The Scripture reading for this Sunday is Matthew 2:13-23.
I invite you to read all of Matthew chapter 2, and as you do, you will notice something about the focus of Matthew’s writing – something that makes him distinct from the other Gospel writers. Four times in chapter 2 (three times in our passage for Sunday) Matthew quotes or alludes to the Old Testament finding it’s fulfillment in Jesus Christ. It’s not that other Gospel writers don’t do the same, but Matthew is particularly interested in showing his reading audience (predominantly Jewish) how Jesus is the fulfillment of the Torah (Old Testament law) and the prophets.
Each of the gospel writers had their focus in their writing – a particular theme that arises from their account of Jesus’ life – shaped by the audience to whom they were writing and themselves. (In the Reformed tradition we call this the “organic inspiration” of Scripture: God used people and their own interests and personalities and context to communicate His Gospel message of Jesus Christ throughout the world). Mark – who wrote his gospel to a persecuted and troubled church – was interested in showing his readers that “Jesus is the suffering Son of Man” as a way of encouraging them to keep the faith. Luke – who was a doctor – was interested in showing his readers that “Jesus, the Son of Man, came to seek and to save what was lost”; throughout his gospel he shows that Jesus is the great physician who loves and cares for those whom society has marginalized (the poor, the weak, the lowly). John – by calling himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved” throughout his Gospel – was interested in showing his readers that “Jesus, the Word, is God” and through Him we can have union with God as His beloved children. And Matthew’s particular interest, as I stated above, was to show his readers that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophecy; Jesus is the new Moses (the Messianic deliverer) who came to forever rescue his people from bondage to the law. (The quoted themes from each gospel come from, “How to Read the Bible Through the Jesus Lens” by Dr. Michael Williams).
With an eye for Matthew’s fulfillment focus, notice what Matthew writes in verse 15 (before the quote from Hosea): “And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet.” And before his other quotations, Matthew writes, “Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled,” and, “So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets.”
Through his fulfillment focus, Matthew helps us to see that, already at the beginning of His life, Jesus is the promised Messiah who God has sent to rescue His covenant people. However, the sad story of Matthew’s gospel is that what Matthew makes clear to us through his fulfillment focus is not clear to the many who responded with anger and disbelief Jesus’ arrival like King Herod does in Matthew 2:13-23.
But that shouldn’t surprise us since many respond in the same way today. Rather, we may find comfort in the assurance Matthew provides that Jesus is the One who fulfills God’s plan of redemption for His people – Jesus is God’s only Son, the promised Messiah, our Saviour.