Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What Does Matthew Chapter 2 Mean?

Jesus has been born to Mary, who is now married to Joseph, after the couple was informed of His miraculous birth by angelic messages (Matthew 1:18–25). Chapter 1 explained the genealogy and conception of Christ. Chapter 2 describes crucial moments in His infancy. Chapter 3 will resume the narrative after a long gap, picking back up when Jesus is an adult.

A group of wise men from the east arrives in Jerusalem, some time after Jesus is born. These men are labelled using the Greek term magoi, which in Persian and Babylonian culture referred to those who studied astronomy, prophecy, medicine, and religion—some also dabbled in sorcery and fortune telling. These particular wise men are on a quest, and what they seek is troubling news to King Herod: they look for someone “born king of the Jews.” The scholars have come in response to some astronomical sign, which they call “his star.” Though they are not Jewish, these men apparently studied ancient Jewish Scriptures, and so they began their search in Jerusalem (Matthew 2:1–4).

King Herod summons local religious leaders and asks them where the Scriptures say the Christ—a term derived from the Hebrew word for Messiah—would be born. They know the Scriptures well and quickly tell Him that the Promised One will be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Herod is careful, but secretive, in asking the wise men when they first saw this sign. He then directs them to Bethlehem to find the child. In a blatant lie, he claims his intent is to worship this new king (Matthew 2:5–8).

Whether or not the wise men originally saw a comet, planet, or supernova, what they see next is all-but-certainly supernatural. They once again see a guiding star, this time moving south, guiding them directly. The men arrive at the home where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are staying in Bethlehem. Overjoyed, the wise men worship the child, presenting Him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Each of these gifts is practical and valuable, as well as carrying prophetic meaning. Despite Herod’s command, the men leave town secretly by an alternate route—they’ve been warned in a dream not to go back to the evil ruler (Matthew 2:9–12).

Once again, Joseph receives direction from God, through an angel, in a dream. He must take Jesus and Mary and go to Egypt to escape Herod’s plan to kill the child Jesus. In this context, “Egypt” means the territory outside of Herod’s authority, whose borders were a few day’s journey away. The emphasis of this command is on haste, not distance; the family must leave while Herod still has no idea who they are. They leave that night, settling for a time in Egyptian territory, waiting to be called back by the angel when Herod has died (Matthew 2:13–15).

Herod realizes the wise men have left the area without telling him where the Christ child is. Furious, Herod sends men to kill all male babies in Bethlehem, two years old and younger. This contingency was Herod’s reason to ask about the appearance of the wise men’s sign. Knowing when his rival was born narrowed down possible targets. Herod’s massacre aims to prevent the child from taking the throne from Herod and his sons. Herod doesn’t know that the child and family have already left town. Matthew connects the slaughter of the babies to a prophecy by Jeremiah about the weeping of Rachel for her children (Matthew 2:16–18).

After Herod dies, Joseph has two more dreams. First the angel tells him it is safe to return to Israel because those who wanted to kill Jesus are dead. When Joseph gets to Israel, he is concerned about the cruel and unpredictable son of Herod who now reigns over Judea. Through another dream, God sends Joseph and Mary to their hometown of Nazareth in the region of Galilee, ruled over by a more stable son of the Herod family. Just as Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem fulfilled prophecies about the birthplace of the Christ, His childhood in Nazareth fulfills another prophecy about the Messiah being known as a Nazarene (Matthew 2:19–23).

Verse By Verse

Verse 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,

Matthew identifies Jesus’ birthplace as Bethlehem of Judea. We know from Luke’s gospel that Joseph and Mary traveled from where they lived—Nazareth, in Israel’s northern region of Galilee—to the small town of Bethlehem outside of Jerusalem. As a descendant of King David, Joseph had to report in at Bethlehem for the purpose of a required government census (Luke 2:1–4). The significance of Jesus’ birth in this specific town is revealed in the following verses.

Jesus’ birth occurred during the reign of King Herod, also called Herod the Great. Herod’s kingship is entirely artificial. The Romans often installed a local ruler over people they had conquered. Under their authority, Herod ruled as king over Israel from 37–4 BC, according to most scholars. Jesus was born near the end of his reign.

Herod accomplished great things as king over Israel, including the restoration of the magnificent temple in Jerusalem. He was also ruthless, especially near the end of his life. He killed his wife, several sons, and many other relatives to protect his own power. His approach to news of a newborn “king of the Jews” will follow that pattern (Matthew 2:16–18).

We know very little about the wise men, sometimes called “Magi,” who came from the east looking for the newborn king of the Jews. The New Testament describes them using the Greek term magoi. At this time in history, the word was used to describe those skilled in astrology, magic, interpreting dreams, and the like. Some were honest spiritual seekers, while others, apparently, became known as scam artists.

Scholars suggest that the “wise men” Matthew describes could have come from as far away as Babylon, Persia, or the Arabian desert.

Verse 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

In the previous verse, Matthew identified the place and timing of Jesus’ birth. He was born in Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem. He was born during the reign of Herod the Great, king of conquered Israel, installed under the authority of the occupying Romans.

Scripture described the arrival of wise men—or “Magi”—in Jerusalem from the east. During this era, the Greek word magoi described men educated in astrology, magic, dreams, and esoteric wisdom. Now Matthew reveals their quest: These wise men are looking for a newly born king of the Jews. They expect to find Him because of seeing a specific star rise in the night sky, and they believe Him to be an important king. They have come to worship and revere Him.

Most of the traditions surrounding this group of wise men are only that: traditions, not details from Scripture. Tradition suggests there were three of them, but the Bible never specifies a number. This assumption is probably due to the three gifts that are mentioned later (Matthew 2:11). It is likely they traveled with a larger group of servants, in any case. Contrary to the common theme of miniature nativity sculptures, these men do not arrive on the night of Jesus birth (Matthew 2:16).

Tradition also came to suggest that the wise men were kings of a sort. This may be assumed by some, because Old Testament passages speak of Jesus being worshiped by kings (Psalm 68:29; Isaiah 49:7). However, the Gospels do not describe these men as “kings.”

Some scholars speculate the wise men came from the region of Babylon, as there was a Jewish community there. The men were likely Gentiles—non-Jews—themselves, but they seem to know Jewish Scriptures and may see this event as the fulfillment of prophecy about the Jewish Messiah. They may have connected the rise of this star with Messiah’s birth, in part, because of Numbers 24:17, which says, “a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.”

Much speculation has been made about the nature of the “star” the wise men tracked. It’s crucial to remember that modern people use different categories than ancient cultures. The term “star” in that day applied to virtually any bright point of light in the night sky. As a result, it’s possible that whatever the wise men saw to inspire their quest was a conjunction of planets, a supernova, or a comet. Scripture does not specify what, exactly, these men first saw.

Later, these same men follow what appears to be a re-appearance of this “star,” which leads them directly to Jesus (Matthew 2:9). That occurrence, at least, appears to be explicitly supernatural. We simply cannot know for sure, since the Bible does not say.

Ultimately, such details are beside the point. What matters is that these men were looking for a prophesied king that had already been born. They followed signs and found Him. That connection to prophecy is what spurs King Herod to take terrible action in the following verses (Matthew 2:16–18).

Verse 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

Matthew has described a significant event in Jerusalem. Men from the east described as “wise men” or “Magi” have arrived on a quest, likely with a large company of their own. The Greek word magoi was a general term name for those interested in dreams, astrology, and obscure wisdom. These wise men, though, knew about Israel’s Scriptures. They specifically knew of about prophecies related to the Messiah, a long-awaited king who would save Israel and reign over her.

When they arrived in Jerusalem asking where the newborn king was so they could worship Him, it got Herod’s attention. Herod was Israel’s king-in-practice, thanks only to the authority of the occupying Romans. Herod was technically Jewish, though historical records suggest he was also an Idumean: a descendant of Esau and the Edomites, who opposed Israel. He was familiar enough with Israel’s God and the old prophecies to know how influential they could be on the rest of the people.

Instead of being excited about the possibility that the Messiah, also known as the Christ, had been born in Israel, Herod was troubled. All of Jerusalem was troubled with him. We’re not told exactly why others were worried as well, but Herod was known as a man willing to kill anyone to protect his own power. He’d done exactly that to his own family members. Religious and civil rulers in Jerusalem may also have been protective of their power and status, even under the rule of the Romans.

Verse 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

King Herod and all of Jerusalem are troubled. Wise men from the east had arrived in Jerusalem looking for the newborn “king of the Jews.” This was inspired by tracking of a star in the sky and the wise men’s understanding of the Old Testament Scriptures. Those Scriptures pointed to the birth of a “Christ” or “Messiah” who would save Israel and rule over the nation. They had come to give reverence to this long-awaited king.

King Herod was troubled by this news for two reasons. First, he knew all about these prophesies. Israelites grew up being taught about the coming “Christ,” a king over Israel who would make all things right again. Any rumor of a born king, or savior, would be extremely powerful among the Jewish people.

The second reason Herod was troubled is that he didn’t want that Christ to come to power while he was king. Herod was not king by birth, but through the installment of the Roman government. We know from history that Herod killed many of his own relatives, including his wife and several sons, to protect his power. He decides to try and stop this newborn king from coming to power.

History describes Herod as ruthless and cruel, but certainly not stupid. His attempt to eliminate this potential threat is clever and subtle. His first step is to assemble the chief priests and scribes. These two groups probably did not like Herod or each other. They resented Herod for his role as a supporter of the conquering Romans. Many may have seen him as a traitor, benefiting from Israel’s occupation. The two groups resented each other for deeply held theological differences. Most of the scribes were Pharisees, while most of the priests were Sadducees.

Herod overrules these differences, because he needs these groups to answer one question from Israel’s Scriptures: Where is the Christ to be born? They have a clear answer for him in the following verses. Using that, and the wise men’s own information, Herod will have several options for finding and killing this child (Matthew 2:8, 12, 16).

Verse 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

King Herod was troubled. The wise men who had arrived from the east came seeking something very important to the Jewish people. If they are right, the long-awaited Christ had been born in Israel. Clearly, this is not something Herod entirely believes. At least, not in the sense that he has faith in God or His salvation. Rather, he is worried that those ideas can make this child a threat to his rule. So, instead of rejoicing, Herod sets out to stop that child from growing into a man who could undo his power.

Herod’s actions show he recognized the Old Testament Scriptures as a valuable source of information. He at least recognized the influence they had in Israel. He called together the chief priests and scribes—the ones who knew Israel’s Scriptures best—to answer a prophecy question: Where is the Messiah to be born?

Israel’s religious leaders knew their Scriptures. In the following verse, they will quote the passage that answers Herod: Christ was to be born in Bethlehem. If the wise men are correct in their reading of the stars and the Jewish Scriptures, that’s where they should look in order to honor the newborn Christ.

Herod has his own scheme for what to do if they find this boy. That includes a back-up plan in case the wise men don’t follow through (Matthew 2:7, 16).

Verse 6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;for from you shall come a rulerwho will shepherd my people Israel.’”

Herod has asked Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem where is the prophesied Christ is to be born? To their understanding, the Christ, or the Messiah, was the promised and long-awaited Savior of Israel who would free the people and rule over the nation. Matthew has already hinted at the difference between their expectation and the truth. He quoted the angel telling Joseph that Jesus would “save His people from their sins” with no mention of their earthly enemies (Matthew 1:21).

Now the scribes and priests quote the source of their answer that the Christ will be born in Bethlehem of Judea. Matthew’s version of this prophecy comes from a paraphrase combining Micah 5:2 and 2 Samuel 5:2. It says that the small town of Bethlehem is greater than its size because of the ruler who will be born there, as David was. Matthew emphasizes that the ruler will shepherd the people of Israel.

Herod now had somewhere to send the Magi from the east to look for the newborn “king of the Jews.” He also had a plan for that child if they turned out to be right and found Him there (Matthew 2:16). Herod’s priority was to protect his own power, even from the fulfillment of God’s prophecy about Israel’s Savior.

Verse 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.

Two agendas are at work in this passage. One is open and honest. The wise men from east have been convinced by Jewish prophecy and a strange star in the night sky that the Christ, the “King of the Jews,” has been born in Israel. They have travelled far to honor and pay homage to Him (Matthew 2:1–2).

The second agenda belongs to Herod, reigning king of the Jews under the authority of Rome. His full intent will only become clear later in the story (Matthew 2:16). If the Christ has really been born, Herod wants to find Him and kill Him to protect his own power. He has enough belief in God’s prophecy to fear it from coming true, but not enough faith to trust God to do what is best for Israel.

Now Herod calls the wise men to come and see him “secretly.” Herod is scheming, taking advantage of the wise men, and his instinct is to keep everything as quiet as possible without giving away his plan. His question for the wise men is about when the star first appeared in the night sky. Herod assumes the appearance of this strange star would coincide with the birth of the Christ the wise men have come to find. His purpose for asking this becomes clear later: He wants to narrow down the description of the potential rival.

The answer given by the wise men is not recorded. Scholars speculate that if the wise men had come from Babylon, as some suppose, the trip to Jerusalem may have taken about 40 days. If they left soon after the star appeared, and if that’s exactly when Jesus was born, perhaps two months or so have passed. Then again, it might have been much longer. The men might have needed time to investigate the star, come to a conclusion, prepare for a journey, and then make their way to Jerusalem. Herod will later kill children as old as two years in hopes of killing the Messiah.

In any case, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus are no longer in the stable described as Jesus’ birthplace in Luke 2. They are now living in a house in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:11).

Verse 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”

Historical sources outside of the Bible fill in details about Herod the Great, also known as Herod I. He went to great lengths to protect his power, as Israel’s king installed under the authority of Rome. He killed his wife, several sons, and many others to eliminate any risk to his position as Israel’s chief ruler.

Herod’s actions show he received news from travelling wise men about a “king of the Jews” born in Israel as a threat. Growing up as a Jewish man, he knew all about the promised Messiah who would come to save and rule over Israel. Instead of being glad at the possibility, Herod acted to protect his throne.

The religious leaders have identified Bethlehem as the prophesied birthplace of the Christ (Matthew 2:4–5), and the wise men have given Herod an idea about the child’s approximate age by describing when the strange star they have tracked appeared in the sky (Matthew 2:7). Now Herod sends them off to Bethlehem to find the boy, blatantly lying as he does so. Herod claims he wants to worship the Christ, as well. He tells them to go and search diligently and let him know as soon as they find the child.

Why didn’t Herod go with them, or send his own guards to Bethlehem to make sure he found the child himself? Perhaps he wasn’t convinced there really was a child but wanted to be sure. More likely, he didn’t want to raise suspicion among these travelers that he wanted to kill the boy. After all, why would they not let him know if they found the future “King of the Jews”?

Verse 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.

The wise men, or “Magi,” been sent out by Israel’s Rome-installed king, Herod, to find the newborn and long-awaited Christ. Based on their study of Jewish Scripture and the appearance of a strange star in the night sky, they are convinced that the prophesied “King of the Jews” has been born. They came first to Jerusalem looking for the child, perhaps assuming that’s where a king would be born. Herod has pointed them to Bethlehem instead, based on the prophecies quoted to him by Israel’s religious leaders (Matthew 2:1–8).

Bethlehem is only six miles south of Jerusalem. As the wise men set off, Herod’s lead is confirmed by the reappearance of the star they have been tracking. The star rises in the sky and leads them to the place where the child Jesus was. Not all scholars agree about how to interpret these details. Scripture does not specify if the star was bright enough to be seen in the daytime, if the wise men and their entourage made a short trip by night. We are not told if the star “settled” over Bethlehem generally, requiring them to ask around about a child born under unusual circumstances. Nor does it say if the star was a ball of light very close to the ground, literally floating above a specific house.

Details aside, this specific appearance of the “star” appears to be a truly supernatural phenomenon, perhaps an angel. The first appearance of the star might have been an astrological event. This, however, seems far more specific and not easily explained with natural means. Whatever specific form the star took, the wise men are convinced it is leading them to the king of the Jews.

Verse 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.

Matthew stops to describe the emotional state of these wise men from the east who have travelled to find the newly born “King of the Jews.” Based on a study of prophetic Jewish Scriptures and especially the appearance of a strange star in the night sky, they became convinced that the ancient promise of a savior for Israel had been fulfilled. They did not find the child in Jerusalem, but they did get a new lead: Herod the Great himself had checked with Israel’s prophecy experts and sent the wise men on to Bethlehem. Now, though, that lead had been confirmed by the reappearance of the star they had been tracking all along. It, too, pointed to Bethlehem and, in one way or another, to the very house in which the child could be found (Matthew 2:1–9).

Why were these foreign, Gentile men with a keen interest in astronomy and astrology so excited about this? For one, it proved their quest was valid. They had been right and had not wasted their time in setting out to find this child. On another level, however, these men seemed also to believe in the Jewish Scriptures and that this child would save Israel. They rejoiced at the prospect of seeing Him in person, even as a child.

Verse 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

The previous verse tells us how joyful the wise men, or “Magi,” were at fulfilling their quest to find the child they knew as the long-prophesied “King of the Jews.” We don’t have any details as to whether they understood Jesus to be the Son of God, or if they had any inkling of how He might save or reign over Israel. They were men who were deeply interested in astrology and astronomy and ancient prophecies and, perhaps, dreams and supernatural happenings.

What we do know is they believed Jesus to be a true and significant king whose birth fulfilled prophecy. They understood Him to be the Christ of Israel and worthy of worship, at least in the sense of paying homage due to a royal superior. Some scholars believe these men were kings of some sort, because their actions here may fulfill prophecies found in the Old Testament (Psalm 68:29; Psalm 72:10–11; Isaiah 60:6; Isaiah 49:7).

This moment does not happen at the stable on the night Jesus was born. Tradition, especially miniature sculptures from nativity scenes, places the wise men in the stable worshipping Jesus in His manger (Luke 2:7). However, the Bible indicates that several months to as long as two years have passed since that night. By now, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus have settled into a house in Bethlehem, though Joseph’s hometown is in Nazareth in the northern part of Israel known as Galilee.

The wise men fall down before the child in a gesture of deep respect and submission. Jesus is with Mary, his mother, but their worship is clearly specified as being for Christ alone. They produce the extremely valuable gifts they have brought with them and place them before Jesus. Giving gifts to a king or other superior was a common Middle Eastern practice and a sign of great respect.

The gifts included gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Frankincense is a gum or resin that glitters and was used for religious incense to create a specific aroma. Myrrh also had a strong smell and was used for perfume and embalming. All three gifts were quite costly. Fortunately, these would have greatly helped Joseph and Mary to fund their emergency trip to Egypt to flee from Herod (Matthew 2:13).

This particular text does not connect these gifts to any specific symbolism. However, many scholars and commentators have done so. It’s likely that gold represents Jesus’ royalty. Frankincense would symbolize His divinity and priesthood. Myrrh would foreshadow His death and resurrection.

Verse 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

The wise men had fulfilled their quest. They had found the Christ of Israel, the child born to be the “King of the Jews.” Their study of the Jewish Scriptures and their tracking of a strange star had been validated at last by the opportunity to worship this long-promised savior of Israel (Matthew 2:1–2).

Their arrival in Jerusalem, however, had alerted the current political king to a potential threat to his own power. He sent the Magi to Bethlehem to find the child with instructions to let him know if they did so. He claimed to want to worship the boy himself (Matthew 2:3–8). His true motives become clear in the following verses. Herod wants to eliminate even the possibility of a threat to his own Rome-backed reign over Israel.

The wise men might have been entirely unaware of this plot by Herod. Based on this verse, they probably planned to go straight back to Herod and announce they had found the new “King of the Jews.” God interrupted that plan in a similar way to his interference in Joseph’s plan to break off his betrothal to Mary when he learned she was pregnant: a dream (Matthew 1:20).

We’re not told whether an angel was involved in this dream or how many of the wise men experienced it. All we know is that it was convincing enough to cause them to leave town without returning to Jerusalem or King Herod. The wise men not only kept Jesus’ location secret from Herod, they left secretly so he would not even know how long they had been gone.

God supernaturally intervened to protect Jesus during His youth, and He will do so again in the following verse.

Verse 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”

It must have been enormously confirming for Mary and Joseph, and perhaps confusing, when wealthy Gentile wise men from the east showed up at their door to worship their child Jesus as a king. Both Mary and Joseph had been visited by angels with messages about Jesus’ identity and purpose (Matthew 1:18–20; Luke 1:34–35). Still, the arrival of outsiders who also believed this must have bolstered their faith about what God was doing in their lives.

Mary and Joseph would need faith to carry them through what was coming. After the wise men left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in yet another dream. This time, the news was troubling. Joseph’s new mission was to take Jesus and Mary and run away to Egypt. The wicked king wants to destroy their child! Herod had been alerted by the wise men’s quest that a “King of the Jews” had been born in Israel. He clearly understood this to be a reference to the promised and long-awaited Messiah who would save Israel and rule over the nation. Instead of welcoming the idea of Israel’s savior sent from God, he decided to try to eliminate the threat to his power and throne. The only way to do that was to kill the boy (Matthew 2:16–18).

In this context, “Egypt” means nearby territories such as the Nile Delta, where Herod had no authority. The family is ordered to stay in Egypt until this angel tells them it is safe to return to Israel.

The next verse shows that Joseph’s faith held strong. He once again believed and obeyed.

Verse 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt

Joseph has now seen an angel of the Lord in two powerful dreams. In both he was given specific instructions from God. The first time, God told him to go through with his marriage to Mary even though she was pregnant (Matthew 1:20). Joseph learned that the child she carried was from the Holy Spirit and would save His people from their sins. The boy was Immanuel, “God with us.”

Joseph obeyed immediately. Instead of breaking off the betrothal or even waiting for the betrothal time to be finished he took Mary into his home immediately as his wife, though he did not consummate their relationship until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:24–25). They settled for a time in Bethlehem until one day a group of wise men and a large entourage showed up at their house. The impressive travelling wise men worshiped their son as a king and gave Him expensive gifts (Matthew 2:11–12).

After they left, the angel returned to Joseph in a dream with new instructions: Run to Egypt. Herod wants to kill the child. Alerted by the wise men, Herod saw Jesus as a potential threat to his throne. To protect his power, he would kill the boy.

Again, Joseph demonstrates his faith by obeying immediately. He packed up Jesus and Mary and left for Egypt by night. Travelling by night not only provided the cover of darkness to the young family, it also shows how urgent Joseph was to obey God and protect his family. It’s likely the gifts of the wise men helped pay for this unexpected journey. Joseph and Mary likely saw this as another evidence that God was providing for and protecting them.

In that era, Bethlehem was around a one- or two-day trip from the borders of Herod’s authority. Crossing that boundary to the south would put the family in Egypt. Going further would take them to the Nile Delta, where there was a large Jewish community. So an emergency escape into Egypt was a logical choice. It was still a Roman province, but it was outside of Herod’s control. Many Jewish people lived in Egypt.

This experience of fleeing to Egypt for safety echoed the experience of the early Israelites who fled to Egypt from famine on several occasions (Genesis 12:10; 42:1–2), eventually becoming slaves to the Egyptians (Exodus 1:8–11).

Verse 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Herod, the king of Israel under the authority of Rome, wanted to kill the baby Jesus. He knew nothing of Jesus, personally. Nor did he know how His parents were. All Herod knew was that he wanted to kill the one the wise men called the newly born “king of the Jews,” the promised Messiah of Israel. Herod received this news not as a reason to celebrate, but as a threat to His own power (Matthew 2:3– 8).

Warned by an angel in a dream (Matthew 2:13), Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt until Herod died. At that time, the Roman provinces of Egypt were around two day’s journey from Bethlehem. This was outside of Herod’s reach. Further into Roman-controlled Egypt was the Nile Delta, which had a large population of Jewish people.

Matthew cites Hosea 11:1, where God says, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” God called Jesus out of Egypt in the sense that Joseph waited to receive a message from the Lord that it was safe to return (Matthew 2:19–20). Matthew presents this as a fulfillment of Hosea’s words about God calling Israel out of Egypt. This further deepens the connection between Jesus and God’s people, Israel, as Christ’s life on earth echoes the nation’s historical path.

Context Summary
Matthew 2:13–15 tells how Joseph, Mary, and Jesus ended up in Egypt. In this context, ”Egypt” means the territories beyond Herod’s control, such as the Nile Delta. After the wise men leave Bethlehem, an angel of the Lord appears in Joseph’s dreams once more with specific instructions. He is ordered to take the family to Egypt. Herod wants the child dead, so they are not to return until Herod dies and the angel gives them further direction. Joseph obeys, leaving in haste to reach territory outside of Herod’s control. Matthew connects Jesus’ return from Egypt to Hosea 11:1, where the prophet speaks of God calling His son Israel out of Egypt.

Verse 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.

The wise men, or “Magi,” had travelled a great distance to arrive in Jerusalem with startling news: The “king of the Jews,” the long-foretold Messiah, had been born. Learning from Israel’s religious leaders that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, King Herod had sent the wise men there to find Him with one instruction: “As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him” (Matthew 2:1–8).

Herod, of course, did not wish to worship, but to kill Jesus and eliminate the threat to his own power. God warned the wise men in a dream not to go back to Herod, after all. They took another way out of Israel (Matthew 2:12). Joseph, also warned about Herod in a dream, took Jesus and Mary away to Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath (Matthew 2:13).

Only then did Herod realize that he had been “tricked” or “outwitted” by the wise men leaving the country without talking to him first. By leaving without even telling him, and by taking another path, they eliminated any chance Herod would be able to trace the location of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. The fact that Herod had set out to trick them probably contributed to his anger.

Herod might have been vicious and cruel, but he wasn’t stupid. Possibly as a back-up plan, Herod had already asked the wise men when they’d seen the star arise in the sky (Matthew 2:7). The wise men’s answer gave him an estimate of when the baby may have been born based on when the star they were tracking first appeared in the sky. To be cautious, Herod had all the male children in and around Bethlehem, who were two years old and under, killed.

It’s a sad commentary on human history that the murder of children could be a forgotten footnote in secular history. As awful as this event is, it would not have been especially noteworthy to people outside of Judea at that time. Scholars suggest this may have included two or three dozen boys, at the very most. Bethlehem was not a large town, and such acts were not unheard of. This act is reported only in the Bible, but it fits with what is known about Herod from other historical sources. The ruthless king was famous for killing his own wives and even some of his own children to protect his power. Killing all the baby boys in a small town would not have been a stretch for him. Nor would it have been something other historians would have seen as especially important, at the time.

Because of God’s intervention and the obedience of the wise men and Joseph, Jesus escaped this slaughter.

Verse 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

Matthew has described Herod’s brutal act of killing every boy in and around Bethlehem who was two years old and younger. His goal was to eliminate the one son whom wise men had described as a the “king of the Jews.” Since Herod did not know which one might be the long-promised Messiah, he killed them all (Matthew 2:16).

Bethlehem was a small town, and scholars suggest the number of boys killed may have been somewhere between 10 and 30. This was not a large city, and there would not have been an extremely large number of families. Most, however, likely had one or two children in this age range. The grieving in Bethlehem would have been intense, and Matthew will quote from Jeremiah 31:15 in the following verse to connect the event to a specific moment in Israel’s history.

Verse 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,weeping and loud lamentation,Rachel weeping for her children;she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Herod’s act of killing all the baby boys, age two and under, in and around Bethlehem was monstrous for two reasons. First, of course, Herod’s act was a vicious and cold-blooded massacre. He stole from Bethlehem as many as 30 baby boys, according to scholars. The grieving of those people was intense, and Matthew quotes from Jeremiah 31:15 to connect their tears to another moment of weeping in Israel’s history.

Rachel is often cited as a representation of the mothers of Israel. Jeremiah described the nation’s weeping and loud crying for the death and departure of Israel’s children at the time of the Babylonian Captivity in 586 BC. Some hope is found in the quote from Jeremiah: despite the grieving of that moment, Israel survived. In the same way, Jesus survived the attempt to end His life, amid the weeping in Bethlehem for the babies killed by Herod.

Beyond the atrocity itself, Herod was blatantly attempting to destroy God’s chosen Messiah. He seemed to have believed the wise men, on some level, when they said the long-promised “king of the Jews” was born. Herod saw God’s provision of a savior as a threat to his own power instead of the answer to Israel’s prayer. He attempted to kill the Messiah before the Messiah could take his throne.

Verse 19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Joseph experiences some of the most direct revelations from God of any character in the Gospels. Each revelation came with specific instructions for what he should do and how he should do it. Each involved the appearance of an angel of the Lord in a dream. This is the third of four such experiences.

This dream came after the death of Herod in Israel. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were living in Egypt, perhaps among one of the Jewish settlements in the region. Judea was a Roman province, ruled by Herod and his family. Egypt, likewise, was Roman territory, under different local governors. God had sent them outside the reach of Herod through the message of an angel in an earlier dream. Though part of the Roman empire, Egypt was far outside of Herod’s jurisdiction, and too far for him to discover that someone had survived his massacre of infants (Matthew 2:16).

Verse 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child ‘s life are dead.”

For the third time, an angel of the Lord is appearing to Joseph in a dream. Unlike the other visions, this would have been a message Joseph was expecting. On the last visit from an angel, Joseph had been told to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to protect the child from Herod’s murderous rage. The angel said he would let Joseph know when it was safe to come back home to Israel (Matthew 2:13).

Now that time has come, so the angel has returned to Joseph’s dreams. Those who wanted Jesus killed are now dead themselves (Matthew 2:19). With Herod gone, and Jesus having escaped the massacre of the infants (Matthew 2:16–18), there is no longer an explicit threat to Jesus’ life. The angel commands Joseph to go back to Israel. When he arrives, one more dream will tell Joseph where to settle his family as they continue to raise Jesus (Matthew 2:22–23).

Verse 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.

Joseph believed and obeyed God repeatedly. It could not have been easy to serve as the earthly father to the Son of God. The circumstances of Jesus’ conception were controversial (Matthew 1:19–20). His birth was difficult and dramatic (Luke 2:1–7). The family even had to flee for their lives (Matthew 2:13–14)—all for a child who was not Joseph’s own flesh and blood.

Scripture never gives any hint that Joseph hesitated to fulfill the role of protector and provider for Jesus. He immediately obeyed the commands to marry Mary, though she was pregnant. He dutifully packed up and left town immediately to live in foreign Egypt. Now, he returns from Egypt to Israel when commanded to do so by an angel in another dream.

Joseph is rarely given credit for the pivotal role he played in the life of Christ. Part of this, at least, is because he is not mentioned in the gospels after Jesus’ youth. More than likely, he was older than Mary and had passed away before Jesus began His active ministry. Still, Joseph was clearly a man of faith and devotion to God’s will. He followed the Lord’s direction, despite what it cost in terms of his public reputation and lifestyle.

Verse 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.

King Herod, known as Herod the Great, has died, and an angel of the Lord has directed Joseph to take Jesus and Mary back to Israel (Matthew 2:19–21). The dire threat has passed. Joseph, though, detects a new threat once he is back in the land. He learns that one of Herod’s sons, Archelaus, rules over Judea which is where Bethlehem is located. The thought of living directly under the rule of Herod’s son would have made Joseph nervous, for good reasons.

Instead of passing his kingdom over to one son, Herod divided it into three parts. With Rome’s approval, he gave one part to each of three of his sons. Archelaus was given Judea, Samaria, and Idumea to rule on behalf of the Roman Empire. Archelaus was known to be ruthless and cruel, like his late father. Joseph’s fear of settling under his reign was validated when he received one last direction from the Lord in a dream: to settle in the northern part of Israel, instead.

Northern Israel, including Galilee and Perea, was ruled by Herod Antipas, while Herod Philip ruled over Iturea, Trachonitis, and other areas. Joseph settled Mary and Jesus in Galilee, where he had lived previously and under the rule of the more reasonable Herod Antipas. In the meantime, Archelaus ruled so badly that he was banished from Israel in AD 6. He was replaced for a time by a procurator rather than one of Herod’s sons. Jesus grew up in Galilee, though, under the reign of Antipas.

Verse 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.

In obedience to the Lord’s direction and out of concern about living under the reign of Herod the Great’s ruthless son Archelaus, Joseph settled down in the northern region of Galilee in the town of Nazareth. According to Luke 1:26–27 and Luke 2:39, Joseph and Mary were both from Nazareth, so they were returning to their hometown.

Jesus, then, grew up being known as a Nazarene—meaning someone from Nazareth—rather than as a Bethlehemite. Nazareth was not a big town. Some scholars estimate that the local population would have been between 200 and 1600 people in Jesus’ early years. Nazareth did have a low reputation in Israel, however. When first learning of Jesus, the disciple Nathanael famously said, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). It would have been considered unimportant, low-class, and backwards to more sophisticated Jews.

Matthew adds that Jesus’ being known as a Nazarene was a fulfilment of what was spoken by the prophets. This is an interesting remark, since no known biblical prophecy says Messiah would come from Nazareth. However, many prophecies indicate He will be despised (Psalm 22:6; Isaiah 49:7; 53:3). Isaiah 11:1 refers to a “branch” coming from Jesse. The Hebrew term for “branch” is nē’ser and implies something lowly or common. Perhaps being from the despised town of Nazareth fulfilled those prophecies in Matthew’s eyes.

The fact that Jesus was known as being from Nazareth, rather than from Bethlehem, caused some to question how He could claim to be Messiah (John 7:41–42). The designation “Nazarene” causes confusion for a different reason today. Traditional views of Jesus have confused His upbringing as a “Nazarene” with the Old Testament vows of a “Nazarite” (Numbers 6:2–21), who would take vows including not cutting their hair. This confusion inspired the depiction of Jesus with unusually long hair in classical art.

Context Summary
Matthew 2:19–23 tells of Jesus’ childhood return to Israel after the death of King Herod. Joseph is alerted by an angel in a dream that Herod has died; nobody who wanted Jesus dead is still living. When they return, another message from God warns Joseph not to move back to Bethlehem, in Judea. Rather, he is to settle in his hometown of Nazareth in the region of Galilee. In that way, Jesus grows up as a citizen of Nazareth, fulfilling yet another prophecy.

Chapter Summary
King Herod is surprised and troubled by the arrival of wise men from the east. They have come looking for a newborn king of the Jews. Herod directs the men to Bethlehem to find the boy for him. The wise men find and worship Jesus. Rather than cooperating with the wicked Herod, the wise men slip away. An angel warns Joseph to flee to Egypt with his family before Herod kills all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger to protect his throne. After Herod’s death, an angel sends Joseph back to Israel and then God directs him to settle with Mary and Jesus in Nazareth in the region of Galilee.