Matthew 2:13-18

The Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents. While Mt. says Jesus was born before Herod's death (how long before he does not say), Lk. suggests, by his reference to Quirinius, that it was after. But see Luke 2:1 *.

Matthew 2:15. Hosea 11:1 *. It looks as though Mt. made the incident fit the quotation, cf. Abbott, op. cit., p. 413. A second-century Jewish tradition speaks of Jesus working as a labourer in Egypt, and practising magic ere he returned to Palestine and proclaimed Himself a God. There were a million Jews in Egypt in the first century A.D.

In place of the slaughter of the Bethlehem children Lk. gives the story of the presentation in the Temple. The massacre is not narrated by Josephus, though he dwells on Herod's crimes (cf. p. 609). It may be an echo of a Jewish legend about Abraham's escape from Nimrod, and also recalls the story of Pharaoh (Exodus 1:15 to Exodus 2:10).

Matthew 2:17. Then was fulfilled: Mt. does not here say in order that; he will not attribute to Herod (or to Judas, Matthew 27:9) a Divine purpose. See Jeremiah 31:15 *. The two years (Matthew 2:16) suggests not that the Magi arrived two years after the Birth, but that the star appeared two years before it, and their quest had lasted so long.