Now after they [the wise men] had left,an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Get up, take the child and his mother,
and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you;
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night,
and went to Egypt,
and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord
through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,
he was infuriated, and he sent and killed
all the children in and around Bethlehem
who were two years old or under, according to the time
that he had learned from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
"Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel,
for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
And after being warned in a dream,
he went away to the district of Galilee.
There he made his home in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
"Get up, take the child and his mother,
and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you;
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night,
and went to Egypt,
and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord
through the prophet, "Out of Egypt I have called my son."
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,
he was infuriated, and he sent and killed
all the children in and around Bethlehem
who were two years old or under, according to the time
that he had learned from the wise men.
Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah:
"A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more."
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
"Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel,
for those who were seeking the child's life are dead."
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
And after being warned in a dream,
he went away to the district of Galilee.
There he made his home in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled, "He will be called a Nazorean."
Flight into Egypt
John August Swanson, 2002
Dear friends,
Today we will reflect on the story of the flight into Egypt as told in Matthew 2:13-23 through the lens of the Four Noble Truths, which are central to the teachings of the Buddha.
- The First Noble Truth is the recognition that suffering, or dukkha, is a fundamental aspect of life. In this passage, we see how Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus are faced with the suffering of having to flee their home and seek refuge in a foreign land in order to escape the threat of death. This experience of suffering is a reminder that, as beings living in the world, we will inevitably encounter difficulties and challenges.
- The Second Noble Truth teaches us that the cause of suffering is craving and attachment. In this story, we see how King Herod's desire for power and control leads him to seek the death of the newborn Jesus. It is his attachment to his own ego and ambitions that drives him to take such extreme measures. This serves as a reminder that our own cravings and attachments can often be the root cause of suffering in our own lives.
- The Third Noble Truth is the understanding that it is possible to end suffering. In the face of great adversity, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were able to find safety and protection in Egypt, ultimately escaping the threat of harm. This serves as a reminder that, although suffering may be a natural part of life, it is possible to find relief and find ways to cope with the difficulties we face.
- The Fourth Noble Truth is the Eightfold Path to the end of suffering, consisting of right understanding, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
As we reflect on the story of the flight into Egypt, let us remember the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and strive to apply them in our own lives. May we recognize and acknowledge the suffering that is a natural part of life, and may we work towards ending suffering through the cultivation of the Eightfold Path.