Sermon Tone Analysis

Show wise men to class and talk about it being part of the nativity set.

Question: Did the wise men and the shepherds visit Jesus at the same time?

Answer: no.

Wisemen visited Jesus in a house, not a stable.

Question: How many magi does the Bible say there were?

Answer: Doesn’t say.

There were 3 gifts.

Today we are studying the visit of the Magi and how they sought out the “Newborn King of the Jews.”

Question: What kings are named in this passage?

Answer: King Herod and King Jesus.

(Not “We Three Kings” carol.

Magi were not really kings.

Based on what scholars know about the Ancient Near East, the word Magi was used to describe members of a Persian priestly class who were thought to possess supernatural knowledge.

Our word magician might trace back to magi.

The magi were also loosely like what we think of today as scientist.

They were scholars who studied signs.

But instead of scientists today who study things such as astronomy, magi studied the science of their day, which included things such as astrology.

It was a common belief in ancient times among Gentile peoples that the stars could determine people's destinies, and the appearance of certain celestial phenomena signaled the birth or death of kings.

The magi who traveled from the "east" had observed a new star that they believed was the fulfillment of a Jewish prophecy that foretold a new Jewish king's birth.

The Jews lived in exile in Persia for 70 years after the Babylonian conquest.

It is possible that during that time, the prophecies of the Messiah (the promised Davidic king) became known to the Magi, and they connected those prophecies to the new star they followed to Judah.

Her is an interesting thought: Daniel, the exiled Jewish prophet, spent his final years under Persian rule.

The Bible tells us that every king he served under considered him to be extremely wise and a great interpreter of dreams and visions.

In Persia, he would have been considered a great Magi.

It is quite possible that the Magi who came to pay homage to the infant Jesus would have been familiar with Daniels writings and prophecies when they, the Magi, appeared in Jerusalem interpreting the stars and looking for the newborn King of the Jews.

Let turn to the focus passage for today.

Question: What was the significance of the town of Bethlehem, located about 5 miles from Jerusalem?

Answer: It was the birthplace of David and where the prophet Samuel anointed David as God's Messiah and the future King of Israel.

Matthew's announcement that Jesus was born in Bethlehem establishes Jesus as the "new David," in fulfillment of OT prophecy.

As mentioned earlier, two kings are mentioned at the start of this chapter by Matthew.

King Herod and Jesus, King of the Jews

Michael Green in his commentary on Matthew writes:

The note of contrast is strongly emphasized in this short account.

There is the contrast between Herod’s kingship and that of Jesus: one inaugurated by Rome, an alien power, and based on aggression and cruelty; the other originating from love, shown in vulnerability and entering into its kingdom though the cross.

Herod was thirty-three at his inauguration, and Jesus the same age when he died.

What a contrast!

Our study guide contrast the two as follows:

Herod was insecure about his authority while Jesus drew his authority from his divinity.

Herod was conniving, while Jesus was innocent and nonviolent.

Herod’s insecurity, jealously, and grip on power would build up until one of the most horrible acts of terror found in the New Testament.

The wise men apparently expected the newborn king to be born in Jerusalem - the city of David, the political and religious center of Israel.

Their questioning “where is the child who has been born king of the jews” caused quite a stir and led to an audience with Herod.

This frightened Herod and we read “all of Jerusalem” - probably meaning all whose livelihood and social status was connected to the Herod administration.

Why would the birth of Jesus come as bad news to some?

Who would receive Jesus’ birth as bad news today?

(those who want to hold onto power and retain control)

Herod was understandably shaken and called in the chief priests and scribes to tell him what Sacred Scripture recorded about the birth of the Messiah.

Among the prophecies concerning the Messiah, it is possible they would have mentioned the prophecy of Balaam found in Numbers 24:7

If Herod was at all familiar with the Balaam prophecy, he would be shaken.

According to the Law of Moses, only an Israelite could rule Israel and Herod was an Idumaean, a descendant of Esau of Edom, who was regarded by most Jews as a false king.

The Balaam prophecy predicts that Edom will be dispossessed.

Numbers 24:18

Question: So what do the chief priests and scribes tell Herod?

Answer: They tell him the prophecy of Micah that the Messiah will be born in the city of King David, in Bethlehem; and from the prophecy of Ezekiel that the Messiah will be like David, He will "shepherd" His people.

and Ezekiel 34:23

That the prophecy describes the Messiah as the "shepherd" of His people is significant.

God told the 6th century BC prophet Ezekiel to prophecy against the "shepherds" of Israel, the chief priests who failed to lead the people in righteousness.

In Ezekiel 34:10-31, Yahweh promised to come against Israel's priests who had "scattered the flock" and  I myself will look after and tend my sheep ... bringing them back from foreign lands where they have been scattered (Ez 34:11-16).

As we just heard, The prophecy continues: I will appoint one shepherd over them to pasture them, my servant David; he shall pasture them and be their shepherd (Ez 34:23).

Herod sends them to Bethlehem with ulterior motives.

Find the child so I may pay him homage.

Ultimately, God led the magi - these mysterious foreign Gentiles - to Jesus.

God did not let them end their journey at Herod’s palace.

What does that say to you about God’s opinion of Herod and his kingship?

The Magi head toward Bethlehem and there they see the star again guiding them.

Matthew's story of the Magi recalls several Old Testament prophecies:

the "star" could be what is reference in

the coming of a ruler from Judah recalls Jacob's deathbed prophecy of kingship for Judah in Genesis 49:10

This imagery in the OT of the coming king receiving tributes and gifts from gentiles and foreign rulers is also found in

Psalm 72:10

With God’s guidance, they arrive and find the child with his mother.

Despite Herod’s power, God was at work in the story of the Magi, directing events so that the true king of the Jews was revealed.

Sometimes our paths take us to Herod first.

We are susceptible to the temptations to be powerful, successful, and ruthless.

We may be drawn to leaders who try to impress us with their words or their force of personality or prey upon our fears.

But God leads us to Jesus.

God will direct our path to Bethlehem to encounter the Christ Child if we are willing to leave Herod’s courts and follow God’s direction.

This may mean going away from the seats of power and to the margins like Bethlehem.

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