Outline Of St. Matthew

MATTHEW CHAPTER TWO The King Is Born: Matthew 2:1-23 * A. Time & Place Of His Birth: verse 1 1. Place: Bethlehem of Judaea. 2. Note: there were two cities called Bethlehem 3. One was in Zebulun (See Joshua 19:15). Bethlehem [BETH-luh-hem; “house of bread”] A town of Zebulun, identified with modern Beit Lahm, 7 miles (11km) NW of Nazareth. 4. Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea. Bethlehem (Judah) [BETH-luh-hem; “house of bread”] A Judean town about 6 miles (9km) SW of Jerusalem, notable as the birth place of Jesus.                  In patriarchal times, it was known as Eplirath, and later became known as Bethlehem in Judah or Bethlehem Ephrathah to distinguish it from the Zebulunite city of the same name. The Amarna Letters refer to it as Bit-Lahmi, in a report of the city's capture by the Habiru in the 14th century.         David was born and raised in Bethlehem, and it was here that Samuel anointed him the successor of King Saul. In accordance with Micah's prophecy, the Messiah, a descendent of David, was also born in Bethlehem. A tradition going back to the 2 century AD identifies the site of his birth with a cave that once served as the stable of an inn near Bethlehem. The Church of the Nativity now marks the ancient site, believed by many to be the authentic birthplace of the Savior. Genesis 35:19; Ruth 1:1-2; 1 Samuel 16:13-15; 2 Samuel 23:14-16; Micah 5:2; Matthew 2. 5. Note: Jesus was born when Herod of Rome was king. 6. Herod the Great, The Idumean king of Judea, 37-4 BC, who beautified the Jerusalem Temple, and ordered boy children in the Bethlehem area killed in an effort to destroy Jesus. 7. BACKGROUND:         Herod became governor of Galilee in 47 BC, at the age of 25. By ingratiating himself with a series of Roman rulers, through a series of bloody civil wars, and by murdering rivals, Herod achieved kingship in 37 BC. The First dozen years of Herod's rule were dedicated to consolidating his power. These years too were marked by bloodshed, including the execution of his favorite wife, Mariamne I, and all her male relatives. At the end of this period, no rivals of this cruel, paranoid ruler remained. The years 25-14 BC saw unmatched prosperity in Judea. Herod undertook great building projects. He constructed Caesarea Maritima, a retreat at Masada, and most importantly, began his project to enlarge and beautify the Jerusalem Temple. Family troubles dominated the years 14-4 BC Rumors of plots by his various wives and their children led Herod to execute many of his sons, including his two favorites born to Mariamne I. Hostile, impulsive, dominated by morbid fears, the evil Herod lived out his last years hated by family and people alike. While dying from his last illness, Herod ordered the execution of boy children in the vicinity of Bethlehem in a futile effort to destroy one he was told had been born King of the Jews. However, Joseph, warned in a dream, had taken Mary and the young Jesus to Egypt. Just five days before Herod died, he executed another son, Antipater, whom he earlier had designated as his heir. As the end drew near, Herod ordered prominent Jews from every part of the nation to appear in Jerusalem.   When they arrived, he had them imprisoned, and left orders that they be killed the moment he died. Herod knew that only in this way could he ensure national mourning rather than joy Matthew 2; Cf: Luke 1:5. Return to Matthew 1:24 Return to Matthew 2:7, Study B. The Wise Men From The East: Verses 1 & 2: Cf: ( verse 2, Note: King)   1 .Tradition calls them “kings” but the Bible does not. We will believe that God's designation is correct. They were men who were wise.          Note: They came to worship the King.   2. Notice: They were looking for the King of the Jews. We believe they were men who had heard about the Messiah from Daniel the prophet who was a captive in Babylon.   3. These men knew that the birth of the King was to be marked by a star. They were looking for that star. When it appeared, they followed it to Jerusalem where the King of the Jews would be born.   4. “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.” (Numbers 24:17 KJB).   5. We need to identify this Star. It was not an ordinary star you see twinkling in the night. Neither was it a combination of planets. This is all nonsense. The Bible fact. Angels are identified as “stars.”   6. For example: “And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.” (Revelation 9:1-2 KJB).   7. The Star of Matthew 2:2 was an angel of God sent to guide these men who were wise enough to be looking for the King of the Jews to be born.   8. When these men saw the “star” they left the orient and started on their long journey that would take them 18 to 20 months to arrive in Jerusalem.   9. By the time they arrived, Joseph, Mary and the King were at Joseph's home in Nazareth. Return to Matthew 2:1 C. Herod’s Inquiry: verse 3-7                  1. Herod was troubled when he heard that a King was born: verse 3   2. He summoned the chief priests and scribes to learn when the Christ (Messiah) was to be born: verse 4     3. Since the priests and scribes (scribes were those in charge of copying the Sacred Scriptures) knew Micah 5:2, and Daniel 9:25-27, they were able to inform Herod: verses 5-6.   4. Herod's next move was to summons the wise men once more to inquire when the star First appeared to them: verse 7.   5. Obviously, they would have given them the time of between 18 months and 22 months previously. This would involve the time it took them to get ready for the journey and then travel all of that distance after they First saw the star.   6. This means that the Baby would have been 18 to 22 months before the appearance of the wise men in Jerusalem.   D. Herod's Treachery: verse 8   1. Under the pretense of wanting to worship the new born King, he ordered the wise men to go to Bethlehem to find the King.   2. Note again: Joseph, Mary and the Baby were no longer in Bethlehem, but back home in Nazareth.   E. God's Divine Intervention: verses 9-10   1. After the wise men left Herod's palace, the Angel (Star) reappeared and led them, not to Bethlehem, but to Nazareth where Joseph, Mary and the Baby were now located.   2. Apparently, the wise men were suspicious of Herod. When they saw the Star, they were happy to follow it to their destination. Return to Matthew 2:1f F. A Word Of Explanation.                1. Turn to Luke 2:21-24.                2. Notice that male babies were to be circumcised on the 8th day.   Circumcision was a sign God gave to the Jews back in the days of Abraham (See Genesis 17:9-14). This identified the Hebrew male as being in a covenant relationship with God.   3. Joseph and Mary would have taken baby Jesus to Jerusalem on the 8th day after birth to be circumcised by the Hebrew priest.   4. In Luke 2:22, we are told that Mary observed the days of her purification according to the law of Moses. Next turn to the passage in Leviticus 12:1-8.   5. Note we are given the truth of circumcision on the 8th day. Then the mother must wait for an additional 33 days before bring an offering to Jerusalem.   6. This makes a total of 41 days from the date of birth. Next turn to Luke 2:39. After the completion of the 41 days, Joseph, Mary and the baby Jesus left for Nazareth. It takes about 5 days to travel from Jerusalem to Nazareth.   7. This means that Jesus would have been 46 days old when they returned home. The wise men did not arrive until Jesus was from 18 to 22 months of age. This is why Herod had all the boy babies killed from 24 months and under. When he determined when the Child was born, he calculated that if he killed all babies 24 months and under he would be sure the Christ Child would be killed. This clarifies why the wise men did not go to Bethlehem, but to Nazareth where the Child was. Return to Matthew 2:1 G. The Wise Men Arrive In Nazareth: verses 11-12:     1. Notice, they did not find a baby, but a young child. They come to a home not a manger.             2. Notice also, they did not worship Mary, but the Christ Child.                3. The wise men worship Him and give him gifts.   4. In passing note, this would have enabled Joseph and Mary to have the funds to travel to Egypt and live there until after Herod would die.   5. Note: How wonderful the Lord provides for us when we are doing His will.   6. Note also in verse 12, we are told that the wise men returned home another way This means they did not go back to Jerusalem, but went to Syria, north to Haran and then down the fertile crescent to their home in the East.                  7. How different, when we follow the Bible rather than tradition. Return to Matthew 2:12 H. Joseph, Mary and Jesus Travel To Egypt: Verses 13-15   1. Note once again the angel of the Lord gives instructions to travel to Egypt to protect the Christ Child: verse 13.   2. Note: there was a second reason. God was going to see that prophecy was fulfilled.   3. In Hosea 11:1, God had promised He would call His Son out of Egypt. This was in fulfillment of that prophecy God's Word always comes to pass as God has promised: Verse 15.; See , Note 3. Return to Matthew 2:13-15   I. Herod's Treachery: verses 16-18               1. He has all the male babies 24 months and under killed.                 2. Notice again this was the fulfillment of prophecy.          3. See Jeremiah 31:15. Return to Matthew 2:13-15   J. The Family Returns Home To Nazareth: Verses 19-23.   1. Note again it is under the direction of the Lord, not their own idea: verses 19-22   2. Notice also that all of this was in fulfillment of the Lord's Word given in the Old Testament.                 3. See Jeremiah 23:5-6; Zechariah 6:12; Isaiah 11:1                  4. The Word, BRANCH, is also the Hebrew word for Nazareth.   Return to Matthew 2:19-23