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 place. Herod was alive when Jesus was born (Matthew 2:3-12), and therefore A. U. C. 750 is the latest da... [ Continue Reading ]
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 shortly before or after this visit of the Magi. BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA. A small town situated on the cres... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:2. WHERE IS HE THAT IS BORN KING OF THE JEWS? Confidence is implied in the question. The word ‘born' is emphatic; the one sought was not only newly born, but a born king, not one placed on the throne by accident. The question involves a deeper meaning than the magi designed. A born King of... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:3. HEROD THE KING; the reigning king WAS TROUBLED, fearing for his throne, as might be expected from his jealous disposition. AND ALL JERUSALEM WITH HIM. Either: at the same time with him, or: because of him, knowing his cruelty. Many may have dreaded the Advent of the Messiah, either fr... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:4. ALL THE CHIEF-PRIESTS. Probably not a formal meeting of the Sanhedrin, since to this belonged the ‘elders' also, who are not mentioned here. Literally: ‘high priests.' It includes, besides the one actual high-priest, those who had held the office (for the Romans often transferred it, co... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:5. FOR. They speak of the prophetic declaration as decisive. IT IS WRITTEN. It has been written and still remains on record. BY (_literally_, through) THE PROPHET (Micah 5:1-2). As the prophecy was well known the name is not given.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:6. AND THOU BETHLEHEM. Freely quoted from the Greek version (the Septuagint) then in common use. The Hebrew is literally: ‘But thou Bethlehem Ephratah, too small to be among the thousands of Judah [_i.e.,_ the towns where the heads of thousands resided, the chief towns of the subdivisions... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:7. PRIVATELY. This indicates his evil purpose, and is quite characteristic of political suspicion. LEARNED OF THEM EARNED. He probably drew some inference from what they told him, and took measures accordingly. WHAT TIME. This implies how long it had appeared, quite as much as, when it... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:8. Contains his deceitful command. It was a lie diplomatic, based on the truth, for he sent them to Bethlehem.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:9. THEY WENT THEIR WAY. The interview seems to have taken place in the evening, and they set out immediately afterwards, but night travelling is customary in the east. LO, THE STAR, etc. The theory of a miraculous star easily explains the statement of this verse, and if we were told that... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:10. WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR. This shows that for some time, at least, they had not seen it. THEY REJOICED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT JOY. Literally, ‘rejoiced a great joy exceedingly.' The reappearance of the star indicated to them their success and the truth of their calculations. The joy, how... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:11. THE HOUSE. Probably not the place where Jesus was born, but temporary lodgings, in which they remained until ‘the forty days of purification' were accomplished. If the event falls within that period it would be easy to find the house, since the story told by the shepherds would not be... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:12. BEING WARNED OF GOD. Probably they had asked guidance, because they suspected Herod's double dealing. They obtained guidance IN A DREAM, or by dreams. THEY DEPARTED, or ‘withdrew.' BY ANOTHER WAY. Avoiding Jerusalem, to which they would naturally have returned, wherever their own c... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:13. The Magi may have communicated their suspicions or revelation (Matthew 2:12) to JOSEPH, to whom as the head of the family the present revelation is made, IN A DREAM, again. EGYPT, ‘as near, as a Roman province and independent of Herod, and much inhabited by Jews, was an easy and conv... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRONOLOGY. We place the flight into Egypt a _fter_ the presentation in the temple (Luke 2:22-39). The latter took place on the fortieth day, and the interval which this allows is too brief for the events of this section. On the relative position of the Adoration of the Magi and the presentation, se... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:14. AND HE AROSE. Implying immediate obedience; characteristic of genuine faith. BY NIGHT, _i.e._, the same night. DEPARTED, or, ‘withdrew,' the same word which was used respecting the Magi.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:15. THE PROPHET. Hosea (Matthew 11:1). A prophecy referring first to the children of Israel, then typical of Christ. Alford: ‘It seems to have been a settled axiom of interpretation (which has, by its adoption in the New Testament, received the sanction of the Holy Ghost Himself, and now s... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:16. The beginning of the persecutions which culminated in the crucifixion. THEN HEROD WHEN HE SAW THAT HE WAS TRIFLED WITH, _i.e.,_ duped, according to his view of the case, BY THE MAGI, WAS EXCEEDING WROTH. The murderer of his own wife (Mariamne) and two sons (Alexander and Aristobulus)... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:17. JEREMIAH THE PROPHET (Jeremiah 32:15). Free quotation (from the Septuagint) of a typical prophecy. Not: ‘that it might be fulfilled,' but simply: ‘was fulfilled.'... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:18. IN RAMAH, etc. The words ‘lamentation and' are found in the Septuagint, but to be omitted here. The passage refers primarily to the leading of the Israelites captive to Babylon. Rachel, the ancestress of Benjamin, buried near Bethlehem, is represented as issuing from the hem on the roa... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:19. WHEN HEROD WAS DEAD. Herod died at Jericho about the time of the Passover (April) in the year 750 after the building of Rome, four years before the date from which we reckon our time. The common Christian era was not fixed until five hundred years later. (See _Introd.,_ § 8.) The lengt... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:21. THE LAND OF ISRAEL included Galilee, but Judea would be reached first on the return.... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:22. ARCHELAUS. Four sons of Herod (the Great) are mentioned in the New Testament. (He had ten wives and fourteen children.) (1) _Herod Antipas,_ the murderer of John the Baptist (frequently mentioned in Gospels and Acts 4:27; Acts 13:1), and (2) _Archelaus,_ were sons of Malthace the fourt... [ Continue Reading ]
Matthew 2:23. It does not follow that Matthew was not aware of the previous residence of Joseph in Nazareth. There is no contradiction between his statements and those of Luke. Each mentions those facts most important for his special purpose. Matthew's narrative is not a biography, but brings up fac... [ Continue Reading ]