We started studying Matthew last night in small group and I noticed something I never really saw before.
I knew that Matthew was written to new converts from Judaism in an attempt to prove that Jesus is the Messiah. Because of that, Matthew uses lots of Jewish phrases and he approaches the story of Jesus with a distinctively Jewish undertone. Anyway, what I had never noticed was all the ways that Matthew lines up with the Exodus. Exodus was a collective memory in the subconsciousness of the Jewish people, so Matthew appealed to them even on a subconscious level. Here’s what I’ve noticed so far: (I’m sure there’s more.)
Before the Exodus, God had been silent for over 400 years. Before Jesus’ birth, God had been silent for over 400 years.
Like Israel (God’s chosen people), Jesus came out of Egypt.
Israel began it’s journey to the promised land by passing through the Red Sea. Jesus passed through the Jordan and then began his journey to the cross.
Israel wandered and suffered in the desert. Jesus was tempted and suffered in the desert.
Israel followed the pillar of fire on it’s way to the promised land. Wise men followed a star on their way to Jesus.
This one is not from Matthew, but is in the Gospels – Moses’ was bringing Israel out of slavery in Egypt and his first miracle was to change water (the river) into blood. Jesus’ brought us out of slavery to sin and his first miracle was to turn water into wine. Later, he would call wine, his blood.
Anyway, I just thought it was all pretty interesting.