Matthew's gospel interjects into the birth narrative the intertwined stories of the baby Jesus' family's flight into Egypt, and the murderous rage of Herod the Great. The so-called "slaughter of the innocents" (vv.16-18) recounts a crime so heinous that it continues to confound and confuse us even after 20 centuries of similar and periodic vicious violence and conscienceless cruelty.

The overall view that Matthew's narrative assembles here is a moving picture portraying the sometimes surprising speed of both mission and madness. Divine intervention and intentionality are demonstrated by the number of special messages and messengers God sends out in order for events to unfold according to the divine plan.

First, the Magi are "warned in a dream" not to return to Herod. They quickly depart ".…