Matthew 2:10

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR, THEY REJOICED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY, [ echareesan (G5463) charan (G5479) megaleen (G3173) sfodra (G4970)]. The language is very strong, expressing exuberant transports....

9-12 What joy these wise men felt upon this sight of the star, none know so well as those who, after a long and melancholy night of temptation and desertion, under the power of a spirit of bondage, at length receive the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with their spirits that they are the children of God. We may well think what a disappointment it was to them, when they found a cottage was his palace, and his own poor mother the only attendant he had. However, these wise men did not think themselves baffled; but having found the King they sought, they presented their gifts to him. The humble inquirer after Christ will not be stumbled at finding him and his disciples in obscure cottages, after having in vain sought them in palaces and populous cities. Is a soul busy, seeking after Christ? Would it worship him, and does it say, Alas! I am a foolish and poor creature, and have nothing to off...

THE STAR ... WENT BEFORE THEM - From this it appears that the star was a luminous meteor, perhaps at no great distance from the ground. It is not unlikely that they lost sight of it after they had commenced their journey from the East. It is probable that it appeared to them first in the direction of Jerusalem. They concluded that the expected King had been born, and immediately commenced their journey to Jerusalem. When they arrived there, it was important that they should be directed to the very place where he was, and the star again appeared. It was for this reason that they rejoiced. They felt assured that they were under a heavenly guidance, and would be conducted to the new-born King of the Jews. And this shows: * That the birth of Jesus was an event of great moment, worthy of the divine interposition in directing these men to find the place of his nativity. * God will guide th...

EXPOSITION JESUS THE CHRIST BY HIS EARLY HISTORY answering to the word of God by the prophets. This is shown by four particulars, for each of which a corresponding prophecy is adduced. (1) The place of his birth; where, further, he receives homage of Gentiles, though neglected by his own people (Matthew 2:1). (2) His stay in Egypt (Matthew 2:13). (3) The slaughter of the innocents (Matthew 2:16). (4) His dwelling at Nazareth, and consequent appellation ...

WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR,.... Which by its appearance, size, brightness, c. they knew to be the same with that which they had seen, when in their own country THEY REJOICED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY; a "pleonasm" or a redundancy of expression frequently used by the Hebrews, see John 4:6 and the Septuagint there; setting forth the rapture, the excess of joy they were in upon the sight of the star. Very probably before this, their hearts were sad, their countenances dejected, and they greatly discouraged, having taken so great a journey, and as yet to so little purpose. They had been at Jerusalem, where they expected to have found him that was born king of the Jews; they had been at court, and conversed with men of the greatest figure and intelligence, and could get no tidings of him; people of all ranks and degrees seemed to be troubled at the account they brought; no body cared to go a

Matthew 2:1. _Now when Jesus was born is Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,_ Our Lord was born in Bethlehem, an inconsiderable village of Judaea. Its name, however, is significant; it means, «the house of bread.» Truly Bethlehem has become, in a spiritual sense, the house of bread to all who feed on Christ. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Matthew 2:2. _Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews?_ There was another king, of whom we have just read: «Herod the king,» but he was an Idumean, an Edomite. He had no right to the throne; but here is born the true heir to the throne of David, and the Magi from the east have come to ask for him....

2. THE KING WORSHIPPED BY GENTILES; Jerusalem in Ignorance of Him; the Child Persecuted. _ 1. The Visit of the Wise Men.(Matthew 2:1 .) 2. The Flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13 .) 3. The Return from Egypt. (Matthew 2:19 .)_ CHAPTER 2 The second chapter in Matthew relates events which are nowhere else recorded in the Gospels. For this reason, and this is the only reason, the authenticity of the chapter has been doubted more than once. All that which the second chapter contains belongs properly into the Jewish, dispensational Gospel, and would indeed be entirely out of place in the other three Gospels, therefore the Holy Spirit has seen fit to put it only in the first Gospel. The chapter

MATTHEW 2. THREE INCIDENTS OF CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD. Matthew 2:1. The Visit of the Magians.The religion of the Magi well deserved the double honour of stimulating the growth of the doctrine of the Future Life in Judaism, and of offering the first homage of the Gentile world to the Redeemer (J. H. Moulton, Magi, HSDB). [See on the relations of this story to Magianism, J. H. Moulton's _Early Zoroastrianism,_ pp. 282- 285. He says, The narrative might have been composed by a Magus for the accuracy with which it portrays Magian ideas. In a Jew the correct colour is interesting. The star was not a planet or conjunction of planets, since the planets were malign for the Magi. He thinks it was a new star, such as occasionally flame out in the sky, dwindling speedily and fading from sight. The stars were connected with the Fravashis, and the quest of the Magi was for an identification of the

AND WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR. This language shows that for some time, at least, they had not seen the star until they left Jerusalem for Bethlehem. Its reappearance caused them great rejoicing, because it showed them that their quest was not in vain. Their joy was not at the standing of the star over. particular spot, but that they saw it again after it was long lost sight of. It is probable that they had not seen the star since they left the East, until now. They said, "We have seen his star in the East," the country they came from, and its appearing again, proved that they had come to the right country....

THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE KING (Matthew 2:1-2)...