12.
The Lord an example of timely
flight.
Wherefore also the Word Himself, being made man
for our sakes, condescended to hide Himself when He was sought after,
as we do: and also when He was persecuted, to flee and avoid the
designs of His enemies. For it became Him, as by hunger and thirst and
suffering, so also by hiding Himself and fleeing, to shew that He had
taken our flesh, and was made man. Thus at the very first, as soon as
He became man, when He was a little child, He Himself by His Angel
commanded Joseph, ‘Arise, and take the young Child and His
Mother, and flee into Egypt; for Herod will seek the young
Child’s life
1436
.’ And when
Herod was dead, we find Him withdrawing to Nazareth by reason of
Archelaus his son. And when afterwards He was shewing Himself to be
God, and made whole the withered hand, the Pharisees went out, and held
a council against Him, how they might destroy Him; but when Jesus knew
it, He withdrew Himself from thence
1437
. So also when
He raised Lazarus from the dead, ‘from that day forth,’
says the Scripture, ‘they took counsel for to put Him to death.
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence
into the country near to the wilderness
1438
.’ Again, when our Saviour said,
‘Before Abraham was, I am,’ ‘the Jews took up stones
to cast at Him; but Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the temple
1439
.’ And ‘going through the midst
of them, He went His way,’ and ‘so passed by
1440
.’
1436
Matt. ii. 13
.
1437
Matt. xii. 15
.
1438
John xi. 53,
54
.
1439
John viii. 58,
59
.
1440
Luke iv. 30
.