Matthew 2:7

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. THEN HEROD, WHEN HE HAD PRIVILY CALLED THE WISE MEN. Herod has so far succeeded in his murderous design: he has tracked the spot where lies his victim, an unconscious babe. But he has another point to fix-the date of His birth-without which he might still miss his mark. The one he had gotten from the Sanhedrim: the other he will have from the sages; but secretly, lest his object should be suspected and defeated. ENQUIRED, OF THEM DILIGENTLY, [ eekriboose (G191 ) - RATHER, 'PRECISELY'-] WHAT TIME THE STAR APPEARED - presuming that this would be the best clue to the age of the child. The unsuspecting strangers tell him all. And now he thinks he is succeeding to a wish, and shall speedil...

7._Then Herod, having secretly called the Magi _The tyrant did not dare to avow his fear and uneasiness, lest he might give fresh courage to a people, by whom he knew that he was hated. In public, therefore, he pretends that this matter does not concern him, but _inquires secretly, _in order to meet immediate danger. Though a bad conscience made him timid, there can be no doubt that God struck his mind with an unusual fear, which for a time made him incapable of reflection, and almost deprived him of the use of reason. For nothing was more easy than to send one of his courtiers as an escort, under the pretense of courtesy, who would investigate the whole matter, and immediately return. Herod certainly was a man of no ordinary address, and of great courage. It is the more surprising that, in a case of extremity, and when the remedy is at hand, he remains in a state of amazement, and almos...

1-8 Those who live at the greatest distance from the means of grace often use most diligence, and learn to know the most of Christ and his salvation. But no curious arts, or mere human learning, can direct men unto him. We must learn of Christ by attending to the word of God, as a light that shineth in a dark place, and by seeking the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And those in whose hearts the day-star is risen, to give them any thing of the knowledge of Christ, make it their business to worship him. Though Herod was very old, and never had shown affection for his family, and was not himself likely to live till a new-born infant had grown up to manhood, he began to be troubled with the dread of a rival. He understood not the spiritual nature of the Messiah's kingdom. Let us beware of a dead faith. A man may be persuaded of many truths, and yet may hate them, because they interfere with h...

PRIVILY - Secretly, privately. He did this to ascertain the time when Jesus was born. DILIGENTLY - Accurately, exactly. He took pains to learn the precise time when the star appeared. He did this because he naturally concluded that the star appeared just at the time of his birth, and he wished to know precisely how old the child was....

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 ...

THEN HEROD, WHEN HE HAD PRIVATELY CALLED THE WISE MEN,.... As soon as he had got the intelligence of the place of the Messiah's birth, he called, or ordered the wise men to be brought into his presence, and that in a very private manner; lest the Jews, who knew his hypocrisy and deceit, should perceive his views, and enter into his designs, and so give the wise men some instructions, which would be prejudicial to the scheme he was forming in his own mind to destroy the young king; and having called them to him, he INQUIRED OF THEM DILIGENTLY WHAT TIME THE STAR APPEARED. He took a good deal of pains in examining them, he sifted them, and inquired of them with much accuracy, and exactness, the precise time of the star's appearing to them, how long ago it was when it was first observed by them; that hereby he might exactly know the age of Christ, and the better execute the bloody design he...

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

THEN HEROD PRIVILY CALLED THE WISE MEN. The crafty and cruel king had gained one point; he now knew where the Christ was to be born. In order to compass his murderous design, and get out of the way one whom he feared might be. rival for his throne, he must learn more. He therefore asks another question of the wise men, by which he hopes to ascertain the age of the royal child. That he asked privately shows his sinister purpose. WHAT TIME THE STAR APPEARED. The fact that, as stated below, he slew the children of two years and under, denotes that the star had been seen first about two years before. The great German astronomer, Kepler, first pointed out that in B. C. 7, or within two or three years of the birth of Jesus, there was. remarkable conjunction of the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Mars and an extraordinary star. His astronomical calculations on this subject have been verified at the...