Advent 3 - Christmas Through The Eyes Of Matthew - Matthew 2:1-12

 


Matthew starts out his gospel with Jesus' genealogy that includes some of the different nations indicated by selected names included and he ends his gospel with, "Go therefore and makes disciples of all nations."(Matthew 28:18)  Matthew starts out his gospel with Jesus being called Immanuel meaning "God with us" and he ends his gospel with "And lo I will be with you always even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)  Matthew starts out his gospel with all of Jerusalem stirred by the magi's question "Where is He who is born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2:2) and he ends his gospel with a Palm Sunday entry of Jesus on a donkey and all of Jerusalem stirred asking "Who is this Man?" (Matthew 21:10)  

A revealing genealogy,  (Matthew 1:1-17)

a general man (Joseph),  (Matthew 1:18-25)

giving worshippers (the magi),  (Matthew 2:1-12)

an infant genocide,  (Matthew 2:13-18)

and a Galilean destination.  (Matthew 2:19-23)

The Davidic line, 

the demanding angel, 

the dusty magi, 

the demonic Herod, 

and the journey home delayed.  

The foreigners included, 

the step-father's simple obedience, 

the favors of the magi, 

the flood of tears, 

and the fear of the unknown.  

Enough alliteration.  It has been interesting to see what Matthew has included with the backdrop of knowing who he was primarily writing to, a Jewish audience.  This is further evidenced by Matthew's references back to the prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament.

The worship of the magi to Jesus stands out.  They travel and give of their time to worship the King of the Jews; they physically bow before the Holy One of God; and they return resources to the Creator of all.  They never take their eyes off of the One they were seeking.  The palace of King Herod would have been magnificent.  An audience with the high society of Jerusalem would have yielded all the luxuries of life.  "Let's just hang out here for awhile."  Their laser focus and physical endurance was evident as they travel south from Jerusalem to the little town of Bethlehem.

Their worship is described most vividly in Matthew 2:10.  "And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy."  They, in number (exceedingly) and size or volume (great), express their gladness over the sight of the star leading them to the King of the Jews.  May the rejoicing and the adoration of the magi for King Jesus be an example for us to display because we realize again who He is to us.

Adam



A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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