The Gospel of St Matthew

Class #4 – October 15^th, 2006

Chapter 2 – Jesus’ Childhood

1. ALMIGHTY God, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forsake all covetous de-sires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen. (Collect for St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21)
   
   
2. Recap/review/questions
   
   
3. Read Chapter 2

Matthew 2

 1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

 7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

 11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

 12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

 13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

 14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

 16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

 18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

 19But 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.

 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

4.     A continuing them is the decision Christ very life calls us to make. Here, with his birth, there is division with people called to choose sides….Herod on the one side and the Magi on the other.

5.     We also see a contrast between two kingdoms – Herod’s and Christ’s.

a.      Herod kingship

                                                              i.      Based on human power

                                                            ii.      Cruelly

                                                          iii.      Aggressive

                                                         iv.      Based on a pagan power (Rome)

b.     Christ’s kingship

                                                              i.      Based on vulnerability

                                                            ii.      Love

                                                          iii.      Forgiving

                                                         iv.      Based on the Father’s power by the Holy Spirit.

6.     The astronomical theme

a.      Stars were very important in the cultures

                                                              i.      A Nova occurred when Julius Ceaser died; lending support for the thought that he had joined the gods.

                                                            ii.      Astrology and the study of the stars was very important as they tied seasons and progression of life to life.

                                                          iii.      A star was part of the Jewish messianic expectations: 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 Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

                                                         iv.      What did the Magi see?

1.     Halley’s comet in 11 BC

2.     a Nova

3.     a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the constellation of Pisces (happened three times in  7 BC)

a.      Pisces marked the end of the sun’s old course and beginning of new

b.     Jupiter was the royal planet

c.     Saturn was the symbol of Israel

this conjunction can be very impressive and unusually bright.

7.     v 11 – What is the meaning of the gifts?

a.      Gold is the gift fit for a king – who He was

b.     Frankincense was used by the priests in the temple – what he did

c.     Myrrh was used to embalm the dead – what it cost Him.

8.     V 13-23 – Escape to Egypt.

a.      Some scholars believe that the flight to Egypt was symbolic or apocryphal.

                                                              i.      However, even the Talmud reports that Jesus was a magician educated in Egypt.

                                                            ii.      Origen wrote against another anti Christian author – Celsus – who also claimed that Jesus was educated in Egypt.

b.     Clearly it is, also symbolic, a recapitulation of the Exodus

                                                              i.      Herod is the new Pharaoh

                                                            ii.      Jesus is the new Moses come to save God’s people.

9.     The Slaughter of the Innocents

a.      The Slaughter of the Innocents may also gave been foreshadowed by the Passover.

b.     Herod was an incredibly cruel man – this is mild in comparison to other atrocities he committed (an estimated 30 babies would have been killed):

                                                              i.      He slaughtered the last remnants of the Hasmonean dynasty who had ruled before him.

                                                            ii.      He executed more than half of the Sanhedrin

                                                          iii.      He killed over 300 court officers

                                                         iv.      He murdered his wife, her mother and at least three of his sons.

                                                           v.      He arranged of all of the notable men of Jerusalem to be assembled and killed upon his death (so the city would be grieving at his passing).

10. Final themes of this chapter….? God will always be opposed by those who hate Him; but He will also, always, prevail.