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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Verse 1
2:1-2 Attentiveness to the star indicates that the wise men were astrologers; their awareness of the Old Testament (perhaps Num 24:17) suggests that they were from Babylonia, where Jews were numerous. The men were Gentiles, which anticipates Gentile acceptance into the Kingdom of God (Matt 8:11-12; 15:21-28; 28:16-20). Throughout the entire Gospel, unlikely Gentiles worship the Jewish Messiah, while the Jewish leaders (Herod, high priests, teachers of religious law, Pharisees) oppose him.
2:1 Bethlehem was David’s hometown (1 Sam 16:1-13; John 7:42). • King Herod, or Herod the Great, had a meteoric career; he rose from being governor of Galilee to being king of Galilee, Judea, and Samaria (37–4 BC). His career was marked by unflinching loyalty to Rome, magnificent building enterprises (including a substantial renovation of the Temple in Jerusalem), family hostility, suspicion, and ruthless murder of his own family members (Josephus, Antiquities 15.7.1-5) and of innocent children (Matt 2:16-18).
Verse 2
2:2 Matthew regularly describes Jesus as receiving worship (2:2, 8, 11; 8:2; 9:18; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:9, 17), thus identifying Jesus as God.
Verse 3
2:3 Herod was deeply disturbed because he feared this child would rival him as king of the Jews.
Verse 4
2:4 The leading priests had political and religious clout and ministered predominantly in the Temple (see 21:23). Herod gathered the teachers of religious law because they were trained to know Old Testament prophecies and were often influential Pharisees.
Verse 6
2:6 Bethlehem, a small village, had a privileged status as the birthplace of King David. The religious leaders knew from the prophets (1:22) that the Messiah would be born there. • King David had been a shepherd in his youth, and as king he became the shepherd of Israel (2 Sam 5:2). Micah 5:2-4 foresees the Messiah as a shepherd (cp. Ps 23:1).
Verse 8
2:8-10 The star was placed by God to guide the wise men to the Messiah (see Num 24:17); the details are unknown.
Verse 11
2:11 The wise men offered extravagant gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the King (see Ps 72:10-17; Isa 60). The tradition that there were three wise men originated from the number of gifts, but the text does not specify how many wise men there were.
Verse 13
2:13-15 Flee to Egypt . . . until I tell you to return: This fulfills Hos 11:1 (see study note on Matt 4:1-11; see also Gen 15:13-16; 46:1-5; Exod 15:1-21).
Verse 15
2:15 I called my Son out of Egypt: See Hos 11:1, which refers to the Exodus.
Verse 16
2:16 kill all the boys: Herod was notorious for his viciousness—he killed his own son to protect his throne, which led to the saying, “It is safer to be Herod’s swine [Greek hus] than his son [Greek huios],” because Herod kept kosher. • two years old and under: Herod calculated the probable age of the child from the wise men’s report.
Verse 18
2:18 Ramah, a village near Bethlehem, is the place of Rachel’s burial (Gen 35:18-20; Jer 31:15-17).
Verse 19
2:19 After Herod the Great died in 4 BC, Caesar split up his kingdom. Herod’s son Archelaus (2:22) was appointed over Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, while Antipas (14:1-12; Luke 13:31-32) was appointed over Galilee and Perea.
Verse 20
2:20-21 Jesus’ return to Israel fulfills Hos 11:1 (see 2:13-15).
Verse 22
2:22 Archelaus, like his father, governed brutally, immorally, and tyrannically. • Joseph fulfilled prophecy in moving to Galilee to avoid Archelaus’s jurisdiction (cp. 4:12-16).