# Matthew 02 📖: The Visit of the Wise Men [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-Matthew Overview]] | [[Matthew 01]] | [[Matthew 03]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) [[#Overall.]] #### The Visit of the Wise Men Title: Principle: Honor the True King [[#Verse 01]] After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the time of King Herod, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem  [[#Verse 02]] saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”  [[#Verse 03]] When King Herod heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him.  [[#Verse 04]] After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.  [[#Verse 05]] “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet: [[#Verse 06]] ‘_**And you, Bethlehem,** in the land of Judah,_ **_are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,_** **_for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel_**.’” [[#Verse 07]] Then Herod privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared.  [[#Verse 08]] He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.”  [[#Verse 09]] After listening to the king they left, and once again the star they saw when it rose led them until it stopped above the place where the child was.  [[#Verse 10]] When they saw the star they shouted joyfully.  [[#Verse 11]] As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  [[#Verse 12]] After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back by another route to their own country. #### The Escape to Egypt Title: Principle: The Lord Warns Us [[#Verse 13]] After they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to look for the child to kill him.”  [[#Verse 14]] Then he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and went to Egypt.  [[#Verse 15]] He stayed there until Herod died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “**_I called my Son out of Egypt_**.” [[#Verse 16]] When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men to kill all the children in Bethlehem and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men.  [[#Verse 17]] Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: [[#Verse 18]] “**_A voice was heard in Ramah,_** **_weeping and loud wailing,_** **_Rachel weeping for her children,_** **_and she did not want to be comforted, because they were_** **_gone_**.” #### The Return to Nazareth **Title**: **Principle**: Even in dark seasons, God leads the Way [[#Verse 19]] After Herod had died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt [[#Verse 20]] saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”  [[#Verse 21]] So he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel.  [[#Verse 22]] But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee.  [[#Verse 23]] He came to a town called Nazareth and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus would be called a Nazarene. # ==📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary== ##### Overall. - Probably about a 2 year gap. ##### Verse 01 - “Wise men” These were also called “king makers.” They were considered wise advisors for the king of Babylon. The head of their order was once Daniel from the Old Testament. This is likely how they knew to be looking for the sign in the heavens (astronomy) that the King of the Jews was going to be born. ##### Verse 02 - The journey across the Middle East along the Silk Road would have taken a lot of time. This could have been up to 1 year or more. The process would have been grueling and dangerous. There were many steps along the way to make this journey happen. - Asking permission from their king. - Preparing for the journey. - Acquiring protection. ##### Verse 03 ##### Verse 04 ##### Verse 05 ##### Verse 06 ##### Verse 07 ##### Verse 08 ##### Verse 09 ##### Verse 10 ##### Verse 11 - 3 gifts had monetary and symbolic value. - Gold- Royalty (standard gift to kings) - Frank- Deity (used in worship) - Myrrh- mission (used for embalming a body) ##### Verse 12 ##### Verse 13 ##### Verse 14 ##### Verse 15 ##### Verse 16 ##### Verse 17 ##### Verse 18 ##### Verse 19 ##### Verse 20 ##### Verse 21 ##### Verse 22 ##### Verse 23 ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The wise men (Greek *magoi*) were likely Persian or Babylonian scholars who studied the stars and served as royal advisers. 2. Matthew never says there were three wise men. The number three comes from the three gifts. 3. By the time the wise men arrived, the family was living in a house (2:11), and Herod targeted boys two years old and under (2:16), so Jesus was likely no longer a newborn. 4. Herod the Great ruled Judea under Rome from 37 to 4 BC and was known for killing family members he saw as threats, including a wife and several sons. 5. Because Herod died in 4 BC, most scholars date Jesus' birth around 6 to 4 BC. 6. Bethlehem means "house of bread" and was the hometown of King David (1 Samuel 16:1). 7. Frankincense and myrrh are fragrant tree resins that came from southern Arabia and the Horn of Africa. 8. Myrrh appears again at Jesus' burial, when Nicodemus brings myrrh and aloes (John 19:39). 9. Rachel was buried on the way to Bethlehem (Genesis 35:19), which makes Jeremiah's picture of Rachel weeping fit the grief of Bethlehem's mothers (2:18). 10. Herod's son Archelaus ruled Judea so harshly (2:22) that Rome removed him in AD 6. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the true King of the Jews whom the nations come to worship (2:2, 11). Like Israel, He is the Son called out of Egypt (2:15; Hosea 11:1), the faithful Son who fulfills Israel's story (Galatians 4:4). ## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. The wise men traveled far to worship, while the leaders in Jerusalem knew the Scriptures but did not go (2:4-6). What keeps people who know the Bible from seeking Jesus? 2. Herod claimed he wanted to worship but planned to kill (2:8, 16). How does the arrival of King Jesus threaten the kingdoms we build for ourselves? 3. Joseph obeyed God's direction right away, even in the night (2:13-14, 21). What does quick obedience look like in your life? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 2: The wise men seek the one born King of the Jews so they can worship Him. - 📖 verse 6: Bethlehem is not least, because a ruler will come from it to shepherd God's people Israel. - 📖 verse 11: They bow down, worship the child, and give gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. - 📖 verse 15: Jesus' return from Egypt fulfills the word, "I called my Son out of Egypt." ## 🔗 Related Passages - 🔗 [[Numbers 24#Verse 17.|Numbers 24:17]] - A star will come out of Jacob. - 🔗 [[Micah 05#Verse 02.|Micah 5:2]] - A ruler from Bethlehem whose origins are from of old. - 🔗 [[2 Samuel 05#Verse 02.|2 Samuel 5:2]] - You will shepherd My people Israel. - 🔗 [[Psalm 72#Verse 10.|Psalm 72:10-11]] and [[Isaiah 60#Verse 06.|Isaiah 60:6]] - Kings bring gifts of gold and frankincense. - 🔗 [[Hosea 11#Verse 01.|Hosea 11:1]] - Out of Egypt I called My son. - 🔗 [[Exodus 01#Verse 22.|Exodus 1:22]] - Pharaoh orders the Hebrew baby boys killed. - 🔗 [[Jeremiah 31#Verse 15.|Jeremiah 31:15]] - Rachel weeping for her children. - 🔗 [[Isaiah 11#Verse 01.|Isaiah 11:1]] - The Branch (netzer) from the root of Jesse. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[Matthew 02 - SOAP|To See But Not to Perceive]] ## 📂 Internal Notes