Matthew 2:2 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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.”

NIV: 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.'

NASB: Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.'

CSB: saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him."

NLT: Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.'

KJV: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

NKJV: saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East 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).

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.