Once again, Luke, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit (cf. Even among them at times is found compassion. Remember, Herod had all babies killed up through the age of two, therefore, Jesus and family would not have come back. The reference to revelation 12:1-6 could be highly symbolic. That is, he gave it a fuller and deeper meaning in light of the significance of his own life. It says simply that an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and warned him that the family needed to flee to Egypt because Jesus life was in danger from King Herod. It could have been done in the home. For anyone traveling in Egypt the Pyramids are hard to miss; Giza lies along the Nile River route that the Holy Family is believed to have followed. They reached Egypt after a 65 kilometers journey where they lived for three years until after the death of Herod in 4 B.C. They made it into cakes, boiled it, and ground it into flour. Why did God reject Saul as king for making one small mistake? His wife Samantha maintains this site as well as their missionary outreaches. Matthew 2King James Version. To bring about all of these effects and more, Jesus did have to die, not just explain something to us. Where Christ as a child used his powers to bend the branch to give shade to his holy mother from the sun. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and . Tormented by a demon and on the run from a Roman centurion, a 7-year-old Jesus and his parents, Mary and Joseph, flee Egypt for Nazareth. A quick intro and overview of our ministry and this website, plus some best-of articles and Q&A. It was for justice. Moses brought the law, to show us how far from God we were. Dr. Christopher R. Smith is an an ordained minister, a writer, and a biblical scholar. The Wise Men/Toddler Jesus crowd agree with Herod's conclusion. from Harvard in English and American Literature and Language, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Gordon-Conwell, and a Ph.D. in the History of Christian Life and Thought, with a minor concentration in Bible, from Boston College, in the joint program with Andover Newton Theological School. So what exactly was Jesus death all about? When Christ was born, it was the time, literally, in history that Egypt had fallen fully from its glory, as God said would happen. warned in a dream, Joseph, Mary and Jesus flee to safety in Egypt. Im not saying he sinned. Soon after the visit by the Magi, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream telling him to flee to Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus since King Herod would seek the child to kill him. The flight to Egypt by Jesus family is related by Matthew to the statement in Hosea 11:1 which refers historically to the deliverance of the Hebrews from Egypt. He is 100% Middle Eastern and when we went to the beach this summer I was shocked at how white his (ordinarily) unexposed skin is. Most people familiar with the few details given in Scripture about the early life of Jesus are aware of the fact that following the visit from the wise men, Matthew indicates that Joseph and Mary took Jesus and fled to Egypt at the command of God (Matthew 2:13-14). Jesus could just as easily, and far more logically, have arrived as a fully-grown adult on the day he presented himself to John for Baptism. Jews originally were a brown people, you cant have zero melanin in a hot climate or desert climatic zones, would give you skin cancer. How long did he stay in Egypt this second time? The Holy Family fleed to Egypt and they stayed in a cave. Then in Session 19, about Galatians, I note that in this letter Paul gives several more illustrations of how Jesus life, death, and resurrection bring us salvation. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. So when Mary and Joseph are running from another crazy ruler, where does God send them, well He has a great sense of humor, right back to the place that first tries to wipe out Christs family line in the beginning. If success makes us feel that God loves us, does that mean God does not love those whofail? The Gospels were written after Jesus time and by people who never met Jesus. How does the supposed census help us date the birth to Christ, and what historical records do we have to support this? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. He is predicted to return in the End Times and there is no suggestion in the scriptures that he is going to do so by being born of a woman then, so why should it have been any different when he came originally? Why is it that people west of the Atlantic pay no heed to the Egyptian Christians account of our Lords sojourn of THREE YEARS AND A HALF in Egypt to which He was taken when two years of age, and thereby see that contrary to all Western Christians theories He had to have been born in 9 B.C? . His Understanding the Books of the Bible study guide series is keyed to this format. I believe it also has to do with faith. "Wake up and take Mary and the baby to Egypt and stay there until I tell you further," the angel said. Post author: Post published: February 17, 2022 Post category: sergei fedorov anna kournikova married Post comments: four characteristics of operations management four characteristics of operations management He was active in parish and student ministry for twenty-five years. At this site the Church of Abi Serja, within the walls of the Fortress of Babylon, was built years later. How about Islamic occupation of Jerusalem being the reason there are less records that we would hope. Receiving rich presents from mysterious eastern magi at Bethlehem after Jesus' birth, he then fled to Egypt to avoid the wrath . Learn how your comment data is processed. Can you please explain further so that we can understand better? According to local traditions, the first stop for the Holy Family was Farma, east of the Nile river. Mt 2:13 And when they were departed. The concept has a venerable pedigree in Christian theology going all the way back to Irenaeus of Lyon in the 2nd Century, and it can also be argued that Pauls arguments about the First Adam and Second Adam are an example of recapitulation in the Bible, although without that particular word being used. When Jesus was still an infant, King Herod of Judea ordered him to kill all "firstborns.". According to this text, which Notovitch had translated into French, Jesus had spent his missing years the years between his childhood and the beginning of his ministry studying Buddhism in India. A book about stones in the life of Jesus can hardly ignore the Pyramids of Egypt. I think Joseph and Mary may have sought out friends-of-friends or extended relatives there. And of course, we have four gospels which all more or less agree the details of his ministry for the last 3+ years of his life. New Testament Scholar, Darrell Bock, summarizes this story this way: "Jesus' life begins as a refugee." Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him., We dont know exactly when to date this historically. Why was only Miriam punished with leprosy when she and Aaron rebelled against Moses? Great analysis and historical references! I have never before seen it used as you have used it. There were about 1 million Jews living in Alexandria when Christ was born. Some children see Him dark as they, Matthew records God directing Joseph to take his family to Egypt to flee from Herod (Matthew 2:13-15) and their journey back to Nazareth after Herod died (Matthew 2:19-23). Jesus could just as easily, and far more logically, have arrived as a fully-grown adult on the day he presented himself to John for Baptism. (LogOut/ I think this article will help answer your question: https://www.gotquestions.org/Quirinius-census.html. Reading the Bible for its true meaning requires that we understand it was written to the Jews using their culture and terminology. 13-15. Otherwise, the family probably would have gone back to Nazareth. In fact, if there hadnt been a Roman census in 6 B.C., wed have even less idea of when Jesus was born. Joseph with Mary and Jesus remains in Egypt till he hears through Matt. in accordance with the Law of Moses, Jesus was circumcised. One consequence of that is that his life is not as well documented as wed like it to be, but Im sure wed agree the trade-off is worth it. This is only a guess, but there was a thriving Jewish community in Alexandria. When he is eight days old, Jesus is circumcised as is traditional for Jewish boys. It seems probable that He was between one and two years oldbased upon the account of Herods order to kill all the children two years and under. God bless. Including photos each week from our outreaches and the weekly review. According to Luke 2:2 Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to register for the census when Quirinius was the governor. So 12 Stars around Mother Mary head indicaes 12 months and 12 jesus followers. Egypt had been the traditional place of refuge for Jews both in biblical times (see 1 Kgs 11:40; Jer 26:21) and in the Maccabean era when the high priest Onias IV fled there [emphasis mine]. (Revelation 1:13-15). We grow food to support a community, build and repair homes, and support the poor, widows, and the fatherless. It is only extremist groups such as the Taliban or ISIS, which hardly deserve the name Muslim or Islamic, that wantonly destroy historical records and artifacts. If Jesus family were in Egypt for much less than a year, why then does it say in the Revelation Prophecy of the Woman with 12 stars round her head, generally interpreted (incorrectly I believe) as Mary giving birth to Jesus, that she was transported to a place prepared for her for 1260 days, which equates to nearly 3 and a half years? The stories came down by oral tradition, which is why they dont always coincide. For example, its specified that Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness, recapitulating Israels 40 years there, and that he chose 12 apostles, mirroring the 12 tribes of Israel. So depending on when Jesus was born, the journey to Egypt lasted no more than two years, and perhaps as little as a few weeks or months. | Good Question, Egypt The Flight Into Egypt | Joseph Bias Ministries, Was Jesus ever in Egypt after being there as a child? and 4 B.C, as if the census helps us date the birth of Christ. It is also believed that Joseph, the carpenter, might have worked at the Babylon Fortress nearby. O lay aside each earthly thing Matthews account seems to have been structured so that the prophecy in the Book of Revelation of the Woman with 12 Stars giving birth to a child and being confronted by the dragon should be fulfilled Matthews gospel is riddled with accounts of events happening so that the prophecy should be fulfilled to the extent that his account of the Nativity is not taken seriously by scholars. I do not believe the comment is fair to Muslims, who, I find, have a profound respect for history and culture, even if it predates the founding of their religion. I thank the Lord for the joy that I always feel about your site. Where they lived after Jesus born. They remained there until the death of Herod. from Dallas Theological Seminary also in Dallas, a MRE from Garrett Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, and a D.Min. The Bible doesn't clearly state how old Joseph (the human father of Jesus) was when he died, but he was most likely aged 40-50 based on several factors: 1- Jewish men typically married once they were more financially secure, which implies that Joseph was around 20 years old when he married Mary. An interesting question that also arises is, since Jesus did find shelter as a refugee in Egypt for some length of time, whether He still feels a debt of gratitude to his briefly adopted homeland, and whether this provides an even further incentive for God to want to see justice done for all sides in current Middle Eastern disputes. How can believers in Jesus do even greater things than hedid? All my bibles says 1,260 days so l thought that was = to 4.59 years call it 4.6 if you will. Sometime after Herod had died, the holy family returns from Egypt. This was when Jesus was three years old. I do not know Jesusskin color, but have thought of it many times over the years. He didn't want another "King" to interfere with his kingdom. 2:19-23 says that Joseph Mary and Jesus returned from Egypt around that same time. 1 Timothy 5:18), omitted a part of someones life. Grace thru Faith is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Honest truth-seekers (Proverbs 8:17) will come to the logical conclusion that the Bible writers supplemented (not contradicted) each others accountsof biblical events. The flight into Egypt is a story recounted in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:13-23) and in New Testament apocrypha. Where does Jesus, make such a claim? Or that he is depicted to be white because white Europeans painted him that way. His teachings made the Bible clear and easy to understand, and impacted millions of lives. Blessings. We wonder why the world rejected Jesus. The Holy Family had to leave Bethlehem because of the wickedness and cruelty of the Jews, and had been warned to do so by the Angel Gabriel . The anwer is 1,260 days so l thought that was 4.56 years tus in revelation 12:4-5-6 . Jesus is born while they are in Bethlehem. Opening up another front against the atomization of the Scriptures: A review of the ESV ReadersBible, The Birth Of A King Part 21 | Joseph Bias Ministries, Did Joseph and Mary take Jesus to Egypt because they could blend in there, Which angel told Jesus parents to take him to Egypt? He says, for example, that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christrestoring a broken relationship. Rally I agreed Woman with 12 stars round her head Alan Peters opinion 12 Stars indicaes around Mother Marys Head is true as per the old testment Abraham grand Son JOCOB having 12 Sons, at time of critical stage they went to Egypt for morethan 400 years and 12 generations brought from egypt to Jerusalem 12 generations under leadership of Moses. I read one article from (another website) stating that our Lord Jesus was probably 2 years old or at least near to that age when the Wise Men arrived. It say in the bible that his hair was like wool and his feet was the color brase. Was He dedicated at the Bethlehem temple? But I do suspect that B.C.E may have been created to leave Christ out. What I say in that post about Joseph, Mary, and Jesus would also apply to Joseph many centuries earlier: In terms of skin color, really anyone who went to Egypt at this time would have fit in, because people had long been coming there from Sub-Saharan Africa, farther west in northern Africa, and the Middle East, and so it was a place where people of many different skin colors lived together and interacted. Herod the King was known as Herod the Great, and was made King by the Romans in the year 43 BC Historians tell us that his death occurred approximately 4 BC According to Matthew Henrys commentary on the book of Matthew, page 10, Christ was born in the 35th year of Herod the Greats reign.