.
• Matt 2:16 . . 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.
That's actually pretty good evidence that the wise men were not present for
Jesus' birth. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they didn't inquire as to where
the Jews' king was to be born, but indicated by their question that he was
already born; and two years suggests that he was born quite a bit before
even mounting their expedition.
• Matt 2:17-18 . .Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was
fulfilled: 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.
Ramah is located north of Jerusalem whereas Bethlehem is south. I suspect
we're given Ramah because Rachel was buried up that way when she died in
childbirth. (Gen 35:16-19)
Rachel's children consisted of two that were her own, and two by her maid,
and two by means of posthumous adoption. The two of her own were Joseph
and Benjamin, the two by her maid were Dan and Naphtali, and the two by
posthumous adoption were Manasseh and Ephraim.
None of those six tribes settled Bethlehem; that was Judah's turf.
However, Ramah belonged to Benjamin's tribe; strongly suggesting to me
that Rachel's weeping was due to Herod's assassins murdering children up
that way too rather than only in and around Bethlehem.
Now, whether Rachel's weeping is meant to be taken literally or poetically I
cannot be certain. It's possibly a figure of speech sort of like saying so and
so must be rolling over in their grave.
If taken literally; it would indicate that a woman who had been deceased for
1,000+ years was conscious when Christ was born. This is not impossible
because Jesus said that the patriarchs, though deceased, live unto God.
(Luke 20:37-38)
_
• Matt 2:16 . . 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.
That's actually pretty good evidence that the wise men were not present for
Jesus' birth. Upon their arrival in Jerusalem they didn't inquire as to where
the Jews' king was to be born, but indicated by their question that he was
already born; and two years suggests that he was born quite a bit before
even mounting their expedition.
• Matt 2:17-18 . .Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was
fulfilled: 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.
Ramah is located north of Jerusalem whereas Bethlehem is south. I suspect
we're given Ramah because Rachel was buried up that way when she died in
childbirth. (Gen 35:16-19)
Rachel's children consisted of two that were her own, and two by her maid,
and two by means of posthumous adoption. The two of her own were Joseph
and Benjamin, the two by her maid were Dan and Naphtali, and the two by
posthumous adoption were Manasseh and Ephraim.
None of those six tribes settled Bethlehem; that was Judah's turf.
However, Ramah belonged to Benjamin's tribe; strongly suggesting to me
that Rachel's weeping was due to Herod's assassins murdering children up
that way too rather than only in and around Bethlehem.
Now, whether Rachel's weeping is meant to be taken literally or poetically I
cannot be certain. It's possibly a figure of speech sort of like saying so and
so must be rolling over in their grave.
If taken literally; it would indicate that a woman who had been deceased for
1,000+ years was conscious when Christ was born. This is not impossible
because Jesus said that the patriarchs, though deceased, live unto God.
(Luke 20:37-38)
_
