Daily Scripture: Matthew 2:22 However, when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Y’hudah, he was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galil 23 and settled in a town called Natzeret, so that what had been spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he will be called a Natzrati.
Reflection Questions:
Matthew suggests (with scant details) that after leaving Egypt, Joseph may have considered settling in his ancestral home town of Bethlehem. But the trauma of Herod’s slaughter of the innocents (cf. Matthew 2:16) must have lingered. And Herod’s fortress/palace, the Herodium, overlooked Bethlehem, just five miles from Jerusalem. Nazareth, an obscure village in the north of Israel, was a safer place for Jesus to grow up. (Click here to see the two towns’ locations on a map.)
- We may not recognize the name Archelaus (verse 22), but people around Bethlehem certainly would have. Herod the Great had named him to rule the southern part (including Bethlehem) of Herod’s kingdom, and Archelaus promptly massacred 3,000 opponents in the Temple courts. Have there been times in your life when you faced threatening people or situations? Can you think of ways God helped to guide you to safety?
- Nazareth’s poverty and obscurity created limits Jesus had to meet in his public ministry (cf. John 1:45-46). Human wisdom might have thought it better for him to live near Jerusalem, possibly making influential contacts. When have you found it to be true that, in the prophet Isaiah’s words, God’s “plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8)? Looking back, are there instances where you’re grateful for God’s greater wisdom?
Lord Jesus, you made yourself vulnerable when you came to earth at Christmas. I’m thankful that you triumphed over the evil that leaves us all vulnerable. Help me, as your child, to live free of the crippling fear we humans can fall into. Amen.
---------------------Insights from Rev. Steven Blair
Rev. Steven Blair is the Congregational Care Pastor of Live Forward and Live Well Emotional Wellness Ministry. www.cor.org/liveforwardHOLY LAND, MIDDLE EAST: Reports of violence continue to surface from the Middle East. In a region with its fair share of wars and bloodshed, recent events have been seen by many to be especially alarming. Local government officials appear to be sponsoring a concerted effort to execute many of its citizens, with some reports suggesting a specific target of young boys.
Many residents have abandoned their homes carrying only essentials and heirlooms with them in an attempt to escape the violent regime. Some neighboring countries have agreed to take in the refugees. “It’s not safe for us to stay. We’re doing what we have to do,” commented a refugee named Joseph. “I hope we find a safe place for my wife and new son.”
Matthew 2:22 However, when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Y’hudah, he was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galil 23 and settled in a town called Natzeret, so that what had been spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he will be called a Natzrati.–Bethlehem Times, Long Ago?
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13720 Roe Avenue
Many residents have abandoned their homes carrying only essentials and heirlooms with them in an attempt to escape the violent regime. Some neighboring countries have agreed to take in the refugees. “It’s not safe for us to stay. We’re doing what we have to do,” commented a refugee named Joseph. “I hope we find a safe place for my wife and new son.”
Matthew 2:22 However, when he heard that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as king of Y’hudah, he was afraid to go there. Warned in a dream, he withdrew to the Galil 23 and settled in a town called Natzeret, so that what had been spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he will be called a Natzrati.–Bethlehem Times, Long Ago?
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Download the GPS App
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection
13720 Roe Avenue
Leawood, Kansas 66224, United States
913.897.0120
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