Matthew 2:7 - Printer Friendly

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

NIV: Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.

NASB: Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared.

CSB: Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared.

NLT: Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared.

KJV: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

NKJV: Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star 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).

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.