Matthew 2:1-11
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.
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