2:13–15 As soon as the Magi left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. This is the third time thus far in the Gospel that God communicates by means of a dream (in 1:20, to encourage Joseph to go ahead and take Mary as his wife; in 2:12, to warn the Magi to return to their country by a different route). On two subsequent occasions in chapter 2 Joseph will be instructed by means of a dream (vv. 19, 22). In the ancient world people attached great importance to dreams. The dream was viewed as a form of communication with the unseen world, and every primitive culture had its professionals who would interpret dreams (cf. Dan. 2:2). In Hebrew tradition the ability to interpret dreams comes from God (Gen. 40:8).

The angel who appears to Joseph in a dream warns him that Herod will s…