John Calvin Commentary Matthew 2:15

"and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son." — Matthew 2:15 (ASV)

Out of Egypt have I called my Son Matthew says that a prediction was fulfilled. Some have thought that the prophet's intention was different from what is stated here. They have supposed the meaning to be that the Jews act foolishly in opposing and endeavoring to oppress the Son of God, because the Father has called him out of Egypt. In this way, they grievously pervert the words of the prophet (Hosea 11:1), the design of which is to establish a charge of ingratitude against the Jews, who, from their earliest infancy and from the commencement of their history, had found God to be a kind and generous Father, yet were provoking Him by fresh offenses.

Beyond all question, the passage should not be restricted to the person of Christ; and yet it is not distorted by Matthew, but skillfully applied to the matter in hand.

The prophet's words should be interpreted as follows: “When Israel was still a child, I brought him out of that wretched bondage in which he had been plunged. He was formerly like a dead man, and Egypt served as his grave; but I drew him out of it as from the womb, and brought him into the light of life.” The Lord justly speaks in this manner, for that deliverance was a sort of birth of the nation. Then letters of adoption were openly produced when, by the promulgation of the law, they became the Lord’s portion (Deuteronomy 32:9), a royal priesthood, and a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9); when they were separated from the other nations; and when, in short, God set up his tabernacle (Leviticus 26:11) to dwell in the midst of them.

The prophet's words import that the nation was rescued from Egypt as from a deep whirlpool of death. Now, what was the redemption brought by Christ but a resurrection from the dead and the commencement of a new life? The light of salvation had been almost extinguished when God brought forth the Church anew in the person of Christ. Then the Church came out of Egypt in its Head, as the whole body had been formerly brought out.

This analogy prevents us from thinking it strange that any part of Christ’s childhood was passed in Egypt. The grace and power of God became more illustrious, and His wonderful purpose was more distinctly seen, when light came out of darkness, and life out of hell. Otherwise, the sense of the flesh might have broken out here in contemptuous language: “Truly a Redeemer is to come out of Egypt!”²¹⁰

Matthew therefore reminds us that it is no strange or unusual occurrence for God to call His Son out of that country, and that it serves rather to confirm our faith that, just as on a former occasion, so now again, the Church of God comes out of Egypt. There is this difference, however, between the two cases. The whole nation was formerly confined in the prison of Egypt, while, in the second redemption, it was Christ, the Head of the Church alone, who was concealed there, but who carried, contained within His own person, the salvation and life of all.

²¹⁰ “Qui croira que le Redempteur viene d'Egypte?” — “Who will believe that a Redeemer will come out of Egypt?“?” — “Who will believe that a Redeemer will come out of Egypt?“