand Jesus. Do you study the Bible every day? Read the old testament too!

2. The great centrality of Jesus

He is the very centre of all history. What is this prophesied one going to do? End the exile and set up a new covenant as Jeremiah prophesied. Jesus does this by ending the cosmic exile we all face due to sin.

3. Why did Jesus have to suffer so much?

Why were things not accomplished in one day? Why did Jesus have to go from the womb to the tomb? Jesus as experienced the totality of human experience. and in this instance he was experiencing what it is to be like a refugee. Jesus knows what it is to be a refugee, he understands. We should have Jesus' heart and sympathy with those who are refugees today.

Keith Berry

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