Mateus 2
Marvin Vincent · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 2
Vincent has an interesting note on the meaning of chrematizo in the present context writing "The verb means to give a response to one who asks or consults: hence, in the passive, as here, to receive an answer. The word therefore implies that the wise men had sought counsel of God; and so Wycliffe, "And answer taken in sleep."" Dream (3677)(onar) is a divine communication which is distinct from a vision (horama). Onar is used only in the the Gospel of Matthew with no uses in the Septuagint. Matt. 1:20; Matt. 2:12; Matt. 2:13; Matt. 2:19; Matt. 2:22; Matt. 27:19 Return (344)(anakampto from aná = back again + kámpto = bend) means literally to bend back or turn back and so to return. To bend back one's course. To bend one's steps back. Used only 4x - Matt. 2:12 = "“If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you." Lk. 10:6; Acts 18:21 = "“I will return to you again if God wills,” he set sail from Ephesus." Heb. 11:15 = "indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return." The "bent" of the hearts of the patriarchs was toward heaven not earth! The magi left for their own country by another way - The magi had ears to hear the supernatural warning and took the divinely directed detour! Once again we see God's sovereign hand orchestrating the events in men's life to assure that His will is accomplished. THOUGHT - I wonder if we are as wise as these magi? So many times God gives us a clear warning to "steer clear" of some place, some person, some thing, and we like a stubborn mule go headlong to that place, person or thing which around which we were warned to take a detour! Left (402)(anachoreo from ana = back again or emphatic + choreo = depart, make room) means to depart from a location. Anachoreō is used several times in Matthew to describe a strategic withdrawal in the face of danger (Mt 2:12–14, 22; 4:12; 12:15; 14:13; 15:21) here the magi who were warned by God and in Mt 2:14 of Joseph when he was warned and "left for Egypt" Liddell-Scott says anachoreo was used by Homer to retire or withdraw from battle, to retire from a place, to come back or revert to the rightful owner, to withdraw from the world. Gilbrant adds that "In classical Greek literature the word’s semantic range includes “walk backwards,” “revert to,” or even “to strike” (i.e., “refuse to work”). In the Septuagint anachōreō especially depicts flight or withdrawal from a place or area (e.g., Ex 2:15; Nu 16:24; Josh 8:15)." Matthew 2:13 Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him." NET After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him." GNT Ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ αὐτῶν ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίνεται κατ᾽ ὄναρ τῷ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων, Ἐγερθεὶς παράλαβε τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ φεῦγε εἰς Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἴσθι ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν εἴπω σοι· μέλλει γὰρ Ἡρῴδης ζητεῖν τὸ παιδίον τοῦ ἀπολέσαι αὐτό. NLT After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother," the angel said. "Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." KJV And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ESV Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." NIV When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." an angel - Mt 2:19 1:20 Ac 5:19 10:7,22 12:11 Heb 1:13,14 Get up - Mt 10:23 Rev 12:6,14 Until - Mt 2:19,20 Jos 3:13,17 4:10,18 Da 3:25,26 Ac 16:36 For Herod - Mt 2:16 Ex 1:22 2:2,3 Job 33:15,17 Ac 7:19 Rev 12:4 The Flight into Egypt by Giotto di Bondone GOD SOVEREIGNLY INTERVENES TO ASSURE SAFETY OF HIS SON Now when they had gone, behold - Behold (see note above on idou) is to grab our attention. Joseph would seem to have little need to have a behold for an angel in a dream would be enough to grab anyone's full attention! An angel (aggelos/angelos) of the Lord (kurios) appeared to Joseph (kurios) in a dream (onar) - God Himself speaks to the magi in a dream and now speaks via an angel to Joseph in another dream. Notice this is AN angel and not THE Angel of the LORD (Pre-incarnate Christophany) as is seen so in the OT (cf Ge16:7). Appeared (5316) see below on phaino And said, "Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you - Take is paralambano in the aorist imperative, implying a note of urgency. Do this now! Do not delay! Flee and remain are also commands in present imperative. Keep on fleeing. Keep remaining in Egypt. God gave directions to the magi via the star and, indirectly, through the Scriptures, Matt. 2:1–6: He directed the shepherds to Christ by the angel, Luke 2:9–12, but Joseph received his divine announcements and warnings through dreams, Matt. 1:20; 2:13; 2:19; 2:22, in the same way as his illustrious predecessor of the same name, Gen. 37:5, 9. So we see fulfillment of OT prophecy involved (1) when Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) in obedience to the imperial decree (Lu 2:1-5 - sovereignly brought about by God), and (2) when they fled to Egypt (Hosea 11:1), following the command from the Lord's messenger. 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. Flee (escape) (5343)(pheugo) means to flee away in the sense of to take to flight in order to seek safety. To flee in the sense of to escape something, being made safe from danger by eluding or avoiding it. Webster defines flee as to run away often from danger or evil or to hurry toward a place of security. Pheugo is the root of our English word "fugitive" defined as one who escapes from something or someone For (gar) is a term of explanation. God is giving the reason for the staccato-like commands that convey a sense of urgency. One can imagine the stir in Herod's palace as he realizes the magi have duped him and it did not take him long to realized he had to carry out infanticide! Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him - Search speaks of eagerness and diligence and the present tense. Search (2212)(zeteo) implies giving attention and priority to and deliberately pursuing after. The most common sense of this word is to "seek". Destroy (622)(apollumi from apo = away from or wholly + olethros = state of utter ruin <> ollumi = to destroy) means to destroy utterly but not to cause one to cease to exist. Matthew 2:13-21 Out Of Egypt Take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt. —Matthew 2:13 One year when our family was traveling through Ohio on the way to Grandma’s house, we arrived in Columbus just as a tornado warning was issued. Suddenly everything changed as we feared that our children might be in danger. I mention that story to help us imagine what it was like for Joseph’s family as he, Mary, and their young child traveled to Egypt. Herod, not a tornado, threatened them as he sought to kill their little boy. Imagine how frightening it was for them, knowing that “Herod [sought] the young Child to destroy Him” (Matt. 2:13). We usually take a more idyllic view of Christmastime—lowing cattle and kneeling shepherds in a peaceful scene. But there was no peace for Jesus’ family as they sought to escape Herod’s horror. Only when an angel told them it was safe did the family go out of Egypt and back home to Nazareth (vv.20-23). Consider the awe we should feel for the incarnation. Jesus, who enjoyed the majesty of heaven in partnership with the Father, set it all aside to be born in poverty, to face many dangers, and to be crucified for us. Coming out of Egypt is one thing, but leaving heaven for us—that’s the grand and amazing part of this story! Jesus our Savior left heaven above, Coming to earth as a Servant with love; Laying aside all His glory He came, Bringing salvation through faith in His name. —Hess Jesus came to earth for us so we could go to heaven with Him. Flee into Egypt Matt. 2:13 Why? Because there is a cruel king who will seek the young child’s life. Is Christ born in thee? Is thy life like that manger—precious as a casket, because of what it holds? Then have a care; for, craftier and more unscrupulous than Herod, the destroyer of souls will seek to destroy thee. There is a day coming when they shall say, “They are dead which sought the young child’s life.” Grace shall survive the foe, and we shall yet return to enjoy the comforts of life, with no Herod to threaten us. After all, it is sin which is short-lived, for goodness shall flourish when the evil one is chained up forever. --Thos. Champness Streams in the Desert “Be thou there till I bring thee word.” (Matt. 2:13) “I’ll stay where You’ve put me; I will, dear Lord, Though I wanted so badly to go; I was eager to march with the ‘rank and file,’ Yes, I wanted to lead them, You know. I planned to keep step to the music loud, To cheer when the banner unfurled, To stand in the midst of the fight straight and proud, But I’ll stay where You’ve put me. “I’ll stay where You’ve put me; I’ll work, dear Lord, Though the field be narrow and small, And the ground be fallow, and the stones lie thick, And there seems to be no life at all. The field is Thine own, only give me the seed, I’ll sow it with never a fear; I’ll till the dry soil while I wait for the rain, And rejoice when the green blades appear; I’ll work where You’ve put me. “I’ll stay where You’ve put me; I will, dear Lord; I’ll bear the day’s burden and heat, Always trusting Thee fully; when even has come I’ll lay heavy sheaves at Thy feet. And then, when my earth work is ended and done, In the light of eternity’s glow, Life’s record all closed, I surely shall find It was better to stay than to go; I’ll stay where You’ve put me.” “Oh restless heart, that beat against your prison bars of circumstances, yearning for a wider sphere of usefulness, leave God to order all your days. Patience and trust, in the dullness of the routine of life, will be the best preparation for a courageous bearing of the tug and strain of the larger opportunity which God may some time send you.” (Lettie Cowman) A Spider's Web - And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” - TODAY IN THE WORD A children’s story tells that when Mary and Joseph became weary on their way to Egypt, they sought refuge in a cave. A spider, wishing to do something for the Christ child, spun its web across the entrance to block the wind. When Herod’s soldiers passed by, they didn’t bother to check the cave because the spider web was not torn. They didn’t think anyone could possibly be inside. They left the holy family in peace. Some historians attribute the tradition of hanging tinsel on a Christmas tree to represent the safety provided by the spider’s web in that story. The angel of the Lord once again appeared to Joseph and told him to flee, because Herod would try to murder Jesus. Joseph instantly obeyed (Mt 2:14). Fleeing to Egypt fulfilled the prophecy of Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” This passage carries the double meaning of God’s love for Israel, shown by Moses leading the exodus from Egypt, and also God’s love for us by calling His Son from the relative safety of Egypt to return and fulfill His ultimate purpose of suffering and dying on the cross for our sins. Herod wanted to be sure to eliminate this potential rival to his power, so “he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under” (Mt 2:16). Perhaps the soldiers drew a circle around Jerusalem with the radius as far south as Bethlehem and as far north as Ramah. They killed all the young boys within that territory, fulfilling the words of Jeremiah 31:15 that are quoted in Matthew 2:18. Jacob’s favorite wife, Rachel, was the symbolic mother of the northern tribes of Israel. In Jeremiah 31 she is pictured crying for the exiles at Ramah, a deportation point during the Babylonian captivity. This terrible mourning had its fulfillment in Matthew 2 as the mothers in Bethlehem and the surrounding area wept as their children were brutally slain by Herod’s soldiers. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Now we have seen all four prophecies dealing with locations in the birth of Christ fulfilled: born in Bethlehem, called out of Egypt, weeping in Ramah, and called a Nazarene. When originally given by the Old Testament prophets, these prophecies may have seemed strange and unreal. Yet, all were fulfilled and became real during Jesus’ early childhood. Look over the previous days of December, particularly the Old Testament passages. Make a list of the other prophecies regarding Jesus that you can find. He breaks the spirit of rulers; he is feared by the kings of the earth. - Psalm 76:12 TODAY IN THE WORD Richard von Weizsaecker, former president of Germany, said of the Holocaust, “There were many ways of not burdening one's conscience, of shunning responsibility, looking away, keeping mum. When the unspeakable truth of the Holocaust then became known at the end of the war, all too many of us claimed that they had not known anything about it or even suspected anything.” The guilt of an atrocity rests on the shoulders of leaders, but the many who did nothing to stop it share in the liability. King Herod the Great is the bad boy of today's passage, but the people he ruled deserve scrutiny as well. The desperate fear of losing power drove Herod to murder, but he wasn't alone in his apprehension. The Magi don't appear to have come directly to Herod, but to Jerusalem in general—the text doesn't specifically say they came to Herod's palace. The Magi may have asked around Jerusalem looking for the newborn King before word got to Herod about the foreign visitors. We do know for certain that the entire city was troubled by the news of the birth of the Christ (Mt 2:3-4). But the Magi were looking in the wrong city, as the priests and scribes knew from Micah's prophecy (Micah 5:2). Then Herod acted on his own, summoning the Magi privately and covertly sending them in the hope of destroying this threat to his rule (Mt 2:8, 13). Herod's reaction (and Jerusalem's as well) to the news of Christ's birth is brought into sharp relief by the generous worship of the foreign wise men. The people of Jerusalem doubted the Magi's astronomical claims; those who believed in the fulfillment of prophecy and the birth of Messiah were the Magi (who responded with worship) and the wicked King Herod (who reacted with violence). Herod ordered the execution of all boys age two and under in the vicinity of Bethlehem, an attempt to hold on to power. But how many people who were “troubled” by the Magi's message must have complied with his atrocious demands? TODAY ALONG THE WAY It's unlikely that any of us wield the type of power Herod of Great had, but there are at least two applications we can draw from studying his actions. First, we should never have so tight a grip on our position or our possessions that we aren't willing to surrender to the plan of God. And secondly, a “bad boy” in power will always have accomplices—don't become a partner to their wickedness through quiet cooperation in acts you know to be wrong. Pray for insight on how to be the best you can be for His sake. TODAY IN THE WORD It’s interesting to encounter the same two groups of people at Jesus’ birth that were present at His death. That is, Herod represents the worriers while the Magi, Joseph, and Mary represent the worshipers. nervously in Jerusalem, worrying that someone might try to steal Jesus’ body and raise more of an outcry (Matt. 27:62-66). In reality, they were disturbed because they knew that they had shed innocent blood. anoint Jesus’ body with spices, but observed the Sabbath according to God’s commandment (Luke 23:56).a worrier after the Magi came to him with the disturbing news that a new King had been born. Just as Pilate was in a position of authority and could order Jesus’ grave sealed and a guard posted, so Herod had all the authority he needed to try to stamp out this invisible threat. to be killed. Through the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Luke saw the tragedy in the same light were spiritually sensitive enough to the God of Israel to receive His instruction in a dream and to obey, defying Herod’s order to report back to him (Matt. 2:12).and instantly obeyed each time. We know we have truly worshiped God not just when we have offered up thanksgiving for what He has done, but when we have obeyed what He tells us to do. The worriers at the crucifixion got nowhere, and neither did Herod. Their actions only brought God’s judgment upon them. But the worshipers in each case were blessed as God once again used humanly weak and insignificant vessels to confound the mighty. TODAY ALONG THE WAY At Easter time, we usually talk about the worriers and the worshipers and encourage our readers to reaffirm their commitment to be God’s worshipers. This day is made for worship, for leaving off the week’s worries and fastening our minds and hearts on our great God. studies planned for next year, and we want God to use them to bless His people. Matthew 2:13-23; Luke 2:21-24 TODAY IN THE WORD Instant Retreat - The story is told of a great military commander who sat by an evening fire with several of his officers to discuss the day's battle. He asked the officers, ""Who did the best today on the field of battle?"" One by one, the men told of soldiers who had fought bravely and risked their lives for their comrades. The commander heard them out, then said, ""No, I fear you are all mistaken."" He told of a soldier who, just as he raised his arm to strike an enemy, heard the trumpet sound retreat. Instantly, he dropped his arm without striking and retreated, an act the commander called ""perfect and ready obedience to the will of his general."" Today's reading demonstrates that Joseph and Mary obeyed God in the same spirit of promptness and submission. The story of Jesus' circumcision and Mary's purification in Luke 2 precedes the family's flight into Egypt, possibly by a number of months. But both accounts reveal Jesus' parents' perfect and ready obedience to the will and direction of God. Apparently, Jesus was circumcised in Bethlehem on the eighth day after His birth, in obedience to the Law (Lev. 12:3). Then, in accordance with the Law, Mary remained ceremonially ""unclean"" for an additional thirty-three days. At the end of that time, she and Joseph traveled to Jerusalem to present the prescribed sacrifice (Lev. 12). Since the couple offered doves or pigeons rather than a lamb, we know that they were poor. Joseph's obedience to the angelic warnings was much more dramatic than his obedience to the Law. Fleeing to Egypt must have been the last thing on his mind. But he and Mary did exactly that, just because God said to! We know that more happened here in God's plan than merely the holy family's avoiding danger. Matthew tells us that the flight fulfilled God's prophetic word (Matt. 2:15; Hosea 11:1). By identifying Jesus with Israel, God was validating His Son's identity as Israel's Messiah and calling the nation to identify with Him. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Here's a second way you can make good use of these ""in between"" days so as to finish 1996 well. If you're like most people, you probably didn't have enough time to visit with everyone during the holidays. Why not invite some of those people over for an informal time of fellowship this weekend? You might even enjoy one another's company more without the pressure of the Christmas rush. Matthew 2:3-8, 13-18 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. - Matthew 20:28 TODAY IN THE WORD Last summer, Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer of Hebrew University announced that he had found the tomb of Herod the Great at a dig south of Jerusalem. He had been searching for the tomb at the site, which was Herod's summer palace, since 1972. He and his team knew they had found what they were looking for when they unearthed an enormous staircase, built for Herod's funeral procession, and an elaborately decorated limestone sarcophagus. It had been smashed and no bones were found in it. Netzer explained that the palace had been raided by Jewish rebels in a.d. 66-72. The discovery has been hailed as a milestone in biblical and Near Eastern archaeology. Herod, of course, played an infamous role in the Christmas story. We've seen various responses to the story thus far, including faith, doubt, amazement, praise, confusion, reflection, and rejoicing. But today we see a different type of response altogether, what might be called “hostile belief.” Herod, who reigned during the years 37-4 b.c., responded to the Magi's news as if it were true and a threat to his political power (Mt 2:3). A “king” had been born? Herod cared nothing for stars and saviors—he saw only the threat of competition. This viewpoint is the Incarnation as seen through the eyes of worldly power. The king called together Jewish religious scholars and asked where such a king would be born. They knew the Scriptures and gave him the correct answer: Bethlehem (Mt 2:4-6; Micah 5:2). Sadly, it seems they did nothing while Herod acted in “hostile belief.” He lied to the wise men, making sure to meet with them secretly not only so that people wouldn't know he was taking this seriously but also to lessen the risk that someone might enlighten the visitors about his ruthless reputation. As a backup plan, he found out the exact time of the birth, which eventually led to the “slaughter of the innocents” and the flight of Jesus' family to Egypt (Mt 2:13-18). TODAY ALONG THE WAY As we see throughout the Christmas story, but especially in the Gospel of Matthew, the birth of Christ fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies. If you have time for deeper or more extensive study, this is a good topic. How many prophecies does the New Testament identify as being fulfilled in the birth of Christ? In what ways were they fulfilled? How do the fulfillments compare to the original contexts of the prophecies? Can you identify any running themes? What do these fulfilled prophecies mean to you today? Matthew 2:14 So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt. NET Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt. GNT ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς παρέλαβεν τὸ παιδίον καὶ τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ νυκτὸς καὶ ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον, NLT That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, KJV When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: ESV And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt NIV So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, Mt 2:20,21 Mt 1:24 Ac 26:21 JOSEPH'S UNHESITATING OBEDIENCE So Joseph got up and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt - Recall how quickly Joseph responded to the divine instruction in Matthew 1:24+ "Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife." Joseph's immediate obedience is a good example for all of us when we hear from the Lord (through His Word and prayer). The phrase while it was still night supports the premise that this little family was in grave, imminent danger. Had they left during the daylight hours, they may have been queried as to where they were going and if Herod had discovered they were going to Egypt it would be easy to imagine him sending assassins to kill the King of the Jews! Child (3813)see paidion diminutive of pais = child) is a little child Left (402) see above on anachoreo Matthew 2:15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON." NET He stayed there until Herod died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: "I called my Son out of Egypt." GNT καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ ἕως τῆς τελευτῆς Ἡρῴδου· ἵνα πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν ὑπὸ κυρίου διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, Ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐκάλεσα τὸν υἱόν μου. NLT and they stayed there until Herod's death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: "I called my Son out of Egypt." KJV And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son. ESV and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son." NIV where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." until - Mt 2:19 Ac 12:1-4,23,24 what - Mt 2:17,23 1:22 4:14,15 8:17 12:16-18 21:4 26:54,56 27:35 Lu 24:44 Joh 19:28,36 Ac 1:16 Out - Ex 4:22 Nu 24:8 Ho 11:1 HORRIBLE DEATH OF HEINOUS HEROD "Heinous Herod" receives his just recompense! Heinous is an apropos description (and probably even somewhat of a euphemism!) of Herod for it means extremely wicked, outrageously evil, deeply criminal, hatefully or shockingly evil, abominable. He remained there until the death of Herod - Until is an expression of time which should always prompt you to Consider the "5P's" - Pause to Ponder the Passage then Practice it in the Power of the Spirit. How did Joseph discover that Herod had died? We don't know. Josephus, in his Antiquities, records Herod’s horrible end (Scroll down page to Read chapter 33 where Josephus details Herod's last days), his body rotting away and consumed by worms. It is fascinating to note that Herod's grandson, Herod Agrippa, was to die a similar death, Luke recording "immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." (Acts 12:23+). John Walvoord on where they stayed in Egypt, etc - More details are not given. Artists picture Mary riding on a donkey, holding the baby, and being led by Joseph. No Scripture is found as to where they stayed in Egypt. Matthew, however, anticipating the charge that Christ picked up magical arts by a long stay in Egypt, specifies that they were there only until the death of Herod, which occurred within three years of His birth. (Ed: So most commentators think they remained there for several years - usually stated as two years but this is not definitively stated in the Bible). Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: "OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON." - This is the second 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 would explain why Joseph was not directed to go where the magi were living. God's purpose was to fulfill the prophecy is found in Hosea 11:1 where the context clearly indicates that it was the whole nation of Israel which had been called out of Egypt as God's young "son." Matthew, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, applies it to Christ. The children of Israel had been born in the land promised to them by God, but had to leave it and sojourn in the pagan land of Egypt for a while before being brought back home by God. Christ lived through the same experience--born in Judea, then sojourned in Egypt for a time before He was called back home. Criswell - Some suggest that, by employing Hos. 11:1 in this verse and Jer. 31:15 in Matt. 15:17, 18, Matthew implies that Jesus recapitulates the history of Israel. The passage from Hosea, which follows the flight into Egypt, recalls the Exodus. Under this view, Matthew sees in the personal experiences of Jesus a summary of the experience of His people. He is afflicted with their affliction (Isa. 63:9) and repeats their religious experience of the Exodus from Egypt. As Egypt had been a refuge for God's people (Gen. 12:10; 46:3, 4; 1 Kin. 11:40), so now it offers asylum for the Lord's Anointed. Hosea saw in the Exodus both the liberation and election of the chosen people (cf. Ex. 4:22). Matthew uses Hosea to stress that Jesus is the liberating Messiah and Son of God, whose birth and infancy are guided by God's providence as was Israel's history. Was to fulfill (4137)(pleroo) means to be filled (passive voice) like a net, Mt 13:48, a building, Jn 12:3, Acts 2:2, a city, Acts 5:28, needs Phil 4:19. Pleroo in the present context means to make complete in every particular. And so in chapter 2, Matthew uses pleroo three times describe Old Testament prophecies as fulfilled in the events in this chapter - Mt 2:15, Mt 2:17, Mt 2:23. In fact given Matthew's emphasis of linking the OT prophecies to the specific fulfillments in the time of Jesus, it is not surprising that pleroo is used repeated with this meaning - Mt 1:22. Mt 2:15, Mt 2:17, Mt 2:23, Mt 4:14, Mt 8:17, Mt 12:17, Mt 13:35, Mt 21:4, Mt 26:56, Mt 27:9. Prophet (4396) see note above on prophetes And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet. - Matthew 2:15 TODAY IN THE WORD A study conducted between 1991 and 2007 asked 750 former Muslims from 30 countries why they decided to follow Jesus. For many, the role of dreams and visions was significant; 27 percent reported dreams before they decided to follow Christ, 40 percent cited dreams at the time of their conversion, and 45 percent described dreams and visions after their conversion. Often the pre-conversion dreams featured a loved one urging them to follow Jesus, and post-conversion visions gave encouragement during trials like imprisonment. Our passage today has a mix of God speaking through dreams as well as His Word to reveal Himself. Before that, let's look at some of the main characters in this dramatic passage. Herod the Great embodied brutality. He ruled the region under the authority of Rome, that gave him the title, “King of the Jews,” although he did not come from a Jewish royal line. His duplicitous and murderous ways were on display, as he attempted to trick the Magi and then slaughtered the infants of Bethlehem. Matthew has already established that Jesus is in the royal line of David, and in this dark episode of the loss of children we also have a taste of hope of another king, the true “King of the Jews,” who will rule justly (see Jer. 31:15-34). The Magi came from the east (perhaps Persia or Arabia) to worship the new king. They were “overjoyed” to find Him (v. 10). We saw in Matthew 1 the presence of non-Israelite women as important links in the genealogy of Jesus. Here we find non-Israelites responding to Him with joy, worship, and gifts. Finally, God speaks through both dreams and Scripture. One principle here is that God's leading will not contradict His revealed Word. He used dreams to guide Joseph in specific actions, always in harmony with Scripture. Another principle is that God requires obedience to His Word. Joseph demonstrated that he was a “righteous man” (Mt 1:19) through His immediate, unquestioning obedience. TODAY ALONG THE WAY Our text today presents us with three alternative responses to the birth of Jesus: Herod heard the word about the coming shepherd of Israel, and he reacted angrily that his plans might be upset. The chief priests and teachers of the law also heard, and they decided to do nothing. The Magi heard this word, and they acted on it—they made the trip to Bethlehem where they found Jesus. When we are confronted with God's Word, how will we respond—in fury, failure, or faith? Matthew 2:16 Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi. NET When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. GNT Τότε Ἡρῴδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων ἐθυμώθη λίαν, καὶ ἀποστείλας ἀνεῖλεν πάντας τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς ἐν Βηθλέεμ καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῆς ἀπὸ διετοῦς καὶ κατωτέρω, κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ὃν ἠκρίβωσεν παρὰ τῶν μάγων. NLT Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men's report of the star's first appearance. KJV Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. ESV Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. NIV When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. when - Ge 39:14,17 Nu 22:29 24:10 Jud 16:10 Job 12:4 he became very enraged, - Pr 27:3,4 Da 3:13,19,20 he became very enraged,- Ge 49:7 2Ki 8:12 Pr 28:15,17 Isa 26:21 59:7 Ho 10:14 Rev 17:6 according - Mt 2:7 MOCKED BY THE MAGI: THE DECEIVER DECEIVED KJV has "Herod, when he saw that he was mocked." The deceiver was deceived! (Like Jacob the Deceiver was deceived by Laban!) This passage recalls the principle in 2 Ti 3:13+ that "evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving (active voice) and being (passive voice) deceived." As the saying goes, what goes around, comes around. So here we see Herod the plotter pays the piper! (even more so in Mt 2:19 being eaten by worms in his illness!). Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi - Herod's slaughter of the infants at Bethlehem was in keeping with his cruel character. Tricked (1702)(empaizo from en = in + paizo = to play as a child) means to ridicule, to make fun of, to mock, to deceive, to trick, to taunt, to treat outrageously, to treat someone contemptuously in an insolent and arrogant way, to treat abusively. Most uses describe the mocking of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here Herod is outwitted, tricked, made a fool of, trick and deceived. he became very enraged - Enraged is thumuoo means Herod was provoke to anger to an exceeding degree. Herod had an anger management problem anyway and this deception of a deceiver was like Mount Vesuvius exploding, taking many lives! Enraged (2373)(thumuoo) is used only here but we get a vivid picture of the meaning from the root word thumos which in turn is from thúo which means to move impetuously, particularly as the air or wind, a violent motion or passion of the mind; move violently, rush along. And so thumos describes passion (as if breathing hard) and speaks of an agitated, "heated" anger that rushes along (impulse toward a thing). It is a tumultuous welling up of the whole spirit produced by a mighty emotion which seizes and moves the whole inner person. Thumos especially when accompanied by breathing hard pictures a "panting rage". We can picture Herod exploding with a sudden outburst of passion. When someone is this anger you can often see their nasal passages widening to take in more air in the heat of their passion! And sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi - The number of infants Herod had murdered is not known. Bethlehem was not a big city and there would not be that many infants less than 2 years of age. In any event it was a despicable act by a cruel despot! He will be duly and eternally repaid in the Lake of fire! Fruchtenbaum - Notice the interesting parallel between the slaughter of Jewish male babies in the time of Moses (Ex 1:15-22) and the time of Jesus. It was Satan’s attempt to thwart the plan of God to deliver His people on both occasions. In Genesis 15:13 God tells Abraham that his descendants will be oppressed for 400 years. Satan knew when the time was drawing near for a deliverer to be born. This would be Moses. Criswell - The historian Josephus does not mention this massacre; and since Matthew is our only source for it, some have erroneously thought it legendary. However, Bethlehem, located a few miles south of Jerusalem, was not a large town, and the number of victims may not have been many. Since Herod's reign was bloodstained, the murder of these children (50 or fewer) may not have attracted much attention outside the immediate vicinity. Such an atrocity was not uncommon for Herod, of whom Augustus Caesar said, with a play on words, it was better to be Herod's "sow" (hus, Gk.), than his "son" (huios, Gk.). Based upon the calculations of the Magi, Herod arbitrarily included all "male children" under two years of age in order to make sure that the one "born King of the Jews" would be included. As by the sword he had removed all former threats to his reign, so he now tries to do with the Christ. Matthew
Mateus 2
Vincent says Nazarene is "A term of contempt (compare Jn 1:46, 7:52)." Despite the low esteem accorded the term Nazarene, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit and boldness is not ashamed to refer to Jesus as the Nazarene not only in his inaugural sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2:22+), but at other times (Acts 3:6+, Acts 4:10+). Paul states in one of his versions of his conversion experience that the One he encountered identified Himself as Jesus the Nazarene, so even after His resurrection and ascension Jesus is not ashamed of this Name! (Acts 22:8+) Nazoraios occurs 13x in 13 verses and is translated in the NAS as Nazarene (9), Nazarenes (1), Nazareth (3). Matthew 2:23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” Matthew 26:71 When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and *said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” (NET = Jesus the Nazarene) Luke 18:37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth (NET = Jesus the Nazarene) was passing by. John 18:5 They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. John 18:7 Therefore He again asked them, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” John 19:19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” Acts 2:22+ “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know– Acts 3:6+ But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene–walk!” Acts 4:10+ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead–by this name this man stands here before you in good health. Acts 6:14+ for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” Acts 22:8+ “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ Acts 24:5+ “For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Acts 26:9+ “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. (NET = Jesus the Nazarene) Toussaint has an excellent summation of Matthew introductory chapters - “The first relates to the Gentiles. The Magi come from the East and worship the King of the Jews. A glimmering foreview of all the nations of the earth being blessed in Abraham is seen in this act. . . . The second point Matthew makes concerns the Jews. They are shown to be unconcerned and indifferent to any report concerning Him. Finally, Matthew, by his use of the Old Testament, proves that Jesus is the promised Messiah. He is the fulfillment of all that is anticipated in their Scriptures. These three things form the basis of Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus is presented as the Messiah prophesied and promised in the Old Testament. The Jews reject Him. Because of this rejection the King turns to the Gentiles and the kingdom program for the Jews is postponed. “Chapter one declares the theanthropic character of the person of the Messiah. The reception which is to be given the claims of the Messiah is set forth in chapter two. Matthew three begins the narrative of the historical account of the presentation of Israel’s Messiah to that nation.” HE SHALL BE CALLED A NAZARENE THE BIRTH NARRATIVES of the Lord Jesus Christ are a stunning testimony to the inviolability of the prophetic word. That the Messiah should come forth out of Bethlehem, Mic. 5:2, and be summoned from Egypt, Hos. 11:1, and be called a Nazarene, Matt. 2:23, seems to human intelligence wholly irreconcilable. Yet (and the believer should keep this much in mind) men are always wrong and God is always right! As the details unfolded the perfection of the word became apparent. Exactly the same flawless precision will be seen when the Lord Jesus returns to fulfil an even more extensive and perplexing series of prophetic pronouncements. The Nazarene prediction is particularly interesting because it seems to have no exact source in the Old Testament. But we should note that the Spirit of God refers specifically to ‘the prophets’, as opposed to ‘the prophet’, 2:5, 17. It is not, then, one particular passage which is being pointed out, but the general drift of many which made it clear that God’s Messiah would be shunned and scorned, growing up in poverty rather than plenty. He was ‘despised and rejected of men’, Isa. 53:3, ‘a reproach of men, and despised of the people’, Ps. 22:6, He demonstrates that ‘the poor man’s wisdom is despised’, Eccles. 9:16, ‘the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me’, Ps. 69:9—thus the Holy Spirit testified in advance to the terrible repudiation of God’s chosen One. And how completely was this fulfilled! Nathanael illustrates the average Israelite’s viewpoint: ‘Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?’, John 1:46. The entire Galilee area was held unclean by orthodox Jews: it lay on the very borders of the land and was called ‘Galilee of the nations’, Isa. 9:1, 2, whose people walked in darkness. Pride in birth, breeding, religious tradition, education, profession, affluence—all our smug human pretensions are shattered because God’s own dear Son was raised in Nazareth. God forbid that we should glory save in the Lord Jesus and in His finished work, Gal. 6:14. Those who belong to a humble Saviour should be humble too, Jas. 4:6. (Cyril Hocking - Day by Day- Moments with the Master) MATTHEW 2:23—Didn’t Matthew make a mistake by claiming a prophecy that is not found in the OT? PROBLEM: Matthew claims that Jesus moved to Nazareth to live, in order “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matt. 2:23). However, no such prophecy is found in any OT prophet. Did Matthew make a mistake? SOLUTION: Matthew did not say that any particular OT “prophet” (singular) stated this. He simply affirmed that the OT “prophets” (plural) predicted that Jesus would be called a Nazarene. So we should not expect to find any given verse, but simply a general truth found in many prophets to correspond to His Nazarene-like character. There are several suggestions as to how Jesus could have “fulfilled” (brought to completion) this truth. Some point to the fact that Jesus fulfilled the righteous requirements of the OT Law (Matt. 5:17–18; Rom. 8:3–4), one part of which involved the holy commitment made in the vow of the “Nazarite.” The Nazarite took this vow “to separate himself to the Lord” (Num. 6:2), and Jesus perfectly fulfilled this. However, the word is different both in Hebrew and Greek, and Jesus never took this particular vow. Others point to the fact that Nazareth comes from the basic word netzer (branch). And many prophets spoke of the Messiah as the “Branch” (cf. Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). Still others note that the city of Nazareth, where Jesus lived, was a despised place “on the other side of the tracks.” This is evident in Nathaniel’s response, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46) In this sense, “Nazarene” was a term of scorn appropriate to the Messiah whom the prophets predicted would be “despised and rejected of men” (Isa. 53:3; cf. Ps. 22:6; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 12:10).(Norman Geisler - When Critics Ask) Four Ways Old Testament is Quoted in New Testament Note that this material is a compilation from Arnold Fruchtenbaum's handout entitled "Life of Messiah", notes from "Messianic Christology." and comments from David Cooper's Messiah: His Historical Appearance INTRODUCTION - Note that between 1/4 and 1/3 of the Bible is devoted to prophecy and some have been fulfilled, but a greater portion of has not, but awaits materialization in the future. Because sometimes the context of the Old Testament quotation does not seem to fit the New Testament context, some have questioned the validity of the New Testament’s use of the Old Testament. When the New Testament quotes the Old Testament, it does so in four different ways. Every Old Testament quotation found within the New Testament will always fit into one of these four categories. There is one example of each of the four ways in Matthew Two, so this will be used as the basis for explaining them. These four ways of quoting the Old Testament are the ways the rabbis in 1st century Israel quoted them in rabbinic writings. Because of so very much unscientific exegesis of the Scriptures, many honest, sincere men and women have reached the conclusion that prophecy cannot be understood, and that it is a waste of time to try to understand it. There is no occasion for such gross and fantastic misinterpretation of prophecy. Essentially, history and prophecy are written upon the same basic principles. History tells what has occurred; predictive prophecy tells what will be. The same fundamental laws of logic and of language govern in both instances. If one gets these facts clearly in mind and approaches prophecy just as he does history, recognizing that the same principles obtain in both cases, he is in a position to understand prophecy more nearly accurately than is usually the case. (Adapted from David Cooper - Messiah-His Historical Appearance) CATEGORY (1) Literal prophecy plus literal fulfillment - Matthew 2:6 quotes Micah 5:2. 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.’” Micah 5:2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Note a specific point for point fulfillment, even predicting that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (not in Bethlehem of Galilee) and this is the easiest kind of prophetic fulfillment to spot. That is the literal meaning, the literal interpretation of Micah 5:2; the Messiah, when He is born, will be born in the town of Bethlehem, within the tribal territory of Judah. In these cases, the Old Testament literally speaks of a specific event in the future. When that specific event is literally fulfilled in the context of the New Testament, the New Testament quotes that particular prophecy as a point-by-point fulfillment. Many of the quotations of the Old Testament in the New Testament fall into this category. Other examples of Category (1) Mt 1:22-23 quoting Isaiah 7:14, Mt 3:3 quoting Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:2 quoting Malachi 3:1 Luke 4:18–19 quoting Isaiah 61:1–2. Matthew 4:13–16 quoting Isaiah 8:22–9:2. Matthew 21:5 quoting Zechariah 9:9 John 12:38 quoting Isaiah 53:1 John 19:24 quoting Psalm 22:18 Matthew 27:46 quoting Psalm 22:1 NOTE THAT THE NASB HELPS IDENTIFY OT PROPHECIES BY PUTTING THE PROPHECY IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS, A FEATURE NOT FOUND IN ANY OTHER POPULAR TRANSLATION. (2) Literal prophecy plus typical fulfillment - a typology - Matthew 2:15 He remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “OUT OF EGYPT I CALLED MY SON.” Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a youth I loved him, And out of Egypt I called My son. In this OT passage from Hosea, the literal meaning of Hosea 11:1 is describing ISRAEL being called out of Egypt. It is calling Israel God’s son. Look at Exodus 4:22-23. It is not a prophecy per se, but a historical event which foreshadows a future event. In this passage the calling of Israel out of Egypt is used as a TYPE, or parallel, or similar event, to God bringing Jesus out of Egypt. Many of the citations in the Book of Hebrews of Exodus and Leviticus fall into this category. (3) Literal prophecy plus application Matthew 2:17-18 Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 18“A VOICE WAS HEARD IN RAMAH, WEEPING AND GREAT MOURNING, RACHEL WEEPING FOR HER CHILDREN; AND SHE REFUSED TO BE COMFORTED, BECAUSE THEY WERE NO MORE.” Jeremiah 31:15 (Thus says the LORD, “A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” In this type of usage of Old Testament Scripture, there is one point of similarity, but also many differences. Matthew 2:17-18 uses Jeremiah 31:15 which in the original context is Jeremiah witnessing an event in his day as he sees the women of Ramah, where Rachel (she was the symbol of Jewish motherhood) was buried, crying as they see their sons being taken to exile in Babylon. They would never see them again. The events of Jeremiah have a point of similarity with the events in Bethlehem, since the Jewish mothers are weeping for sons they will never see again. However Ramah and Bethlehem are different towns, and the Babylonian exiles weren’t going to their death as were the infants of Bethlehem. Everything is radically different except the mothers weeping. This is what many pastors use in sermons today. They take a scripture and make a modern application from a single point of similarity. (4) Summation - a summary Matthew 2:23.and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” There is no exact quotation or prophecy, but when the word prophet switches from singular to plural, it is a summation. “That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets” is a clue, when prophet becomes prophets, plural insead of singular, you are getting a summary. If you search the Old Testament for a mention of Nazareth, the only remote similarity in the is Isaiah 11:1, which calls Messiah a Netzer, which means branch, and sounds similar to Nazareth. However, the point that Matthew is making is that Jesus would be despised and rejected of men, as the Nazarenes were despised in their culture. Isaiah 53:3 and other scriptures foretell this. “He was despised and forsaken of men.” Other scriptures are: Isaiah 49;7, Psalm 22:6. “As spoken by the prophets” refers to prophecies such as these. PP - Pardes The rabbinic concept of PaRDeS is an acronym for the four ways in which Scripture was used. It was a useful acronym to remind them of the four ways that Old Testament Scripture could be utilized. • Pshat - the simple basic meaning of the text. Literal plus literal • Remez - a hint. Literal plus typical • Drash - exposition. Literal plus application • Sod - secret. Summation In summary, this was the rabbinic way of remembering valid ways to quote Old Testament Scripture. These four categories were used by the writers of the New Testament, as shown by the examples in these passages. If one does not understand the ways in which Scripture is being used, one can mistakenly conclude that Scripture is in error.