2022 Christmas
Matthew 2:1-15
The World’s Responses To The Kings’ King

Readings: Luke 1-20; Matthew 2:1-15

• We read in Luke’s account that the lowly shepherds had already come to pay their homage to this mysterious child. Now is was the Magi’s turn, the wise men, who came from afar.
• The birth of Christ was announced to Jewish shepherds by an angel
• To the Gentile philosophers by a star
• Nevertheless, God spoke to both groups is miraculous ways; in ways they would understand.[171]

2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

• Whatever the star was, it was this same star that guided the Magi to Jesus’ house in Bethlehem, or at least to Bethlehem.
• It seems to me that it was a miraculous moving star that clearly lit the way to the Miraculous Child.
• The Magi’s question 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’ position as King did not come to Him later in His life. He was born with it. (Constable)
• Here, Jesus is formally acknowledged King of the Jews by the Gentiles. [167]
• These men’s commitment to worship is the reason they are talked about today.
• They chose worship as their response.

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

• Herod assembled Israel’s leaders to investigate the Magi’s question further.
• The chief priests were mostly Sadducees at this time, and most of the scribes were Pharisees.
• The scribes were the lawyers of their day. (Constable)
• At this time, The high priest obtained his position by appointment from Rome. (Constable)
• “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 [to have it announced] … from strangers who had come from the far East to seek Him.” (EBC)
• COMMENT > Powerful people
• It remains remarkable that the chief priests and scribes apparently made no effort to check out Jesus’ birth like the Magi did.
• The chief priests and the scribes indifference stands in the utmost sharp contrast with the Magi’s commitment to worship. We hear of nothing further from them.

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

• The Magi’s commitment to seek out for good the Messiah of Israel stands in sharp contrast to Herod’s ungodly desire to kill.
• “Would that all the wise men of the present day were equally wise in heart!” (EBC)
• Of course we know of Herod’s plan of great tragedy.
• He set himself up against the Creator of the universe.
• He was the first of many antichrists.

CONCLUSION

• Several contrasts in this section reveal Matthew’s emphases. Herod, the wicked … king, contrasts with the perfect King Jesus. “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.” (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]
  • The indifferent: John 1:11, He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
  • The antichrists: 1 John 2:18, Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
  • The worshipers: John 9:31, We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him.
• May knowledge grow “from more to more” in us in the coming year. But most importantly, may more of reverent worship describe us; "That mind and soul, … make one music as before.” (EBC)

Works Cited

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 Thomas Constable’s, “Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes.” These links are preserved “as is” at the time of this work’s formation.