God speaking again to Joseph in a dream, Herod killing innocent babies, the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt, their subsequent return to Nazareth—has a far-off sound. Its story-like feel, at first blush, may not provoke a response from us.
It is easy to read these early portions of Matthew’s Gospel as spectators. We become curious about Herod. We wonder about Jesus’ childhood. Our minds are drawn to a multitude of seemingly interesting questions—unconsciously moving us away from perhaps the main point.
Do we rebel against God or receive Him?
There really is no middle ground. None of us can “sort of” receive God.
Herod knows that this is the long waited for Messiah. Herod gives us a picture of what full-blown rebellion looks like.
There is of course no real logic here by Herod. At the time of Jesus’ birth, Herod was pushing 70 years old. Why be threatened by an infant?
Yet a rebellious heart operates not on logic—but on serving oneself.
Hearts rebelling against God is the story of human history. It is why Jesus has come. He will pay the price for all rebellion and make our return to God possible.
In fact, even when we say we are “for God”, He knows we won’t be perfect. Moments of rebellion will fill our days. Here again, by Jesus, we can repent and return again to the Lord.
As I was reading and reviewing other people’s writings on this passage, I came across a number of learned scholars who choose to refute this part of “Matthew’s Gospel”.
They have objections. Here are just two. They note that Jesus going to Egypt, and then coming out of it, has too many parallels to Moses. They wonder why there is no record of Herod’s hideous act.
To be sure the act was hideous. However, in Bethlehem at the time, people estimate that the number of male infants was in the range of thirty. Killing thirty babies doesn’t rank high on the list of Herod atrocities.
He executed his own wife, her mother, and three of his sons. He slaughtered the remaining family of the Hasmoneans (the dynasty that ruled before him). He executed half the Sanhedrin. He killed over 300 court officers. He, as he lay on his death bed, assembled the notable men of Jerusalem and at his death—had them all executed. Thirty little baby boys are not going to make the list!
We could in this post respond further to the objections, but perhaps there is a bigger issue—rebellion.
When “people on the inside” pick at His story—when they begin refuting the Bible—we need to sit up and pay attention.
When people “pick at the Bible” they will often say, “Paul said” or “Matthew wrote”. They use such a preface because they want to tell you why you don’t have to accept a piece of Scripture.
If instead they said, “I know God in His Word said such-and-such, but I don’t agree…” they would be more honest.
They would be honest because they, who stand on the inside of the Church, would be telling you they don’t believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God.
And look, it is okay for people to hold any opinion they want. But when they choose to do it from the inside, from inside the Church, they need to be honest.
To be in the Church that Jesus founded, is to draw on God’s Scripture which foretold him, and tells us all about his life. To then turn around and not agree with a book your institution says is the Word of God is not logical.
But then again, a rebellious heart operates not on logic—but on serving oneself.
Rebel or Receive.
I know I am putting a sharp point on this post. It seems to me that when we pick-and-choose which bits of Scripture we agree with, we are merely creating a God that is a twisted image of ourselves.
This little bit of Scripture, is more than quaint—it is an opportunity to receive Him.