The reading for Christmas 1, which is also the Feast of the Holy Innocents, is Matthew 2.13–18.
This texts raises fascinating questions about history, how Matthew’s account here fits with the rest of his gospel, and what use he makes of Old Testament quotations. Is there any plausibility to the claim that he composed this story to ‘fit’ with the Old Testament texts?
There is also the painful pastoral question of what God allowed Jesus to escape whilst others were killed. Can God work out his purposes in a world full of evil and violence?
For the discussion mentioned of whether Herod died in 4 BC or 1 AD according to the information given by Josephus, go here: https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/herods-death-jesus-birth-and-a-lunar-eclipse/
There is no written commentary for this passage, or video on the epistle for the week. Come back in three years’ time for these.
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so so helpful discussion, so many insights and ‘by the way’ facts – big thank you, both. Ditto re article on Jesus born in September.
Thank you both for such a deeply intelligent and spirit filled analysis. Not what regularly hear in sermons but it excites and stimulates and challenges and blesses. I particularly like the reference to good and toxic masculinity shown here. Much food for thought.
Thanks for the encouragement!
Without imposing a contemporary agenda, the contrasts of male behaviour just seemed to obvious not to comment on…
Here again we see the “fragrance” of Joseph’s life; this a
particular favourite essence of God – obedience.
He obeyed the “word of God”; He believed without apparent
question or demure, “ the obedience of faith”.
“Mother Church” may well carry the Saviour of the world
But the Josephs are the well pleasing aroma of God communicating
the godly fragrance of Life [or death]
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.
“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Cor 2 v15 New International Version
….. and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God.Eph.5 v 2.
“the sweet aroma of Christ” The imagery of a “sweet aroma” is reminiscent of Old Testament sacrificial offerings, such as those described in Leviticus 1:9, where sacrifices were a pleasing aroma to the Lord. This metaphor suggests that believers’ lives, when lived in accordance with Christ’s teachings, are pleasing to God. It also reflects the sacrificial nature of Christ’s own life and death, which was the ultimate offering to God.
The the atmosphere of Tabernacle, Temple and Priest were replete with a Holy Fragrance of Holy Oil not the stench of death.
One may remark “How does our Church compare?
What Aroma do we find there? Anything well pleasing to God and Man?
Of the” flight into Egypt” walkingwithgiants.net has a great paper on the Exodus motif.
Comparing doubters and believers views.
Among several other notable theologians, Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert discuss the motif of the Exodus in the New Testament:
‘When the New Testament talks about the exodus as a type of salvation, what it focuses on is not at all its political and economic aspects, but rather the picture it provided of the spiritual salvation God was bringing about. In Matthew 2:15, for example, when Matthew ties Jesus explicitly to the redemption of Israel from Egypt, he doesn’t draw out any political or economic implications. Rather, he has already said that Jesus’s mission was to “save his people from their sins,” and now he’s tying the exodus itself to that aim. It’s as if he is saying, “If you think the exodus was a great redemption, you haven’t seen anything yet!” In Ephesians 1:7, too, Paul adopts this language of “redemption”— famously used to describe the exodus— and puts it again in terms of salvation from sin: “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses.” Similarly in Colossians 1:13–14, the apostle evokes the exodus with the imagery of Christians being taken out of Satan’s kingdom: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” Again, the language and imagery of exodus are used to talk not about political and economic redemption, but about spiritual redemption.’
Kevin DeYoung, Greg Gilbert. What Is the Mission of the Church? (p. 80). Crossway. Kindle Edition.
@ walkingwithgiants.net/bible/gospels/matthew-213-18-the-flight-to-egypt/
Shalom
A reminder that Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection took place at, and were linked with, the Passover (not the Day of Atonement!).
An interesting observation. Why do you think that is significant?
And, like fragrance, Joseph is silent. He has no lines in any of the four gospels.
The fury of Herod fulfils the prophecy/judgement of Genesis
“I will put enmity between your seed[satan] and her seed”.
Seeing that we do not wrestle with mere mortals but the dark powers of the principalities and powers in high places the motif continues unto the Revelation.
12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.
12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.
12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Not just a local or even global but a Cosmic warfare which unless we know the full import and nature of the
Cross, or the Church’s’ purpose we shall never understand the Conflict that rages around us,
or our part in it and the subsequent Victory. {or, not as the case might be]
The Cross is not a footnote in history but a daily carrying of it in the lives of the saints.
If the Cross is not more than a religious symbol carried around by priest or worn around the neck by prelates as a religious ornament, but the central reality in our preaching and experience and lives
We will never know what a united church is, growing in favour with man and God.
Not a stench but a fragrance.
The angel is called Gabriel in Luke 1.26, but we know he is ‘angelos kuriou’, ‘malak YHWH’ from Luke 1.11 and 1.23, surely?
The angel of the Lord is also labelled as such in Luke 2:9.
Quite good.