MPV Commentary

Return of Joseph and Mary with the Babe, after Herod's Death, and Their Settlement at Nazareth.

The Flight into Egypt (Mt 2:13-15).

13. After they left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt." This form of expression emphasizes that Joseph was not the child's biological father but rather his guardian. In fact, Joseph has little spiritual significance in the Gospel narrative.

and flee into Egypt—Egypt was a convenient refuge due to its proximity and Roman status as an independent province inhabited by many Jews. The Saviour's life began with no room for Him at the inn, and now He must flee to escape Herod's wrath.

14. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in another dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel." This command was given because those who sought the child's life were dead. The plural form of this expression is likely taken from Exodus 4:19, where Moses is commanded to return to Egypt after Pharaoh's death.

15. Joseph arose and took the child and his mother, intending to return to Bethlehem in Judea, but he was warned by God in a dream not to go there because Archelaus reigned in Herod's place. Instead, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, settling in Nazareth.

Settlement at Nazareth (Mt 2:19-23).

19. After Herod's death, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel." The angel informed Joseph that those who sought the child's life were dead.

20. Joseph arose and took the child and his mother, intending to return to the land of Israel. However, he was warned by God in a dream not to settle in Judea or Galilee but to go into the parts of Galilee.

21. He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, which was a small town in Lower Galilee, about equally distant from the Mediterranean Sea on the west and the Sea of Galilee on the east.

22. The reason Joseph settled in Nazareth was because he was warned by God in a dream to avoid Judea due to Archelaus' reign. He turned aside into the parts of Galilee, settling in Nazareth under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, the brother of Archelaus.

23. This settlement in Nazareth fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. The name "Nazarene" likely originated from the Hebrew word netzer, meaning a small twig or sprout, which is a reference to Isaiah 11:1, where it says that the branch of Jesse will come forth and bear fruit.