The Holy Family
MATTHEW 2:13-15, 19-23 (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14; Colossians 3:12-21)
The Gospel reading for Holy Family Sunday begins with one of St. Joseph’s multiple dreams in Matthew’s first two chapters. Biblically speaking, dreams and the messages relayed in them were a kind of forerunner of today’s various means of communication. The context of this gospel reading is a sequel to the visit of the Magi at Bethlehem. Their encounter at Jerusalem with King Herod the Great resulted in a threat to the life of the child Jesus according to Matthew. Therefore Joseph needs to be warned to take preventive action to guard the life of his legally adopted son. An angel once again comes to the rescue.
The setting of the dream and the message itself indicate the middle of the night while the family was asleep: “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt.” The angel
warns Joseph that Herod will search for the child, and that the family must remain in Egypt until further notice. Joseph, ever obedient to his dreams, leaves quickly for Egypt with mother and child. Today’s gospel reading then omits the episode of the slaying of the Innocents, and moves onto a report of the death of Herod the Great. Herod died in 4 B.C., thus casting an interesting light on the concept that Jesus was born in 1 A.D.
If the gospels of Matthew and Luke accurately report the birth of Jesus during the reign of Herod the Great, then the birth of Jesus must be placed between 6 and 4 B.C.
After the death of Herod, the angel again communicates with Joseph in a dream, “Time to go home.” This is an angel of few words, since the message is very similar to the previous dream-message: “Rise, take the child and his mother….” They are to return to the land of Israel. But to what city? No indication from the angel. In Matthew’s gospel the Holy Family had apparently no connection with Galilee in the north, but were resi-dents of Judea in the south, probably living at Bethlehem. In Luke’s gospel they lived in Nazareth in Galilee and had to be brought to Bethlehem for registration in an imperially ordered census. In Matthew’s gospel the Holy Family intends to return to Judea.
When they learn that Archelaus, son of Herod the Great was now ruler of Judea, they were afraid to return to Judea. Archelaus had inherited his father’s cruelty but without his father’s brains. Once again and for the last time Joseph is warned in a dream. He takes his family northward to Galilee and settles in a small town called Nazareth. This is how Matthew explains one of Jesus’ later titles, “Jesus the Nazarene.” How different is Luke’s presentation of the story of the Holy Family! They come from Nazareth and peacefully return to Nazareth, not as exiles from Judea (as in Matthew’s gospel), but as natives of Galilee and Nazareth.
If we keep in mind that the gospels were not primarily written as history or biography but as theology or catechetical instruction, there is no difficulty with differences or contra-dictions. Both authors use a form of literature called “Midrash,” from a Hebrew verb meaning “to expand, interpret, and stretch” Old Testament passages into new meanings. Our concern here is Matthew’s gospel. What does Matthew have in mind as he composes his first two chapters, his Infancy Gospel? Throughout his gospel Matthew carefully searches for and applies Old Testament passages to “prove” various descriptions of Jesus and events in his life, death, and resurrection. He does the same in the Infancy chapters.
St. Joseph is modeled on the patriarch Joseph of Genesis 37-50. That ancient Joseph was not only a dreamer with whom God communicated in dreams but was also an interpreter of dreams. He too came from the land of Israel and was an exile in Egypt. He too brought his family to safety in Egypt. Matthew’s description of Herod the Great finds its model in the Pharaoh of Egypt. That ancient Pharaoh also ordered the slaughter of innocent boys up to two years old. Just as Jesus escaped the homicidal intentions of Herod the Great, so Moses escaped the homicidal intentions of the Pharaoh. We should not be shocked that parts of our Bible arose in the literary form of Midrash, a common way of teaching before and at the time of the composition of our gospels. God can reveal truths important for our salvation in multiple forms of literature. A major truth revealed in this story is that God carefully arranged events concerning his Son to preserve him for the destiny intended from all eternity to bring about our salvation.
SIRACH 3:2-6, 12-14
This reading warns children to honor their parents, especially in their old age and illness.
What motivation is given? This kindness “will serve as a reparation for your sins…. Like frost in sunshine, your sins will melt away.”
COLOSSIANS 3:12-21
The bone of contention in this reading is the statement, “Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord.” First, it must be remembered that the author express-es the customs of his time, since he also recommends that slaves be obedient to their masters. Secondly, the same author wrote, “Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ,” Ephesians 5:21.
