Matthew 2:19-23

The Christ returned out of Egypt Matthew 2:19-23: Joseph did just as God said. He stayed in Egypt until he had a word from God. After the death of King Herod Joseph was told to take the child and his mother back to Israel. Joseph could move about to any part of Israel because the people that wanted to kill Jesus were now dead. When God gave the command Joseph got up and left for Israel with his family. He exactly conformed in every circumstance to the orders given to him by God.

When Joseph knew that Herod's son Archelaus was now ruler of Judea he was afraid to go there. He, like his father, was a very cruel and wicked man. In order to help Joseph with his fears God told him to go into Galilee. It would be the natural thing, then, to go to live in the town of Nazareth. Both Joseph and Mary had lived there before. (Luke 1:26; Luke 2:4) Christ was not born in Nazareth, yet because he lived at Nazareth, and was educated there. The Jews frequently call him “Jesus, the Nazarene.”

It was not a mere coincidence for them to settle at Nazareth. God had a hand in this matter. Matthew says that it was in fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus was to be called a Nazarene. There is not any prophecy in the Old Testament where these exact words are found. The term is derived from the formation of the name “Nazareth” which seems to signify “a sprout or branch.” In the Old Testament Jesus is refereed to as a sprout or branch. (Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Ezekiel 3:8; Ezekiel 6:12)

Jesus died, innocent children died, many suffered so salvation could be ours. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)