The Birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:1-23)

Key verse. 2:2, ‘saying, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”’

Prophetic Scriptures. 2:6 (Micah 5:2); 2:15 (Hosea 11:1); 2:18 (?).

Matthew continues the story of Jesus’ birth. The events include the visit of the Eastern Magi who follow a star in search of the King of the Jews and King Herod’s response to this revelation. Jesus will be born and visited by the Magi. In keeping with Matthew’s inclusive kingdom mission illustrated in the genealogy of chapter 1 (the women), Matthew now adds the Magi ‘outsiders’. The drawing of the Magi to the Savior brings Hosea 2:23 comes to mind.

Having been warned in a dream by an angel of Herod’s evil plans, Joseph, Mary and Jesus seek safety in Egypt. Having escaped, King Herod proceeds to have every male child under the age of two put to death. Through another dream, the angel informs Joseph of Herod’s death and tells him to return to Israel. From fear of Herod’s successor, Joseph safely settles his family in the Galilean town of Nazareth.

This chapter is dominated by two main characters: the Magi and King Herod. Through these two very different characters Matthew gives us a mini Doctrine of Man. He teaches us about mans nature under the rule of sin and under the leading of grace, how they respond to the revelation of Christ, and the result of each response.

The Magi. Magi were from Persia or Mesopotamia, what is modern Iraq or Iran. They were members of a Persian priestly order specializing in astrology, the interpretation of dreams, and magic. Perhaps they were kings based on the number and types of gifts given to the Christ child. Scripture does not clearly state how many Wise Men came from the east, but tradition holds the number anywhere from 2 to 12.

Herod the Great (47-4 BC). At twenty-five Herod was appointed governor of Galilee by his father Antipater. He was then designated King of Judea by Antony, Octavius, and the Roman Senate. In the winter of 5-4 BC Jesus was born. Having learned of this new political threat, he summons the Magi to learn of Jesus’ exact location to destroy the child-king. After Jesus’ escape Herod kills all the male children of Bethlehem who are two years old and younger (2:1-16).

A mini doctrine of revelation. Theology speaks of two types of revelation given to humanity: general and special revelation. General revelation is given generally to God’s creation and is evident in the things created. God can be perceived in the things created. Paul says that people therefore have no excuse in denying God because he has graciously revealed himself and his nature through his handiwork (see Psalm 19). Special revelation is God's written word (The Bible), Miracles, and Jesus himself.

What we learn here is that the Star (General Revelation) leads the Magi to the Scriptures (Special Revelation) which led them to Christ. General revelation will only get us so far. Christ is ultimately found through the written word of God.

A mini doctrine of humanity. The Magi and Herod teaches a mini-doctrine on humanity: what man can be through God’s grace and what man is naturally like under the rule of sin. So how do each of characters respond to the revelation of Jesus?

(V. 1-2) Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him."

• The outsider Magi, from a foreign land, follow the revelation given to everyone-- the star (see Numbers 24:17).
• They know that the star is Jesus' the Jewish king.
• They respond to the revelation given-- not only given to them but to anyone else who bothered to look!-- by coming to worship the Jewish king.

(V. 3-7) When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: "'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.'"

• The revelation that awakened worship in the Magi strikes terror in the heart and mind of Herod (the Greek word tarasso [troubled] is better understood as terrified. See Mat 2:3; 14:26; Mark 6:50; Luke 1:12; 24:38; 1 Peter 3:14).
• The chief priests rightly seek truth in the scriptures and reveal the birthplace of their King. Although the religious people know their Bible they disinterestedly shrug off the unfolding events! Scripture does not record any further action from the religious Jews.

(V. 7-9) Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 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."

• The work of sin is always conducted in the darkness. John 3:19.
• Herod never acknowledges Jesus’ Kingship referring to him as a ‘child’.
• He’s not drawn to seek the king at all, rather, he leaves that to the Magi.
• Herod’s true motive is cloaked in deceptive words. Romans 16:8.

(V. 10-12) After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

• Following the light given, God graciously rewards the Magi with His Son.
• ‘...and they fell down and worshiped him.’ This scripture sums up man’s response to God when grace leads to Christ.
• Worship means giving all that we are and all that we have.
• In keeping with Matthew’s world wide gospel (Matthew 28:19), the first recorded worshipers of Jesus are not the the Jews, nor the Politicians, or the religious: They are non-Jewish foreigners.

(V. 13-18) 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." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 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." 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. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more."

• ‘...for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." Both Herod and the Magi wanted to find Jesus but for completely different reasons: one wished to worship (2:11) and one wished to destroy (2:13).
• Herod’s sin does not exist in a vacuum: sin effects others!
• Apart from God’s grace mankind remains in opposition to His son Jesus Christ.

Concluding thoughts on humanity, original sin, and grace:

• Jesus will produce a response from people: joy or terror, hate or love, destruction or worship.
• Only by God’s grace does anyone seek to worship Jesus.
• Our sin nature not only separates us from the Creator, it is vehemently opposed to him and his purposes.
• Our sin not only effects our lives but the lives of others.
  

Catechism: the Doctrine of Man
Q: What is sin?
A: Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God.

Q: What was the sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created?
A: The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.

Q: Did all mankind fall in Adam’s first transgression?
A: The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first transgression.

Q: What is the misery of that estate whereinto man fell?
A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under His wrath and curse, and so made liable to all miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell forever.

The Commandments
The Sixth: “You shall not kill.” What does this mean? Answer: We should fear and love God, and we should not endanger our neighbor’s life, nor cause him any harm, but help and befriend him in every necessity of life.