**Matthew 2:1-11

Jesus’ Acknowledgment As King by Wise Men: An Unexpected Worship

There’s a word from the lord coming from the book of Matthew

And you should find these words as printed

Matthew 2:1–11 (NRSV)

1 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ” 7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. 8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” 9 When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

That’s enough, want to talk for the next fleeting moments with the help of the holy spirit

I want to talk about

(2:1–11) Introduction: there was nothing usual or common about the birth and early childhood of Jesus Christ. Practically every event was unusual or uncommon, totally unexpected. There was the fact of His being God’s very own Son, of the virgin birth, of the announcement by angels, of being born in a stable, and on and on. The unexpected continues right on through the experience of the wise men. The wise men are a picture of those who seek Jesus. As they sought Him, events totally unexpected happened time and again. This is usually the case with those who seek Jesus. But God is faithful. If a person is truly seeking Jesus, God takes the unexpected events and works them out for good (Ro. 8:28). God leads the person to Jesus regardless of circumstances and events, expected or unexpected.

(2:1) Jesus Christ, Birth: Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Three quick facts are worthy of note.

a. He was born in Bethlehem (see DEEPER STUDY # 1, Bethlehem—Mt. 2:1).

DEEPER STUDY # 1

(2:1) Bethlehem: the city was only six miles south of Jerusalem. Its fame was due to two facts: (1) It had been the home and city of David (1 S. 16:1; 17:12; 20:6); and (2) it was prophesied to be the city of the Messiah’s birth (Micah 5:2). All Jews knew these facts, and those who truly believed in a coming Messiah looked for the Messiah to come through David’s line and to establish an eternal government (see note—Mt. 1:1; DEEPER STUDY # 2—1:18).

b. He was born during the reign of Herod the Great.

c. He was sought by wise men from the East (see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Wise Men—Mt. 2:1).

2 (2:2) Seeking, Jesus: the wise men’s unexpected question—Where is the newborn King? How did the wise men know the King of the Jews had been born? The answer is not given, but two other significant facts are.

a. They had a most unusual journey: they were guided by a star. What is meant by “his star”? Again the answer is not given. However, v. 9 seems to indicate that it was some astronomical light. This much is known: whatever it was, it was a miracle. It was a miracle at least in this sense: it appeared at the very time of Jesus’ birth; it appeared to Gentile wise men far away in another nation; it guided them to Jerusalem where they were to worship Jesus; it appeared at the very time they were given knowledge of the newborn King; and it appeared again for the specific purpose of guiding them.

b. They had a most significant purpose: their purpose was to worship the newborn King. They had come to pay homage to a child whom they understood was to be King of the Jews. They expected what any foreigner would have expected: the child would be a son of the reigning king. Jesus, of course, was not. It was this fact that disturbed Herod so much. He concluded what any reigning monarch would: there was a movement to overthrow the throne (see note—Mt. 2:3).

Thought 1. Where is He? Every person needs to be asked the question, for He has already come and most are not aware of it. Why? Because they are preoccupied with self and worldly affairs, with ambition and material possessions, with the physical and the flesh.

⇒ “Where is He?” It is totally unexpected that the message would come from the Gentiles and heathen of the world.

⇒ “Where is He?” It is totally unexpected that His own people do not know.

⇒ “Where is He?” It is totally unexpected that the religionists do not know.

How far away from God and how lost the world has become—not to know that God has sent the true King, His own Son, into the world!

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16).

Thought 2. “He was in the world … and the world knew Him not” (Jn. 1:10). How could God send His Son into the world and the world not know it? How clearly the wise men illustrate the world’s blindness to eternal affairs. A wise man is a man who seeks after the King of the Jews

3 (2:3–6) Jesus Christ, Rejected—Religionists: the wise men’s unexpected disturbance. It was the wise men who affected the Jews, not the Jews who affected the wise men. Few Jews were even aware of their King’s birth. Imagine the great anticipation of the wise men as they journeyed and approached Jerusalem. Picture the shock: no one knew about the newborn King—who He was, where He was, anything about Him.

Three groups in particular are mentioned as being disturbed. Why were they disturbed? They just did not know about Him—that He had already come.

a. Some people were disturbed because they had anticipated His coming, but He had not come as they had expected. They had expected a king, not a humble child, not a self-giving Savior (see DEEPER STUDY # 2—Mt. 1:18). Others just did not believe; they could care less. Still others did not want to know about a king who might disturb their lives.

b. The government (represented in Herod) was disturbed because it did not want a king coming from God who might threaten the present line and form of authority (see DEEPER STUDY # 3—Mt. 2:3–4).

DEEPER STUDY # 3

(2:3–4) Herod the Great: a bloody tyrant. Secular history records that he murdered many of his own family including his favorite wife (he had ten), her grandfather, her brother, and some of his own children. On one occasion, he had the whole Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Jewish government, assassinated. On another occasion, he had every notable man in Jerusalem murdered. He was very capable of the crime reported here. Christ was born during the latter years of Herod’s reign, and his reign as king had been a long one (37 B.C.–4 A.D.). This fact shows just how much of a bloody tyrant Herod really was. Just imagine! He would not even be around when a child king would inherit the throne, yet he felt threatened by the reports of a child king. He was a man possessed by evil. He was suspicious, savage, and warped. Note that Herod had all the children killed, not only in Bethlehem but “in all the coasts thereof” (v. 16).

c. Some religionists were disturbed because they did not want a king to come as He had come. He and His coming did not match their beliefs. Others did not want a king other than the one they had. They were comfortable in the material world and the humanistic religion of the world. Others were so wrapped up in their religious affairs and its busyness that they were not spiritually sensitive enough to be aware of His coming. However, some religionists did turn to Him later (Ac. 6:7; 15:5; 18:8, 17).

Note that Matthew stressed a point that is too often true of our generation: the religionists, the very people who should have known about the newborn Messiah, had ignored the Scriptures and its prophecy. The world (Herod) had to send them scurrying to pay attention to its message.

“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them” (Mt. 13:15).

4 (2:7–8) Wise Men: the wise men’s unexpected commission: having to search for the newborn King. Note the wise men’s testimony about the star. The wise men had unashamedly testified to the supernatural, the star that had led them to seek the newborn King. All the city had heard their testimony, even Herod. The wise men were now commissioned to go and search and find the child. The newborn King’s own people were not even aware of His coming. The wise men never expected they would have to search for Him.

Thought 1. What a shock! Some expect to find “the newborn king” in the lives of those who profess to be God’s people, and they are unable to find Him! Too often they are forced to go elsewhere or to give up their search.

Thought 2. God used an evil man, Herod (without his knowing it), to help the wise men in their search. Any person who seeks the newborn King will be led by God to Him—no matter who God has to use to help the seeker (see outline—Ro. 2:14–15).

5 (2:9–10) Wise Men—Seeking God: the wise men’s unexpected sign—the star guided them again. Apparently the wise men did not expect the supernatural sign to appear again (v. 10). They had searched faithfully and done all they could, and they were continuing on. God honors such effort. He met their need (Is. 64:5). But note: only the wise men went to search out the newborn King. And imagine—Bethlehem was only six miles south of Jerusalem!

Thought 1. God will meet the need of any man who faithfully searches and does all he can, the man who continues on and refuses to quit. Yet how few search Him out today (2 Co. 6:2).

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (De. 4:29).

6 (2:11) Jesus Christ, Birth—Worship: the wise men’s unexpected King—a humble child in humble surroundings. They found the child King in a house. No doubt the wise men had expected the child to be the son of a reigning monarch with all the splendor, wealth, and royalty attached. They had expected Him to be known by all. How unlike what they found—a child with common parents in a humble house! Note: they gave the child King worship. Matthew records that they bowed down and worshipped the newborn king. He says nothing about their having worshipped Herod.

“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (1 Chr. 16:29).

Thought 1. God’s ways are not man’s way (see 1 Co. 1:26–31). The newborn King is not a humanistic Savior. He is God’s Savior who has come in God’s way.

“For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Co. 8:9).