Mateus 2
J.C. Ryle · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 2
Ryle - These verses teach us, that it is not always those who have most religious privileges, who give Christ most honor. We might have thought that the Scribes and Pharisees would have been the first to hasten to Bethlehem, on the slightest rumor that the Saviour was born. But it was not so. A few unknown strangers from a distant land were the first, except the shepherds mentioned by St. Luke, to rejoice at His birth. “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (Jn 1:11) What a mournful picture this is of human nature! How often the same kind of thing may be seen among ourselves! How often the very persons who live nearest to the means of grace are those who neglect them most! There is only too much truth in the old proverb, “The nearer the church the further from God.” Familiarity with sacred things has an awful tendency to make men despise them. There are many, who from residence and convenience ought to be first and foremost in the worship of God, and yet are always last. There are many, who might well be expected to be last, who are always first. (Matthew 2 Commentary) John Butler - Sermon Starters - Volume 7 - Agitation Of Christmas Matthew 2:3 "When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matthew 2:3). The word "troubled" in our text means to be agitated, agitation as water that is boiling. It is a strong word and shows hostility here. FIRST—THE MESSAGE THAT TROUBLED "Heard these things." The message that agitated was at least fourfold. The coming of Christ. The wise men had said Someone important was born. The birth of Christ was not meant with much joy in the world to which He came. The crown for Christ. The wise men had said that Christ was to be the "king of the Jews." (Matthew 2:2). This manifested rank and power for Jesus Christ. Herod especially would not like this. The celebration of Christ. The wise men were going to worship Him. Worship means reverence, respect, deference, honor. It makes the person worshipped very honored especially when the worshippers have come a long distance to worship Him. This would upset Herod. The communicants for Christ. Because the wise men had come a long distance to worship Him, they were obviously very dedicated and devoted to Christ. The world does not adore such people. SECOND—THE MONARCH THAT WAS TROUBLED "Herod." Several things about Herod are in the context of this text. No wonder he was troubled at the news of Christ's birth and worship. All of this was contrary to him. His character. He was very deceitful to the wise men, for he pretended to also want to worship Christ, when in fact, he wanted to do away with Christ. History is not kind to Herod. He was jealous, self-serving and proud. While alive he was called 'Herod the Great,' but death changed the 'Great' to 'Guile.' The Bible never calls him 'Great' but it does call John the Baptist and Jesus "Great." (Luke 1). He was ignorant of important spiritual truths, was hypocritical (feigned himself a worshiper of Christ), cruel (as we will note in more detail next), and contemptible. His cruelty. Herod lashed out in and effort to kill the Christchild by killing all the children two years and younger in the Bethlehem vicinity. History verifies his cruelty. At his death he wanted a group of people to be slain so there would be sorrow in the land when he died. He was so cruel he knew people would rejoice at his death so made this horrible decree for sorrow (which was not carried out). THIRD—THE MUNICIPALITY THAT WAS TROUBLED "And all Jerusalem with him." A world that calls a Herod 'Great' will not rejoice over the coming of Christ. You would expect Jerusalem, of all places, to rejoice, but it was filled with sin. We give ourselves away by what we rejoice in, criticize and compliment. Evil likes evil, not righteousness. The world despises Christianity. Matthew 2:4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. NET After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. GNT καὶ συναγαγὼν πάντας τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ γραμματεῖς τοῦ λαοῦ ἐπυνθάνετο παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ποῦ ὁ Χριστὸς γεννᾶται. NLT He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?" KJV And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. ESV and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. NIV When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. the chief priests- Mt 21:15,23 26:3,47 27:1 1Ch 24:4-19 2Ch 36:14 Ezr 10:5 Ne 12:7 Ps 2:2 Joh 7:32 18:3 the chief priests- Mt 7:29 13:52 2Ch 34:13,15 Ezr 7:6,11,12 Jer 8:8 Mk 8:31 Lu 20:19 Lu 23:10 Joh 8:3 Ac 4:5 6:12 23:9 he inquired of them - Mal 2:7 Joh 3:10 Gathering together all the chief priests : These were the temple hierarchy (the high priest and his associates) and were mostly Sadducees (Mt 3:7). At this time the high priest was appointed by the Romans. These men preferred the recognition of the political power than the recognition of the One with Power. Imagine how honored these religious leaders would be to be invited by King Herod to give spiritual advice. However is notable that Sadducees and Pharisees (most scribes were pharisees) did not get along, but this was an exceptional case which makes me think of the enemy of my enemy is my friend! John 12:42-43 says "Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God." (This is a tough one! Were the rulers true believers or were they like those in John 2:23-24+? Compare Paul's teaching in Ro 10:9-10+, Mk 8:34-37, 38, with other passages like Jn 19:38-39, Mk 15:43, Lk 23:50-51 - Certainly Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea did confess, but were there others?) Gathering together (4863)(sunago from sun = with + ago = to lead, ) means literally to lead together. To gather (in) or gather (up) It is a bit ironic that this verb gives us the word synagogue the place where Jews gathered to worship. Here they gathered for what would prove to the the antithesis of worship of God, as Herod would seek to kill the King of the Jews on finding out His birthplace. Chief priests (749)(archiereus from arche = first in a series, the leader or ruler, idea of rank or degree + hiereus = priest - hieros is that which is determined, filled or consecrated by divine power) refers to the priest that was chief over all the other priests in Israel. In the plural archiereus refers to all the ruling priests, the members of the high-priestly families as a group, the upper echelons of the priestly class, especially those who served on the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court (Lk 9:22, Mk 8:31). And scribes of the people - Scribes were primarily Pharisees, authorities who were interpreters of the Jewish law. Sometimes they are referred to as “lawyers” (see Lu 10:25). They were professional scholars, "teachers of the law" so called because it was their office to make copies of the Scriptures, to classify and teach the precepts of the oral law, and to keep careful count of every letter in the O.T. writings.. They knew exactly where the Messiah was to be born (Mt 2:5), but lacked the faith to accompany the magi to actually go to the place where He was. To know about Christ is not enough! One must go to Christ! Many today in America know, but fail to go in repentance and faith and will be sadly shocked in the day of judgment (cf Mt 7:21-23+). Scribes (1122)(grammateus from grapho = to write) was one skilled in Jewish law and theology scribe, expert, scholar (Mt 2.4). Grammateus also referred to a chief executive officer of a governmental entity such as a town official secretary, town clerk (Acts 19.35). Jesus gives a long rebuke including 8 WOES primarily to the Scribes and Pharisees which should be read to help understand how this group of Jewish religious men functioned (See Mt 23:1-39, 13, 14, 15, 16, etc). Most sources consider the lawyers (nomikos - meaning one skilled in the Mosaic law) to be scribes specialized in the jurisprudence of the Law of Moses. Finally the scribes in Lk 5:17 (nomdidaskalos) were teachers of the Jewish law who were equal to the lawyers and scribes
Mateus 2
Ryle - These verses teach us, that there may be knowledge of Scripture in the head, while there is no grace in the heart. Mark how king Herod sends to inquire of the priests and elders “where Christ should be born.” Mark what a ready answer they return him, and what an acquaintance with the letter of Scripture they show. But they never went to Bethlehem to seek for the coming Saviour. They would not believe in Him, when He ministered among them. Their heads were better than their hearts.—Let us all beware of resting satisfied with head-knowledge. It is an excellent thing, when rightly used. But a man may have much of it, and yet perish everlastingly. What is the state of our hearts? This is the great question. A little grace is better than many gifts. Gifts alone save no one. But grace leads on to glory. (Matthew 2 Commentary) Has been written (1125) (grapho) from root graph- = primarily means to scratch on or engrave as on an ornament, reports, letters, etc; English = graph, graphic, etc) means to engrave or inscribe with a pen or stylus characters or letters on a surface which can be wood, wax, metal, leather, stone, parchment, dirt (John ), paper, etc. The similar phrase it is written is frequent in the Gospels - Matt. 4:4; Matt. 4:6; Matt. 4:7; Matt. 4:10; Matt. 11:10; Matt. 21:13; Matt. 26:24; Matt. 26:31; Mk. 1:2; Mk. 7:6; Mk. 9:13; Mk. 14:21; Mk. 14:27; Lk. 2:23; Lk. 3:4; Lk. 4:4; Lk. 4:8; Lk. 4:10; Lk. 7:27; Lk. 19:46; Lk. 24:46; Jn. 6:31; Jn. 6:45; Jn. 12:14 THOUGHT - It is written ("It stands written") occurs 76 times in the Bible and four uses are in the temptation of Christ, 3x by Jesus and once by the Tempter (Matt. 4:4; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10+). When we were children and our parents told us to do something and we questioned "Why?", the answer was usually "Because I said so!". Why are we commanded to be holy? Because God said so! A popular saying is "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." This sounds good but isn't accurate because God's Word is true, irregardless of whether we believe it or not. A more accurate "saying" would be God said it, that settles it! It is written (or "has been written") should put a stop to every complaint or excuse. In essence, Jesus sets Satan's suggestion next to Scripture's statement. There is an important principle here - we should always lay God's Word besides Satan's subtle seductions - The best way to show a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it. “It is written” should be in the heart and on the lips of every Christian." (F. Whitfield ) “It is written” should decide every controversy, settle every doubt, and overcome every difficulty. (Amen!) THOUGHT - Grapho is in the perfect tense which indicates that God's Word was written down at a point in time and stands written! It is still in force, still relevant to your life! Jesus in fact said “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Mt 24:35) This begs the question - why don't we memorize His Word? All of the shiny trinkets and babbles we spend time collecting will vanish (cf 1 Jn 2:17+), but God's Word will endure. Eat the Word beloved (1 Pe 2:2+, Heb 5:14+), so that may be enabled by the Spirit to meditate on the Word anywhere, anytime and you will also experience the promised blessings of meditation (Ps 1:1+, Ps 1:2+, Ps 1:3+, Joshua 1:8+) Prophet (4396)(prophetes from próphemi = literally to tell beforehand in turn from pró = before, in front of, forth, on behalf of + phemí = speak, tell) is primarily a forth-teller or one who speaks out God’s message, primarily to their own generation, usually always calling the people to God's truth for them at that moment, often using the phrase "Thus saith the Lord." The prophet is one who speaks before in the sense of proclaim, or the one who speaks for, i.e., in the Name of (God). "As distinct from the sacral figures of pagan antiquity the biblical prophet is not a magician. He does not force God. On the contrary, he is under divine constraint. It is God Who invites, summons, and impels him--e.g., Jer 20:7" (Lamorte and Hawthorne) Although we commonly think of the prophet as predicting future events (foretelling) generally this was secondary to his work of forth-telling. When they functioned as predictors or prognosticators, the Biblical prophets foretold the future with 100 percent accuracy. And so if they were correct on the first coming of Messiah, they will be correct on His second coming and on the coming of the antichrist. In sum, forth-telling dealt with current events and fore-telling with future events, but in both the goal is the same -- to call us to trust the Lord and submit to His will for our lives, living in conformity with His Word. Matthew uses this word four times in chapter 2 - Mt 2:5, Mt 2:15, Mt 2:17, Mt 2:23. Related Resource: Is Micah 5:2 a Messianic prophecy? Matthew 2:1 with Micah 5:2 Perfect Predictions At the beginning of a new year and a new millennium, we hear many predictions. But then, making predictions is nothing new. In 1983, US News & World Report magazine had a section titled “What The Next 50 Years Will Bring.” It had the usual suggestions about the growing importance of computers, about new medical breakthroughs, and about the sleeker, faster ways of getting around. The introduction said, “Prediction is at best a risky business.” Then it quoted Sir Francis Bacon, who said, “Dreams and predictions ought to serve but for winter talk by the fireside.” That may be true of man’s predictions, but not of God’s prophecies. Man may speculate about what will happen next week, but God showed us in the Bible that He knows the future. This truth is one reason we can have absolute confidence in the Book of books. The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about people, events, and nations that have already been fulfilled. The chance of that many predictions coming true is astronomical. Do you lack confidence in the Bible? Spend some time examining its many fulfilled prophecies. I predict you’ll be convinced that it truly is God’s Word, and that you can rely on it for everything in your future. For Further Study Look up the following prophecies and their fulfillment: Isaiah 7:14 & Luke 1:26-35; Micah 5:2 & Matthew 2:1; Isaiah 53:9,12 & Matthew 27:38,57-61. In a changing world you can trust God's unchanging Word. It has been estimated that there are 333 prophecies in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the Messiah. Clearly the fulfillment of all 333 in one Man would be literally impossible based on chance alone. But what about the odds against even a smaller number being fulfilled by chance. Click for an illustration of the statistical unlikelihood that even 8 of OT prophecies could have fulfilled in Jesus merely by chance. Jesus Himself taught in one of His post-resurrection appearances that... "beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures." (Luke 24:27+) The Messiah (Christ) is the Word of God (Jn 1:1) and so it should come as no surprise that He is described in every Old Testament book. In Genesis He is the Seed of the woman (Ge 3:15). In Exodus He is the Lamb of God for sinners slain (Ex 12:5, 6, 7, 11). In Leviticus He is our High Priest (the whole book). In Numbers He is the Star out of Jacob (Nu 24:17). In Deuteronomy He is the Prophet like unto Moses (Dt 18:15). In Joshua He is the Captain of the Lord’s armies (Josh 5:13, 14, 15). In Judges He is the Angel of the LORD or the messenger of Jehovah (Jdg 13:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23). In Ruth He is our Kinsman-Redeemer (Chapter 3). In Samuel, Kings and Chronicles He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (1Sa 8:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). In Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther He is the sovereign Lord over all the kingdoms of the earth (entire books). In Job He is our risen and returning Redeemer (Job 19:25). In Psalms He is the Blessed Man (Psalm 1:1, 2, 3), the Son of Man (Psalm 2:2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12), the Crucified One (Psalm 22), the Coming One (Psalm 24), the Reigning One (Psalm 72). In Proverbs He is our Wisdom (Pr 14). In Ecclesiastes He is the forgotten Wise Man (Eccl 9:14, 15). In Song of Solomon He is my Beloved (Song 2:16). In Isaiah He is our suffering Substitute (Isa 53). In Jeremiah He is the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (Jer 23:6). In Lamentations He is the Man of sorrows who weeps for His people (Lam 1:12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18). In Ezekiel He is the glory of God (Ezek 1:28). In Daniel He is the Smiting Stone (Da 2:34) and the Companion in the furnace of fire and the den of lions (Da 3:24, 25; 6:22). In Hosea He is David’s Greater King (Hos 3:5). In Joel He is the Hope of His people (Joel 3:16). In Amos He is the Rescuer of Israel (Amos 3:12). In Obadiah He is the Deliverer upon Mount Zion (Oba 1:17). In Jonah He is the buried and risen Saviour (compare Mt 12:40). In Micah He is the Everlasting God born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2). In Nahum He is our Stronghold in the day of wrath (Nah 1:7). In Habakkuk He is the Anchor of our faith (Hab 2:4). In Zephaniah He is in the midst for judgment and cleansing (Zeph 3:5,15). In Haggai He is Lord of presence and power (Hag 1:13). In Zechariah He is the coming king riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9). In Malachi He is the Sun of Righteousness (Mal 4:2). Related Resources: Messianic Prophecy Josh McDowell's classic "More than a Carpenter" - good book to suggest to your skeptical friends! How a Jewish man Michael Goldstone met Messiah - site has multiple similar video testimonies Messianic Prophecies • WebBible Encyclopedia • ChristianAnswers.Net AccordingtotheScriptures.org -- 353 Prophecies Fulfilled in Jesus Christ - nice simple chart Jesus and messianic prophecy - Wikipedia Messianic Prophecy Messianic Prophecies - Bible.org - J. Hampton Keathley, III Prophecies Concerning Christ - Michael Finlay Prophecies of the Birth of Christ - J. Hampton Keathley, III The Story of the "Seed" - The Coming of the Promised Messiah - Bob Deffinbaugh Prophecies of Jesus Christ as Messiah Chris Tomlin's song Jesus Messiah Messianic Prophecies in Isaiah - 20 part Series by S Lewis Johnson The Messianic Hope of Israel - Series - Max Reich Messianic Prophecy in the Old Testament - Wil Pounds Messianic Prophecies, Types & Applications in the Old Testament - Wil Pounds Numbers 24:15-19 A Star Will Come out of Jacob - Greg Herrick Numbers 24:17-19 Messianic Prophecies - Allen Ross The Amazing Prophecy Of Names - A study of Isaiah's names for the Savior Commentary on Messianic Predictions (V1-Gen, Ps, Minor Prophets) - E W Hengstenberg (Pdf) Commentary on Messianic Predictions (V2-Isa, Zeph, Jer) - E W Hengstenberg The Jewish Tradition Of Two Messiahs - RBC Questions Skeptics Ask About Messianic Prophecy - RBC 2 Timothy 3:16-17: Study on Authority of God's Word The Power of God's Word - a simple study The Necessity of Scripture (Pdf) - William D. Barrick The Sufficiency of Scripture (Pdf) - John MacArthur (also here) Rationality, Meaningfulness & Precision of Scripture - Robert L. Thomas The Authority of Scripture (Pdf) - Richard L. Mayhue The Testimony of Prophecy by Charles Simeon (Or Here - scroll down to 2 Peter 1:19) Matthew 2:6 'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'" NET 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" GNT Καὶ σὺ Βηθλέεμ, γῆ Ἰούδα, οὐδαμῶς ἐλαχίστη εἶ ἐν τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν Ἰούδα· ἐκ σοῦ γὰρ ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις ποιμανεῖ τὸν λαόν μου τὸν Ἰσραήλ. NLT 'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.' " KJV And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. ESV "'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.'" NIV " 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' " YOU, BETHLEHEM - Mt 2:1 Mic 5:2 Joh 7:42 A RULER- Mt 28:18 Ge 49:10 Nu 24:19 1 Chr 5:2 Ps 2:1-6 Isa 9:6,7 Eph 1:22 Col 1:18 Rev 2:27 11:15 WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL - Ps 78:71,72 Isa 40:11 Jer 23:4-6 Eze 34:23-25 37:24-26 BETHLEHEM HOUSE OF BREAD BIRTHPLACE OF BREAD OF LIFE AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL - This is the first of four fulfilled prophecies in Matthew - (1) Mt 2:6 fulfilled Micah 5:2 (2) Mt 2:15 fulfilled Hosea 11:1 (3) Mt 2:18 fulfilled Jeremiah 31:15 and (4) Mt 2:23 is said to "fulfill what was spoken through the prophets. There is however no specific prophecy or prophecies that can be definitely linked to Matthew 2:23. See discussion below on OT quotes in the NT. This prophecy, which combines Mic. 5:2 and 2 Sam. 5:2, emphasizes Matthew's conviction that the King who brings the kingdom is a Shepherd-King. Related Resource: Is Micah 5:2 a Messianic prophecy? Knowing But Not Going Matthew 2:6 "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel." Herod was not disappointed. His religious sycophants had the answer for Him as to where Christ would be born. FIRST—THE PLACE IN THE ANSWER "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda." The religious leaders that toadied up to Herod knew but did not practice Scripture. They told Herod Christ would be born in Bethlehem, and they quoted Micah 5:2 to confirm their claim. The size. "Least among the princes of Juda." The size of Bethlehem was so small that sometimes it was left off the list of towns of that area (namely Judah). But God does not reject small. Size is not the criteria for service but character is. Bethlehem may be small, but during World War II President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat side by side sing on board a ship at a Christmas service singing, "O Little Town of Bethlehem." Take care of your character, God will take care of your calling. Regardless of how obscure you may be. He can make a small Bethlehem into a significant place. The site. "In the land of Juda." This information would identity what Bethlehem was spoken of in Scripture. It would also tell Herod that it was close by his location so he could quickly and cruelly end this opposition to his rule. There was another Bethlehem in the north in Zebulon so Herod needed to know which Bethlehem. SECOND—THE PRODUCT IN THE ANSWER "A governor, that shall rule my people Israel." The passage quoted by the religious leaders also said some important truths about the Person who was born in Bethlehem. The position. "Governor." This person born in Bethlehem was called "Governor." This word means the principle ruler, Christ will be "King of kings and Lord of lords." (Revelation 19:16). The purpose. "Shall rule my people Israel." He, not Herod, will be "king of he Jews. (Matthew 2:2). "Rule" could be translated 'shepherd.' It will be a much better rule then Herod's oppressive rule. Yet people vote for Herod because he does not disturb their sinning. THIRD—THE PASSIVENESS IN THE ANSWER "There shall come." The religious leaders knew but did not go. Their disinterest. The religious leaders did not want Christ and here evidence absolutely no interest in him. Religion had degenerated into political and cultural correctness. Their detachment. The religious leaders made no application to their information. This is the habit of many today. I had an adult Sunday School teacher in my Chicago church who could wax eloquent with information, but had no application. He was a very popular teacher because no application means no conviction and no rebuking. (John Butler - Sermon Starters - Volume 7) MATTHEW 2:6—How can we explain Matthew’s apparent misquotation of Micah 5:2? PROBLEM: Matthew 2:6 quotes Micah 5:2. However, the words Matthew uses are different than those used by Micah. SOLUTION: Although Matthew seems to have changed some of the words from the passage in Micah, there is no real deviation in the meaning of the text. Matthew, in some instances, seems to have paraphrased. First, Matthew inserts the phrase “land of Judah” for the word “Ephrathah.” This does not really change the meaning of the verse. There is no difference between the land of Judah and Ephrathah, except one is more specific than the other. In fact, Ephrathah refers to Bethlehem in the Micah passage, and Bethlehem is located in the land of Judah. However, this does not change the basic meaning of this verse. He is speaking of the same area of land. Interestingly, when Herod asked the chief priests and the scribes where the child was to be born, they said, “in Bethlehem of Judea” (Matt. 2:5, NASB). Second, Matthew describes the land of Judah as “not the least” but Micah states that it is “little.” Here, Matthew may be saying that since the Messiah is to come from this region, it is by no means least among the other areas of land in Judah. The phrase in Micah only says that Bethlehem is too little or small, as compared to the other areas of land in Judah. The verse does not say it is the least among them, only very little. Matthew is saying the same thing in different words, namely, that Bethlehem is little in size, but by no means the least in significance, since the Messiah was born there. Finally, Matthew uses the phrase “who will shepherd My people Israel” and Micah does not. Micah 5:2 recognizes that there will be a ruler in Israel, and Matthew recognizes this as well. However, the phrase that is not mentioned in Micah is actually taken from 2 Samuel 5:2. The combining of verses does not take away what is being said, but it strengthens the point that the author is making. There are other instances where an author combines one Scripture with another. For example, Matthew 27:9–10 combines some of Zechariah 11:12–13 with Jeremiah 19:2, 11 and 32:6–9. Also, Mark 1:2–3 combines some of Isaiah 40:3 with Malachi 3:1. Only the first passage is mentioned, since it is the main passage being cited. In brief, Matthew is not misrepresenting any information in his quotation of Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2. Matthew’s quote is still accurate even though he paraphrases part of it and combines another portion of Scripture with it. (Norman Geisler - When Critics Ask) Matthew 2:7 Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. NET He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well." GNT καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν, Πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου· ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ. NLT Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!" KJV And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. ESV 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." NIV He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." Mt 26:3-5 Ex 1:10 1Sa 18:21 Ps 10:9,10 55:21 64:4-6 83:3,4 Isa 7:5-7 Eze 38:10,11 Rev 12:1-5,15 Then (5119)(tote) is an expression of time which means "At that time." When used as an adverb THEN is always worth pausing to ponder and query asking questions like "What time is it? What happens next? Why does this happen now?, etc". When then is used (as determined by the context) to be an expression of time or "time phrase", it usually indicates sequence and thus marks that which is next in order of time, soon after that, following next after in order of position, narration or enumeration, being next in a series (See English definitions or here). Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star (note) appeared - Secretly speaks of his sinister deception. The word determined (akriboo - only Mt 2:7, 16) means to find out exactly, inquire accurately, to make a detailed inquiry in order to ascertain precisely or exactly. Exact time is actually just one word chronos which means "time" but translators have added "exactly" presumably based on the meaning of the associated verb akriboo. Secretly (2977)(lathra from lanthano = to be hidden) is an adverb that means in a secretive way, doing so without others noticing. Four uses in NT - Matt. 1:19; Matt. 2:7; Jn. 11:28; Acts 16:37 - Of Herod who "secretly called the magi." (Mt 2:7). Of Martha when she "called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” (Jn 11:28) Of Paul after being falsely beaten and jailed asked and "now are they sending us away secretly?" Appeared (5316) see below on phaino Star (792)(aster) is literally a single star or luminous (heavenly) body (Mt 2:2, 7, 9, 10 - see note; 1 Cor. 15:41; Rev. 6:13; 8:12). Figuratively aster was used of spiritual leaders and even of Christ (Rev 22.16+ = "I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”), Aster describes those in charge of churches as Christ's messengers (? pastors or angels - see commentary on Rev 1.20+), and of false teachers as "wandering stars"(Jude 1:13+). Gilbrant = For the Septuagint translators astēr almost invariably rendered the Hebrew kôkhāv (cf. the Bar Kochba rebellion of A.D. 132 which derived its name from its leader “Son of a Star”). First and foremost, together with the sun and moon (a frequent refrain), the stars are God’s creation (Genesis 1:16; Psalm 8:3); hence they must not be worshiped (Deuteronomy 4:19). Metaphorically the stars represent an unfathomably large number (Genesis 15:5; 22:17; 1 Chronicles 27:23; Nehemiah 9:23). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Zodhiates has an interesting comment on aster in 1 Cor 15:41 - What Paul is saying that as we look at the sun, the moon, and the stars, and know them, so believers in their resurrection bodies will be recognized for the glory that they have won through their life of sacrifice and compliance with Christ. Not all believers will enjoy heaven equally, nor will they shine with equal splendor.(Complete Word Study Dictionary) Aster - 24x in 21v in the NT - Matt. 2:2; Matt. 2:7; Matt. 2:9; Matt. 2:10; Matt. 24:29+; Mk. 13:25; 1 Co. 15:41; Jude 1:13+; Rev. 1:16+; Rev. 1:20+; Rev. 2:1+; Rev. 2:28+; Rev. 3:1+; Rev. 6:13+; Rev. 8:10+ Rev. 8:11+; Rev. 8:12+; Rev. 9:1+; Rev. 12:1+; Rev. 12:4+; Rev. 22:16+ Aster in Septuagint (Lxx) - Ge 1:16; Ge 15:5+ (count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”); Ge 22:17; Ge 26:4; Ge 37:9; Dt. 4:19 (Do not worship stars - "And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven.); Jdg. 5:20; 1 Chr. 27:23; Neh. 9:23; Ps. 8:3 (When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; ); Eccl 12:2; Isa. 13:10 (Day of the Lord = "For the stars of heaven and their constellations Will not flash forth their light; The sun will be dark when it rises And the moon will not shed its light."); Isa. 47:13; Jer. 8:2; Jer. 31:35; Dan. 8:10; Dan. 12:3+ (“Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.); Joel 3:15 (Day of the Lord = "The sun and moon grow dark And the stars lose their brightness."); Dictionary Articles: Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Stars Easton's Bible Dictionary Stars Holman Bible Dictionary Stars Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Stars Herod, sometimes called Herod the Great was the son of Antipater, a part-Jew of Edomite descent. He was the procurator of Judaea from 47 B.C. until he died in 4 B.C., soon after the flight of Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus into Egypt (Matthew 2:19). This indicates that Christ must have been born in 4 B.C. or earlier. Evidently, the star had appeared to the wise men only while they were still "in the east" (Matthew 2:2). Even though they probably knew (Micah 5:2) that He would be born in Bethlehem (a village six miles away from Jerusalem), they would naturally travel first to Jerusalem as a courtesy to the king. They would also assume that the arrival of the long-awaited King would be an occasion for rejoicing and by the time they could complete their long pilgrimage from Persia, He would surely have been brought to the capital to be worshiped by His people. How wrong they were about that! (v7,9) Herod's inquiry concerning the time of the appearance of the star indicates that the Magi had not seen the star from the time they left their homes in the East. The question also belies Herod's scheme to locate and execute the infant claimant to the throne. [V9-10] suggest that the Magi saw the star again only upon their departure from Jerusalem. It led them unfailingly to Bethlehem. The account would seem to indicate that the star was a supernatural and not a natural phenomenon (cf. Nu 24:17). Herod's Deceptive Seeking Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared" (Genesis 7:23). Herod was upset about the news of a "king of the Jews." Matthew 2:2 being born and did some inquiring to protect himself from this threat. FIRST—THE PRIVACY OF THE INQUIRY "Then Herod when he had privily called the wise men." We think we can conceal our actions but God sees all. The purpose of privacy. Herod liked to deal secretly so others would not see the evil he was doing or see his deficiencies. Herod thought he was acting clandestinely here but little did he know that his actions would be recorded for all to see in the Gospel of Matthew. The practice of privacy. The lesson here is that no matter how we conceal matters God sees everything and knows everything about us. He even knows our thoughts. SECOND—THE PASSION OF THE INQUIRY "Diligently Herod's evil plans really needed to know how long it had been since Christ was born. The pretense in the diligence. This diligence looked good for Herod. But his passion here was passion for the preservation of his throne and not a passion for praise for Christ. The problem for the diligence. He shows ignorance in his pretense. He does not seem to allow for the fact that the appearance of the star to the wise men could have come before Christ was born. But than Herod is a wicked politician, not an honest seeker of the truth. Spiritual ignorance is often accompanied by practical ignorance (e.g. the case of evolution). Herod was a first-class fool (Romans 1:22). The place of diligence. Of course there are some who are honest and noble in their diligence quest for spiritual knowledge. In fact, if you want to know spiritual knowledge, you have to be diligent in the pursuit of it, or you will not learn much. THIRD—THE THE PERVERSION IN THE INQUIRY "When the star appeared." Herod wanted to know the time of Christ's birth to help him slay the right age group. While we have already pointed out the perverting of his inquiry, we emphasize it here. The perverting of the star. The star was a guide to the Christchild, it was not intended to be used to kill the Christ-child as Herod planned. Satan loves to pervert that which God gives us, for our good and help, into something that he can pervert to lead people to doing evil. That explains why some texts are perverted to justify evil. The perverting of the motivation. God is interested in your motivation—it can justify or rebuke your actions. Herod's inquiry is another illustration of the spiritual ignorance of those who are in powers of authority politically. They may be skilled in politics but when he comes to spiritual matters, they are all thumbs. But they use pretended spiritual interest and knowledge to get votes. (John Butler - Sermon Starters - Volume 7) What was the star of Bethlehem? Answer: The star of Bethlehem is associated with the birth of Christ and the visit of the magi (wise men) as recorded in Matthew 2:1–12. The text implies the star of Bethlehem appeared only to the magi in the East (most likely the area of Persia, or modern-day Iran). There is no biblical record of anyone else observing the star of Bethlehem. The magi in the East saw something in the heavens—the star of Bethlehem—that alerted them to the fact that the Jewish Messiah was born. The magi do not call the star of Bethlehem by that name; in Matthew 2:2 they refer to it as being “his star,” since it was a sign to them that a king was born. The star prompted the magi to travel to Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. This would be the logical place to start looking for the birth of the King of the Jews for someone who did not know of Micah’s prophecy about Bethlehem. In Jerusalem, the magi visited King Herod and were told that the new king they were looking for would be born in Bethlehem, not in Jerusalem (Matthew 2:5). The wise men left Herod’s palace, and the star of Bethlehem appeared to them once again. In fact, the star “went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (verses 9–10). The star of Bethlehem, apparently mobile, led the magi to the precise place where they could find Jesus. Modern portrayals of the Christmas nativity scene usually show the wise men visiting Jesus on the night of His birth. That is likely not what truly occurred. King Herod discovered from the magi the “exact time” the star of Bethlehem had first appeared to them (Matthew 2:7), and he later ordered all male children two years old and under in Bethlehem to be killed (verse 16). Herod obviously thought the star of Bethlehem had first appeared when Christ was born; if he was right, then Jesus could have been up to two years old when the star of Bethlehem later guided the magi through the streets of Bethlehem. The Greek word translated “young child” in Matthew 2:9 can mean anything from a newborn infant to a toddler. So, the magi may have first observed the star of Bethlehem the night of Jesus’ birth, or they may have first seen it up to two years beforehand. Either way, they found Jesus still in Bethlehem when they arrived. Joseph and Mary almost surely stayed in Bethlehem until Mary could travel again. In fact, they probably stayed there for the 40 days necessary to complete Mary’s purification. From Bethlehem, they could easily make the five-mile trip to Jerusalem for the sacrifice for Mary’s purification (Luke 2:22). The fact that the magi came to a “house” (Matthew 2:11) rather than the stable makes sense because Joseph naturally would have moved his family to a more protected place as soon as possible—the morning after Jesus was born, in all probability. After seeing the star of Bethlehem, the magi traveled to Jerusalem to look for the Messiah. The question arises, how would Persian magi know about the Jewish Messiah? Undoubtedly, they would have been exposed to the writings of the Jewish prophet Daniel, who had been the chief of the court seers in Persia. Daniel 9:24–27 is a prophecy that gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah. Also, they may have been aware of the words of the pagan prophet Balaam (who was from the town of Pethor on the Euphrates River near Persia) in Numbers 24:17. Balaam’s prophecy specifically mentions “a star” and “a scepter” rising out of Jacob. What exactly was the star of Bethlehem? The Greek word translated “star” in the text is the word aster, which is the normal word for a star or celestial body. The word is used 24 times in the New Testament, and most of the time it refers to a celestial body. It can be used to denote angels, as in Revelation 12:4, where aster seems to refer to the fallen angels who followed Satan’s rebellion. Basic rules of biblical interpretation state that we should take the normal sense of a word unless there is compelling evidence to suggest otherwise. In that case, the star of Bethlehem should be considered an actual heavenly body. Many Bible scholars suggest a natural explanation for the star of Bethlehem, their theories ranging from a supernova to a comet to an alignment of planets. Something in the heavens provided a brighter-than-normal light in the sky. However, there is evidence to suggest that the star of Bethlehem was not a natural stellar phenomenon, but something unexplained by science. First, the fact that the star of Bethlehem seemed to appear only to the magi indicates that this was no ordinary star. Also, celestial bodies normally move from east to west due to the earth’s rotation, yet the star of Bethlehem led the magi from Jerusalem south to Bethlehem. Not only that, but it led them directly to the place where Joseph and Mary were staying, stopping overhead. There is no natural stellar phenomenon that can do that. So, if the normal usage of the word star doesn’t fit the context, what does? The star of Bethlehem in Matthew 2:1–12 was likely an angel or a manifestation of the Shekinah Glory. The Shekinah, which literally means “dwelling of God,” was the visible presence of the Lord. Prior to this, the most notable appearance of the Shekinah was the pillar of cloud that led the Israelites by day and the pillar of fire that led them by night (Exodus 13:21). The Shekinah can obviously lead people to specific locations, and it was seen later in connection with Christ’s ministry (e.g., Matthew 17:5; Acts 1:9). Either an angel or the Shekinah would fit the evidence. It shouldn’t surprise us that God would use a miraculous sign to signal the advent of His Son into the world. Those with eyes to see joyfully beheld His glory. Matthew 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." NET He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well." GNT καὶ πέμψας αὐτοὺς εἰς Βηθλέεμ εἶπεν, Πορευθέντες ἐξετάσατε ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ παιδίου· ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ. NLT Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!" KJV And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. ESV 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." NIV He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." go - 1Sa 23:22,23 2Sa 17:14 1Ki 19:2 Job 5:12,13 Ps 33:10,11 Pr 21:30 La 3:37 1Co 3:19,20 that - Mt 26:48,49 2Sa 15:7-12 2Ki 10:18,19 Ezr 4:1,2 Ps 12:2,3 Ps 55:11-15 Pr 26:24,25 Jer 41:5-7 Lu 20:20,21 HEROD THE DECEIVER And he sent them to Bethlehem - Herod sends the magi, thinking they will serve as his "stool pigeons" (so to speak) and act as his informants as to whereabouts of the infant Jesus. Powerful men think they can use people at will, but God would supernaturally supervene and disrupt Herod's evil ruse. And said, "Go and search carefully for the Child - Child (3813)(paidion diminutive of pais = child) is a little child of either sex, ranging from an infant (Mt 19:13, 14; Mk 10:13-15; Lk 18:16, 17, etc) to children who are older (Mt 11:16; Mt 14:21; 15:38; 18:2-5, etc) Paidion is used repeatedly of the infant Jesus in Matthew Matt. 2:8; Matt. 2:9; Matt. 2:11; Matt. 2:13; Matt. 2:14; Matt. 2:20; Matt. 2:21. And when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him - When my children were little and I knew they were lying I would say "Liar, liar, pants on fire," and then I would set their pants "ablaze" so to speak. Herod is of his father the devil about whom Jesus declared " He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (Jn 8:44). Herod would soon show, "like father, like son," by murdering innocent children in an attempt to murder Christ, exactly what Satan wanted to do!