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The Return from Egypt and Settling in Nazareth

Matt 2:19–23 · Infancy and childhood

Scripture

Matthew 2:19–23

ut when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

King James Version · public domain

Mateu 2:19–23

dhe si vdiq Irodhi ja një ëngjëll’ i Zotit tek i duketë ndë ëndërrë Josifit ndë Egjyptë 20e i thotë, Ngreu e merr me vetëhe djalën’ edhe t’ëmën’ e ati, edhe ecë ndë dhet të Israilit; sepse vdiqnë ata që kërkonin jetën’ e djalit. 21Edhe ay ungrit e mori me vetëhe djalën’ edhe t’ëmën’ e ati, edhe erdhi ndë dhet të Israilit. 22Po kur dëgjoj, se Arhellau mbretëron ndë Judhet ndë vëntt të Irodhit t’et, pat frikë të vejë atje; edhe si i udëftye ati nga Perëndia nd’ëndërrë, iku nd’anët të Galilesë, 23Edhe erdhi e ndënjti ndë një qytet që thuhetë Nazaret; që të mbushetë ç’është thënë nga profitëritë, se Nazoreas dotë quhetë.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

Joseph represents the Apostles, to whom Christ is entrusted to be borne about.

St. Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 2:21–23) (Catena Aurea)

The Return from Egypt and Settling in Nazareth (Matthew 2:19–23)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 9 (on Matthew 2:19–23) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110/npnf110.iii.IX.html

On the angel's word, no longer "fly" but "go," and the rhythm of danger and refreshment:

He no more saith "fly," but "go." Seest thou again after the temptation refreshment? then after the refreshment danger again? in that he was freed indeed from his banishment, and came back again to his own country

On why Joseph came to dwell in Nazareth:

Joseph therefore comes to Nazareth, partly to avoid the danger, partly also delighting to abide in his native place. To give him the more courage, he receives also an oracle from the angel touching this matter.

On the prophecy fulfilled in the name:

he adds to it a prophecy, "That it might be fulfilled," saith he, "which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

On why one must not be over-curious that no such text is found:

And what manner of prophet said this? Be not curious, nor overbusy. For many of the prophetic writings have been lost

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

The Harmony of the Gospels, Book II (on Matthew 2:22) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On what "the land of Israel" meant to Joseph, and why he turned aside from Judaea:

We must understand, that when the Angel in the vision in Egypt said to Joseph, "Go into the land of Israel," Joseph understood the command to be that he should go straight into Judaea, that being properly "the land of Israel." But finding Archelaus ruling there, he would not court the danger, as "the land of Israel" might be interpreted to extend to Galilee, which was inhabited by children of Israel.

On why each Evangelist writes as though his account had left nothing out:

each of the Evangelists writes as if he were giving a full and complete history, which omits nothing; where he really passes over any thing, he continues his thread of history as if he had told all.

St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 2:19–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the two Herods, and the error of confusing them:

Many here err from ignorance of history, supposing the Herod who mocked our Lord on the day of His passion, and the Herod whose death is here related, were the same. But the Herod who was then made friends with Pilate was son of this Herod and brother to Archelaus

On why Matthew wrote "the prophets" and not "the prophet":

Had he meant to quote a particular text, he would not have written "Prophets," but "the Prophet." By thus using the plural he evidently does not take the words of any one passage in Scripture, but the sense of the whole.

On the meaning of Nazarene, and the Branch out of the stem of Jesse:

Nazarene is interpreted, "Holy," ... and that the Lord would be Holy, all Scripture testifies. Otherwise we may explain that it is found in Isaiah rendered to the strict letter of the Hebrew. ... There shall come a Rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Nazarene shall grow out of His roots.

St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 2:21–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the figurative sense, in which Joseph stands for the Apostles who bear Christ:

Joseph represents the Apostles, to whom Christ is entrusted to be borne about. These, as though Herod were dead, that is, his people being destroyed in the Lord's passion, are commanded to preach the Gospel to the Jews; they are sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But finding the seed of their hereditary unbelief still abiding, they fear and withdraw; admonished by a vision, to wit, seeing the Holy Ghost poured upon the Gentiles, they carry Christ to them.

St. Bede the Venerable (c. 673–735)

Homily for the Feast of the Holy Innocents (on Matthew 2:19–21) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.ii.html

On the return as a figure of the Church's peace after persecution:

This slaughter of the infants for the Lord's sake, the death of Herod soon after, and Joseph's return with the Lord and his mother to the land of Israel, is a figure shewing that all the persecutions moved against the Church will be avenged by the death of the persecutor, peace restored to the Church, and the saints who had concealed themselves return to their own places.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom on Matthew, Homily 9 (CCEL) · Catena Aurea on Matthew, ch. 2 (CCEL)