In obedience to an
angelic vision, Joseph takes his family to Egypt to escape the bestial and
murderous Herod. Upon the tyrant's death which is believed to have occurred
about 4BC, the family (again at the instigation of an angelic command) returns
to Israel and re-settles in Galilee.
Matthew in v.15 reports
the return of Joseph, Mary and the toddler Jesus as the fulfillment of Hosea
11.1:
When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.
What kind of
hermeneutic or interpretative method is being employed by Matthew? The verse
comes in the midst of a passage of condemnation and denunciation of Israel's
conduct, the type of passage we frequently encounter in the prophets. Immediately
after the statement in chapter 11.1, the passage goes on to condemn Israel – Ephraim
the northern kingdom and promises that they will be defeated by Assyria.
