Notes in the Second Chapter of Matthew

Matthew 2:1-4 - Nothing in the Bible states that these wise men were kings, as the Christmas carol and some traditions give.  Further, it is not necessarily "the three wise men" - there is no mention of their number.  Three is the number of gifts given, Matthew 2:11, not the number of men.  For "all Jerusalem" to be troubled with Herod (verse 3), there must have been very many wise men from the east converging on the city at once, making the people wonder.

Matthew 2:6 - The chief priests and scribes did not completely quote Micah 5:2.  They left out the part indicating that the Messiah is an eternal being.  Even today the Jews are not aware that the Messiah they still look for is to be God in the flesh, as their own scriptures indicate.

Matthew 2:11 - Notice the wise men were "come into the house" not into a stable or cave like the shepherds.  Notice they saw "the young child" not an infant.  This event may have been as much as two years after the birth of Christ, for Herod slew the children under two "according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men" in Matthew 2:16.

Matthew 2:18 - "...Rachel weeping for her children."  Bethlehem belonged to Judah, the son of Leah not Rachel.  But Rachel was buried here, Genesis 35:19.

Matthew 2:23 - "And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene."

There is no such direct statement in any Old Testament prophet, but Matthew is clear that he is not quoting directly from a prophet, for he says "the prophets," not a particular prophet he names.  He is summarizing what the prophets generally said about what the Messiah would be called by men.  We should understand what it means to be called "a Nazarene" - a branch considered worthless.  For example, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth" says Nathanael in John 1:46.  See Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary for explanation and Matthew Henry's commentary for beautiful application.  The Messiah is the "Branch" in Isaiah 11:1.  "Branch" in Hebrew is "netzer" from which Nazareth gets its name.  According to the prophets, the Messiah was to be "despised and rejected of men," Isaiah 53.  Thus, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

VM