Matthew 2:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

NIV: "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written:

NASB: They said to him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

CSB: "In Bethlehem of Judea," they told him, "because this is what was written by the prophet:

NLT: In Bethlehem in Judea,' they said, 'for this is what the prophet wrote:

KJV: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

NKJV: So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus 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).

Matthew 2:1–12 describes the arrival in Jerusalem of a group of wise men, sometime after Jesus' birth. They are responding to the sight of a ''star'' in the night sky, leading them to conclude the ''king of the Jews'' had been born. King Herod is troubled by this news and sends them to Bethlehem. His deceitful orders are for the wise men to return and tell him where the child is. The travelling scholars are overjoyed to find the Christ, at last. They worship Him by bowing and presenting expensive gifts. Warned not to return to Herod, after all, they slip away by another route.

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.

Chapter 1 established the genealogy and miraculous conception of Jesus Christ. Sometime after Jesus' birth, a group of wise men from the east arrive in Jerusalem. They have been tracking a star that points to the birth of the king of the Jews. They find and worship Jesus, then leave without telling the wicked king, Herod, where to find the boy. Warned by an angel, Joseph flees with Jesus and Mary to Egypt before Herod orders the execution of all the boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger. When notified by an angel again, they return to Israel and settle in Nazareth, in the northern region of Israel known as Galilee. This leads into chapter 3, which leaps forward to Jesus' adulthood, and the ministry of John the Baptist.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.