The Second Chapter of Matthew

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Matthew chapter one shows us that Jesus is everything that the Jewish Scriptures could lead a Jew to expect. He is the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, Jehovah the Savior, and Emmanuel Himself.
In chapter two we get the effect of His presentation to man. Three classes are before us: the Roman king, the chief priests and scribes of the Jews, and the wise men from the East. The effect of His coming on each class is remarkable. With the Jew, there was calm, stolid indifference; with the king, outrageous cruelty; with the wise men, unfeigned adoration. In the spontaneous outburst of joy that came from the wise men, one can discern that God was about to glorify His Son by means of the Gentiles, when the Jews would not have this man to reign over them. (See Isa. 49:1-61Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 2And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me; 3And said unto me, Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. 4Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain: yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God. 5And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength. 6And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. (Isaiah 49:1‑6).)
Bethlehem
Bethlehem was the abode of Boaz which means "in him is strength." Boaz is a type of the One who, through redemption, becomes the Husband of the friendless one who comes up from among the Gentiles Israel returning from her banishment (Isa. 54:55For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. (Isaiah 54:5)). All was quiet at Jerusalem when the wise men came from the East to inquire, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the East?" Here we have an allusion to Num. 24:1717I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. (Numbers 24:17), "I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel." Balaam was from the East; God had preserved his prophecy. "Wisdom's children" had long waited for the star, and now it had come to gladden the hearts of those who, taught of God, were ready to receive it.
What brought joy to them, however, is a source of much trouble to Herod who trembles for his throne. The first thought in his mind is how he could destroy that Child who would dispossess him. He refers at once to the religious rulers whose Scriptures could give the necessary information. They refer to Mic. 5:22But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2), the passage which tells, not merely of His birthplace, but His kingdom. Herod then calls the wise men again and with the utmost subtlety tells them to go and find the Child, under pretense that he might come and worship Him also.
They Worship Him
Now they have a fresh instance of God's attention to them for the very same star that they had seen in the East suddenly reappears and directs them to the actual place where the young Child is. With unfeigned thanksgiving, the Babe being the one object of their adoration, they fall down and worship Him. They accompany their praises with gifts of the most costly kind. What a beautiful figure to us of how "The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before Him." Psa. 72:10,1110The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. 11Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. (Psalm 72:10‑11). (Compare also 1 Kings 10; Isa. 9:1-91Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. 3Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. 4For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian. 5For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire. 6For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. 8The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel. 9And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart, (Isaiah 9:1‑9).) This is an example of how in true worship we lose sight of everything but Christ.
In His protecting care, God warns the wise men to depart to their own country by another way to escape the fury of Herod. Their mission is ended and they return home satisfied, for they have been in company with Him who alone can give perfect satisfaction. And surely we may well wonder at the number of instruments God uses to accomplish His purpose. The star (compare Josh. 10:12-1412Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 14And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel. (Joshua 10:12‑14); 2 Kings 20:8-118And Hezekiah said unto Isaiah, What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up into the house of the Lord the third day? 9And Isaiah said, This sign shalt thou have of the Lord, that the Lord will do the thing that he hath spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten degrees, or go back ten degrees? 10And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees. 11And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the Lord: and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down in the dial of Ahaz. (2 Kings 20:8‑11)), shows how God commands creation in a moment; He also uses the angel, the dreams, Joseph, and the wise men. It is no wonder that so many instruments are used, for the object of His interest is His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased.
Departure into Egypt
Joseph then is warned in a dream of the danger that awaits the child, and in simple obedience to the word of God, departs into Egypt. He remains there until the death of Herod, and his faith is worthy of the highest praise (Matt. 1:2424Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: (Matthew 1:24)). All this, however, is but the accomplishment of the counsels of God. It has always been so. He who said to the sea, "Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed" (Job 38:1111And said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further: and here shall thy proud waves be stayed? (Job 38:11)), only uses the rage of Satan to fulfill His own purposes.
John was sent to Patmos that God might teach him the Revelation; the thief's legs were broken that he might be that day with Jesus in Paradise; Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the children of Israel, were gathered together against Jesus to do whatsoever God's hand and God's counsel had determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27, 2827For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Acts 4:27‑28))
God had determined, since Israel had failed so noticeably to retain her place as God's witness in the world, to recommence her history in the Person of His Son, and therefore permits Herod's rage to be the cause of His banishment. A famine had in old time been the cause of Israel's descent to Egypt. Persecution now sends the true Son and Firstborn of the Father to the same place. So the prophecy of Hos. 11:11When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1) has its full accomplishment in Him.
Corruption and Violence
We see the twofold character of evil developed in Herod-corruption and violence. Such were found in Satan at the time of his fall (Ezek. 28:16, 1716By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. (Ezekiel 28:16‑17)) and such have been found in those who have listened to his enticements. We read of corruption and violence in Eve's descendants: "The earth also was corrupt before God; and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6:1111The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. (Genesis 6:11). All through the Word of God we find the same, the last found in Revelation where the beast expresses violence while the woman expresses corruption. Herod had tried in vain to destroy the Child by subtlety; he now equally fails by violence.
Twice in Scripture this scene is brought before us in figure. Once when Pharaoh commands all the male children to be destroyed (Ex. 1), and again when Satan, as the great red dragon in figure, urges on the Roman power and stands before the woman (the Jewish nation) ready to devour her child as soon as it is born (Rev. 12). And thus Jeremiah's prophecy is fulfilled (Jer. 31:1515Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. (Jeremiah 31:15)). It is worthy of remark that this slaughter takes place, according to Jeremiah, immediately previous to the establishing of the new covenant in the hearts of the people. We know, however, that owing to the rejection of their Messiah this has not yet been accomplished.
Dwelling in Nazareth
Christ now enters the land of Israel again (Matt. 2:19-2119But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. (Matthew 2:19‑21)). He does not, however, go back to Bethlehem, but being rejected of man He goes aside to the poor of the flock that dwelt in despised Galilee. "Thou art a Galilean," and "Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah (chap. 9:1,2) that the people who walked in darkness should see a great light. By dwelling at the city of Nazareth which means separated or sanctified, He might fulfill the general teaching of the Scriptures which had foretold, by means of figures if not in actual words, that He should be the "separated One." And now we pause for twenty-eight years, until the ministry of John the Baptist commences.
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