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December 24, 2017
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
FAITHFUL SEEKERS OF THE KING MINISTRY INVOCATION
“O God: You have spoken to us with power in your Words. We receive those
words as law to our being. In Jesus’ Name… Amen.”
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AND UNDERSTAND
Contrast the role and motives of the magi with the role and motives of King
Herod; Appreciate the maji’s deep commitment to honor Jesus; and commit to
honor God on a daily basis by spending time in His Presence.
THE APPLIED FULL GOSPEL DISTINCTIVE
We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Ghost for all believers and that the
Holy Ghost verifies and validates the Believer as part of the Body of Christ.
Background Scripture –
Key Verse – Matthew 2:11
Lesson Scripture – Matthew 2:1-12
Matthew 2:1–12 (NKJV)
Visit of Wise Men
2 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.
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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.
COMMENTARY
Verse 1—"Now when Jesus”; who has just been identified with Christ. In this
chapter, the narrative employs only those terms (“Jesus,” “young Child”) which
bystanders might have used. “Was born in Bethlehem.” The First Gospel, if
taken alone would give the impression that Joseph had no previous connection
with Nazareth. About the place where Joseph and Mary lived before the birth
of Jesus, the evangelist did not concern himself. “Of Judæa.” For the evangelist’s
purpose it was most important so to define it as to exclude Bethlehem of
Zebulun. The inhabitants of Bethlehem of Judæa, a market town of a fruitful
(Ephratah) district, live chiefly by agriculture, but also for several centuries have
manufactured images of saints, rosaries, and fancy articles.
From “the House of Bread” came forth “the true Bread.” In the days of
Herod the king. Herod the Great and Herod Agrippa II. We are almost
compelled by this phrase alone to recognize the date of Christ’s birth as falling
in the lifetime of Herod the Great. Herod the Great died in the spring of A.U.C.
750, our B.C. 4, and as our Lord was born at least forty days earlier, for the
purification in the temple must have taken place before Herod’s massacre of the
innocents, he cannot have been born later than the very beginning of B.C. 4, or
the end of B.C. 5. Indeed, upon the most natural deduction, he must have been
born some months earlier. “Behold, there came Wise Men from the East.” The
true order, as given in the Revised Version, lays the emphasis on the office, and
in a subordinate degree on the home of the strangers—"Wise Men from the East
came.” It was, perhaps, at first used with special reference to astrologers and
interpreters of dreams, and, passing from Babylonia to Media, it became the
name of the Median priestly order. Of the number and rank of those who now
came absolutely nothing is known. These Magi spontaneously submit to the
Babe. “From the East.” The proper home of the Magi would thus be Media, and,
from the length of time employed on their journey (ver. 16), it is probable that
by “the East” we must here understand Media or some other part of the
kingdom of Parthia, into which Media had been mostly absorbed, and in which,
in fact, the Magi were now greatly honored. “To Jerusalem.” The capital, where
this King would reign, and where information about his birth would most
naturally be obtained.
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Verse 2—Saying. The inquiry was on their lips at the moments of their
appearance. Where is? Not “whether there is.” The Magi show no signs of
doubt. He that is born King of the Jews; i.e. he that is born to be King of the
Jews. Whether he is king from the very moment of his birth is not stated. The
rendering of the Revised Version margin, “Where is the King of the Jews that is
born?” would imply this. With either form the bystanders could hardly help
contrasting him with their then ruler, who had acquired the kingship after years
of conflict, and who was of foreign extraction.
“King of the Jews” Notice: (1) This was, perhaps, Herod’s exact title. (2) They do
not say king of the world. They accept the facts that the Jews alone expected this
king, and that according to the more literal interpretation of the Jewish
prophecies the homage of the world would be rendered to him as the Head of
the Jewish nation. (3) The title is not used of our Lord again until the Passion,
where it is only used by heathen (4) The Jews themselves preferred the term,
“King of Israel” to which passages Luke 23:37, placing the gibe in the soldiers’
mouth, forms a significant contrast). The term “Jews” made them only one of
the nations of the earth; “Israel” reminded them of their theocratic privileges.
“For.” They state the reason of their certainty. We have seen at home. “His star.”
In the way of their ordinary pursuits, they learned of Christ. What this star really
was has been the subject of much consideration without any very satisfactory
result. The principal theories are: (1) It was the conjunction of Saturn and
Jupiter, which took place in May to July and again in September, B.C. 7. (2) It
was the rising of Sirius on the same day in the fifth, fourth, third, and second
years B.C. (3) It was some strange evanescent star such as Kepler saw in 1603–4.
(4) Astronomy can suggest nothing which satisfies all the conditions, and the
appearance must have been strictly miraculous. Since Professor Pritchard’s
article in the ‘Dictionary of the Bible,’ this last has been generally accepted in
England. A further question is—How came they to identify the star as “his”? i.e.
What made the Magi connect the coming of the King of the Jews with a star?
and what made them consider that this particular appearance was the one they
expected? The latter part of the question can hardly be answered, except on the
supposition that the star that they saw was in itself so extraordinary as to
convince them that no greater star could be looked for. To the former part
various answers have been given. (1) Balaam’s prophecy (Numb. 24:17) was
understood literally, and the knowledge of it, with its misinterpretation, had
spread to the Magi. (2) They had learned, by intercourse with Jews that these
latter expected a great King, and they had applied to his coming, as to all events,
the science that they themselves practiced. They believed fully in astrology, and
the Divine ordering that a star should appear to them was a condescension to
the then state of human knowledge. “To worship him.” Not as God, but as Lord
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and King (ch. 4:9, note). The prostration of themselves bodily before him was
not a Greek or Roman, but an Eastern, and it is said especially a Persian, form
of homage.
Verse 3—"When;” and when, Revised Version. There is a contrast between the
eager question of the Magi and the feelings of Herod. Herod the king. In the
true text the emphasis is not on the person (as in ver. 1, where the date was all-
important), but on the office as then exercised. The king visibly regnant is
contrasted with him who was born to be King. “Heard.” Through some of his
many sources of information, for “there were spies set everywhere.” He was
troubled; perplexed, agitated. Fully in accordance with his jealous and
suspicion character. For he had already slain, as actual or possible candidates
for the throne, five of the Maccabean princes and princesses, including his
favourite wife Mariamne (thus extirpating the direct line) and also his two sons
by Mariamne. Josephus mentions a prediction of the Pharisees towards the end
of Herod’s life, that “God had decreed that Herod’s government should cease,
and his posterity should be deprived of it.” The reason for the inhabitants of
Jerusalem feeling troubled is generally explained, by their fear, which was in
fact only too well justified by experience, that the news would excite Herod to
fresh crimes. It is also possible that many would shrink from the changes which
the coming of Messiah could not but bring. Present ease, though only
comparative, is with the unbelieving preferable to possibilities of the highest
blessedness.
Verse 4.—"And when he had gathered … together” The Revised Version, and
gathering together, suggests that there was no delay. “All the chief priests and
scribes of the people” In the absence of the article “before” we must take the
words, “of the people,” as belonging to both terms. The addition helped to bring
out the evangelist’s thought that the representatives of the chosen people (1 Pet.
2:10) were fully informed of the coming of Christ. The chief priests represented
the ecclesiastical and Sadducean part, the scribes the more literary and probably
the Pharisaic part, of the nation. The width of the term “all,” and the double
classification, seem to point to this not being a meeting of the Sanhedrin as such.
Herod called an informal and perhaps the more comprehensive meeting of
those who could assist him. “He demanded of them;” The tyrant could be
courteous when it served his purpose. Does the imperfect mark his putting the
question to one after another “Where Christ (the Christ, Revised Version)
should be born. the stress lay on his birth as an accomplished fact. Here on his
birth as connected with his origin. The present is chosen, not the future, because
Herod is stating a theological question without reference to time. Observe, in
Herod’s inquiry and subsequent action, the combination of superstition and
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irreligion. He was willing to accept the witness of stars and of prophecies, but
not willing to allow himself to be morally influenced by it. His attempt to kill
this Child was the expression of a desire to destroy the Jewish nationality so far
as this was severed from himself, and perhaps with it to uproot at the same time
a fundamental part of the Jewish religion.
Verse 5.—"And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written
by the prophet.” For “by” the Revised Version margin has “through” (ch. 1:22,
note).
Verse 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; 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, which shall be shepherd
of my people Israel (Revised Version). In this quotation from Micah 5:2 notice
the following variations from the Hebrew, (1) “Land of Judah” for “Ephratah”;
an unimportant change in the terms of definition. (2) “Art in no wise least” for
“which art little to be”; a verbal contradiction probably, but also unimportant,
as the thought of the context in Micah is of Bethlehem’s greatness. (3) “Princes”
for “thousands.” (4) “For out of thee shall come forth a governor, which shall be
shepherd of my people Israel” for “out of thee shall one come forth unto me that
is to be ruler in Israel.” This is a paraphrase, with a paraphrastic addition from
2 Sam. 5:2 (7:7), in order to distinctly identify the ruler with Messiah. It must
also be noticed that the reference of the passage in Micah to Christ is fully borne
out by Jewish writers.
Though they generally explain the rest of the verse as referring to the long
lapse of time from David himself, they understand the ruler to be Messiah. But
it is not usual with Jewish interpreters to understand the reference to Bethlehem
as implying the place of Messiah’s own birth. They generally take it as referring
to the home of David, Messiah’s ancestor. And this is the more natural meaning
of the prophecy. If it be asked why St. Matthew does not give an exact and verbal
rendering of the Hebrew, the answer may be made that he probably gives the
current form of its exposition. The high priests and scribes would have
doubtless quoted it accurately in the process of weighing Micah’s statement, but
when, as here, they were only reproducing the result that they had arrived at,
they would care for only the substance of the prophet’s teaching. “In the land of
Judah;” “Bethlehem-Judah” would have presented no difficulty, for a town was
often distinguished by the apposition of the name of the district in which it was
situated; e.g.
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Verse 7.—"Then Herod, when he had privily called the Wise Men.” Secrecy was
doubly necessary. He would not publicly commit himself to acknowledging the
rights of the new King, and he would give no opportunity for others to warn the
Child’s parents of the dangerous interest that Herod was taking in him. The
stress is not upon Herod’s careful questioning, but on the exact information that
he obtained. “What time the star appeared.” Although this is not the literal
translation, it may, perhaps, represent the sense of the original. Herod supposed
that the birth of the Babe was synchronous with the first appearance of the star.
The translation, however, of the Revised Version margin, “the time of the star
that appeared,” better suits the exact wording
Verse 8.—And he sent them to Bethlehem. Thus, answering their question (ver.
2). And said, Go and search diligently for the young Child; and search out
carefully concerning. Herod bade them make precise inquiry as to all particulars
about the Child. The more details he could obtain, the more easily he could
make away with him. “And when ye have found him, bring me word again, that
I may come and worship him also;” the Revised Version rightly joins, I also—I
as well as you; I the king. It might well be at a secret conference with the Magi
that Herod said this, for no Jew would have believed him.
Verse 9.—"When they had heard the king.” There is a slight contrast in the
Greek, but they [for their part] having heard the king. “They departed;” went
their way (Revised Version). Took their journey “And lo, the star, which they
saw in the East.” They would, in accordance with Eastern custom, probably
travel by night. Observe that the joy they felt at seeing the star (ver. 10) implies
that it had not continued visible (ver. 7, note). They had fully used all means;
now they receive fresh Divine guidance. In the East (ver. 2, note). Went before
them. Continuously “taking them by the hand and drawing them on.” Not to
show them the way to Bethlehem, for the road was easy, but to assure them of
guidance to the Babe, over whose temporary home it stayed. The road to
Bethlehem is, and from the nature of the valley must always have been, so
nearly straight (until the last half-mile, when there is a sudden turn up the hill)
that the star need have moved but slightly. “Till it came and stood over where
the young Child was.”
Verse 10.—"When (and when, Revised Version) they saw the star, they rejoiced
with exceeding great joy;” “they were marvelously glad” Its reappearance was
the pledge of the full answer to their search, the full reward of their toilsome
journey. Contrast the indifference of the chosen people.
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Verse 11.—"And when they were come into the house.” For after the enrolment
the caravanserai would not be so crowded (Luke 2:7). But whether it was now
the caravanserai or a private house, we have no evidence to show. “They saw”
“The young Child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him”
(ver. 2, note). In this latter clause Mary is not mentioned. “And when they had
opened.” “Their treasures” (so the Revised Version); perhaps, more strictly,
treasuries, coffers. “They presented unto him gifts.” iah and Messiah’s people
by the Gentile nations (Isa. 60.; Hag. 2:7; Ps. 72:10). “Presented;” offered (Revised
Version).
Observe the three stages in this verse—vision, submission, consecration.
Gifts; without which one does not approach an Eastern monarch (cf. 1 Kings
10:2). Gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Wealth and delights, the material and
the æsthetic.
Verse 12.—"And being warned of God” s the final example of God’s mercy and
grace towards them, preserving them from probable death at Herod’s hands. ”In
a dream (ch. 1:20, note). “That they should not return to Herod, they departed
into their own country another way.” Perhaps eastwards by Bet Sahur and Mar
Sâba and Jericho.
RELATED DISCUSSION TOPICS
CLOSING PRAYER
My God: I am grateful to have found You and kept You in the forefront of my
being. Bless us continually with Your grace and mercy. They represent
bountiful blessings for all of us. Amen.