Matthew 2:22 Commentary and Bible Study

This is the fourth dream which Joseph has received. Here is the providence and the guidance which caused the Lord Jesus to grow up in Galilee. Evidently Joseph was thinking of settling in Judea, even though he had originally travelled from Galilee with Mary, for it was in Nazareth that the angel Gabriel had first appeared to her (Luke 1:26-27). This guidance led to the fulfilment of Isaiah 9:1-2 referred to later Matthew 4:15, for it was there that Christ’s ministry began even though he was of the tribe of Judah in the south, and so he was known as Jesus of Nazareth (John 1:45; 19:19).Joseph was acting on the word of the angel of the Lord that those who sought the young child’s life were dead, but now he fears that Herod will have passed on his evil schemes to his son, and that Archelaus will have the same hostility towards the child as did his father, Herod. That was indeed the case for otherwise a further communication from the Lord would not have been necessary. The warning from God was in response to a real danger. So now, after this further divine communication, the family returns to where Joseph and Mary have first come from, from what was Mary’s and probably Joseph’s home town.The preservation of the life of the Christ child is to be surrounded with supernatural revelations and interventions, so that it is clear that this child is special above all others. This was God’s very conspicuous way of showing his protection of his Son, so that in spite of being surrounded by murderous enemies his work would be completed.