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The Coming of the Wise Ones
Matthew 2:1-12
Background: About Matthew: Matthew’s gospel was given a place of primacy from the earliest days of the church’s life. Probably not the first written, Matthew always appears first in the canon of the New Testament. It is a very practical book, written to early Jewish Christians who were especially interested in how the teachings of Jesus affected their ethical decisions. Matthew presents the characters of the story as paradigms for the readers of his day. What is demanded of them, and promised to them, is demanded of and promised to all believers at all times. Education is at the heart of Matthew. He never underestimates his audience. He believes that it is possible to understand Jesus’ teachings and to apply them to life. A major theme of Matthew is “fulfillment”. Jesus is the fulfillment of all that God has desired and all that the people have longed for. This fulfillment is made real in the kingdom of heaven, that is, God’s ruling in history through Christ. This week’s passage shows us the unexpected fulfillment of the hope of the Jewish people for Messiah in the helpless form of a poor child.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 2:1-12
Matthew 2:1) In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2) asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3) When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all of Jerusalem with him; 4) and calling together the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5) They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea: for so it has been written in the prophet: 6) ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 7) Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from
them the exact time when the star appeared. 8) Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9) When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10) When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11) On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12) And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.
Who was King Herod? Herod the Great was in many ways a great king. He kept the peace. He built the Temple. He was often generous. But he was decidedly paranoid. He had terrible fits of temper. He murdered his rivals, real or perceived, including his wife and three of his sons. He was of Arab descent and ruled at Rome’s pleasure. His father gained power by supporting Julius Caesar and was named procurator of Judea by Caesar in 47 B. C. His family ruled the area for nearly a century and a half.
Who were the Magi? The Greek word is ‘magoi’. It means magician or sorcerer. It was also used of astrologers, those who studied the skies to understand the fates of human beings. These people were highly educated and in many circles their work was prized and handsomely rewarded. There is no indication that they were kings. Nor do the scriptures tell us how many there were. The number three in the tradition arose from the number of types of gifts offered. Storytellers have given them the names Melchoir, Gaspar and Balthasar. Most important for Matthew is that they are Gentiles. From the very beginning, Matthew teaches that the longed for Jewish Messiah is not just longed for by the Jews. Nor is his presence and power restricted to them alone
Word Study
Matthew 2:1-12
Vs.1
Bethlehem - a small town where King David was born. The prophets consistently said that Messiah would be born in David’s town.
Magi arrived in Jerusalem - we don’t know when they actually arrived, but it was probably as long as 2-3 years after Jesus’ birth.
Vs.2
King of the Jews - this title lets us know that Jesus is a political as well as spiritual figure.
Star - there is endless speculation about the star. Was it Haley’s comet (11 A.D.)? Was it the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (7 B.C.)? Was it a supernova? In any event this star was no ‘normal’, even if natural, occurrence. It was a supernatural event.
Homage - could also be translated “worship”
Vs.3
troubled - could also mean frightened
And all Jerusalem with him - when Herod was unhappy, everyone was unhappy!
Vs.4
chief priests and scribes - this group included former chief priests, the current chief priest and his family as well as other leading priests. The scribes were the learned scholars of the day. Here Herod begins to assemble the opposition that will follow Jesus throughout his life.
Vs.6
- This quotation comes from Micah, and possibly Samuel
Vs.7
secretly - the fearful secrecy of Herod is emphasized. It is highly ironic that this powerful king would be so afraid of a little baby.
Learned from them - words that connote special care and exactness
Vs.8
search diligently - search carefully with high concern.
The child - a specific word for a young child, not an infant
Vs.9
ahead of them went the star - this indicates divine guidance
Vs.10
overwhelmed with joy - literally “they rejoiced with great joy exceedingly!”
Vs.11
knelt down - literally ‘on their faces’, this was a sign of honor and submission
Vs.12
warned in a dream - God’s guidance is again highlighted. What is important is not its supernatural nature, but rather, its unfailing presence.
Questions for Personal Reflection
1. Have you ever had trouble sharing power or acclaim? How did you handle it? 2. In what circumstances might you be called to ‘choose sides’ with regard to who Jesus is and what he means to you? How do you handle that? 3. What is it about Jesus that brings you the most joy? 4. Often we don’t think of Jesus as a political figure, but he was. How do you see faith positively impacting society? How do you see it’s negative impact? |