But it says right here. . .

I can hear it now.

“Bethlehem!”

“Egypt!”

“Nazareth, you stupid cow! And you call yourself a scholar! It says right here in the prophets: ‘he shall be called a Nazarene!’”

“You insult me?! You’re the foolish one! Have you not read, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son?’”

“How many times do I have to tell you – you’re both wrong: the Scriptures clearly say, ‘out of Bethlehem will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel!’”

Year after year, generation after generation, the arguments between priests and scholars, professors and students: where would the Messiah come from?

Maybe Matthew was smiling as he wrote about the birth of Jesus. Born in Bethlehem (2:5-6), Jesus was taken by his parents to Egypt at the age of two to escape Herod’s sword (2:13-15). Once back in Israel, they settled in Nazareth (2:21-23), which explains why Jesus – who was born in Bethlehem and called out of Egypt – would be called a “Nazarene.”

“Oh, I guess we were all right. And wrong for getting so upset.”

“Sorry.”

“Me too.”

And what of our disagreements on Reformed theology or Dispensationalism or the premillennial rapture of the Church?

Maybe God is smiling. Won't we be surprised?