Mat 2:3, Joh 11:48 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 3. Had heard these things. Had heard of their coming, and of the star, and of the design of their coming. He was troubled . Herod had obtained the kingdom by great crimes, and by shedding much blood. He was, therefore, easily alarmed by any remarkable appearances; and the fact that this star appeared, and that it was regarded as proof that the King of the Jews was born, alarmed him. Besides, it was a common expectation that the Messiah was about to appear, and he feared that his reign was about to come to an end. He, therefore, began to inquire in what way he might secure his own safety, and the permanency of his government. All Jerusalem . The people of Jerusalem, and particularly the friends of Herod. There were many waiting for the consolation of Israel, to whom the coming of the Messiah would be a matter of joy; but all of Herod's friends would doubtless be alarmed at his coming.

Matthew 2:3

Verse 3. Had heard these things. Had heard of their coming, and of the star, and of the design of their coming.

He was troubled. Herod had obtained the kingdom by great crimes, and by shedding much blood. He was, therefore, easily alarmed by any remarkable appearances; and the fact that this star appeared, and that it was regarded as proof that the King of the Jews was born, alarmed him. Besides, it was a common expectation that the Messiah was about to appear, and he feared that his reign was about to come to an end. He, therefore, began to inquire in what way he might secure his own safety, and the permanency of his government.

All Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem, and particularly the friends of Herod. There were many waiting for the consolation of Israel, to whom the coming of the Messiah would be a matter of joy; but all of Herod's friends would doubtless be alarmed at his coming.

John 11:48

Verse 48. All men. That is, all men among the Jews. The whole nation.

And the Romans shall come. They were then subject to the Romans--tributary and dependent. Whatever privileges they had they held at the will of the Roman emperor. They believed, or feigned to believe, that Jesus was intending to set up a temporal kingdom. As he claimed to be the Messiah, so they supposed, of course, that he designed to be a temporal prince, and they professed to believe that this claim was, in fact, hostility to the Roman emperor. They supposed that it would involve the nation in war if he was not arrested, and that the effect would be that they would be vanquished and destroyed. It was on this charge that they at last arraigned him before Pilate, Lk 23:2,3.

Will take away. This expression means to destroy, to ruin, to overthrow, Lk 8:12, Acts 6:13,14.

Our place. This probably refers to the temple, Acts 6:13,14. It was called "the place" by way of eminence, as being the chief or principal place on earth--being the seat of the peculiar worship of God. This place was utterly destroyed by the Romans. Mt 24:1, and following.

And nation. The nation or people of the Jews.

(h) "all men" Jn 12:19