Finding the True King | Matthew 2:1-23
INTRODUCTION
The Gospel according to Matthew is written to demonstrate the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the predicted Messiah, the King of the Jews. It is the story of the King who comes, the King who is rejected, and the King who will return.
Today, we are going to look at the Magi from the east traveling to find the true King.
Matthew ended chapter 1 with Jesus being born and named (1:25). Now this baby is a “child” (2:8, 10), and the family is living “in Bethlehem in Judea” (2:1). As Matthew 2 opens, the narrative timeframe has jumped ahead to one to two years (2:16).
Matthew 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem
Luke informs us that before the birth of Jesus, Joseph and Mary had a wedding ceremony in Nazareth, after which they travelled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea for the mandated census ordered by Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1–7). Bethlehem is located around 9.6 km southwest of Jerusalem. Jesus was born in while they were staying in Bethlehem.
After Jesus was born, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple as per Jewish customs to present the child before the Lord. As per Jewish custom it is 40 days. Joseph and Mary come back to Bethlehem and stay with the child for around 1-2 years.
The Early Steps of Jesus’ Family
Joseph & Mary come to Bethlehem for the census.
Jesus is born at Bethlehem.
Joseph & Mary take Jesus to temple (40th day) for presenting before the Lord.
Joseph & Mary return to Bethlehem.
Visit of the Magi at Bethlehem.
Joseph & Mary go to Egypt; 2:14.
Joseph & Mary go to Bethlehem; 2:19. When they return from Egypt and discover the danger of continuing to live in Bethlehem; Archelaus, son of Herod is the king; 2:21.
Joseph & Mary go to Nazareth.
Matthew 2 occurs after the temple visit but before they travel to Egypt.
The Magi’s Journey to Jerusalem (2:1–2)
Matthew 2:1-2
1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew begins by saying that Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Matthew pinpoints the time and the place of the birth of Jesus. The birth of Jesus is not a myth. It happened at a particular time and place in history.
In 63 B.C., Roman general Pompey advanced on Jerusalem and captured the city as well as the rest of Palestine. The Romans installed local figures to rule for them, and eventually Herod, an Idumean/Nabatean by bloodline, gained prominence and ruled under Rome from 37 to 4 B.C. Herod, called “king of the Jews,” ruled firmly and at times ruthlessly. He most likely died in March, 4 B.C. Since Herod is still alive when the Magi arrive in Jerusalem as much as two years after Jesus was born, the dating of Jesus’ birth is placed by most scholars at between 6 and 4 B.C.
Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great.
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea.
Bethlehem was actually quite small village, about 9.5 km miles from Jerusalem. In the olden days, Bethlehem was known as Ephrath or Ephrathah. It is an important town because here was the ancestral home of King David. About a thousand years ago David was born there.
Prophecy fulfilled.
Matthew is giving the prophetic evidence to prove the fact that Jesus is the Messiah that is long-awaited and prophesied in the Old Testament. The Messiah was to be born in David’s ancestral town. Micah prophesied Bethlehem producing a shepherd-king for Israel. The immediate context of Micah is that they will be soon overrun and exiled by the Assyrians (Micah 5:5) because of their sin and a shepherd-ruler will bring them from exile and restore God’s people.
Micah 5:2, 4
2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
4He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem.
The term “Magi” (magos, “magician”). There are four possible source countries for the Magi—Arabia, Babylon, Persia, Egypt. The Magi were leading figures employed in diplomatic wisdom, science, religious work etc based on their expertise. These Magi probably came from Persia as Persians were especially known for astrology. The main thing is that they were well acquainted with Jewish messianic expectations, and all four areas had significant Jewish populations that went back centuries. They probably had been exposed to OT prophecies from Jewish colonies situated in the east. There were significant Jewish centres of learning in Babylon at the time of the Magi.
If the Magi came from the environs of Babylon, they would have travelled approximately 1500 km. They would have had to make arrangements for the journey, have a traveling party. It would have taken several months from the time they first saw the star until they arrived in Jerusalem.
How many wise men were there? We do not know. Western tradition sets it at three because of the 3 gifts but Eastern tradition sets their number at twelve.
Now, it’s possible that these Magi were aware of a passage that is in the OT that refers to stars and Messiah. It’s a prophecy that was given by an individual named Balaam. Balaam wasn’t really a godly man. He was a man who was a kind of a seer for sale.
When Israel was traveling in the wilderness enroute the Promised Land, they became a threat to some of the local communities of people. Balak the king of Moab decided to hire Balaam to put a curse on the people of Israel. They went up to the top of a mountain so they could oversee the people of Israel—all of them sprawled across the land. He said, “Now that we’re up here and you can see them all, curse them.” Well, what happened is the Spirit of the Lord came upon Balaam, and he began to prophesy. And he, he gave some of the most incredible prophecies, frankly, about the coming of Messiah.
Numbers 24:17
“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
This is a prophetic statement that Balaam, of all people, is making about the coming of Messiah, and he connects it to a star coming out of Jacob.
The magi asked: “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:3
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Contrasting reactions to the birth of the Messianic king:
The Magi: Want to worship Jesus. They are a part of the Gentile mission theme in Matthew. Earlier in the genealogy we have four gentiles.
Herod’s first reaction: He was disturbed. Herod sees Jesus as a threat and wants to kill him.
This antithesis carries through the gospel: The redemptive influence of Jesus will extend far beyond the confines of Jerusalem to the far corners of the earth, yet those closest to Jesus will reject him.
Troubled – Herod, “all Jerusalem,” the chief priests, and the scribes of 2:3-4 in their troubled reaction and seeking Jesus’ life (2:20). In the Passion narratives in Matthew 27; Pilate, “all the people,” the chief priests, and the elders are troubled and want to get rid of Jesus. In both instances God frustrates the plans of these hostile adversaries (through Jesus’ return from Egypt, and through the resurrection after his death).
Matthew 2:4-6
4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Micah 5:2, 4)
Matthew 2:7-8
7Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
He had no intentions of worshiping this child. Herod was already devising his plan to destroy Jesus. At that time, he was simply wanting to compile the needed information to pinpoint the whereabouts of the baby so that he could get rid of him.
Matthew 2:9
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.
Do stars rest? They never stop. But this star stopped. This is a supernatural work of God.
The sighting of the star must have been a supernatural manifestation, for it not only “went before” them but also stopped and “stood” above the home in which Jesus was staying. The language is reminiscent of the pillar of fire and the cloud in the wilderness that “went ahead of” Israel to guide them along the way (Ex. 13:21; 40:38).
God is still in control. God will guide his people.
Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
They’re witnessing a supernatural phenomenon. They are overjoyed. Matthew emphasizes the height of the Magi’s joy. They not only “rejoiced” but did so with a “joy.” That was both “great” and “extreme.” The intensity of their joy in the divine guidance and in seeing the child Messiah is obvious.
Matthew 2:11-12
11On coming to the house, they saw the child (not baby, probably over an year) with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
These were fairly lavish gifts because they believed this child to be of royalty.
Frist, They believed that this child was going to be a king. And so, therefore, they brought the gifts that were appropriate for a king.
Second, they reflect the OT Precedent. (Gifts given to King Solomon)
Psalm 72:10-11
10May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores
bring tribute to him.
May the kings of Sheba and Seba
present him gifts.
11May all kings bow down to him
and all nations serve him.
This is a kind of re-enactment of Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon with royal gifts (1 Kg. 10:1–10).
Third, this shows that Jesus deserves to be worshipped.
This is the way eastern rulers were shown homage; people would prostrate themselves with their foreheads touching the ground. Still, in Matthew’s mind this is in reality worship of the messianic King. Worship here is the attitude of one’s mind. Worship is to completely humble, prostate oneself before God. Worship is costly. You may not have costly gifts to give God, but worshipping Jesus may cost our life.
This shows that the whole world will worship the Messiah and declare him King.
Revelation 21:24-26
24The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.
Matthew 2:12-14
12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
13When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1)
Jesus’ legal father Joseph likened to Joseph in OT– Both interpret dreams and save their family by going to Egypt.
“Out of Egypt, I called my son.” Matthew is going to take an Old Testament passage or prophetic statement that refers to something else, and he’s going to apply it to Jesus.
Hosea 11:1. Now, this is an after-the-fact statement made about the nation of Israel, that God brought it out of slavery in Egypt under Moses, all right? But Matthew is applying it to Jesus. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he’s taking a passage that talks about the Hebrews coming out of Egypt and applying it to Jesus and says that he is the true Israel. Matthew is portraying Jesus as a representative of Israel. He is the new Israel.
Matthew 2:15-18
16When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
18“A voice is heard in Ramah,
weesping and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15)
This prophecy was made by Jeremiah, who witnessed himself personally the downfall of Jerusalem when the Babylonian army swept into the city, conquered it, destroyed the city, killed many people, and took the rest of them captive to the Persian kingdom. Jeremiah witnessed it. And he was given this word, that there’s a voice, a cry that could be heard in Ramah.
Rachel weeping for her children. Rachel, of course, was the wife of Jacob, the son of Isaac, and she had long since died. But he is referring to her because she was considered the symbolic mother of the nation of Israel.
And again, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew takes this statement made by Jeremiah and says, “This is fulfilled through the death of these baby boys in and around Bethlehem.” And Jeremiah’s words apply to that event as well.
God protects his son. Back in Egypt God protected Moses when the boys were killed by Pharoah. Here God protects Jesus. In both cases we have one boy rescued (Moses & Jesus), who comes back and becomes their Saviour.
Matthew 2:19-23
19After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 20and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
21So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene.
Before Herod died, he divided his kingdom to his three remaining sons. And Archelaus was the man who was given Judea and Samaria. Archelaus was a violent man—a murderer following in his father’s footsteps. Jesus is taken to Nazareth.
OT Passages fulfilled in Mt. 2: Mic 5:1–3; Ps 72:10–11; Hos. 11:1; Jer 31:15; Isa 11:1.
Titles given to Jesus in Matthew 2
- King of the Jews – 2:2 (Title reappear in Passion 27:54).
- Messiah – 2:4
- Ruler of Judah – 2:6a
- Shepherd of Israel – 2:6b
- Nazarene – 2:23
LIFE APPLICATION
Those Seeking Christ Must Obey Him.
Worship Christ the King.
Jesus Is the King Of The Whole World, Not Just The Jews.
God is in Control of His World/of Your Life.