A J 1. The Wise Men. Arrival.
K 2. The Star. Notification.
L 3. Herod hears of the Wise Men.
M d 4. His Question to Rulers. "Where?"
e 5,6. Their Answer.
M d 7-. His Question to the Wise Men. "What time?"
e -7,8. Their Mission.
L 9-. Wise Men hear Herod.
K -9-11. The Star. Guiding.
J 12. The Wise Men. Departure.
4 B.C.
Matthew 2)
1 Now when Jesus (Gr. Iesous, Heb. Yahoshua, Yahshua) was born in Bethlehem (= house of bread. Now Beitlahm, 5 miles south of Jerusalem. One of the fenced cities of Rehoboam, originally called Ephrath [Gen. 16,17]) of Judaea in the days of Herod the king (to distinguish him from other Herods), behold, there came wise men (Gr. magoi. It nowhere says they were Gentiles, or that there were only 3, or whether they were priests or kings. The "adoration of Magi" must have taken place at Nazareth, for the Lord was presented in the Temple 41 days after His birth[8 + 33 days. Lev. 3,4. Cp. Luke 2:21-24], and from there returned to Nazareth [Luke 2:39]. There, in "the house" [Matt. 2:11]; but, being well on their way home, easily escaped from Herod. Herod, having inquired accurately as to the time, fixed on "two years" [Matt. 2:16], which would have thus been about the age of the Lord. After the flight to Egypt, He returned once more to Nazareth [Matt. 2:23]. This chapter comes between Luke 2:39 and 45) from the east to Jerusalem, (The most likely place.)
married married married married
MARIAMNE I. MARIAMNE II MALTHACE CLEOPATRA
l l l l
ARISTOBULUS HEROD PHILIP I. ARCHELAUS HEROD ANTIPAS HEROD PHILIP II
l married HERODIAS (Matt. 2:22) married HERODIAS (Luke 3. -1)
l (Matt. 14:3. Mark 6:17. (Luke 3:1-, 19;
l Luke 3:19) 9:7; 13:31; 23:7.
l Matt. 14:1, 3.
l Mark 6:14)
HEROD HEROD AGRIPPA I. HERODIAS
(Kind of (Acts 12:1-23) (Matt. 14:3.
Chalcis) l Mark 6:17.
m. his l Luke 3:19)
niece l
BERENICE l
(Acts 25:13) l
l
AGRIPPA II. BERENICE DRUSILLA
(Acts 25:13) (Acts 25:13) married FELIX
(Acts 24:24)
2 Saying, "Where is He that been brought forth King of the Jews? (slang for the tribe of Judah. 1st question in the N.T. For the 1st question in the O.T. see Gen. 9)
for we (being in the east) saw His star (all questions are answered if we regard this as miraculous. Cp. Num. 24:15-19) in the east, and we came to do homage to Him."
3 But Herod the king on hearing these things, he was troubled (the enemy used this for another attempt to prevent the fulfillment of Gen. 3:15), and most of the people at Jerusalem at that time with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests (i.e. the high priests and other priests who were members of the Sanhedrin, or National Council) and scribes of the People together (the Sopherim, denoting learned men of the People; learned in the Scriptures, and elders of the Sanhedrin. This incident shows that intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures without experimental delight in them is useless. Here it was used by Herod to compass Christ's death [cp. Luke 22:66].The scribes had no desire toward the person of the "Governor", whereas the wise men were truly wise, in that the sought the person of Him of Whom the Scriptures spoke and were soon found at His feet. Head-knowledge without heart-love may be used against Christ), he kept inquiring of them where Christ should be born. (This was the 1st of 2 important questions: the other being "what time" &c. v.7)
5 And they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it stands written by means of the prophet, (Quoted from Mic. 5:2)
6 'And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the princes (put for "thousands" which they led) of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a Governor, that shall shepherd (rulers were so called because this was their office) My people Israel.'"
7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men,
inquired of them accurately what was the time of the star shone forth. (This was the 2nd of the 2 important questions)
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, "Go and search accurately concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come (not "Him also" as well as others, but "I also" as well as you) and do homage to Him also."
9 When they having heard the king, they departed; (to Nazareth [not to Bethlehem])
and, lo, the star, which when in the east, kept going (therefore not an astronomical phenomenon, but a miraculous and Divine act), till it went and stood over where the young child was. (Implying both distance and time)
10 When they having seen the star [standing over were the young child was], they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11 And when they were come into the house (not therefore at Bethlehem, for that would have been into the stable. There is no discrepancy here), they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasure cases, they presented to Him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. (From 3 gifts being mentioned tradition concluded that there were 3 men. But it does not say so, nor that they were kings. These presents supplied their immediate needs)
12 And being warned of God (= oracularly answered, implying a preceding question) in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they returned into their own country by another way.
B N1 f 13-. The Angel. Event.
g -13. His Command to Joseph. "
h 14. Joseph's Obedience. "
i 15-. Christ's abode. Egypt. "
O1 -15. Prophecy fulfilled.
N2 16. Herod's wrath and crime. Event.
O2 17,18. Prophecy fulfilled.
N3 f 19. The Angel. Event.
g 20. His Command. "
h 21. Joseph's Obedience. "
i 22,23-. Christ's abode. Nazareth. "
O3 -23. Prophecy fulfilled.
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord (Divine interposition was needed to defeat the designs of this enemy; and guidance was given only as when needed) appeared to Joseph in a dream,
saying, "Arise, and take with you the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be you be there until I bring you word: for Herod is on the point of seeking the young child to destroy Him.
14 When he arose, he took with him the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15 And was there until the end of Herod:
in order that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (as well as written) by the Lord by the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt did I call My Son." (Prophecies over 600 years before. Quoted from Hos. 11:1.)
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all (the number could not have been great) the boys that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under (it was now nearly 2 years since the birth at Bethlehem), according to the time which he had accurately inquired of the wise men.
17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken (as well as written) by means of Jeremiah the prophet (quoted from Jer. 31:15), saying,
18 "In Ramah (5 miles north of Jerusalem) was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 Saying, "Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they (i.e. Herod) are dead which sought the young Child's soul."
21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign over Judaea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he departed into the parts of Galilee: (The region north of Samaria, including the plain of Esdraelon and mountains north of it.)
so that it might be fulfilled which was spoken (it does not say "written". It is not "an unsolved difficulty", as alleged. The prophecy had been uttered by more than one prophet; therefore the reference to the heb. nezer [= a branch] is useless, as it is used of Christ only by Isaiah [Isa. 11:1; 60:21], and it was "spoken" by "the prophets" ) by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."