The Nativity Decoded
The flight to Egypt
The final act of the nativity story is both less cosy and less familiar to most people than the traditional stable scene, with its manger and animals, shepherds and wise men. Jesus was born into a terrifying era of political conflict, when Palestine was ruled over by a tyrannical, ruthless – and probably mad – king.
The claim that a new baby had been born who would be King of the Jews was an intolerable challenge to Herod’s absolute rule, and, according to the Gospel of Matthew, he ordered the murder of all young male children in Bethlehem. Matthew tells the story of how Mary and Joseph fled with the infant Jesus to find refuge in Egypt, relating their flight to an Old Testament prophecy by Hosea.
Today, around 10% of Egyptians are Christians, and many sites in Egypt are claimed as the hiding place of this frightened family with their newborn baby. This part of the nativity story is a foundation stone of the Coptic Church, which sees it as an instruction to protect people from oppression.
Today the Copts care for refugees fleeing from Darfur – men and women, adults and children – contemporary counterparts of Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus.
