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G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition

Matthew 2:1-23

The Kingdom was not ready for the King, so a reception for Him was not arranged and organized by those who should have been waiting for Him. They were in rebellion. The King's advent was heralded by a star, and a few subject souls of a nation other than the chosen were guided by it to the King, and, notwithstanding the poverty of His earthly surroundings, they poured out their gifts-gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The underworld of evil was moved to its center, and found vent through the false king, Herod, in his slaughter of the innocents. Heaven and hell were thus moved at Jesus' coming, and those on earth nearest to each in some way recognized the fact. The great crown remained in ignorance.

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See also Matthew 2:1-23 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER II. _Wise men come from the east to worship Christ_, 1, 2. _Herod, hearing of the birth of our Lord, is greatly troubled_, 3; _and makes inquiry of the chief priests and scribes, where the_...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHEN JESUS WAS BORN - See the full account of his birth in Luke 2:1. IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA - Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, was a small town about six miles south of Jerusalem. The word “Bethleh...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. THE KING WORSHIPPED BY GENTILES; Jerusalem in Ignorance of Him; the Child Persecuted. 1. The Visit of the Wise Men.(Matthew 2:1 .) 2. The Flight into Egypt. (Matthew 2:13 .) 3. The Return from Eg...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    MATTHEW 2. THREE INCIDENTS OF CHRIST'S CHILDHOOD. Matthew 2:1. The Visit of the Magians.The religion of the Magi well deserved the double honour of stimulating the growth of the doctrine of the Futur...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    THE INFANT JESUS. -- Matthew 2:1-12. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins._ -- Matthew 1:21. TIME. --About B. C. 4. (It is now conceded that th...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE KING (Matthew 2:1-2)...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judaea, in the days of Herod the King, behold there came to Jerusalem wise men from the East. "Where," they said, "is the newly born King of the Jews? For we have s...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    JESUS. See App-98. IN. Greek. _en._ App-104. BETHLEHEM. house of bread. Five miles south of Jerusalem. One of the fenced cities of Rehoboam, originally called Ephrath (Genesis 35:16; Genesis 35:19)....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Matthew 2:1-12. The Visit of the Magi. Recorded by St Matthew only 1. _Jesus was born_ The year 3 before the Christian Era has been fixed almost beyond a doubt as the date of the Nativity. The present...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    THE VISIT OF THE MAGI Recorded by St Matthew only....

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΤΟΥ͂ ΔῈ ἸΗΣΟΥ͂ ΓΕΝΝΗΘΈΝΤΟΣ. The year 3 before the Christian era has been fixed almost beyond a doubt as the date of the Nativity. The present year—1881—is therefore correctly A.D. 1884. The data on wh...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    1. NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN BETH-LEHEM OF JUDAEA IN THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING, BEHOLD, THERE CAME WISE MEN FROM THE EAST TO JERUSALEM. 2. SAYING, WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS? FOR WE H...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _THE WISE MEN VISIT THE KING MATTHEW 2:1-12_ : “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΓΕΝΝΗΘΈΝΤΟΣ _aor. pass. part. gen. masc. sing. от_ ΓΕΝΝΆΩ (G1080) рождать; _pass._ быть рожденным. _Gen. abs._ "После того как Иисус..." ΒΑΣΙΛΕΎΣ (G935) царь. О жизни Ирода Великого _см._ TJ, 17-35; Н...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1279 THE WISE MEN SEEKING CHRIST Matthew 2:1. _Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judζa, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA—WISE MEN, &C.— Bethlehem was a small town in the tribe of Judah, which lay on the southof Jerusalem; there was a city of the same name in Galilee, which belonged to the tribe of Zeb...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER 2 Section 3. THE VISIT OF THE WISE MEN TEXT: 2:1-12 1. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wisemen from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, The Wise Men reach Jerusalem-The Sanhedrim, on Herod's demand,...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    1 David 1 Ozias 2 Solomon 2 Joatham 3 Roboam 3 Achaz 4 Abijah 4 Hezekiah 5 Asaph 5 Manasseh 6 Josaphat 6 Amos 7 Joram 7 Josiah [Ahaziah] [Jehoahaz] [Jehoash] [Jehoiakim] [Amaziah] [Jechon...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    2:1 born (d-5) Lit. 'begotten,' but used for 'born.' In ver. 2 it is the fact of being brought forth -- of course strictly of the mother. It was the actual fact of his being born or brought forth that...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    BETHLEHEM] or Ephrathah, the city of David, Isaiah 5 m. S. of Jerusalem: see Genesis 35:16; Genesis 35:19; Genesis 48:7;...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WISE MEN 1-12. The star in the east and the visit of the Magi (peculiar to St. Matthew). The incident fits well into secular history. About the time when the star appeared (7 or 6 b.c.), Herod the...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 2 WISE MEN VISIT JESUS 2:1-12 V1 Jesus was born in the town called Bethlehem. This was in Judea district. At this time, Herod was th...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    II. (1) IN THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. — The death of Herod took place in the year of Rome A.U.C. 750, just before the Passover. This year coincided with what in our common chronology would be B.C. 4...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 2 His Reception - Matthew 2:1 THIS one chapter contains all that St. Matthew records of the Infancy. St. Mark and St. John tell us nothing, and St. Luke very little. This singular reticence h...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Visit of the Magi._...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἐν Βηθλεὲμ : The first hint of the birthplace, and no hint that Bethlehem is not the home of the family. τῆς Ἰουδαίας : to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in Galilee (Zebulon), named in Joshua 1...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE WISE-MEN FOLLOW THE STAR Matthew 2:1-8 The expectation of the advent of a great king was far-spread at the time of the Nativity. It was probably founded, so far as the East was concerned, on the...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Now when (1) Jesus was born in Bethlehem of (a) Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came (b) wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (1) Christ a poor child, laid down in a crib, and tho...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    King Herod the Great, surnamed Ascalonite, was a foreigner, but a proselyte to the Jewish religion. St. Jerome. --- this city is called Bethlehem of Juda, to distinguish it from another Bethlehem, whi...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    THE ORIENTAL MAGI Matthew 2:1-12. _“Jesus having been born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, the magi came from the East, saying, Where is He who was born King of the Jews?...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS. We have here related to us the birth of Christ; the visit of the Wise Men from the East, led by a star to worship him; the consternation induced in the minds of Herod, and the whole city of...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    God has been pleased, in the separate accounts He has given us of our Lord Jesus, to display not only His own grace and wisdom, but the infinite excellency of His Son. It is our wisdom to seek to prof...

  • James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary

    _THE GOODNESS OF CHRIST_ ‘Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.’ Matthew 2:1 Let us try to see what the Story of the Magi is meant to teach us. I. CHRIST’S CONDESCENSION.—In the...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    1._Now when Jesus had been born _How it came about that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Matthew does not say. The Spirit of God, who had appointed the Evangelists to be his clerks, (177) appears purposel...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Thus born, thus characterised by the angel and fulfilling the prophecies that announced the presence of Emmanuel, He is formally acknowledged King of the Jews by the Gentiles, who are guided by the wi...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN,.... Several things are here related respecting the birth of Christ, as the place where he was born, IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA; so called to distinguish it from another Bethlehem...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Ver. 1. _Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem_] The house of brea...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Now when Jesus was born_ It is matter of great doubt when the following remarkable occurrence happened. The received time of celebrating the Epiphany imports that it was within thirteen days of the b...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    OF JUDEA; to distinguish it from another Bethlehem, in Galilee. HEROD; this Herod was an Edomite. He had been proselyted to the Jewish religion, but was a very deceitful, wicked, and cruel man. Frien...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST. v. 1. NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA, IN THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING. The transition which the evangelist employs fitly connects the narrative of the circums...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    The deeply interesting account of Gabriel's announcement to Mary that she would be the mother of her Lord, the details as to His birth in Bethlehem, the visit of the shepherds to the manger in which H...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-8 Those who live at the greatest distance from the means of grace often use most diligence, and learn to know the most of Christ and his salvation. But no curious arts, or mere human learning, can...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    MATTHEW CHAPTER 2 MATTHEW 2:1 Wise men from the east come to Jerusalem to inquire after Christ. MATTHEW 2:3 Herod is alarmed. MATTHEW 2:9 The wise men are directed by a star to Christ, and worship him...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian An Answer to the Jews Let those Eastern magi be believed, dowering with gold and incense the infancy of Christ as a king;[136] Tertullian On the Flesh of Christ and let the wise men spar...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 2:1 Now G1161 Jesus G2424 born G1080 (G5685) in G1722 Bethlehem G965 Judea G2449 in G1722 days...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in t...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE VISIT OF THE MAGI (2:1-11). The visit of the Magi/Eminent Astrologers to Jesus is important for a number of reasons. It emphasises: 1). That whereas the leading Jews in the main ignored His birt...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    THE DATE OF OUR LORD'S BIRTH. See Introduction, § 8, pp. 16, 17. The visit of the Magi, while it does not determine the year of the birth of Christ, fixes a date _before_ which it must have taken plac...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 2:1. NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN. See chap. Matthew 1:25. Further details are given in Luke 2:1-21. The visit of the shepherds had already taken place, the presentation in the temple was either sh...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    NOW WHEN JESUS WAS BORN (του δε Ιησου γεννηθεντος). The fact of the birth of Jesus is stated by the genitive absolute construction (first aorist passive participle of the same verb γενναω used twice...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    HEROD THE KING Called Herod the Great, son of Antipater, an Idumean (Genesis 36:1). (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 36:1) _ and Cypros, an Arabian woman. Antipater was appointed procurator of Judea by...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Matthew 2:1 I. We have, as it were, three classes gathered about us in this narrative, and the central figure of them all is Christ Himself. As we think of this story in connection with our Master, th...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 2:1. _Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,_ Probably from that Assyria which is joined with Is...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 2:1. _Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? f...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 2:1. _Now when Jesus was born is Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,_ Our Lord was born in Bethlehem, an inconsiderable...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Visit of the Magi, flight into Egypt, Herod's slaughter of the innocents. Return of Joseph and Mary to Nazareth. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Joseph, Mary, Herod, chief priests, scribes, wise me...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 2:1. _Jesus was born in Bethlehem,_ as is illustrated in Micah 5:2. _In the days of Herod the king,_ the son of Antipater, and father of Archelaus, who succeeded him on the throne. Herod, who...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    JESUS WAS BORN. Not Nazareth, but Bethlehem David's town. Pride in "family records" sent Jews back to their "home city." (_See_ Luke 2:1-4). BETHLEHEM. Six miles south of Jerusalem, this was one of th...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Wise men from the East._ -They were wise, not so much for their learning, but because they sought God diligently. Wisdom does not make unbelievers, but folly. (_Wilmot Buxton._) PHILOSOPHY AND THE...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 2:1 BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA. Located about 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Jerusalem. Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem marks him as being from the tribe of Judah and from the city that produced...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Juda in the days of king Herod. It is better to read here in the Greek _in Bethlehem-Juda_. Juda means the tribe of Judah, to which, after the schism...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 2:1. BORN.—The birth of Jesus has been assigned to “the fourth year before the common account called Anno Domini.” But Rev. A. Carr (Cambridge Bible for Schools) says, “the ye...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JESUS THE CHRIST BY HIS EARLY HISTORY answering to the word of God by the prophets. This is shown by four particulars, for each of which a corresponding prophecy is adduced. (1) The place...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Chapter Two Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king (Matthew 2:1), This is Herod the Great, that little short monster. He was a little over four feet tall, and as...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 4:30; Daniel 9:24; Daniel 9:25; Genesis 10:30; Genesis 25:6;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Bethlehem. Hebrew, House of Bread, probably from its fertility. The birthplace of him who calls himself the Bread of Life (John 6:35), and identified with the history of his human ancestry through Rut...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    HOW THE FIRST CHRISTMAS WAS CELEBRATED Matthew 2:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS By way of introduction we are going to read a poem named "The Christmas Story" which was written several years ago. It is appro...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Bethlehem of Judea — There was another Bethlehem in the tribe of Zebulon. In the days of Herod — commonly called Herod the Great, born at Ascalon. The sceptre was now on the point of departing from Ju...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Observe here, 1. The place of our Lord's birth, Bethlehem; he was born, not at Athens, not at Rome, not at Jerusalem, not in any opulent or magnificent city, but in the meanest cities of Judah; thereb...

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