“The birth of Christ was notified to the Jewish shepherds by an angel, to the Gentile philosophers by a star: to both God spoke in their own language, and in the way they were best acquainted with.”[171]
Shepherds [had] come to pay the homage of simple-minded ones: with all love and joy they bow before the mysterious child; and after them from afar come …, the most studious minds of the age. (Spurgeon)
2:1-2
The Magi’s question (v. 2) was not, “Where is He who has been born to become King of the Jews?” but, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” Jesus’ status as Israel’s king did not come to Him later in His life. He was born with it (cf. 27:37). In this respect, He was superior to Herod, who was not born a king and saw the young Child as a threat to his throne. The only other occurrences of the title king of the Jews in Matthew are in 27:11, 29, and 37 where Gentiles used these words to mock Jesus. (Constable)
Whatever it was, it was this same star that guided the Magi to Jesus’ house in Bethlehem, or at least to Bethlehem (v. 9). The presence of the definite Greek article with “star” in verse 9 points to the same star mentioned in verse 2. It seems to me that it would be very unlikely that a planetary conjunction or other natural star could have given the wise men such specific guidance. (Constable)
“… He [Jesus] is formally acknowledged King of the Jews by the Gentiles …”[167]
2:3-5
Herod assembled Israel’s leaders to investigate the Magi’s announcement further (v. 4). The chief priests were mainly Sadducees at this time, and most of the scribes (“teachers of the law,” NIV) were Pharisees. (Constable)
The chief priests included the high priest and his associates. The high priest obtained his position by appointment from Rome at this time in Israel’s history. The scribes were the official interpreters and communicators of the Mosaic Law to the people: their lawyers. (Constable)
Notice that Herod called the King, whom the Magi had spoken of, the Messiah (v. 4). Some of the Jews—particularly the Essenes, whom Herod did not consult, but not the Sadducees and Pharisees—were expecting a Messiah to appear soon because of Daniel 9:24-27.[180] Daniel had been a “wise man” in the East also. (Constable)
2:6
“It is strange how much the scribes knew, and what little use they made of it.”[188]
literal prophecy plus literal fulfillment.[183]
It is remarkable that the chief priests and scribes apparently made no effort to check out Jesus’ birth like the Magi did. (Constable)
Their apathy contrasts with the Magi’s curiosity and with Herod’s fear. It continued into Jesus’ ministry until it turned into antagonism. (Constable)
“… the conflict on which the plot of Matthew’s story turns is that between Jesus and Israel, especially the religious leaders.”[189]
“Except for Jesus himself, the religious leaders are the ones who influence most the development of the plot of Matthew’s story.”[190]
Jerusalem … was the very centre of the circle of Old Testament illumination. It had all possible advantages, over every other place in the world, for knowing when and how the Christ should come. Yet, when He did come, the people of Jerusalem know nothing about it, but had their first intimation of the fact from strangers who had come from the far East to seek Him. And not only did they know nothing about it till they were told, but, when told, they were troubled. {Matthew 2:3} Indifference where we should have expected eagerness, trouble where we should have looked for joy! (EBC)
2:7-10
“[Matthew] contrasts the eagerness of the Magi to worship Jesus, despite their limited knowledge, with the apathy of the Jewish leaders … . Formal knowledge of the Scriptures, Matthew implies, does not in itself lead to knowing who Jesus is …”[195]
2:11-12
The reaction of the wise men to discovering the Child and His mother was to bow and worship Him. (Constable)
It was customary in the ancient Near East to present gifts when approaching a superior (cf. Gen. 43:11; 1 Sam. 9:7-8; 1 Kings 10:2). (Constable)
Would that all the wise men of the present day were equally wise in heart! (EBC)
“Let knowledge grow from more to more, But more of reverence in us dwell; That mind and soul, according well, May make one music as before.” (EBC)
Many commentators, ancient and modern, have seen symbolic significance in these three gifts. Some have said gold suggests royalty while others have seen deity, or kingliness. Some say incense represents deity, while others believe it better represents perfect humanity, or priestliness. Many expositors view myrrh as prefiguring Jesus’ death and burial. It is unlikely that the Magi saw this significance, but Matthew may have intended his readers to see it. This act by Gentile leaders also prefigures the wealth that the Old Testament prophets said the Gentiles would one day present to Israel’s Messiah (Ps. 72:10-11, 15; Isa. 60:5, 11; 61:6; 66:20; Zeph. 3:10; Hag. 2:7-8). This will occur in the fullest sense at the Second Coming of Christ. (Constable)
Several contrasts in this section reveal Matthew’s emphases. Herod, the wicked … usurper king, contrasts with Jesus, the born righteous King of Israel. The great distance from which the Magi traveled to visit Jesus, contrasts with the short distance Israel’s leaders would have had to travel in order to see Him. The genuine worship of the wise men contrasts with the pretended worship of Herod, and the total lack of worship from the chief priests and scribes. The Gentile Magi’s sensitivity and responsiveness to divine guidance also contrast with the insensitivity and unresponsiveness of Israel’s leaders. (Constable)
“No sooner was Jesus born into this world than we see them [these leaders] grouping themselves into these three groups in which men are always to be found in regard to Jesus Christ.”[191]
What was his object in relating just what he has set down in this chapter? We believe it must have been to show how Christ was received. It seems, in fact, to correspond to that single sentence in the fourth Gospel, “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not”; only St. Matthew gives us a wider and brighter view; he shows us not only how Jerusalem rejected Him, but how the East welcomed Him and Egypt sheltered Him. (EBC)
Scripture quotations [unless otherwise noted] are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Most Works Cited. Please click here to access the web-page for all of the works cited, save those above–if any. Most of the works cited on the linked web-page correspond to the verses they are outlined with. In the case of background information and other general reference citations, one will find cited material with the Bible books the citations are associated with. ¶ Furthermore, all citations with URL linked numbered notes are from Constable, Thomas. “Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes.” These links are preserved “as is” at the time of this work’s formation.