Were Jesus’ toddler years really spent in Egypt?
The Bible seems to say so, as do ancient traditions.
But why would Mary and Joseph take their firstborn to Egypt?
An angel appeared in Joseph’s dream and told him to take his family out of Bethlehem to Egypt, specifically.
Basically, because King Herod felt threated by this unknown baby king and so he wanted to kill Jesus.
Why Egypt?
Going to Egypt was God’s idea. He obviously wanted Jesus’ toddler years to be spent outside of Israel.
Many believe Joseph used the magi’s gifts to pay for their flight to Egypt.
(And why not? We worship an orderly and efficient God.)
The Bible does not give us any information about the family’s life in that country. That’s because we don’t need to know.
History and traditions, however, have provided a few ideas as to why.
- At the time Jesus was born, many Jews already thrived in settlements in Egypt.
- One of the first synagogues in the world, and certainly the largest, was in Alexandria.
- Indeed, historians estimate a million Jews lived in Alexandria at the time.
- Egypt was outside Herod’s jurisdiction.
- Rome had built a well-traveled and well-maintained road, the Via Maris, along the Mediterranean Sea into Egypt.
- It was prophesied: Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my Son.
Throughout the Old Testament, Hebrew people traveled to Egypt for help, food, security–even if God warned them not to do so.
Any historical evidence for Jesus’ toddler years in Egypt?
No.
There’s only tradition, particularly from Coptic Christians in Egypt.
Indeed, their traditions include 25 different places the “Holy Family” stopped in Egypt. Churches were built at those sites.
You can read more details about Coptic Christians’ thoughts on the journey through Egypt here.
I first came across this concept while studying Oswald and Biddy’s Chambers’ life in Egypt.
Legend has it that Mary and Joseph stopped with baby Jesus near Heliopolis–otherwise known in the early 20th century as Zeitoun, and now El Matareya.
Claiming they always stopped near a stream, Egypt Today, explained the reason for the stop.
“The Virgin Mary washed her garments, sprinkling the used water on the ground, from which a balsam tree, now known as Virgin’s Tree, sprouted and continues to receive visitors to this day.”
Egypt Today, November 26, 1917
How long did the family stay in Egypt?
It’s not clear in which year Jesus was born: sometime between AD 1 and AD 6!
We know the family returned to their original home in Nazareth after Herod the Great died in 6 AD.
We don’t know how long it took for news of the King’s death to find them–wherever they were in Egypt.
I’ve always liked the song “My Deliverer,” by Rich Mullins depicting what Jesus’ time there might have been like:
Joseph took his wife and her child
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8-NxI_IWd0
And they went to Africa
To escape the rage of a deadly King
There along the banks of the Nile
Jesus listened to the song
That the captive children used to sing
They were singin’
My deliverer is comin’, my deliverer is standin’ by.”
Don’t you love the image of Jesus’ toddler years spent listening to people plead for their redemption?
What differences does it make where Jesus grew from a baby to a child?
I don’t know.
Abraham went to Egypt. Moses was born in Egypt. Israel’s son Joseph wound up in prison there before becoming the vizier of the entire nation.
Somehow, it was important the Savior of the World, too, spend time there.
I like to think about how human Jesus was. He could feel a pebble in his sandal. He knew sweat on his brow from heat.
As a baby, he learned to walk–perhaps along the banks of the Nile.
He and his parents were refugees from a brutal regime. They found safety in Egypt before returning home.
And in Nazareth–the toddler grew up (see next week’s post), and from there went on to become the Redeemer of the world.
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