Matthew 2

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:1-23

C. The King’s childhood ch. 2There is nothing in chapter 2 that describes Jesus Himself. Therefore Matthew’s purpose was not simply to give the reader information about Jesus’ childhood. Rather he stressed the reception that the Messiah received having entered the world. The rulers were hostile, the Jewish religious leaders were indifferent, but the Gentiles welcomed and worshipped Him. These proved to be typical responses throughout Jesus’ ministry, as Matthew’s Gospel reveals. This literary... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:3-6

This news troubled Herod because he was very aware of the Jews’ desire to throw off the Roman yoke and his own rule in particular. Remember Pharaoh’s fear for his throne that also led to infanticide. Herod was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, and the prospect of a Jewish Messiah’s appearance was one he could not ignore. The rest of Jerusalem’s citizens became disturbed because they realized that this news from the Magi might lead Herod to take further cruel action against them. This is what... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:7-8

Evidently Herod summoned the Magi secretly to avoid arousing undue interest in their visit among Israel’s religious leaders (Matthew 2:7). He wanted to know when the star had appeared so he could determine the age of the child King.Under a pretext of desire to "worship" the new King, Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem as his representatives with orders to report what they found to him. His hypocritical humility deceived the wise men. He must have sensed this since he sent no escort with them but... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:9-12

Perhaps "the" star (Matthew 2:2), whatever it was, was so bright that the wise men could see it as they traveled in daylight. Travel at night was common to avoid the heat, so they may have made the five-mile trip south to Bethlehem at night. Nevertheless this would have been winter, so they probably traveled during daylight hours. [Note: Harold W. Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, pp. 25-26.] The star could have identified Bethlehem as the town where Jesus abode, and the... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:13

For the second time in two chapters we read that an angel from the Lord appeared with a message for Joseph (cf. Matthew 1:20). This indicates that the message had unusual importance.The order of the words "the child and His mother" is unusual. Normally the parent would receive mention before the child. This order draws attention again to the centrality of Jesus in the narrative.Egypt was a natural place of refuge at this time. Its border was just 75 miles from Bethlehem, though the nearest town... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:13-18

2. The prophecies about Egypt 2:13-18Matthew continued to stress God’s predictions about and His protection of His Messiah to help his readers recognize Jesus as the promised King. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:14-15

Herod died in 4 B.C. [Note: Hoehner, p. 13.] Josephus recorded that he died a horrible death, his body rotting away and consumed by worms. [Note: Josephus, Antiquities of . . ., 17:6:5; idem, The Wars . . ., 1:33.] His grandson, Herod Agrippa, later suffered a similar fate (Acts 12:23).As noted, Matthew frequently used the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies to show that Jesus was the Christ. Matthew 2:15 contains another fulfillment. This one is difficult to understand, however, because in... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:16-18

Some critical scholars discounted Matthew’s account of Herod’s slaughter of the Bethlehem children because there is no extrabiblical confirmation of it. However, Bethlehem was small, and many other biblically significant events have no secular confirmation, including Jesus’ crucifixion. One writer estimated that this purge would have affected only about 20 children. [Note: France, p. 85.] He believed that the total population of Bethlehem at this time was under 1,000. Compared to some of... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:19-20

God’s sovereign initiative is again the subject of Matthew’s record. This is the fourth dream and the third mention of the angel of the Lord appearing to Joseph in the prologue. The phrase "the land of Israel" occurs only here in the New Testament. Evidently Matthew used it since it recalls the promises and blessings God gave Jacob and his descendants. [Note: Toussaint, p. 56.] read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:19-23

3. The prophecies about Nazareth 2:19-23 (cf. Luke 2:39)Matthew concluded his selective account of the events in Jesus’ childhood that demonstrated His messiahship and illustrated various reactions to Him with Jesus’ return to Israel. read more

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:1-23

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:3-6

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:7-8

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:9-12

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:13

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:13-18

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:14-15

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:16-18

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:19-20

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 2:19-23

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