Walking With Jesus - Volume 01 - Lesson 009

LOC – 009 – Visit of the Magi & Flight to Egypt

Lesson Objectives

Even pagans recognize the King of the Jews.

God will protect Jesus in His infancy.

Prayer and righteousness go hand in hand in being close to God.

Lesson Commentary

Read Matthew 2:1-18

The Christmas story isn’t over yet. Most Christmas traditions include the wise men coming to visit the Christ Child, so we are still in the “Christmas” story. Eight days after the birth of Jesus, He is circumcised and then, when He is forty days old, He is to be presented in the Temple. Scripture implies that it is not until after this event that the wise men arrive to recognize this newborn King of the Jews. Matthew will include the gentiles with the Jews in recognizing and adoring the Messiah. This will be repeated throughout his Gospel. We continue our look at the events surrounding the birth and infancy of Jesus as we are “Walking With Jesus.”

The Visit of the Magi

Mt. 2:1 – Herod the King is Herod the Great who, according to history, dies around 4 BC. Magi means “magos” or sorcerer, magician, astrologer. (The same word is used in Acts 13:6, 8.) How many wise men come to see Jesus is unknown and we have no specific time reference to indicate when they arrive in Bethlehem in relation to these other events. How do they know the prophecy concerning the star? These men are pagan (i.e. non-Jewish, not knowing the God, but believe in cultic gods.) However, they know that there is something significant about this star. From the “East” refers to Mesopotamia (i.e. Babylon or Assyria). This could involve a distance of around 300-500 miles. The journey will take a minimum of 12-25 days averaging twenty-five miles per day. This is not impossible, especially if they ride camels as is often suggested. However if they travel on foot, it will be harder to cover twenty-five miles per day. There is no mention of their actual mode of travel. This is a testimony to how important the Birth of Christ is, even though they have no idea of the nature of His ministry – dying on the cross for their sins. Knowing what you know today, how far would you be willing to go to see a baby who is to be your Messiah?

Mt. 2:2 – “King of the Jews” – Their source of prophecy has revealed this to them, a very special King is being born who will rule over the Jewish people. So what is that to them? The “One” is better translated “child.” As far as they know, Jesus is past newborn and so they refer to him as the “child.” “Star in the East” – They are in the region of Mesopotamia, but there is no indication as to where the star was in the sky. The only thing we can deduce from this text is that they see a star that is a sign to them of great significance. They want to worship a King that has no apparent or known direct bearing on them. Do they perhaps see that His kingdom is going to be greater than just to the Jews? Is this a sign from God that Jesus is for Gentiles also? Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. His death on the cross is for all men – Jew and Gentile alike. How many are coming and seeking Him today? What are you doing to help them find Him?

Mt. 2:3 – Herod is “disturbed” – mentally! Remember that he has already murdered members of his own family in fear that they will take the throne from him. When Herod is troubled, all of Jerusalem has reason to be troubled. He is an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, and though a descendant of Abraham, he has no claim to being King of the Jews. He is, therefore, jealous of anyone who might rise up among the Jews and threaten his throne. He is so jealous of his throne that he will even have one of his sons killed just five days before his own death. He has reigned for thirty-five years and probably thinks he will reign forever. Jesus will definitely pose a threat to his power, but not for several years yet. Pray for those Christians who live in nations where they have to fear the government!

Mt. 2:4 – Herod is alarmed at the news of another “King” being born and seeks more information regarding the birth of this “King of the Jews.” He believes that his kingship is in jeopardy! So he seeks information regarding this King under the pretense of honoring him. He calls the chief priests, and scribes leaders to inquire about where this threat to his throne might be born. I wonder how many people see through the ruse?

Mt. 2:5Micah 5:2 says the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem of Judea. God chose Bethlehem several centuries earlier to be the birthplace of the descendant of David who is to be called the “King of the Jews.”

Mt. 2:6 – Matthew quotes the passage from Micah for his Jewish readers. Again, God has chosen what is small or insignificant in man’s eyes to reveal or accomplish great things. Instead of being born in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish nation, God’s Son, the King of the Jews, is born in an obscure, insignificant village. It is utterly surprising, with all of the high expectation of the coming of the Messiah, that the Jewish leaders appear to pass this inquiry off without a moment’s thought. One would think that they would want to investigate this report for themselves and go to Bethlehem to see the Messiah.

Mt. 2:7 – Herod starts plying his nature. He meets “secretly” with the Magi not wanting to give any hint of his evil plan to the through the lie that he presents to the Magi. Herod’s inquiry implies that the star appeared at the time of Jesus’ birth, not before. So by that determination, he will later figure that Jesus is less than two years old and will have all of those children in Bethlehem killed.

Mt. 2:8 – Herod now encourages the Magi to continue on their journey under the pretense of best wishes. He wants them to find the Christ child for him so it will be easier for him to have the child killed. Notice how deceitful Herod is to the Magi? Satan is often subtle in his attacks on Christians! Beware of people who will disguise their intentions with a false front!

Mt. 2:9 – As the wise men leave, they see the star again. It is close enough to earth and distinguishable enough to point them to the place in Bethlehem, the house, where Jesus is. This is significant because stars naturally travel from east to west. Bethlehem is five to six miles south of Jerusalem. That means that this star draws them south, right to the house where Jesus is. Does any one else notice the star or regard its significance? Surely other people see it besides the Magi, but they simply do not know what it means. Remember how God led Israel through the wilderness with the fire and the cloud about 1,600 years earlier?

Mt. 2:10 – Do these wise men see the star the entire time on their journey or only before they leave? This suggests that it may not be visible all of the time through their trip, especially if they travel by day. Since they know that the star is significant of the birth of the King of the Jews, they naturally go to the Jewish capital, which is Jerusalem. They do not need the star to point them that far. After leaving Jerusalem, they see the star again and are overjoyed. They are greatly reassured when they see the star again and it guides them on to Bethlehem. This denotes that this part of their journey occurs after dark. God causes a phenomenon in the sky that these astrologers affirm is the sign of the birth of a King to the Jews.

Mt. 2:11 – Joseph and Mary have found housing for the duration of their stay in Bethlehem. Did they simply decide to move to Bethlehem and stay? How does Joseph earn a living while they are there? “Child” – The Greek text reads “padion” which is usually translated “child.” It is used of an infant child recently born as well as an older child. This does not adequately imply that Jesus was “older” as some have suggested. He could still be a “newborn.”
The Magi express their worship of Jesus by bowing down before Him, which is a symbol in which a person renders himself in a defenseless position in the presence of another. It shows submission and also regard, as they are lessors to the greater. When the magi were in Jerusalem, they did not bow down to Herod. They also gave Jesus gifts that were products from their own country. (They didn’t give any gifts to Herod.)

Gold is a gift designating royalty, a King. It speaks to the “mental” kingship of Jesus. This honors Jesus as a King who collects gold as a symbol of His power and wealth.

Frankincense is a gift designating divinity, a Priest. It speaks to the “spiritual” side of Jesus. Incense is offered as a fragrance to God as a part of worship. Here, it is offered to Jesus in an act of worship.

Myrrh is a gift designating humanity (especially in suffering), a prophet. At this event, it is a reference to the “physical” side of Jesus, recognizing that He is going to die.

Mt. 2:12 – The Magi are warned in a dream to not go back to Jerusalem and to not tell Herod about this baby. God will also speak to non-Jews in order to accomplish His divine plan. The Magi return home by avoiding Jerusalem completely. We do not know which way they go to return home. They may have gone around the south end of the Dead Sea in order to avoid going near Jerusalem.

The Flight to Egypt

Mt. 2:13 – God doesn’t waste time. As soon as the wise men have left, He warns Joseph, again in a dream, to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt as soon as possible. This is the second (of four occurrences) that an angel appears to Joseph in a dream. When the angel appeared to Mary, it was direct, but to Joseph, the angel appears only by dreams. How would you feel if you were being told to flee for the life of your family?

Mt. 2:14 – Joseph obeys immediately without question. They leave and travel during the night. We do not know how soon after the Magi left that Joseph receives this dream. We also do not know how soon after they leave before Herod’s soldiers come and murder the infants in Bethlehem. The flow of the text will allow that the murder of the infants could easily have occurred the next day after the Magi visited the night before. That will make it imperative that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus get out of town fast. When we hear from God, obedience should likewise be our greatest desire. This does succeed in getting Jesus into Egypt to fulfill the prophecy in Hosea 11:1 and Exodus 4:22.
Hills south of Bethlehem. Did Joseph and Mary go this way on the way to Egypt.

Mt. 2:15 – Current dating shows that Herod died around 4 BC. (Dionysius made some miscalculations when he sought to determine the exact year of Jesus’ birth.) We see Jesus’ early life following the life travels of all Israel. He goes from birth in the Promised Land (like Isaac through Jacob,) to Egypt (like Joseph and his brothers,) then to deliverance to Israel (to become a mighty nation.) There He will establish the foundation of His kingdom. Though Joseph and Mary are far from the Temple of the Lord, the Lord of the Temple is very near to them.

Mt. 2:16 – We do not know how long it will take for Herod to find out that the magi have not followed his request for them to report to him about the Christ child. In his mental madness he orders the death of all male children in Bethlehem, and the surrounding vicinity, ages two and younger. This does not mean that Jesus is two years old (He could well be less than one year old.) It only means that Herod intends to be certain he gets this child that the Magi told him about. There were probably less than twenty children in this age range in the vicinity around Bethlehem.

Mt. 2:17 – We do not know how long Joseph and Mary have been gone on their journey to Egypt when the soldiers arrive. They are more than likely still a long way from Bethlehem, but not yet in Egypt (see – Jeremiah 31:15). It will take a few days to get to Egypt, a journey of at least 155 miles. With a wife and newborn baby, they will only be able to cover about ten to fifteen miles per day. It will take them at least ten days to actually arrive on Egyptian soil. Nothing is said about where they stay while in Egypt.
Map showing possible route from Bethlehem to Egypt.

Mt. 2:18 – Jeremiah prophesied about the slaughter of the babies in Bethlehem in Jeremiah 31:15. There are several places named “Ramah.” This most likely refers to a region about five miles north of Jerusalem. Matthew points out to his Jewish brethren several prophecies that are fulfilled by Jesus. This is important to prove to them that Jesus is the Messiah that they have been waiting for. He wasn’t just another “want-a-be” like so many others.

Next week, we are going to hear more about the youth of Jesus (Part II). Meanwhile, think about all the memories you have of your own childhood. We’ll see you then for more “Walking With Jesus.”

Read Matthew 2:19-23; Luke 2:39b-52.


“Walking With Jesus”

Lesson Commentary

LOC – 009 – WISE MEN COME TO SEE JESUS!
How God Draws Us to Christ!

How far would you travel to see a grandchild, nephew or niece? How far would you travel to see some celebrity or public figure or Presidential inauguration? Have you ever had to flee for your life or for the safety of your family? Have you left it all behind to flee and start over in a foreign land? How does God draw us to His Son?

Wise men still seek Jesus!

Scientific research confirms that Herod “the Great” dies around 4 BC. Jesus is already born before Herod dies. The wise men visit the baby Jesus before Herod dies. This places the birth of Jesus around 4-5 BC.(The research on which our modern calendars are based was found to have some errors in it. This year should be four to five years older than what the calendars actually state regarding the birth of our Lord.) Still, we see God’s hand in the life and attraction of His Son. We are in Matthew 2:1-18. Jesus has some visitors from very far away who want to worship Him as the King of the Jews.

God starts by reaching us where we areMatthew 2:1-2

Magi, which means sorcerer or astrologer, come from the east. We don’t know how many there were or exactly where they were from. Mesopotamia (Babylon or Assyria are 300-500 miles from Judea. If they average 25 miles per day on camel or horse, it will take them from 12-25 days to travel.

How far and how long would you be willing to travel to see a stranger’s baby, or a celebrity’s child? Joseph and Mary are unknown, ordinary people. How many people in Bethlehem and Jerusalem did not know about the birth of the Messiah, yet these astrologers, wise men come from the East to worship Him. God took them from where they were and brought them to where He wanted them. Will you allow Him to do that with your life?

God draws us to Christ through ScriptureMatthew 2:3-6

They are looking for the one who is born as the next “King of the Jews”! They see a star, but there is no indication about where the star is in the sky. We assume it is before them as they travel. (They will see it again on approach to Bethlehem and it will appear over Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus’ residence.) They naturally go to Jerusalem and inquire of Herod under the impression that it might be his child. Herod is “disturbed”. Extremely jealous of anyone who threatens his throne! He inquires of the local Jewish religious leaders about where this king is to be born and informs the wise men with a ruse of wanting to know so he can “worship” the child.

God draws us to Christ through othersMatthew 2:7-9

The wise men consulted Herod, who consulted the local religious leaders. God used a hated ruler and some religious leaders to direct the wise men to the right place to see the Christ child that had recently been born. It is a wise man who knows that he needs others in order to accomplish his task in life.

God draws us to Christ through personal encounterMatthew 2:10-12

The star reappears. Did it go away, or were the wise men simply not looking for it while they were on their way to Jerusalem?The presence of the star shows that this portion of the journey 6 miles) is being made after dark! Upon arrival in Bethlehem, the wise men find Joseph and Mary without any directions from local residents! They introduce themselves; see the baby and present gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Gold – royalty, king – mental kinship – symbol of Jesus’ power and wealth! Frankincense – divinity, a priest – spiritual kingship – fragrance to God as an act of worship. Myrrh – humanity, prophet – physical kingship – symbol of Jesus’ coming death (for our sins).More strangers, more confirmation to Joseph and Mary about their baby and some wonderful gifts that say a lot about who this child really is! Wise men have a personal encounter with God in a dream and are wise enough to not go back to Herod, but go home another route. Their personal encounter with the Son of God draws them to listen to God’s commands.

God draws His Son to safetyMatthew 2:13-18

Almost immediately after the wise men leave, Joseph is warned in a dream to get out of town NOW! Herod wants to kill the baby King, so they must flee so that He will be safe. There is no mention of whether they have a donkey to help carry their stuff. Joseph obeys God’s instructions without any hesitation!

When we hear from God, obedience should be our greatest concern! How would you feel if you had only minutes to take “everything” that you could carry and travel by foot for a distance of about 155 miles to a foreign land to protect your baby (and maybe you and your wife as well) from a killer?

How long will it be before Herod realizes that the wise men got wise and are not coming back? A couple of days? A week? Or a month? Joseph and Mary are wise in getting down the road far and fast!

Bethlehem is a small village. The number of children is not very many. However, everyone in town is going to hear and be affected by the slaughter of a dozen or so children under the age of 2 years. Even so, if it is your child, or if it is a tyrant who brutally murdered children in your community, how would you feel?

CONCLUSION

Matthew is pointing out several prophecies that have been fulfilled by Jesus, even in His birth and infancy. This baby is not another “want-to-be”, but actually is the promised Messiah!

NEXT WEEK: We are going to hear more about the youth of Jesus. Meanwhile, think about all the memories you have of your own childhood.

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