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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_2:1-6
1Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2"Where is He who has been born 'King of the Jews?'For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." 3When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
6'And you, Bethlehem, Land of Judah,
Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah;
For out of you shall come forth a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
Mat_2:1 "Bethlehem" The name meant "house of bread." This was the birthplace of Boaz, and later, King David (cf. Rth_1:1; Rth_4:18-22). It was a small rural village of about 300 people, located 4-5 miles south of Jerusalem. There were two villages by this name; one in Judah (cf. Mic_5:2) and one in Zebulun (cf. Jos_19:15).
▣ "Herod the King" Herod the Great was a jealous, paranoid Idumean (Edomite) ruler installed by the Romans. He expanded the second Temple in order to appease the Jews who were upset over a non-Jew ruling over them. He died in 4 b.c.; therefore, Jesus must have been born earlier, sometime between 6 - 4 b.c.
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Mat_2:1
NASB "magi"
NKJV, NRSV,
NJB "wise men"
TEV "men who studied the stars"
This type of sage probably originated in Media, but they came to be a well known group of wise men, counselors, and astrologers all over Mesopotamia. Herodotus called them Medean Priests (Herodotus I, 101). They were sometimes referred to in Babylon literature as "Chaldeans" (cf. Dan_2:2-13).
The ones mentioned in this text were possibly Zoroastrians from Persia, but they could have been Jewish exiles like Daniel. It is unusual that Matthew, writing to Jews, included the story of the wise men (Gentiles) from the East while Luke, writing to Gentiles, included the story of the Jewish shepherds (outcast Jews).
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▣ "from the East" Tradition tries to locate where they came from and how many there were, as well as their race and social status, but the Bible is silent on these issues.
Mat_2:2 "King of the Jews" This was Herod the Great's title. This was the same title that was placed on Jesus' cross (cf. Mat_27:37). It was a way of referring to the Messiah (cf. 1Sa_8:7; Psa_10:16; Psa_29:10; Psa_98:6).
NASB, NKJV "we have seen His star in the east"
NRSV "we observed his star at its rising"
TEV "We saw his star when it came up in the east"
NJB "we saw his star as it rose"
This is literally "from the rising of the sun." This could mean: (1) "we saw his star while we were in the East," or (2) "we saw his star when it rose in the night sky." It cannot mean it rose in the east because the star would have led them in the wrong direction, unless it rose in the east but moved to the western part of the sky.
The ancient world correlated the birth of important men or events with astrological occurrences. God revealed to them in a way they would understand. In a sense they represent the world seeking and finding the Jewish Messiah. This " star" may have related to the prophecy of Num_24:17 : "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel."
Mat_2:3 "he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" Herod the Great was so cruel and unpredictable that when he was upset, everyone was afraid! A notable example of his cruelty was that when he was near death, he was afraid no one would mourn his passing, so he imprisoned many Pharisees who were to be crucified when he died. This would ensure that the day of his death would be a day of grieving. The order was not carried out, but this illustrates his character.
Mat_2:4 "all the chief priests and scribes of the people" This referred to the Sanhedrin, the highest judicial and religious court of the Jewish nation, made up of 70 leaders from the Jerusalem area. It was presided over by the High Priest (Sadducees, see Special Topic at Mat_22:23), which was at this time a position purchased from Roman authorities. The Sanhedrin was usually referred to by the phrase "High Priests, scribes (Pharisees, see Special Topic at Mat_22:15), and elders" (cf. Mat_26:57; Mat_27:41; Mar_11:27; Mar_14:43; Mar_14:53; Act_4:5). Herod had arrested and later killed many of the Jerusalem leaders several years earlier so it is uncertain if this is a reference to the official Sanhedrin.
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▣ "he inquired of them" This is imperfect tense meaning (1) he asked repeatedly or (2) he began to ask.
Mat_2:6 This was an allusion to Mic_5:2. It was not an exact quote from the Masoretic Text or the Septuagint. This specific prophecy gives strong evidence for the inspiration of the Bible. Micah wrote approximately 750 years before Christ's birth yet he predicted the small village where the Messiah would unexpectedly be born. The most powerful empirical evidence for an inspired Bible is predictive prophecy which is unique to Scripture!
▣ "Who will shepherd My people Israel" This line from the composite quote was added from 2Sa_5:2.