WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday December 20, 2020

 

Over 258,000 readers worldwide

larrydalexander.blogspot.com

 

CALLED TO WORSHIP

(A humble beginning)

(Matthew 2:1-12)

 

   The “Illustrated Dictionary of the Bible” describes the “wise men” mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew in chapter 2, verses 1-15 as “Astrologers” who came from the Persian Empire. In “the Septuagint”, the ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament, the term rendered “wise men” is “Magoi” (Mag-ohee), and it too, also translates as “Astrologers”.

    The Greek historian, Herodotus, who wrote in the fifth century B.C., identifies “Magi” as a group of Medes who had priestly duties in the Persian Empire, and were grouped with the likes of “magicians and sorcerers”, who served as advisers in the Babylonian Royal Court. Their duties also included interpreting dreams for the king.

    Here in this passage of Matthew 2, it is men of this ilk that traveled to Palestine from the east in pursuit of a “legendary star” that had been talked about down through the ages, as being the “first sign” of the coming of the long-awaited “MESSIAH”, WHO would serve as the King of the Jews, and the SAVIOR of “the accepting World”.

    These particular astrologers, while pursuing their interest and observation of the stars, had, in addition, also received an unexpected sign from the GOD of Israel. Here the LORD has apparently broken through their “misguided evil system of forecasting through the stars”, in order to bring attention to one of HIS OWN supernatural events, which, in this case, is the announcement of the eminent arrival of HIS only begotten SON, JESUS the CHRIST, upon the Earth.

     And while not all scholars agree on the timing of the arrival of these wise men into Palestine, it is generally agreed that their arrival came shortly after the birth of CHRIST in the tiny village of Bethlehem. It is also generally agreed that this contingent of wise men, despite their backgrounds, had listened to Israel’s GOD with open hearts and minds.

    Also we see in this passage, that, after these men’s encounter with Joseph, Mary, and baby JESUS in Bethlehem, they did not return to King Herod to give him a report as he had requested that they do, regarding the whereabouts of the trio (Vs.7-8). Instead, they returned home a different way, which showed that they were continuing to listen to the voice of GOD for guidance.

    In verse 1 of this passage we see that JESUS was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the reign of King Herod the Great. Herod reigned over Judea from circa 37B.C. to 4 B.C. He was a descendant of Esau, the brother of Jacob, who was the father of the nation (twelve tribes) of Israel. His direct relationship to Esau’s line caused him to be immediately resented by the Jews of Jacob’s line of descendants, and Herod also resented their belief that they were of a higher pedigree than he came from.

    When the Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, Herod got word that they were inquiring about the whereabouts of “the newly born King of the Jews”. Herod was deeply disturbed by their referencing the young CHILD this way, as were the Jewish hierarchy of leading priests and teachers of religious law in Jerusalem (Vs.3).

    The men asked the Jewish leaders “where did the prophets say the MESSIAH would be born”, and they were told that HE would be born in Bethlehem, a tiny village just 7 miles west of Jerusalem (Vs.5-6). In the meantime, Herod sent a private message to the “wise men” asking them to come and see him. At this meeting, Herod was able to learn the exact time when the men first saw the “star” that they had been following, which strangely moved in the opposite direction of all the other stars (east to west) (v.7).

    Herod told the men to go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the “CHILD”, and when they find HIM, to come back and tell him HIS whereabouts, so that, he too, can go and worship HIM. However, Herod really wanted to know where the baby, JESUS, was, so that he could send men to kill HIM, because he saw HIM as a threat to his throne in Jerusalem (v.8).

    After their meeting with Herod, the wise men went on their way, continuing to follow the star that had led them to Jerusalem. The star now led the men to Bethlehem where they came to, and entered into the dwelling where Joseph and Mary resided, and they saw the “CHILD” (“paidion” – small child, toddler), JESUS, WHO was a toddler by then, and they fell down before HIM and worshiped HIM (Vs.10-11).

    The men then opened their treasure chests, which they had brought with them, and gave gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to baby JESUS. Afterwards they were warned by GOD in a dream, not to go home the same way that they came, and not to return to King Herod’s palace (Vs.11b-12).

    Taking up at verse 13, we see that after the wise men had departed from the home of Joseph and Mary, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph in a dream, instructing him to flee to Egypt with Mary and JESUS, and to stay there until further divine notice from GOD. Joseph left for Egypt that very night, and they stayed there until King Herod’s death in 4 B.C. This set the stage for the prophesy spoken by the prophet Hosea to be fulfilled, where he says, “I called MY SON out of Egypt” (Hosea 11:1).  

    Herod was furious when he learned that the wise men had outwitted him, and he sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the male children who were two years of age or younger. This was because the wise men told him that the star had first appeared about two years earlier. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled the words of the prophet Jeremiah who said, “A cry of anguish is heard in Ramah – weeping and mourning unrestrained. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted – for they are dead” (Jeremiah 31:15).

    Ironically, this mass slaughtering of innocent male children is mentioned only here in the biblical canon. Even the great Jewish historian Josephus doesn’t give any reference to this unfortunate, ungodly incident. Perhaps because of the massive amount of human annihilation that is accredited to King Herod’s legacy, such as killing his own wives and children, this slaughter of Hebrew children is held as insignificant by that generation in Rome. In fact, it was once said that it was better to be Herod’s pigs than to be his relatives.

    After Herod’s death, an angel of the LORD appeared to Joseph again in a dream in Egypt, and informed him that Herod had died, and that he could now, return to Judah. However, when Joseph learned that Herod’s son, Archelaus, was still alive, he was afraid. Then, in another dream, an angel appeared to him and instructed him to go to Galilee and live in the town of Nazareth where he and Mary would raise JESUS and HIS siblings. This move also served to fulfill the prophesy which was implied over the years that “the MESSIAH would be called a Nazarene”.  

         

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander

 

 

Larry Dell Alexander (1953–) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas

 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER'S BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY

larrydalexanderbiblestudies.blogspot.com

 

Larry D. Alexander's Books and Publications Spotlight

 

Larry D. Alexander - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

                                 

LARRY D. ALEXANDER- Official Website

 

Clinton Family Portrait - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia