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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - Matthew 2:16 - 2:16
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
16. ἀνεῖλεν, ‘slew.’ The verb occurs here only in Matthew. It is frequent in the Acts, occurring rarely elsewhere. Out of a great variety of classical meanings the Hellenistic usage nearly confines the word to its force here. The two instances of a different meaning in N.T. are Act 7:21 and Heb 10:9.
πάντας τοὺς παῖδας, ‘all the male children.’
ἀπὸ διετοῦς. Either (1) there is an ellipse of παιδός, or (2) more probably διετοῦς is neuter. If we adopt the hypothesis regarding the star mentioned above, a satisfactory explanation is given for Herod’s directions, which otherwise it is difficult to explain. Even if the above theory is not the true one, the two years mentioned in the text are clearly connected with the astronomical appearances described by the Magi, in answer to Herod’s ‘diligent enquiries.’
Profane history passes over this atrocity in silence. But Josephus may well have found his pages unequal to contain a complete record of all the cruel deeds of a tyrant like Herod. Macaulay relates that the massacre of Glencoe is not even alluded to in the pages of Evelyn, a most diligent recorder of passing political events. Besides, the crime was executed with secrecy, the number of children slain was probably very inconsiderable, for Bethlehem was but a small town; and though it was possibly crowded at the time (Luk 2:7), the number of very young children would not have been considerably augmented by those strangers.
The whole scene must have been very different from that which is presented to us on the canvas of the great mediæval artists.