Second Sunday in Christmas

Second Sunday in Christmas
1/2/11
Matthew 2:13-23
Bror Erickson


[13] Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." [14] And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
[15] and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
[16] Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. [17] Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
[18] "A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."
[19] But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, [20] saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead." [21] And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. [22] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. [23] And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: "He shall be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:13-23 (ESV)


Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who we two years old or under.
The senseless slaughter mixed with morbid irony. One wonders how many children this would have been. Some have debated that this story couldn’t be true because it isn’t recorded anywhere else. But then normally historical events don’t need more than one recording to be considered true. Generally the documents at hand, barring any reason given to doubt are to be given the benefit of the doubt. It is not unlikely that this event happened, and given the character of Herod, probably wasn’t found worthy of mention, in a village the size of Bethlehem it is possible that the number of victims was under 20 or even ten. But how heart wrenching for the parents! And at two years old! Just when they are developing their personality, learning to say no, and walking about the house as if they own the place. Parents start anticipating what the kid will be like when he grows up. And now because the wise men protect the one who came to give his life for many, many are slaughtered as the result of sparing the one.
The churches first martyrs. The first to give their lives for Christ. Yes and Christ knew well even at a young age that he did not bring peace to earth but a sword. For all the peace that he creates between God and man, he agitates violence on earth.
Oh, it isn’t as if the world was a less violent place without him. Far from it. Nation warring against nation, and wars and rumors of war, have marked the entirety of man’s history. Already in Genesis we hear that Abraham found it necessary to have a private army of men trained for war. Murder and tyrannical kings are nothing new. And Christ new that this world could not accept him. The world would do whatever it could to get rid of him at all costs, and what do a few toddlers and babies mean to the world?
Oh the slaughter of children, the world has been at it for years. Sacrificing them to false gods, leaving them to die of exposure, aborting them before they have a fighting chance, and now killing them in an attempt to kill the almighty. But these children, these boys did not die in vain. They died that their Lord might live to die for them.
The time for Jesus had not yet come. Prophecies had to be fulfilled. He had to flee to Egypt that God might call his son out of that land of darkness and bondage, as he calls us out of darkness and bondage to sin. He had to live in Nazareth that he might be called a Nazarene, which makes for the strangest of prophetic fulfillment linking him with Samson, who was a Nazarene from birth but in a wholly different manner. Jesus had to live his life for us with perfect passive and active obedience to the law. He had to teach that we might know who he is, and what he has done for us. That we might hear the gospel, and know that because of his life, his death, his resurrection we now who have been buried with him in Baptism, might also know that we have peace with God, and walk in the newness of life with him. He had to be tempted like we are tempted, live a full life in this world as we live. And so these martyrs gave their life, not only for Christ, but so that Christ could give his life for us, even as he gave his life for them.
No, no one need wonder what happened to these children who gave their life for Christ. They were given life in Christ. They enjoy heaven to the fullest. The first martyrs, were saved by the one they gave their lives to save!
Now the peace of God that surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.