Matthew 2
Summary for Matt 2:1-2: 2:1-2 a Attentiveness to the star indicates that the wise men were astrologers; their awareness of the Old Testament (perhaps Num 24:17 b) suggests that they were from Babylonia, where Jews were numerous. The men were Gentiles, which anticipates Gentile acceptance into the Kingdom of God (Matt 8:11-12 c; 15:21-28 d; 28:16-20 e). Throughout the entire Gospel, unlikely Gentiles worship the Jewish Messiah, while the Jewish leaders (Herod, high priests, teachers of religious law, Pharisees) oppose him. 2:1 f Bethlehem was David’s hometown (1 Sam 16:1-13 g; John 7:42 h).• King Herod, or Herod the Great, had a meteoric career; he rose from being governor of Galilee to being king of Galilee, Judea, and Samaria (37–4 BC). His career was marked by unflinching loyalty to Rome, magnificent building enterprises (including a substantial renovation of the Temple in Jerusalem), family hostility, suspicion, and ruthless murder of his own family members (Josephus, Antiquities 15.7.1-5) and of innocent children (Matt 2:16-18 i).
2:2 j Matthew regularly describes Jesus as receiving worship (2:2 k, 8 l, 11 m; 8:2 n; 9:18 o; 14:33 p; 15:25 q; 20:20 r; 28:9 s, 17 t), thus identifying Jesus as God.
2:3 u Herod was deeply disturbed because he feared this child would rival him as king of the Jews.
2:4 v The leading priests had political and religious clout and ministered predominantly in the Temple (see 21:23 w). Herod gathered the teachers of religious law because they were trained to know Old Testament prophecies and were often influential Pharisees.
2:6 x Bethlehem, a small village, had a privileged status as the birthplace of King David. The religious leaders knew from the prophets (1:22 y) that the Messiah would be born there.
• King David had been a shepherd in his youth, and as king he became the shepherd of Israel (2 Sam 5:2 z). Micah 5:2-4 aa foresees the Messiah as a shepherd (cp. Ps 23:1 ab).
Summary for Matt 2:8-10: 2:8-10 ac The star was placed by God to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Num 24:17 ad); the details are unknown.
2:11 ae The wise men offered extravagant gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the King (see Ps 72:10-17 af; Isa 60 ag). The tradition that there were three wise men originated from the number of gifts, but the text does not specify how many wise men there were.
Summary for Matt 2:13-15: 2:13-15 ah Flee to Egypt ... until I tell you to return: This fulfills Hos 11:1 ai (see study note on Matt 4:1-11; see also Gen 15:13-16 aj; 46:1-5 ak; Exod 15:1-21 al).
2:15 am I called my Son out of Egypt: See Hos 11:1 an, which refers to the Exodus.
2:16 ao kill all the boys: Herod was notorious for his viciousness—he killed his own son to protect his throne, which led to the saying, “It is safer to be Herod’s swine [Greek hus] than his son [Greek huios],” because Herod kept kosher.
• two years old and under: Herod calculated the probable age of the child from the wise men’s report.
2:18 ap Ramah, a village near Bethlehem, is the place of Rachel’s burial (Gen 35:18-20 aq; Jer 31:15-17 ar).
2:19 as After Herod the Great died in 4 BC, Caesar split up his kingdom. Herod’s son Archelaus (2:22 at) was appointed over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, while Antipas (14:1-12 au; Luke 13:31-32 av) was appointed over Galilee and Perea.
Summary for Matt 2:20-21: 2:20-21 aw Jesus’ return to Israel fulfills Hos 11:1 ax (see 2:13-15 ay).
2:22 az Archelaus, like his father, governed brutally, immorally, and tyrannically.
• Joseph fulfilled prophecy in moving to Galilee to avoid Archelaus’s jurisdiction (cp. 4:12-16 ba).
2:23 bb “He will be called a Nazarene”: Matthew associates the name Nazareth with words in the prophets (see Isa 11:1 bc, where the Messiah is called a “Branch,” [Hebrew netser]; and Judg 13:5 bd, where Samson is called a “Nazirite”).
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