“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And 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.”

2:19

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Herod died in extreme pain. He died in 4 B.C. After his death the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph again with further instruction to return to Israel.

2:20, 21

saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.

Herod and his cohorts died, so Joseph could return to Israel. The family may have been in Egypt for a year.

2:22

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.

Joseph moved to Galilee because of the viciousness of Archelaus, Herod’s son. Archelaus was another brutal ruler. He murdered 3,000 people in the Temple with one fell swoop.

2:23

And 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.”

The Old Testament never mentions Nazareth. Nazarene means root shoot, branch. To call someone a Nazarene was a term of contempt. For the fourth time in this chapter Matthew relates the events of Christ’s birth and early life to prophets. There are a lot of things the prophets said that are not recorded in the Old Testament. Here the reference to Nazarene means that Christ would be treated with contempt, for he had a nickname of reproach from where he grew up.

Matthew uses the word “prophets” in the plural to show that he does not refer to a specific prophecy.

This verse shows that the main reason God led Joseph to come to Nazareth was because it was a despised place.

For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Ac 24:5

But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Ps 22:6-8

He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Is 53:3

PRINCIPLE:

No Christian should be surprised that the world despises him.

APPLICATION:

The Old Testament said that the Messiah would be despised, so it should be no surprise that men despise us.

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Jn 15:18-20