JESUS WAS BORN. Not Nazareth, but Bethlehem David's town. Pride in "family records" sent Jews back to their "home city." (_See_ Luke 2:1-4). BETHLEHEM. Six miles south of Jerusalem, this was one of the oldest places in Judea. It was at least 1,500 years old when Christ was born there. It stands on t... [ Continue Reading ]
KING OF THE JEWS. They were expecting a baby who would become the Messiah. They must have known and read the Jewish Scriptures. But it seems they thought in terms of a temporal kingdom. HIS STAR. It is useless to speculate about what they saw. To them it identified the birth of the One they expected... [ Continue Reading ]
HEROD. WAS VERY UPSET. Herod did not rightfully hold the throne. A rival, _legitimate,_ who would be accepted by the Jews, was bad news to him. EVERYONE ELSE IN JERUSALEM. This was the capitol, the seat of his power. Herod's backers were there.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE CALLED TOGETHER. Literally, "high priests." "Teachers of the Law" were the official copyists of Scripture, and the theologians of that time. These together formed the Sanhedrin or ruling body of the Jews. They would know the prophecies. MESSIAH BE BORN? The question shows: the Jews expected a Mes... [ Continue Reading ]
BETHLEHEM, IN JUDEA. Micah said this seven centuries before Christ. (Micah 5:1-2).... [ Continue Reading ]
BETHLEHEM, IN THE LAND OF JUDAH. This quotation is from the (Greek) Septuagint translation of the Old Testament (the version in common use, and which Jesus and his disciples commonly quoted). The (Masoretic) Hebrew says literally: "And you, O Bethlehem Ephrata, who are small among the thousands (tow... [ Continue Reading ]
HEROD CALLED. SECRET MEETING. This cunning and ruthless man had gained one point. He knew where the Messiah was to be born. Now he hopes to learn his age. THE EXACT TIME OF THE STAR. IT had been seen first about two years before (_implied in_ Matthew 2:16).... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HE SENT THEM TO BETHLEHEM. He wanted the Magi to find the Messiah, but not for him to worship, rather to murder.... [ Continue Reading ]
WITH THIS THEY LEFT. Probably immediately. The appearance of the star implied that it was night, and that their meeting with Herod was in the evening. WENT AHEAD OF THEM. A miraculous appearance is implied no less probable than the pillar of fire which guided Israel. STOPPED OVER THE PLACE. Either o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR. Implying that for a time, at least, they had not seen the star until leaving Jerusalem for Bethlehem. Its appearance shows their search is not futile.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WENT INTO THE HOUSE. Not the stable, but a temporary home. Many think Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem until the forty days of purification were completed; the young child then presented in the Temple (Luke 2:22); returned to Bethlehem; were visited by the Magi; then escaped to Egypt. If thi... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD WARNED THEM. Knowing Herod's character, his questioning of the Magi would make them suspicious, and they would seek God's guidance. God warned them in a dream.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THEY HAD LEFT. Probably the Magi were led by the star to Bethlehem, offered their worship, then left, Joseph was warned, and the _holy family_ started for Egypt all in the same night. RUN AWAY TO EGYPT. Egypt is closely connected to Bible history, It was the nearest of the Roman provinces not... [ Continue Reading ]
JOSEPH GOT UP, TOOK THE CHILD. The message came in a dream. He got up and left immediately. Divine commands should be promptly obeyed.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MAKE COME TRUE. (Hosea 11:1) The life and times of Israel were a prophesy of the Messiah. The son _Israel_ was called out of Egypt in the Exodus. The Son _Jesus_ was to be called out of Egypt also.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HEROD REALIZED. The Magi disobeyed his order to report to him, and returned home by a different route. ORDERS TO KILL. Herod was brutal! He ordered the murder of those boys in Bethlehem and its neighborhood, hoping to destroy the infant King.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THE PROPHET JEREMIAH HAD SAID. (Jeremiah 31:15) This was first spoken about the conquest of Israel by Nebuchadnezzar. The survivors of that were gathered at Ramah as captives. Mothers there wept bitterly for their dead children. The prophet described Rachel, mother of two great Tribes, as weepi... [ Continue Reading ]
A SOUND IS HEARD IN RAMAH. Ramah was a border fortress. The generals of Nebuchadnezzar collected the captives here after the fall of Jerusalem.... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER HEROD HAD DIED. That signaled for the return. Herod died in the spring of the year _"750 after the building of Rome" Just_ before the Passover. This makes his death almost four years before the start of our Christian era. (Our calendar dates from the sixth century, and is in error by a few yea... [ Continue Reading ]
GET UP... GO BACK. Joseph is not told to return to Bethlehem or to Judea, just to the land of Israel. THOSE WHO TRIED TO KILL THE CHILD. "Those" implies more than one. Five days before his death, Herod murdered his son Antipater (A prince who was evil, sadistic, and treacherous) whom he had expected... [ Continue Reading ]
TOOK THE CHILD. WENT BACK. He immediately obeyed the Lord's will. TO ISRAEL. This included Judea, Samaria, Galilee, and the country beyond the Jordan. He would first reach Judea.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN HE HEARD. Archelaus is one of the four sons of Herod who are mentioned in the New Testament. (See _note on_ Matthew 2:1.) JOSEPH WAS AFRAID. This implies he had intended to settle there,... [ Continue Reading ]
NAZARETH. Matthew does not mention their previous residence at Nazareth, but mentions it now as the home of Jesus. It was an obscure village, nestled on the hills about five hundred feet above the plain of Esdraelon, on the edge of Galilee. It is not mentioned in the Old Testament, and was probably... [ Continue Reading ]