Luke 2:39 Commentary and Bible Study

At this point Luke goes straight to the return to Galilee. He does not record the visit of the wise men. He misses out the escape into Egypt, the waiting for the death of herod, and the return to Palestine which Matthew tells us about. Matthew includes these because they are relevant to his Jewish readers. The wise men come seeking a king: ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews?’ (Matthew 2:2). The journey into Egypt is in fulfilment of the prophecy that said, ‘Out of Egypt have I called my son’ (Matthew 2:15), which Matthew quotes from Hosea 11:1. That too was something especially important to the Jews. But Luke, writing for Gentiles, wishes to continue with the ministry of the Lord to the nation. Christ returns to Galilee and that is significant, but again it is Matthew who tells us the prophecy involved (Matthew 2:23). Luke calls Nazareth ‘their own city’, because, as he has said before, this is where they departed from to register in the census (Luke 2:4). Here Christ would grow up and be taught by Joseph to be a carpenter (Mark 6:2).Joseph and Mary were careful to understand the requirements of the ceremonial law and to keep it. They carried out all that the law said should be done in connection with the firstborn male child. God had chosen them as the parents of his Son knowing that they would be conscientious about these things.