Matthew 2:1-18

[JamOn]

Nazareth was Mary’s home town Heli was her father, Joseph the house of David since the two were married Mary needed to do the census in Bethlehem because she was married to Joseph.

Luke 2
4So Joseph also went up from Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the City of David called Bethlehem, since he was from the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child.

 

[JamOn]

Luke 2
39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Matthew 2 1-23
02:01 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 02:02 and 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.” 02:03 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 02:04 When 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. 02:05 In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 02:06 ‘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.’

02:07 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 02:08 He 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.” 02:09 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. 02:10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 02:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child 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. 02:12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

02:13 When 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.” 02:14 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 02:16 When 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. 02:17 Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: 02:18 “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

02:19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 02:15 where 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.” 02:20 and 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.” 02:21 So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 02:22 But 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, 02:23 and 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.

 

[Nehemiah6]

The only thing that seems clear is that Herod sent them to Bethlehem doesn’t say the star did too.

Why would you say that when the Bible says that the star did too?
...and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

I am simply amazed that Christians today are questioning what is actually stated in the Bible. Just goes to show where Christendom has arrived.

 

[John146]

In church today we talked about the significance of the wise men? What role did they play. My pastor said that they say a star and by faith followed it. The point being wise men follow their faith. What do you think??

And the star could’ve very well been an angel. Angels are mentioned as stars throughout Scripture. The star stood over where the young child was born.

 

[JamOn]

Why would you say that when the Bible says that the star did too?
...and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

I am simply amazed that Christians today are questioning what is actually stated in the Bible. Just goes to show where Christendom has arrived.

The star went before them and stood where the child was, doesn’t say it was in Bethlehem. saying it lead them there is speculation just as I’m saying it didn’t. neither can say one way or the other without a bit of faith. I get it you believe one thing I believe another. and you can use all the colorful wording doesn’t change my view well maybe a little on something’s.

 

[NayborBear]

The narrative of the wise men (magi) is a very powerful story when we give it some thought.

MATTHEW 2: THE FIRST WORSHIPERS OF CHRIST WERE GENTILES

THE MAGI TRAVELED A VERY GREAT DISTANCE TO WORSHIP CHRIST
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
[Note: The Magi were probably from Persia (Iran) and former Zoroastrians. They traveled probably over 2,000 km or over 1,300 miles]

THEY KNEW THAT CHRIST WAS KING OF THE JEWS EVEN BEFORE THE JEWS
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
[Note: They were familiar with the Torah and Balaam's prophecy regarding the Star. They were probably astrologers who had become astronomers]

THEY CAME DIRECTLY TO HEROD THE KING IN JERUSALEM
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
[Note: Herod knew that he was not the true king of Judea, but all Jerusalem was in a turmoil because a King had been born]

HEROD BELIEVED THAT THE SCRIPTURES WOULD HAVE THE ANSWER
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
[Note: Even unbelieving Herod was better than the rulers of today who disregard the Bible]

THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS DELIBERATELY OMITTED THE DEITY OF CHRIST
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
[Note: The rest of Micah 5:2 says "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting" and verse 1 says that He is "the Judge of Israel"]

HEROD RECOGNIZED THAT THIS STAR WAS A SPECIAL SUPERNATURAL STAR
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
[Note: The Star of Bethlehem was no ordinary star and everyone saw that]

WILY HEROD DID NOT PLAN TO WORSHIP CHRIST BUT KILL HIM
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
[Note: Herod did not have the fear of God, but was power hungry, just like today's politicians]

THE STAR WAS A BEACON TAKING THE WISE MEN DIRECTLY TO BETHLEHEM
9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
[Note: The birth of Christ was supernatural in every way, and Jesus was a "young child" at this time, not the babe in the manger]

THE WISE MEN HAD TREMENDOUS JOY BECAUSE GOD WAS WITH THEM
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
[Note: These wealthy men had discovered a treasure beyond ordinary wealth]

THE WISE MEN CAME TO WORSHIP GOD INCARNATE, NOT OUT OF MERE CURIOSITY
11a And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him:...
[Note: It is significant that the first worshipers of Christ were Gentiles who had given up their idolatry and false religion]

WORSHIP INCLUDES GIVING TO THE LORD THE CHOICEST AND COSTLIEST GIFTS
11b...and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
[Note: We have no idea of the monetary value of these gifts, which could have been in the millions. Three gifts probably denotes three wise men, each with one gift]

GOD WAS DEFINITELY WITH THESE MEN, AND ACTUALLY WARNED THEM
12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
[Note: God protects the worshipers of God and Christ]

I would even go as far to say that these "wise men", were more then likely Essenes.
Who, by faith in God, had separated themselves away from main line Judeism. (pharasee's and saducee's, and "word lawyers", also called scribes) Yet, were also "scribes" themselves.

 

[JamOn]

Nothing states they stayed in Bethlehem for the eight days and for another 33 days as listed in Levi 12.
I think They went to Bethlehem for the census and not to take up residence and stay for long periods of time.

 

[Whispered]

For anybody that thinks I was implying they did not have faith, or was saying there was no faith because it was a visible star, it was only a joke.

I knew that.

Matthew doesn't tell us how many wise men there were. But did you notice? While what is written lets us infer there were more than one of them, we're told later in verse 12 that they , returned to their home country. Not countries. leading us to understand they were from the same land that they returned to by a different route due to a dream that warned them of Herod.

Also, Jesus was not a newborn when these men arrived. Matthew 2 does not tell us they entered the stable to visit the family, Jesus, but a house. The manger Jesus was laid in was a feeding trough for the animals in the stable. By the time the wise men arrived Jesus and His family were in a house. This could have been months or even years after His birth.
It is also interesting that while Herod the Great ordered the slaughter of the innocents in order to prevent Messiah's arrival, that Herod passed on in the same year, maybe months, after our precious Lord was born in 4B.C or at latest, 5.B.C. ( The B.C A.D Calendar wasn't invented until Pope John 1st and a man he appointed to create the calendar, Dionysius, in 525A.D )
What country would the Magi, some say astrologers, as that would be why they knew the star signs that indicated Micah's prophecy of Messiah was hence, were from, since the Bible doesn't tell us.
They also had to know which Bethlehem to enter into, Bethlehem of Zebulun or Bethlehem of Judah. Which is another reason to think they were astrologers. Bethlehem of Judah, aka/ Bethlehem Eph′rathah, was prophesied by Micah. (Eph′rathah= Fruitful)

 

[Locoponydirtman]

But faith is the evidence of things not seen, and they seen the star to follow it, lol.

They followed it to see the savior which they had not yet seen.