Jesus is born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of Herod (37-4 B.C.). Not long after, some unspecified number of gentiles show up in Jerusalem looking for the ‘King of the Jews’ who was recently born. They’ve been following a star from the east. This of course troubles Herod who fancies himself the King. He consults the scholars who refer to Micah 5:2 which correctly pins Jesus in Bethlehem. Herod sends the gentiles (magi) to Bethlehem with instructions to report back when they find their king. The magi continue on following the star and finding the child they seek present him with gold and various tree saps. God warns them not to go back to Herod so they take the long way home around Jerusalem.
After the gentiles leave, an angel appears to Joseph in another dream and warns him to flee to Egypt as Herod has plans to find Jesus and dispose of him. Herod, finding the magi aren’t about to report back with any juicy Jesus gossip, orders all the male children under two be slain in Bethlehem. After some uncounted number of years, Herod dies and an angel again appears to Joseph ordering him back to Israel. On the way, Joseph learns that the cruel Archelaus was ruling in Israel and is terrified to return. With a most un-Godlike manner, God appears to change his mind and comes to Joseph in a dream and orders him instead to Galilee. Jesus arrives in the city of Nazareth.
4 comments:
Hrm, that I don't know. That wouldn't excuse his behavior; in fact it'd make it all the more inscrutable. In any case, this bit makes good sense to me. Much more than unwed mothers bearing children of God.
FYI, Herod was a "king" of the region who ruled at the pleasure of the Roman emperor. Upon his death, his kingdom was split among his sons, one of whom (Archaleus) was later removed by Rome because of his extreme brutality (I wonder where he learned that from?) and replaced by a Roman governor. Pontius Pilate, who appears later in the Gospel of Matthew, was such a governor.
Oh, and on the subject of God apparently changing his mind... Galilee refers to a region of Israel, not an entirely different place. So that's God moving from a general instruction to a more specific one.
Okay, thanks for the extra info on Herod the Happy. I'll work that into the master document (left-hand link to Matthew) but won't bother to update the blog post lest the comments suddenly not make any sense.
On the subject of Galilee, I'll review the map again. It seemed like a pretty significant change of direction but what you say certainly makes sense geographically. I will say though that it seems somewhat ungodlike to go about amending your instructions all the time but it's nothing of 'Genesis Chapter 3' magnitude at least.
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