The Gospel of Matthew

11Nov

The Gospel of Matthew

by Roderick Barnes Uncategorized

Seeing the Son of David (Matthew 1:1-1:17; 22:43; 45)

What is the point of telling me that Jesus is the Son of David? What follows are my findings on the phrase Son of David in the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 1:1 in the opening of the gospel and the beginning of Jesus’ genealogy. We must not miss that the first thing that the author would have us to know about His subject: He is descended from David. In this way Matthew sets out the premise of the book and begins his proof.
Matthew 1:20 in the address of the angel to Joseph concerning Mary’s Baby we are told that the angels regard Joseph as a descendant of David.
Matthew 9:27 in the importunate prayers of the two blind men of Capernaum we are told that they regard Jesus as being the heir to the throne of His father. The blind can see it!
Matthew 12:23 in the question of the amazed multitudes concerning the identity of Jesus there is the question of whether or not Jesus is the Son of David. The question of the crowd shows that Jesus is viewed through the lens of messianic expectations. To see Jesus properly is not to see him as a son of David (υἱὸς Δαυίδ) (Matthew 1:20) but the Son of David (ὁ υἱὸς Δαυίδ)(Matthew 12:23). He is not merely in the line but is in fact the culmination of the line.
Matthew 15:22 in the crying out of the Gentile woman of Canaan as she requested help for her daughter. The Gentiles know that the help of the nations will be a Jew (Matthew 15:27) and that he will be the heir to the throne of David.
Matthew 20:30-31 twice in the requests for mercy of two blind men. It is not to be overlooked that in each case where he is addressed by the blind that they call him Lord and Son of David.
Matthew 21:9 in the crying out of the multitude as Jesus enters the city.
Matthew 21:15 in the crying out of the children as Jesus enters the temple.
Matthew 22:42 in the answer of the Pharisees to the question of Jesus concerning the genealogy of the Christ.

Besides these occurrences David is mentioned by Jesus in His response to the criticism of His disciples (Matthew 12:2) and in exposing the ignorance of His enemies (Matthew 22:41-43, 45). The first and last mentions of David are key. In the former we are told that Jesus is descended from David. In the latter we are told that the expectation of the Israel was that the Messiah will be a descendant of David. Everything between these two statements serves to show that Angels, Jews, and Gentiles know or expect Messiah to be the Son of David. What is Matthew’s point? For those who are willing to look at the evidence, Matthew would have us to know that Jesus is the Son of David. Matthew wants us to see that those who were willing could see it. Even the blind guys could see it (Matthew 9:27; 20:30-31). Do you see the Son of David?

The Man to Mentor Our Messiah (Matthew 1:18-25)

How does Joseph get selected to be the mentor of Messiah, the man to raise our Redeemer, and an early guide for the Son of God? The answer to this question, as we will see in the discussion that follows, is good news for anyone that desires to be used by God. Read on and get insights for becoming someone that can be used greatly to advance good in this world and teach others effectively.

Joseph is an upright (δίκαιος) man and does not want to continue in a marriage relationship with someone who is plainly not worthy of trust. They have not consummated their marriage and Mary, as it seems to him, has already become pregnant in extramarital relations. If the conception happened before her betrothal she is a fornicator. If it happened after her betrothal she is an adulteress. In the former case the penalty is nothing less than public disgrace. In the latter is the case it is death. The text says that the conception and conspicuous results happened after betrothal (His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph) but prior to the consummation of their covenant (before they came together). See Luke 1:26-38 for a description of (1) Mary’s visit by the angel Gabriel and (2) how her Child would be conceived. Some of our Bible translations indicate that there was problem during the engagement of Joseph and Mary (NLT, CSB, GNT, CEB, NABRE); this is incorrect. This view is based on the false notion that modern engagement is the same thing as betrothal. Translations that do not use “engaged” but use “betrothed” instead are ESV, NASB, NKJV, KJV, NET, and RSV. These translations reflect the Jewish legal reality that betrothal was more binding than modern engagement:

Marriages were arranged for individuals by parents, and contracts were negotiated. After this was accomplished, the individuals were considered married and were called husband and wife. They did not, however, begin to live together. Instead, the woman continued to live with her parents and the man with his for one year. The waiting period was to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity given concerning the bride. If she was found to be with child in this period, she obviously was not pure, but had been involved in an unfaithful sexual relationship. Therefore the marriage could be annulled. If, however, the one-year waiting period demonstrated the purity of the bride, the husband would then go to the house of the bride’s parents and in a grand processional march lead his bride back to his home. There they would begin to live together as husband and wife and consummate their marriage physically. Matthew’s story should be read with this background in mind. (Barbieri, 1985, p. 20)

Sexual immorality during engagement would be viewed as a breach of trust and could precipitate the end of the relationship. Such a sin during betrothal is adultery and carries the penalty of death (Deuteronomy 22:23-24). Either way two things are not in Joseph’s heart: (1) it was not in his heart to have her as his wife (Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 1:19) and (2) he did have it in himself to hurt her (John 8:4):

His love for her was demonstrated by his actions. He chose not to create a public scandal by exposing her condition to the judges at the city gate. Such an act could have resulted in Mary’s death by stoning (Deut. 22:23–24). (Barbieri, 1985, p. 20)

Joseph would like to divorce his wayward wife secretly. That is, instead of publicizing her infidelity and putting her life at risk he simply desires to be done with his disappointing marriage. She was supposed to be faithful to him. Obviously, as it would seem to anyone with even a modicum of knowledge about human reproduction, that is not the case. But, unknown to a just man named Joseph is the fact that Mary’s pregnancy is not an early insight into immoral character but the handiwork of the Holy Spirit. What seemed to be a problem was really part of the prescription for what ails man most. A virgin birth, though initially problematic for the carpenter, was an essential element in Heaven’s effort to save mankind – especially them that believe:

Though Matthew expounds nothing of its significance here, the virginal conception has regularly been understood as a way by which Jesus could be both fully human and fully divine. His father, in essence, was God, through the work of the Holy Spirit; his mother was the fully human woman, Mary. As fully God, Jesus was able to pay the eternal penalty for our sins (v. 21) for which finite humanity could not atone. As fully human he could be our adequate representative and substitutionary sacrifice.

(Blomberg, 1992, p. 58)

But God does not tell Joseph about the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit. He is left to look at the outworking and draw his own conclusion (Matthew 1:19-20). He is abandoned by the Almighty to assess unaided the situation and formulate a response (2 Chronicles 32:31). God has withdrawn in order that in the hurt inflicted by Mary the heart of Joseph could be held up for all to see. What are we seeing? To understand what we are seeing we have to refrain from a rush to interpret Joseph’s actions. He is a Jew and Jewish in his culture and he has a Jewish understanding of who God is and what God wants from him. He has learned what God wants from him through the Scriptures:

The Self-Description of God in Answering Moses’ Question (The Question – Exodus 33:18; The Answer – Exodus 34:6-7) [~1446-1406 BC]
The Glory of a Man (Proverbs 19:11) [~950 BC]
Key Characteristics in the Creator (Psalm 89:11-14) [~1000-960 BC]
The Marriage of the Almighty (Hosea 2:16-20) [~755-725 BC]
Expectations on the Nation (Hosea 12:6) [~755-725 BC]
The Goal and Opportunity for Glory that God Gives Each Person — (Micah 6:8) [~740-700 BC]

And what God wants is found in Joseph. This just man (Matthew 1:19) is the epitome and example of the man described by the prophet Micah 6:8:

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly,

To love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?

The New King James Version (Mic 6:8).

Who is the man that would have a hand in raising the Son of God? Who is the man that can be given charge of the greatest of all gifts and provide guidance to the Son of God for living godly. This is the man!

The Conduct of the Carpenter

Foremost in my mind, as I examine this passage, is the difference between Joseph’s concept of forgiveness and my own. For me forgiveness is transactional and involves a trade. But if forgiveness is the idea that, after the transaction based on the proper trading, (1) if I can hurt you I wont and (2) if I can help you I will, the prerequisites are conspicuously absent. Joseph’s response to this situation is a sermon that tells me to love my enemies. His handling is a foreshadowing of the Savior’s supplication from the cross to forgive the people jeering. Forgiveness here is not a doing that can be derived from a policy but is an emanation from a nature, an expression of his identity, and an outworking of my commitment to be godly.

Forgiveness, as it is seen in Joseph, is not a function of the offenders offer of an acceptable apology and is not based on the behavior of the person that has bruised me or beaten me or crucified me. It proactively loves when the other person persecutes me, it aggressively activates and avails me of all resources in the advance of the greatest good for the one who has wronged me, and administers a balm of mercy on the one who is mean to me. Flowing out of a heart that has been forgiven by God is devotion to doing right by God in a forgiveness that engages the enemy with mercy.

The Character of the Carpenter

But who is this man who will mentor Messiah, have a hand in raising our Redeemer, and give guidance to the young Son of God? The character of the carpenter and the calling on his life speaks volumes to us about where to focus on changes.

Joseph is Calm (Matthew 1:18-19; James 1:19-20) – Jesus grew in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52). Before Jesus would come to clearly understand his identity and calling God would have real manhood demonstrated by a godly man.
Joseph is Compassionate (Micah 6:8; Matthew 1:19; Leviticus 20:10) – The aim of Joseph is to do justly and to love mercy. He is, by his actions, an effective exhortation toward being both just and merciful.
Joseph is Considerate (Matthew 1:20) — The carpenter considers his steps. In a sense he measures twice so that he will only have to cut once.
Joseph Promptly Obeys (Matthew 1:24-25) — Notice that Joseph is a man of obedience. We see it in two ways: (1) Joseph immediately took to him his wife (Matthew 1:24) and (2) he named the boy Jesus (Matthew 1:25). This will be a pattern for Joseph — he is found responding rapidly to the revealed will of God.

Roderick’s Notes on Luke

2 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

•When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. •When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, •frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod•, they departed for their own country another way.

Flight into Egypt

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, •flee to Egypt, and stay there until •I bring you word; for Herod •will seek the young Child to destroy Him.”

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

What God Wants for Christmas (Matthew 2:1-14)

Introduction

We are all familiar with the story and song of the wise men that visit Jesus. There are three of them and they are kings. They are from three different ethnic groups and came from the west to present their gifts to Jesus shortly after his birth.

We Three Kings of Orient Are by John Henry Hopkins, Jr (1857)

We three kings of Orient are;

bearing gifts we traverse afar,

field and fountain, moor and mountain,

following yonder star.

Refrain:

O star of wonder, star of light,

star with royal beauty bright,

westward leading, still proceeding,

guide us to thy perfect light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain,

gold I bring to crown him again,

King forever, ceasing never,

over us all to reign. [Refrain]

In fact, based on the typical nativity scene, the barn animals, shepherds, three kings, Yoseph, Miriam, and newborn Yeshua are all together for a moment. That is, based on the nativity scenes we can purchase online or in the big box stores, there was a point in time when the shepherds from the field were at the manger with the wise men. At least that what they are selling me on Amazon.com.

Figure 1: Amazon – 14 Piece Nativity Set Includes People and Animals (Amazon, 2021)

The real story is quite a bit different. Based on the Bible the shepherds and the wise men do not arrive on the scene at the same time (Luke 2:15-16; Matthew 2:9-11). Not even close. As we consider the real story based on the Scriptures we will see that the plain truth with what the big box and online outlets are selling.

More importantly, because academic accuracy is not the point of Christ-centered preaching, in what Matthew records we see five very valuable truths for us today:

First, we see God’s great and gracious love for the nations.
Second, the text is telling us in no uncertain terms what gift to give the Son of God this year.
Third, we witness ungodly reactions to Yeshua’s right to reign in our lives.
Fourth, we view a principle concerning revelation and ministry.
Fifth, we see a principle of provision for those called to work for God.

God’s Great and Gracious Love for the Nations (Matthew 2:1-2; Daniel 5:11)

¹ Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

Our story picks up after Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Matthew may assume that his readership is aware of the prophecy that says where Messiah was born. See Micah 5:2. He is a Jew writing to Jews about a Jew. In any case, since he aims to prove that Jesus is Messiah, it supports the point he is making by mentioning the birth place of Jesus.) To give us an idea of the time Matthew says that it was in the days of Herod the king.

Behold (1:1) this sight, says the former tax collector. Into Jerusalem come a group prominent and influential Gentiles from Babylon, Persia, and Media (modern day Iraq-Iran region). They are astrologers known throughout the region for their sorceries; officially they are employed to make sense of dreams and signs in the heavens. It is worth noting that the rabbis of the time do not think highly of them. The Sanhedrin regards the act of gathering information from the magi as a crime punishable by death.¹ These men have come from afar looking for Someone. In fact, the men arrive asking a question: Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? Wow! The sight of a group of magi coming to town is wildly unusual. Their question, though, is unsettling. Why?

First, why do these non-Jews believe the King of the Jews has been born?

Second, why do they care?

To answer the first question let us consider what they have seen and where they are from. We see in the text that these wise men have seen His star while watching from the East. (μάγοι is the plural of magi. From this word we get the words magic and magician.) That star was to them a heavenly indicator that Messiah had been born. To understand why they make this connection we have to look at the history of the Jews and ultimately the great grace of God to the nations.

Why did these Eastern wise men even correlate the birth of Jesus to the appearance of a star? To be sure, the connection between a star and the birth of Messiah was recorded in Torah. And it was actually revealed to an astrologer — Balaam. Although Balaam had been hired by the king of Moab to curse the Jews, he was moved by God somewhere between 1400 BC and1200 BC to make the following prophecy:

¹⁷ I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near;

A Star shall come out of Jacob;

A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,

And batter the brow of Moab,

And destroy all the sons of tumult. (Numbers 24:17)

The Star and the Scepter of this prophecy are both recognized by rabbinical teachings as messianic. Why are they messianic:

The Star – Consider the mention of a star coming out Jacob. A star, for the Jews, is a heavenly body given for signs and seasons (Genesis 1:14-15). The star seen in the vision of Balaam is a sign of a special season – the earthly ministry of the Messiah has begun.
The Scepter – A scepter is a royal staff or rod that symbolizes a ruler’s authority, kingship, and right to govern. It is not a weapon—it is a symbol of legal and sovereign power. In this poetic literature the Scepter is a reference to a future Ruler.

Both the Star and the Scepter come out Israel. So, the special revelation of God to the Jews contains a clear and recognized connection between the appearance of a special Star and the rise of a ruler from Israel. Put together they are an allusion to Messiah. But the fact that the Jews have this in their writings does not explain how the Eastern astrologers made the connection.

Let us not forget the deportation of Jews by Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar some 600 years prior to the birth of Yeshua (605 BC). Some of the Jews that were deported remained in Babylon long after their initial captivity and eventually came into seats of power and prominence (Brown, 1994, p. 169). Most notable among them was Daniel. Daniel was taken captive from Jerusalem when he was probably about 16 years of age. He was a young, good-looking, intelligent man with an uncompromising commitment to God (Daniel 1:1-6). After many trials and tribulations Daniel, a captive and eunuch (Isaiah 56:3-5; Daniel 1:3, 6) in the royal court, became a leader in the land. After learning the language of his captures and proving himself to be reliable and excellent in all he did, Daniel was promoted:

⁴⁷ The king answered Daniel, and said, “Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, since you could reveal this secret.” ⁴⁸ Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men [חַכִּים‎ (ḥakkîm) wise men] of Babylon. (Daniel 2:47-48)

Did you see that? An intelligent Jew with a heart to serve God, originally brought in as a slave, was put in charge of the wise men. In due time God made a Jew who loves God the president of Hakkim University, Wise Guy College, Magi Institute of Astrology in Babylon. Listen to the words of a queen when her husband King Belshazzar, the son of the previously mentioned King Nebuchadnezzar, needed help interpreting a sign:

¹¹ There is a man in your kingdom in whom is the Spirit of the Holy God. And in the days of your father, light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were found in him; and King Nebuchadnezzar your father—your father the king—made him chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers. ¹² Inasmuch as an excellent spirit, knowledge, understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar, now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation. (Daniel 5:11)

By the time Nebuchadnezzar’s reign is over Daniel has been made chief of the magicians. So, how did the wise men make the connection with the star and the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:1-2)? And where did they get the information? The connection was made for them by a man of God. (Balaam was a contributor. But ultimately the record was kept officially by who? The Jews.) And the sign of ruler’s birth was communicated to them by a man of God. They have Daniel’s text book Messianic Signs and Balaam’s prior contribution What to Look for When Messiah Comes.

But, if they have Daniel’s record, why are they asking where the Messiah is? Approximately two years have passed. They do not assume that the child is still in Bethlehem. (The prophecy concerning the birthplace of Messiah would have been recorded in about 735 BC. But knowing that Messiah was born there does not mean that is where he is when they arrive two years later.) How do the wise men intend to solve the problem of finding where Messiah is nearly two years after the star appeared. That is easy: go to Jerusalem and ask the Jews (Isaiah 2:3; John 4:22).

But why? That is, why did they come? The ability to make the connection, in light of what has been shared, makes sense. But why make the trek? This reason is simple – to worship Him. We have to see that this also most certainly based on Daniel’s influence. He would be given a vision of the Son of Man that revealed His relationship to God, the scope of His dominion, and the right response to His reign.

¹³ I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

¹⁴ Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13-14)

Based on what they understood from their time under Daniel’s authority and teaching, the coming Messiah will be seated with God in authority, has an everlasting kingdom, and is to be worshipped by the nations. The only right response to the birth of the King of the Jews is worship. And thus we are introduced to the first thing that we must see in all of this.

What God Wants – God has been at working providing a witness for Himself to the nations (Isaiah 43:12; 44:8). Even in the miserable moments of captivity those whose lives belonged to God were being used to communicate the truth about the coming of the King. God’s grace is so great and unrelenting that He would use a remnant of His people as a witness even as they suffer for the ongoing wickedness of their nation’s majority. What does God want? In the midst of a mess you did not make God wants you and I to make the most of every moment to teach people about him. Our circumstances, be they pleasant or painful, are arranged by God so that we can help people know Christ.

Mentor People in the Midst of Your Mess
Point People to the Author of Creation for Revelation (Daniel 2:27-28)

God was at work through the prophecy of Balaam and the captivity of Daniel to make Himself known to the nations. Through His leading and grace worldly spiritists involved in demonic practices were given the truth about when the Messiah would be born, what sign to look for, and the proper response.

Ungodly Reactions to Yeshua’s Right to Reign in Our Lives (Matthew 2:3-6)

³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Herod… and all Jerusalem with him were troubled (from ταράσσω – be troubled; be disturbed. This word is used to communicate emotional distress. See Matthew 14:26 and Luke 1:12.) Why are they distressed? The idea that there were only three wise men is not part of the text. The distress and high visibility of the visitors indicates that the number was larger than three.

So there were at least two, but maybe there were twenty, or two hundred, or two thousand. There were enough to cause the whole city of Jerusalem to be tremendously stirred up (Mt. 2: 3), and this implies that, perhaps, there were considerably more than just three of them. (Fruchtenbaum, 2016, pg ).

The king is troubled because he is not the king of the Jews. In fact he is not a Jew but an Edomite – a descendant of Esau. And Herod is unwilling to tolerate even the thought that someone might want the throne. Herod the Great kills his favorite wife (Mariamne) and three of his own sons (Alexander, Aristobulus, and Antipater) because he believes they are trying to replace him. Ultimately he is threatened by Yeshua’s birthright to reign.

The same is true of the religious leadership. Instead of being satisfied with the honor of stewardship they have coveted the things of God and have set their hearts on ownership of what belongs to the Son of God. They cannot be content to be vinedressers but would even kill the heir in order that the vineyard would be theirs (Matthew 21:38; Luke 20:14; Mark 12:7).

But let us not sit as judges of Herod and the rulers. Instead of condemning them for the criminal attitudes toward Christ we should examine ourselves. The hard questions, the ones we are reluctant to ask ourselves, and the ones for which we often do not want the answer are “In what ways am I like Herod? How am I similar to the people who should rejoice with the news of the Messiah in our midst but find myself unsettled and even rejecting His right to reign in my life.”

What God Wants – the realization that Jesus is just and holy makes me uncomfortable with Him coming into my life. The wickedness in me wants to keep doing my will and not His and rejects His right to reign in my family, in my friendships, in my finances, and in my faith. I find myself refusing to release a throne that belongs to Him and that I know He wants. God wants (1) a willingness to give the Son His inheritance and (2) authenticity about my own fallenness and need for a Savior.

The passage about Herod and the priests and scribes reveals ungodly reactions to Yeshua. In the former their is an immediate hostile rejection that will become manifest in a plot to kill the Son (Matthew 2:16-18). In the case of the priests there is disbelief and disinterest. They do not believe that anything of substance could be known or revealed by God to the Gentiles and they manifest a disinterest in giving up what they are doing to make ready for the revelation and reign of The King of the Jews. Religious folk do this a lot. We talk about our desire to see Jesus come again but do little or nothing of substance to make ready for His return. In fact, we are sometimes found in the ongoing practice of things He does not like and are made to feel uncomfortable when people talk about His second coming. God wants us to admit that we have these issues and come to Him for healing (Matthew 13:15).

The Sinister Plot to Kill the King (Matthew 2:7-8; 16-18)

⁶ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” ⁷ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.

The sinful ruler, upon hearing that the real King of the Jews has arrived, begins concocting a sinister plot to eliminate Yeshua. To be effective in the elimination of his rival, Herod has to gather some information. His goal is to develop a profile that can be used to target anyone that might be the actual King. Creating a good profile requires answers to two questions:

Target Region Question – Where was the King of the Jews born? With this question Herod is trying to narrow the geographical scope of a search. He is also attempting to mitigate the number of people that will have to be killed. It is not that he cares for the people. If he cannot minimize the number of people that have to be killed he will catalyze and invite scrutiny from Caesar Augustus that he would rather avoid.
Target Age Question – What time did the star appear? With the question Herod is determining the age of the Christ. This information can be used to decide which children will be put to death (Matthew 2:16-17).

Good religious people, even if they have no real interest in the Person or program of God, can give you some great information. They are full of it. Herod knew that the religious rulers could be consulted for the whereabouts of the birthplace of the King of the Jews.

To get what he wanted Herod called a secret meeting. Why was it a secret? I see three reasons. First, when people are up to no good they want to remain in the darkness lest their deeds come to the light and be clearly seen (John 3:20-21; Ephesians 5:11-13). Second, people who want to remain in control compartmentalize information so that no one but them has the big picture (Wikipedia, Compartmentalization). Third, because the Sanhedrin has made consulting with the wise men a crime punishable by death, Herod wants to avoid the appearance of conspiring with them to get information. He does not fear execution by the religious leadership but needs to mitigate the appearance of being altogether without regard for Jewish law and customs.

In that clandestine meeting with the religious leaders Herod is told that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. The priests and scribes knew that much; this information had been provided by God through the prophet Micah over 700 years earlier (Micah 5:2). When King Herod got his information he was ready to put the next phase of his evil plot into action – use the wise men to get the exact location of the target. After all, they are really good at using information to find things. Let them finish the work they have begun and use the the results (Matthew 2:16-17). This brings us to the theme of this article.

What God Wants – What part am I playing? Am I a help to God as He brings the King and His kingdom. Or do I (1) harbor a wicked desire to remain in control, (2) have people thinking I am trying to help, while I (3) hinder the work, and (4) plot to harm the workers. God wants me to prayerfully and in light of His Scripture to consider what role I am playing in His work to tell the world about the Son.

This type of self-assessment is part of why the Scriptures were given to us. Instead of looking down over our noses at Herod, shaking our heads in disapproval at the priests, and condemning the other criminals we see in the pages. What does God want? God wants us to use these pages to come to Him with the hard questions about who we really are.

¹¹ Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. (1 Corinthians 10:11)

The Principle of Revelation and Doing-it-Differently Ministry (Matthew 2:9-11; John 12:29; Acts 26:12-14; 22:6-9)

⁹ When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹ And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The wise men, accustomed to working in the service of kings to get answers, departed in search of the Child. What happens next was unexpected even by them. The star which they had seen in the East went before them. This raises the question about what it is they were seeing. Was it an actual star? Even a rudimentary understanding of what a star is says that what they saw was not what modern readers call a star. A fusion reactor based on the combining of hydrogen atoms to make helium atoms that was close enough to stand over where the young Child was… don’t make no sense. A literal star would incinerate Bethlehem, Judea, the continent, and the planet. So what was it? It was what had appeared around the angels to the shepherds and what had led the Jews in times of old at night – the shekinah glory of God.

Is it strange that only the wise men saw it? That is, does it seem odd that only the wise men could see what they called a star leading them to a particular home in Bethlehem? Not really.

For Your Eyes Only (Matthew 2:9-10)

Word of Encouragement for Jesus Alone – ²⁹ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (John 12:29)
Calling for Saul Alone – ⁶ “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. ⁷ And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ ⁸ So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ “And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. (Acts 22:6-9)

What God Wants – The principle is plain. Revelation is given to the worker for the work and not to the crowd for general consumption. As God is working in and through you to do something new it is often the case that others cannot see what you see. It is for your eyes and ears only. What you see or what He is leading you to will eventually become apparent. Until then you may have to accept the fact that your vision for a ministry, for a change in your church, for a different way of doing things is for your eyes.

A mentor and good brother, Dr. Alejandro Mandes, shared this word with me years ago as I was starting a ministry. “Roderick, do not be upset with late adopters.” He was telling me that there are things that I would have a vision for that would not get the support I wanted when I started.

Part Ways with These People (Matthew 2:12)

Notice that God does not want the wise men to go back to Herod. What do you think Herod would do to them wants he got his information? God is not only graciously giving the Gentiles an opportunity to worship the King He is also protecting them from potential harm through those bent on preventing the good news or telling the truth about his dastardly deeds. Now we see why the meeting was kept a secret. By keeping the groups separate it would lessen the likelihood that they would have told the truth about what he was trying to do:

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they are no more.”

A Principle of Provision for Those Called to Work for God (Matthew 2:13-15)

¹³ Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” ¹⁴ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, ¹⁵ and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”

The wise men have made it possible for Yoseph, Miriam, and Yeshua to make a break from the region. How? Their gifts were actually a provision for a poor family that would be seeking asylum in another country. In the gold, frankincense, and myrrh are symbols and the things needed for a trip they are about to make. Concerning the symbols listen to Fruchtenbaum:

The wise men left behind three gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh (Mt. 2: 11). All of these elements have symbolic significance. Gold is the symbol of kingship; Yeshua is the King. Frankincense is the symbol of deity; Yeshua is God. Myrrh is the symbol of death and sacrifice; Yeshua is the final sacrifice for sin. While the first line of the popular Christmas carol, “We three kings of Orient are,” is not biblical, the last line is correct: “God and King and Sacrifice.” (Fruchtenbaum, 2016, Kindle Locations 7806-7810)

In the text Joseph receives another special revelation. This is the second time an angel appears to him in a dream. And it is the second time that we see on display the character of a man that can be used to raised the Son of God. Immediate obedience is what we saw when the angel told him not to be afraid to take Miriam as his wife; he arose and brought her to his home (Matthew 1:20-25). And now it is immediate obedience that we see in Joseph when it is revealed that God wants to make the Child and mother safe by getting them away from Herod.

What God Wants (Matthew 2:13-14) – If Mary is the first to receive Christ, Joseph is the first missionary using ministry support in promoting and protecting the gospel. Is it not obvious that God wants people that He can use to glorify Himself and help others? For families and society God wants people that can be counted on to immediately obey with the aim of promoting, protecting, and providing for others. While He can use them God does not need people of influence or affluence. And the Almighty will provide what is needed for the worker to do the work (Matthew 2:11).

GOD IS GOING TO GIVE ME

WHAT I NEED TO DO

HIS WORK!

Attempting to Persecute the Son (Matthew 2:16-18)

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. ¹⁷Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted,

Because they are no more.”

Deceiving a Despot (Matthew 2:16) After some amount of time it dawns on the despot Herod that he has been deceived. “They should have made it back by now. And I am getting reports that they actually did not go to Bethlehem.” For someone as self-absorbed and evil as Herod, when the wise men’s decision departed for their own country another way it was an infuriating encounter with the truth. It was yet another reminder that (1) he was not in control and (2) he was not regarded as the King of the Jews. I have said it often. But it is worth repeating: When people that you serve are being difficult, you have threatened their ego, their empire, or their economy. With this man, it is all three.

Illegitimate King Herod will now do what he has always done — eliminate the threat. Prior to this time Herod has had a practice of putting to death anyone he deems a danger to his reign:

37 BCE — Purge of Hasmonean leadership

Upon securing the throne with Roman backing, Herod executed many members of the Sanhedrin and rival Hasmonean supporters who opposed his rule.

35 BCE — Execution of Aristobulus III

Aristobulus III, the popular Hasmonean high priest and brother of Mariamne I, was drowned under suspicious circumstances.
Motive: His royal lineage and popularity made him a rival claimant.

30 BCE — Execution of Hyrcanus II

Former High Priest and Hasmonean patriarch.
Accused of treason; likely executed to extinguish Hasmonean legitimacy.

29 BCE — Execution of Mariamne I (Herod’s wife)

Accused of adultery and conspiracy.
Her Hasmonean bloodline posed a dynastic threat to Herod’s rule.

7 BCE — Execution of sons Alexander and Aristobulus

Sons of Mariamne I and Herod.
Charged with treason after prolonged court intrigue.
Herod reportedly said it was “safer to be Herod’s pig than his son.”

5 BCE — Execution of Antipater

Herod’s eldest son and heir apparent (by Doris).
Convicted of plotting to poison Herod.
Executed just days before Herod’s own death.

And he was aided by the wise men in developing a profile. This puts into perspective tools. The wise men were not evil and actually sought opportunity to worship the one born King of the Jews. Herod’s heart motivates him to use otherwise good or morally neutral things for evil purposes: (1) the region to focus on was based on information he had gained from the chief priests and scribes and (2) the age component of the profile of who to kill is based on the time which he had determine from the wise men. Consider this list:

Satan — Language and Truth Twisted into Deception (Genesis 3:1–5). Good/Neutral Thing: Language, reason, and partial truth. Evil Use: Satan does not invent falsehood wholesale; he selectively quotes and reframes God’s words, exploiting Eve’s capacity for reason and trust. Language—given to name, bless, and commune—becomes the means of spiritual death.
Cain — Creation Turned into an Instrument of Murder (Genesis 4:3–8). Good/Neutral Thing: The created order, physical strength, and environment. Evil Use: Cain uses what God made good—his surroundings and human capability—to murder his brother, allowing wounded worship and jealousy to culminate in violence.
Pharaoh — Administrative Power Used for Genocide (Exodus 1:8–14; 1:15–22). Good/Neutral Thing: Government authority, census awareness, and labor organization. Evil Use: Pharaoh employs state administration and population control mechanisms to suppress Israel and command the killing of Hebrew infants in response to a perceived future threat.
Balaam — Spiritual Insight Converted into Strategic Corruption (Numbers 22–25; 31:16). Good/Neutral Thing: Prophetic knowledge and spiritual discernment. Evil Use: Unable to curse Israel directly, Balaam weaponizes his insight by advising Moab to entice Israel into idolatry and immorality, achieving through corruption what he could not through proclamation.
Saul — Royal Authority Justifying Personal Jealousy (1 Samuel 18–26). Good/Neutral Thing: Kingship and responsibility to guard God’s anointed order. Evil Use: Saul repurposes his throne to pursue David, masking fear and insecurity under the guise of royal duty and divine zeal.
Absalom — Justice Language Used to Steal Hearts (2 Samuel 15:1–6). Good/Neutral Thing: Advocacy, empathy, and public discourse. Evil Use: Absalom exploits legitimate grievances and compassionate speech to undermine trust in David and foment rebellion, turning justice rhetoric into a tool of insurrection.
The Chief Priests — Law and Piety Used to Kill the Righteous (Matthew 26–27; John 11:47–53). Good/Neutral Thing: Legal process, religious authority, and theological reasoning. Evil Use: Courts, witnesses, and doctrine—intended to preserve truth—are manipulated to secure the execution of Jesus under the pretense of protecting the nation.

The evil is not the gun, it is not artificial intelligence, or politics. The problem is in the hearts of those who have these things. In each case, the evil does not lie in the thing itself—knowledge, power, law, language, or authority—but in the heart that bends it toward self-preservation, fear, or pride. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV)

Herod fits squarely in this biblical pattern: not ignorant brutality, but calculated corruption of God-given means to oppose God-ordained purposes. We must prayerfully ask God: “Tell me the truth. In what way am I like Herod – using things in ways that are contrary to your kingdom, against your express agenda, and with the goal of promoting my own vain glory and illegitimate right to reign.”

Conclusion

In the opening of this not-so-brief posting I mentioned things that we would see. First, we have looked at the grace of God to the nations; He revealed His plan to bring His King into the world to those who were outside of the covenants. Hundreds of years before Messiah was born He would Daniel in the misery of captivity to make His plan known to the Gentiles. Second, we have seen ungodly reactions to the revealing of the King. There was hostility in Herod and disinterest in the religious leadership. Overall we see in them what, if we are honest, we can sometimes see in ourselves – angst and apathy toward Yeshua’s right to reign. Third and fourth, we saw principles of ministry. Finally, as promised, I set before you what God wants as a gift. You. In all of this God makes it clear that he wants to the free will offering of yourself. While some are loathe to give Him this gift the wise men are examples. In them we see a positive example and exhortation to give the gift of ourselves to the King. Out of our lives we give our time, our talent, and treasure to be used in His service.

Notes

¹There were other similar crimes for which the Sanhedrin was also committed to sentence people to death. “As to the magianism, Rab and Samuel (differ thereon): one maintains that it is sorcery, the other, blasphemy. For R. Zutra b. Tobiah said in Rab’s name: He who learns a single thing from a Magian is worthy of death.” (Gruber, 1996, p. 180)

References

Amazon. (2021). Set of 14 Christmas 14 Inch Real Life Nativity Set Includes People and Animals, https://www.amazon.com/14-Piece-Christmas-Nativity-Set/dp/B00H53WGAC

Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Victor Books.

Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 58). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Brown, Raymond E., S.S. (1994). The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (New York: Doubleday, 1994).

Fruchtenbaum, Arnold G. (2016). Yeshua: The Life of Messiah from a Messianic Jewish Perspective – Vol. 1. Ariel Ministries.

Gruber, Daniel. (1996). Gruber, Rabbi Akiba’s Messiah and the Origin of Rabbinic Judaism (July 1996)

Wikipedia, Compartmentalization, Obtained 2021.12.27 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_(information_security)