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G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Matthew 2:1-23

The Kingdom was not ready for the King, so a reception for Him was not arranged and organized by those who should have been waiting for Him. They were in rebellion. The King's advent was heralded by a star, and a few subject souls of a nation other than the chosen were guided by it to the King, and, notwithstanding the poverty of His earthly surroundings, they poured out their gifts-gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The underworld of evil was moved to its center, and found vent through the false... read more

Robert Neighbour

Wells of Living Water Commentary - Matthew 2:1-12

How the First Christmas was Celebrated Matthew 2:1-12 INTRODUCTORY WORDS By way of introduction we are going to read a poem named "The Christmas Story" which was written several years ago. It is appropriate to the occasion, and to the theme. THE CHRISTMAS STORY In the vaulted skies of glory, Long before earth's ancient morn; There began this Christmas story, Christ was given to be born. In the garden, in the gloaming, God stepped forth with stately mien; Man had sinned, his God... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:1-11

Analysis (2:1-11). a When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to pay him homage” (Matthew 2:1-2). b And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where the Christ should be born (Matthew 2:3-4).... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:1-23

SECTION 2. THE BIRTH AND RISE OF JESUS THE MESSIAH (THE CHRIST) (1:18-4:25). In this section, following the introduction, Matthew reveals the greatness of Jesus the Christ. He will now describe the unique birth of Jesus, the homage paid to Him by important Gentiles, His exile and protection in Egypt followed by His subsequent bringing forth out of Egypt to reside in lowly Nazareth, His being drenched with the Holy Spirit as God’s beloved Son and Servant, His temptations in the wilderness which... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:3

‘And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.’ The arrival of such men in Jerusalem asking questions about a royal birth and speaking of a ‘King of the Jews’ would soon become known to Herod’s informers, and when the bloodthirsty Herod heard the news of the possibility of the birth of a young prince important enough to be heralded by a star, and bearing a title that he saw as his, he was greatly troubled, for he was superstitious enough to believe it. Indeed... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2. Three Incidents of Christ’ s Childhood. Matthew 2:1-2 Kings : . The Visit of the Magians.—“ The religion of the Magi well deserved the double honour of stimulating the growth of the doctrine of the Future Life in Judaism, and of offering the first homage of the Gentile world to the Redeemer” (J. H. Moulton, “ Magi,” HSDB). [See on the relations of this story to Magianism, J. H. Moulton’ s Early Zoroastrianism, pp. 282– 285. He says, “ The narrative might have been composed by a... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Matthew 2:3

Herod was hardly warm in his kingdom, and had taken Jerusalem by force, and was therefore much concerned to hear that there was a new King born; and supposing him to have been all his life acquainted with the Jewish writings and records, where were prophecies of the Messias under the notion of a King, and not knowing that the kingdom of the Messias was not to be of this world, but being possessed of the ordinary nation of the Jews, that the Messias should restore a temporal kingdom to Israel,... read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Matthew 2:1-8

CRITICAL NOTESMatthew 2:1. Born.—The birth of Jesus has been assigned to “the fourth year before the common account called Anno Domini.” But Rev. A. Carr (Cambridge Bible for Schools) says, “the year 3 before the Christian Era has been fixed almost beyond a doubt as the date of the Nativity.” Bethlehem of Judæa, situate on a limestone ridge, six miles from Jerusalem, south by west. Called Bethlehem of Judæa, to distinguish it from Bethlehem in Zebulon (Joshua 19:15). A very ancient place.... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:1-23

Chapter TwoNow when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king ( Matthew 2:1 ),This is Herod the Great, that little short monster. He was a little over four feet tall, and as really short little guys probably suffered a tremendous ego problem. And thus significantly everything he did was big. I mean, he built great fortresses out of great rocks. I stood next to a rock that is along the Western Wall in Jerusalem that Herod had built as a retaining wall, to build up the... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 2:1-23

Matthew 2:1 . Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as is illustrated in Micah 5:2. In the days of Herod the king, the son of Antipater, and father of Archelaus, who succeeded him on the throne. Herod, who was an Idumean, or an alien, is named here to indicate the time of our Saviour’s birth, and to show that the sceptre was departed from Judah, and from the Asmonæn family, who were often rulers, and honoured as descendants of David’s house. Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.... read more

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