And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Frequently in Matthew’s gospel, you will find expressions like “This was to fulfill what the prophet said.” Matthew is concerned to show that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied by the prophets. “Out of Egypt I Called My Son” (Hos. 11:1) was cited not as a prophecy, but as a reference back to something that God had already done in the Exodus.
What Matthew is doing here, and elsewhere in his gospel, is connecting Jesus with Israel. Not just as their Messiah. But being like Israel itself. Jesus is, in a sense, a new Israel.
Jesus, like Israel, is called God’s son (Ex. 4:22, Hos. 11:1). A king sought to destroy both of them (Ex. 1:8-22, Matt. 2:16-18). They both were brought out of Egypt. As Israel passed through the sea, Jesus passed through the waters of baptism. As Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness facing temptation, so Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness being tempted.
Moses gave the law at Sinai, so Jesus gave his law in the Sermon on the Mount. Israel was established as a nation with twelve tribes, while Jesus established a community of faith centered initially around twelve disciples. And as a covenant with Israel was established at Sinai, so Jesus inaugurated a new covenant with his blood (Matt. 26:28).
What the law and the prophets looked forward to, Jesus fulfilled (Matt. 5:17). Not just the many specific prophecies we find mentioned. But Israel herself was a model, or type, of the one who was to come and establish a community of faith in himself. Thus, the phrase “Out of Egypt I Called My Son” becomes a deeper symbolic representation of Jesus’ role.
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