_THE WISE MEN OUT OF THE EAST ARE DIRECTED TO CHRIST BY A STAR: THEY WORSHIP HIM, AND OFFER THEIR PRESENTS. JOSEPH FLEETH INTO EGYPT, WITH JESUS AND HIS MOTHER. HEROD SLAYETH THE CHILDREN, HIMSELF DIETH. CHRIST IS BROUGHT BACK AGAIN INTO GALILEE, TO NAZARETH._ _Year of the World 4004._... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Zebulun, Judges 19:15 andthis is the reason why the former is here called _Bethlehem of Judea. In the d... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, &C.— Saying, _Where is this new-born king of the Jews?_ Campbell. There does not seem to be any need of supposing, with some of the fathers, that the wise men knew the signification of this _star_ which they saw while they were in the east, by comparing it with Balaam's prophesy, Numbers 24:... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS TROUBLED— _Alarmed._ Our translation suits well to Herod, jealous for his crown, but not to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who were oppressed by him; and (according to their notions of a Messiah) would conceive hopes of their deliverance from the news of his death. The original word ταρασσω si... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE HAD GATHERED &C.— _And having assembled._ Campbell. _All the chief priests,_ must comprehend here not only the high-priest for the time being, and his deputy, with those who formerly had borne that office; but also the heads of the twenty-four courses, as well as any other persons of pec... [ Continue Reading ]
IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDAEA: FOR THUS, &C.— For a full explanation of this passage we refer to the notes on Micah 5:2; Micah 5:15.; just observing, with Dr. Doddridge, that when this and several other quotations from the Old Testament, which we find in the New, come to be compared with the original, and... [ Continue Reading ]
SEARCH DILIGENTLY FOR, &C.— _Make exact inquiry about,_ &c. It is an amazing thing that so suspicious and artful a prince as Herod should put such an important affair on so precarious a footing; when, if he had notgone himself, it would have been so easy, under pretence of doing honour to these lear... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THEY SAW THE STAR— Dr. Doddridge reads a _star_ or _meteor;_ because, says he, no _star_ could point out not only a town, but a particular house. The original, in the conclusion of this verse, is remarkably emphatical, _They rejoiced with a joy which was exceeding great._ MATTHEW 2:11. _AND FEL... [ Continue Reading ]
INTO EGYPT— There were great numbers of Jews in Egypt: some fled thither in the time of Jeremiah; and great numbers were broughtthere afterwards, on account of the temple of Onias. We may just observe, once for all, that the particle ιδου, _behold,_ is a frequent Hebraism in the evangelists, which c... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED, &C.— _So that what the Lord had spoken by the prophet was verified._ Campbell. The reader will remember the general observation which has been made on Matthew 1:22 respecting the phrase, _that it might be fulfilled,_ and will refer to Hosea 11:1 concerning this text; whic... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN HEROD, WHEN HE SAW, &C.— _Perceiving that he was mocked by the Magi—slew all the children—entering on the second year and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned,_ &c. Knatchbull. The word ενεπαιχθη _,_ in the original, rendered _mocked,_ signifies properly to _be played with,... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WAS FULFILLED, &C.— _Then,_ &c.—_a cry heard, lamentation, and weeping, and bitter complaint._ See, for an explanation of this text, the notes on Jeremiah 31:15. Dr. Doddridge understands this also as an allusion. But the notes above referred to will convince the reader, that this passage may,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHEN HEROD WAS DEAD— It will be worth the reader's while to peruse the particular and affecting account which Josephus has given of the dreadful death of this inhuman tyrant, whom God so remarkably made a terror to himself, as well as to all about him. See Antiq. l. xvii. c. 6. Jewish War, l. i.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SOUGHT THE YOUNG CHILD'S LIFE— Greek. _Who sought the soul;_ a Hebraism, of which our version gives the sense. See 1 Kings 10:14. Exodus 4:19 to which last passage the angel seems to allude. It is an ingenious conjecture of Mr. Manne, that Antipater, the son of Herod, who, at the time when Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
ARCHELAUS— He was the sixth son of Herod, and the most cruel of all those who survived him. He caused three thousand citizens to be murdered at one time in the temple. Herod in his will appointed him his successor, and bestowed upon him the regal authority; but Augustus gave him only the title of _E... [ Continue Reading ]
A CITY CALLED NAZARETH— Which was a small town of the lower Galilee, near the frontiers of the tribes of Zebulon and Issachar. In the description of the Nazarite given Numbers 6 we learn that he was first to abstain from wine and all vinous liquors; secondly, to let his hair grow; thirdly, not to de... [ Continue Reading ]