Matthew2

Matthew chapter two recounts the visit of wise men from the east to worship the newborn King of the Jews in Bethlehem, guided by a star. King Herod, troubled by this news, sought to destroy the child, leading to Joseph, Mary, and Jesus's flight into Egypt by divine warning. After Herod's death and the subsequent slaughter of innocent children in Bethlehem, the family returned to the land of Israel, eventually settling in Nazareth, fulfilling prophecy.

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The Visit of the Wise Men

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying,

Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written through the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, Art in no wise least among the princes of Judah: For out of thee shall come forth a governor, Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel.

Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned of them exactly what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also may come and worship him.

And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

Flight to Egypt

Now when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

And he arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt;

and was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt did I call my son.

Herod's Slaughter of the Infants

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the male children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had exactly learned of the Wise-men.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

A voice was heard in Ramah, Weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; And she would not be comforted, because they are not.

Return and Settlement in Nazareth

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child’s life.

And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee,

and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene.

Study Notes for Matthew 2

Verse 1

The Magi were likely Persian or Babylonian astrologers or court advisors, representing Gentile recognition of Israel's king. Their arrival signifies that Jesus' kingship is universal, not just Jewish.

Verse 2

The title 'King of the Jews' immediately contrasts Jesus' spiritual authority with Herod's temporal, illegitimate rule. The star links the event to the ancient prophecy of a star rising out of Jacob (Num 24:17).

Verse 3

Herod the Great was notoriously paranoid and cruel, known for eliminating rivals, including members of his own family. His extreme fear highlights the political danger Jesus posed merely by existing as the prophesied king.

Verse 6

Matthew quotes Micah 5:2, adapting it slightly to emphasize Bethlehem's significance and Jesus' role as the 'Governor' (a ruling shepherd). This demonstrates that Jesus' birth fulfills specific messianic prophecy.

Verse 11

The three gifts were symbolic: gold for royalty, frankincense for deity/worship, and myrrh for death/embalming. They represent the full scope of Jesus’ identity and mission.

Verse 13

The angelic warning underscores the danger Jesus faced from the moment of his birth and highlights Joseph's role as the divinely guided protector of the Holy Family.

Verse 15

Matthew applies Hosea 11:1 ('Out of Egypt have I called my son') typologically. Originally referring to the Exodus (Israel as God's son), this demonstrates that Jesus recapitulates the pattern of Israel's history, establishing Him as the true Israel.

Verse 16

This horrific act confirms Herod's brutal tyranny and underscores the immediate threat Jesus faced. The slaughter occurs because the Magi refused to be complicit in Herod’s plan, confirming his paranoia.

Verse 18

Matthew quotes Jeremiah 31:15, applying the lament of Rachel (ancestress of the tribes) to the tragedy in Bethlehem. This demonstrates that even the darkest events of Jesus' early life fulfill prophetic patterns of suffering.

Verse 22

Archelaus, Herod's son, was notoriously brutal and was eventually deposed by Rome. Joseph's fear was justified, leading him to choose the safer, less politically sensitive region of Galilee.

Verse 23

This fulfillment likely refers to the prophetic theme that the Messiah would be despised, as Nazareth was a humble and overlooked village (cf. John 1:46). It may also be an allusion to the Hebrew *netzer* (branch) from Isaiah 11:1.

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Matthew2

The Visit of the Wise Men

Flight to Egypt

Herod's Slaughter of the Infants

Return and Settlement in Nazareth

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