Holy Innocents (December 29, 2004)
Matthew 2:13-18
After they had left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt. Herod was furious on realising that he had been fooled by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or less, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. Then were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more. -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
A Study
This is a powerful study with no historicity involved. The Scholars in the Jesus Seminar gave it a zero confidence level. It's not in the other gospel stories. But it may have happened. Such things were unfortunately all too common when despots had absolute authority.
A Reflection
However, the story shows the extent to which Matthew's authors were willing to extend the story to collect and fulfil a few more Hebrew Bible "prophecies."
The parallel with Moses might have added a necessary ingredient for Jews who were still not sure that Jesus was the one. Fortunately, it's not one that I need.
The Collect
We remember today, O God, the slaughter of the holy innocents of Bethlehem by King Herod. Receive, we pray, into the arms of your mercy all innocent victims; and by your great might frustrate the designs of evil tyrants and establish your rule of justice, love, and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
4:04:03 PM 
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