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, offering gifts. MATTHEW 2:13 Joseph, warned by an angel, fleeth with the young child and his mothe... [ Continue Reading ]
Jerusalem was the metropolis of Judea; thither they come, as to the most likely place where to receive satisfaction. Of whom they inquired the Scripture saith not, but it is observable that they took notice that there was a person born who was to be an illustrious King of the Jewish nation, they spe... [ Continue Reading ]
Herod was hardly warm in his kingdom, and had taken Jerusalem by force, and was therefore much concerned to hear that there was a new King born; and supposing him to have been all his life acquainted with the Jewish writings and records, where were prophecies of the Messias under the notion of a Kin... [ Continue Reading ]
In this perplexity the king Herod calleth a synod or convocation, which was made up of the chief priests and scribes; the single question which he propounds to them was to resolve him WHERE CHRIST SHOULD BE BORN. It is most likely this was an extraordinary convention of such of these persons as the... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 2:6".... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 5,6. It was (as it seems) so received a tradition, and interpretation of MICAH 5:2, that they gave him an answer without any hesitation, telling him he was to be born IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA; this they confirm by the prophecy of the prophet Micah, MICAH 5:2; so confirming the Son of the virgin Ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Herod having heard the answer of the priests and scribes, did not think fit to make any noise of it amongst the people; he knew the Jews were apt enough to rebel, and being so little a conqueror had no reason to presume much of their goodwill towards him; he therefore calls the wise men privily, and... [ Continue Reading ]
He tells the wise men that Bethlehem was the place, wherein his wise men had informed him that the King of the Jews was to be born, and sends them thither with these instructions: That they should go, and SEARCH DILIGENTLY there FOR THE YOUNG CHILD, whom he doth not call King; thereby dissembling hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY DEPARTED toward Bethlehem Judah; how long their journey was we cannot tell: some wonder that none of the Jews did attend them in their journey, coming out of their own country upon such a discovery, and impute it either to the Jews fear of the tyrant under which they were, or to the blindness a... [ Continue Reading ]
Joy is but the natural consequence of desire satisfied: they had in their own country seen an extraordinary star, which, according to the rules of their own art, they might guess to be an indication of a great Prince born, or, by a Divine revelation, they might know to be so. This kindled in them a... [ Continue Reading ]
How long the virgin Mary and her holy Child had been there is not expressed; those that think these wise men came within six weeks or two months, judge that Joseph and Mary came thither from Jerusalem after that he had been there offered, to the Lord, of which you read LUKE 2:22; but they are forced... [ Continue Reading ]
Now the wise God begins to defeat the crafty counsels of Herod, whose bloody hand he had stayed till he should from the wise men have had a perfect intelligence concerning this newborn King. God in a dream appeareth to the wise men, and warns them to go no more to Herod. The wise men came with no in... [ Continue Reading ]
How long it was before this apparition to Joseph the Scripture saith not, but admitting what is affirmed by some geographers, that Bethlehem Judah was but two days journey from Jerusalem, it cannot be presumed long, for Herod had (doubtless) quick intelligence of the wise men's motions. Here was a s... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 2:15".... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 14,15. True faith, or assent to a Divine revelation, always produces obedience to the precept of it. Thus it did in the wise men, thus in Joseph. Thus every where in holy writ. By which we may learn, that they indeed believe not the Scriptures to be the word of God, who take no care to live up... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk; Herod now expounds what he meant by his coming and worshipping Christ also, which he talked of MATTHEW 2:8. WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS MOCKED, &C; really mocked by their coming no more to him; not that they used any mocking language, or designed by their actions to deceive him, but probably int... [ Continue Reading ]
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Ver. 17,18. The text quoted is JEREMIAH 31:15. This prophecy was literally fulfilled when Judah was carried into captivity; there was then a great mourning in the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, for their children that were slain and carried into captivity. It was now fulfilled, that is, verified, a s... [ Continue Reading ]
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Ver. 19,20. That is, as some say, within three or four months, for Herod, they say, no longer outlived this bloody act; and if we may believe historians, he was in his death made a dreadful example of Divine vengeance. But we cannot assert the just time how long he outlived this bloody act; when he... [ Continue Reading ]
SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 2:22".... [ Continue Reading ]
Ver. 21,22. The true King of the Jews being born, the singular providence of God so ordered it, that there was no more constituted governors of Judea under the title of kings, though they are said to reign, because the tetrarchs in their provinces exercised a regal power; for though Archelaus was by... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb; It appeareth by LUKE 2:4, that Joseph dwelt in Nazareth before our Saviour was born; and, LUKE 2:39, after Mary's purification it is said, _they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth; _ and, LUKE 4:16, he was there brought up. Hence, 1 THESSALONIANS 1:45, he is called by Philip,... [ Continue Reading ]