Seeds for 04-21-2023 - Matthew 2:1-12
Scripture: “1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.
3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
Observation: One of the more stark observational tools is contrast. We see more when we set two alternatives next to one another. Here, the contrast is between the Magi and Herod. Let’s note a few points.
First, the magi are from a foreign land and are non-Jews, while Herod is the current king, right there in Jerusalem. This fact will heighten the coming tension all the more. That the magi are Gentiles continues to establish a theme already begun in chapter 1’s genealogy—that the Messiah, the king of the Jews, is God’s Savior for all the world.
Second, the magi have observed the natural world (the star) pointing them to a prominent birth, the “king of the Jews,” while Herod seems not to have noticed a thing. He’s caught completely off guard at their arrival and blissfully unaware of where to expect the Messiah to appear, relying on his advisors to brief him after the magi’s inquiry.
Third, Herod is “disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.” Ever seen how one really anxious, stirred up person can infect everyone else with reactivity and apprehension when they are on edge? When the king ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy. This, while the magi respond with delight—they are overjoyed at locating the baby Jesus.
Fourth, Herod responds with deception. Even though we are not yet aware of the depths of his evil, we know something is askew. But the the magi respond with devotion. They are genuine in their search and desire to offer Him their worship, including their gifts.
Both the magi and Herod recognize the significance of the appearance of the Messiah. But they have radically different responses to Him. No one in this passage is neutral about Jesus.
Application:
How might this contrast between the magi and Herod keep us from complacency regarding our response to Jesus?
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, you significance is seen in the radical responses of opposition and devotion. May I respond to you with the persistent devotion of the magi. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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How might this contrast between the magi and Herod keep us from complacency regarding our response to Jesus?
Herod was power hungry. He saw this young Messiah as a threat and as someone usurping his throne. Whereas, the magi where led by the promise of a greater King, the Messiah. It is interesting that the magi were from “foreign” lands....not Jews and therefore, gentiles. The Messiah, Jesus was sent for the salvation of all, not just God’s chosen people.