The King of the Jews
Matthew 2:1-12
We come this morning in our exposition of the Gospel of Matthew to Matthew 2. Remember what we have seen already in the first chapter. Matthew began his Gospel by giving the qualifications of Jesus Christ to be the King: He was born of the seed of Abraham and of the royal line of David (Matt. 1:1). This was the main point of the genealogy of Jesus in MAtthew 1:1-17—that Jesus is the promised son Abraham and son of David, who fulfilled the covenant promises God gave to them of an eternal King and kingdom by which He would bless all the families of the earth.
Then having established that Jesus is the promised King by virtue of His lineage, Matthew then records the virgin birth to establish that He is indeed the Son of God, the incarnate God-man, because He was conceived in Mary by the Holy Spirit and not by a man. So Matthew established Jesus’ royal credentials by virtue of His lineage and by virtue of His virgin birth.[1]
Matthew further establishes the credentials of Jesus Christ as the promised King and the promised Messiah by citing the fulfillment of prophesy. Matthew cites the Old Testament more than any other Gospel writer. In his birth narrative that we have in chapters 1-2, Matthew quotes five specific Old Testament texts that were fulfilled. We already saw the first last time. It was a grand, exquisite, clear and precise prophesy from Isaiah 7:14 about the virgin birth of the Messiah: “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23).
As we come into Matthew 2, the prophesies are quite remarkable and purposeful. All four relate to locations. The first prophesy that Jesus fulfills is what we might call a “direct” fulfillment of Micah 5:2 regarding the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. The second prophesy is a typological prophecy from Hosea 11:1 (Matt. 2:15) that has to do with the flight to Egypt. The third prophesy from Jeremiah 31:15 (Matt. 2:18) is another double-fulfillment or near-far prophecy about a place called Ramah. And finally, the fourth is a general prophesy about the town of Nazareth.
Matthew has not selected these Old Testament texts at random; he has carefully chosen each text for a specific purpose. I will attempt explain a little more about how Matthew uses Old Testament Scripture in our next lesson.[2] The point of this whole section is the circumstances surrounding birth of Jesus Christ could not be just coincidental. It was, in fact, foreordained and orchestrated by God. Matthew shows that the birth of Christ was associated with Bethlehem, as Micah said it would be; with Egypt, as Hosea said it would be; with Ramah, as Jeremiah said it would be; and with Nazareth, as many prophets said it would be.[3] As we said in our previous lessons, this is the major theme of Matthew: to prove that Jesus is the Messiah-King. But proving that Jesus is King is only half of Matthew’s goal. Matthew’s other goal is to Lead you to submit your life to the King. And in today’s narrative we see a contrast between those who responded well (the Magi) and those who responded poorly (Herod and those in Jerusalem). Listen for these things as we read our text:
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ “ 7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”
9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
The narrative in Matthew 2:1-12 falls into four parts: the arrival of the Magi looking for the new-born King of the Jews (Matt. 2:1-2); the answer from the prophet Micah on where the king was to be born (Matt. 2:3-6); the scheme of Herod to have the Magi report to him (Matt. 2:7-8); and the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem where they worshiped the child and presented their gifts (Matt. 2:9-12).[4]
- The Arrival of the Magi (Matt. 2:1-2)
Remember that Matthew has already recorded the virgin birth of Jesus in Bethlehem in Matthew 1. The events of Matthew 2 take place “after Jesus was born” (Matt. 2:1). In fact, it is possible that the birth of Jesus took place up to two years before the Magi arrive judging from the time that the Magi reported to heard that they first saw the star (Matt. 2:7, 16). This may ruin your nativity scenes and Christmas cards, but the wise men probably did not see Jesus in a manger like the shepherds (Luke 2:12, 16) but in a house (Matt. 2:11).
The “wise men from the East” are fascinating fellows indeed. Again, this may ruin your mental picture of Christmas but Matthew does not tell us how many arrived in Jerusalem. We know there were more than one because the term is plural and we often assume there were three since they gave three gifts. But Matthew does not make any great effort to describe them. The term “wise men” is a translation of the word “magi” which is derived from the Persian word meaning “great” (thus “great, powerful men”). In the plural (“magi”) here it likely refers to the high priestly caste Medes that go back to the Babylonian and Medo-Persian empires which you can read about in the book of Daniel (See Dan. 2:2). John MacArthur adds that the magi “were well-versed in astronomy and astrology, agriculture, mathematics, and history. They were involved in various occult practices and were famous for their ability to interpret dreams (cf. Da. 2:1ff.). Their political power and influence were so great that no Persian ruler came to power without their approval. They were king-makers.[5]
Their question in Matthew 2:2 reveals the desire of the magi and essence of the story: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Jesus is to be the King of the Jews and He is to be worshiped. For the magi to even ask this question about the King of the Jews clearly indicates that they had divine revelation from some source. They simply could not have known this of their own accord. What was the source? We cannot be certain.
There was a general expectation in the East of a Messiah or great man from Judea. Not very long after Jesus was born, the Roman historian Seutonius wrote: “There had spread over all the Orient an old and established belief, that it was fated at that time for men coming from Judea to rule the world.” Tacitus, another Roman historian of the general period, wrote: “There was a firm persuasion … that at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers coming from Judea were to acquire universal empire.” (Cited in Barclay) (Matthew 2 Commentary)[6]
But more than that, considering that the prophet Daniel was captive in Babylon (in the east), and wrote his prophecies while in serving with the Magi in the Babylonian, Median, and Persian empires, it is certainly possible that the Magi had access to his prophecies which would have included predictions of a great King such these:
And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. (Dan. 2:44).
I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed. (Dan. 7:13-14).
Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ (Dan. 7:27).
The Magi report that it was “His star in the East” that prompted them to seek the King and to and worship Him. What are we to make of “the star”? There are many who are intent on finding some human explanation for it.[7] Some suggest that it was Halley’s Comet; others, a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. It could have been something like that, or it could have certainly been a miraculous star that God sent to call these men to worship the newborn King. The Bible does not definitively tell us about His star but there is one passage that is worth noting and it comes from one of the four messianic prophecies from the pagan prophet Balaam in the book of Numbers: “I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” (Num. 24:17). This prophecy connects the scepter of the King of the Jews with a star. This star which would rise out of Jacob would Himself be the King.
What Matthew stresses here, though, is not the star or the Magi themselves, but that they have come to worship. The word “worship” carries the idea of bowing down, prostrating oneself to someone great, giving homage.
Contrast the worship of the Magi with the reaction of Herod whom we meet next:
- The Place of Jesus’ Birth (Matt. 2:3-6)
“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matt. 2:3). The word “troubled” literally means to shake back and forth, be stirred up or agitated (like water boiling). It is obvious that the Magi had showed up and turned that place upside down looking for the King. No doubt they had asked the people about the newborn king of the Jews, and that is why they were eventually taken to Herod who considered himself to be the king of the Jews.
It is easy to understand why Herod would be greatly disturbed by news of the birth of the “King of the Jews.” Herod wanted no rivals to the throne. Herod was not a legitimate heir to the throne. He was not even a full-blooded Jew. The fear of the majority of those in Jerusalem is also easily explained. If Herod is uneasy about his throne, then no one close to him would be safe, including his family. Herod the Great, although he was popular for some of the things he had done for the nation (like building their temple), he was a ruthless and paranoid ruler.
One commentator reports:
He slaughtered the last remnants of the Hasmonean dynasty of Jewish high-priestly kings who had ruled before him. He executed more than half the Sanhedrin. He killed 300 court officers out of hand. He executed his own Hasmonean wife, Mariamne, her mother Alexandra, and his sons Aristobulus, Alexander and Antipater. Finally, as he lay dying, he arranged for all the notable men of Jerusalem to be assembled in the hippodrome and killed as soon as his own death was announced.[8]
The important fact here is that Herod “gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together” and “he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.” (Matt. 2:4). These were the temple hierarchy (the high priest and his associates) and were mostly Sadducees (Matt. 3:7). At this time the high priest was appointed by the Romans. These men preferred the recognition of the political power than the recognition of the One with Power, God.
Both Herod and the scribes equate the King of the Jews with the Christ, the Messiah. Notice the contrasts between the Magi and the religious leaders of Jerusalem. The Magi were Gentiles; the religious leaders were Jews. The Magi traveled a great distance to find the Messiah; the religious leaders were only a short distance away and they didn’t even make the trip! The Magi had no Scriptures to guide them; the religious leaders were diligent students of the Scriptures. The Magi responded with faith and worship; the religious leaders responded with indifference and unbelief. It is possible to have knowledge of Christ without coming to Christ.
Regardless, the religious authorities do come back with the right answerin Matthew 2:5-6:
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ “
This is a straightforward prediction and fulfillment. The context of Micah 5:2 is clearly Messianic. He was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah and has many of the same themes in his short book. He announces the certainty of captivity for Israel and Judah and restoration by the authority of Yahweh. Micah saw the revelation of the coming of the true King as opposed to the false rulers of his own time.
This is the prophecy as written in Micah:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”
The remainder of the verse which Matthew leaves unquoted (“whose origins are from of old, from ancient times”) suggests more than a mere mortal is in view. Perhaps Micah even had in mind the child of Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6. To this quotation from Micah Matthew adds, “Who will shepherd My people Israel,” the words of the Lord to David from 2 Samuel 5:2. A shepherd as an image of a ruler of God’s people appeared commonly in the Old Testament (see Ezek 34). It implies guidance, pastoral care, and a sense of compassion (see Mark 6:34). What the rulers of Israel and Judah failed to carry out, the Messiah King will accomplish perfectly according to God’s plan. The shepherd is the King.
- Herod’s Scheme (Matt. 2:7-8)
Comparing Matthew 2:7 and 16 demonstrates Herod’s evil plans. He wants to know the time of the star’s appearance so that he could use that information to find and kill the baby king. The end of Matthew 2:8 is therefore a bold-faced lie; Herod has no intentions of worshiping the child. Instead, as Matthew 2:7 indicates, he makes his plans “secretly.”
- The Magi Worship Jesus (Matt. 2:9-12)
We have looked at the Magi who came seeking Jesus. We have looked at Herod and the religious leaders who rejected Jesus. Finally, let us look at the example of the Magi as they come and worship Jesus. And in looking at their example we find three characteristics of those who worship Jesus as Messiah and King.[9]
First of all when you worship Jesus as Messiah and King, you will rejoice in Christ. Look at verses 9-10: “9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.” (Matthew 2:9-10). Matthew uses an abundance of terms to describe their overwhelming joy at finding Christ. The book of 1 Peter describes that joy when it says, “whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith–the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9) True worship of Christ always results in rejoicing in Christ.
Second when you worship Jesus as Messiah and King, you give what is most precious to Christ. Look at verse 11: “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11). On coming to the house the Magi bow down and worship Christ. This is the appropriate response when you come before Jesus, to bow down and worship. They open their treasures, the word can actually mean treasure chests, and they present Jesus with the most expensive and lavish of gifts, exactly the type of gifts appropriate for a king.
Many interpreters have found symbolic meaning in the gifts presented to Christ. Gold is a symbol of royalty. Incense is a symbol of deity. And myrrh is a symbol of suffering and death. The Christmas carol “We Three Kings” wonderfully sums all three up when it describes Jesus as “King and God and Sacrifice.”
Worship means that something is worth it! When you worship Jesus as Messiah and King, you give your all for Christ.
And then finally when you worship Jesus as Messiah and King, you commit yourself to following Christ. Look at verse 12: “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” (Matthew 2:12) God warned them, and they obeyed. They returned to their home by another way.
When you come to Christ to worship him as Messiah and King, you will find yourself switching roads. You can’t walk in the old ways anymore. You are a new creation in Christ.
Jesus is Messiah and King, and true followers will worship him as such. The Magi were pagan Gentiles, but they came seeking Jesus to worship him. Herod and the religious leaders rejected him, showing they were not true followers. Jesus is the only way to the Father, and worshiping God includes rejoicing in Christ, giving him your all, and following Jesus wherever he leads you.
[1] John MacArthur, Jesus’ Birth Fulfills Prophecy, https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-163/jesus-birth-fulfills-prophecy accessed 05/22/2022
[2] Robert Deffinbaugh, Two Incredible Journeys (Matthew 2:1-23), https://bible.org/seriespage/two-incredible-journeys-matthew-21-23 accessed 05/22/2022
[3] John MacArthur, Jesus’ Birth Fulfills Prophecy, https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/80-163/jesus-birth-fulfills-prophecy accessed 05/22/2022
[4] Allen Ross, The Visit Of The Wise Men (Matthew 2:1-12), https://bible.org/seriespage/3-visit-wise-men-matthew-21-12 accessed 05/22/2022
[5] John MacArthur, Matthew 2:1: Who Were the Wise Men?, http://www.gty.org/library/sermons-library/2182 accessed 05/22/2022
[6] David Guzik, Enduring Word MAtthew 2 Commentary, https://enduringword.com/commentary/matthew-2 accessed 05/22/2022
[7] For an overview of some of the astronomical expectations of that day, read Michael Green, Matthew For Today: Expository Study of Matthew (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1989), pp. 49-50.
[8] Michael Green, The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 71.
[9] Ray Fowler, http://www.rayfowler.org/sermons/matthew/o-worship-the-king/ accessed 05/22/2022
