THE GOSPELS – The Magi from the East, Matthew 2:1-2

10 January 2025

We ended our study of the Gospels on 6 September 2024 discussing the Circumcision of JOHN THE BAPTIST AND YESHUA and the CIRCUMSISION OF THE HEART (Guarding our hearts against OFFENCE and UNFORGIVENESS)

And today we will commence studying Matthew chapter 2:1-12 the VISIT of the MAGI and we will focus on verses 1-2.

We are mainly reading from the Complete Jewish Study Bible – insight for Jews and Christians with cross references to other Bible versions. As well as the Nelson’s Foundational Bible Dictionary.

We are using the Hebrew names of God the Father, namely YHVH (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) where the word LORD is used in standard versions of the Bible and we will also use the description Heavenly Father and Abba Father.  We also use the Hebrew Name Yeshua the Messiah instead of the English Name Jesus Christ translated from the Greek.

Many people think that the MAGI visited Yeshua the Messiah when He was a newborn in Bethlehem, but it is estimated by most scholars that Yeshua was already around two years of age when they visited Him. It is however mentioned in Luke 2:1-6 that the Emperor Augustus issued an order for a census to be taken and Joseph, because he was a descendent of David, went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilea tot the town of David, called Bethlehem in Judea to be registered with Mary to whom he was engaged and who was pregnant with Yeshua and while they were there she gave birth to him.

We read in Matthew 2:1-2 “After Yeshua was born in Bet-Lechem (translated Bethlehem in English and meaning: “House of Bread”), in the land of JUDEA (where the tribe of Judah lived) during the time when Herod was king, MAGI from the EAST came to JERUSALEM and asked, ‘Where is the newborn KING OF THE JEWS? For we saw HIS STAR in the EAST and have come to WORSHIP HIM.”

Bethlehem is situated about 8 km from Jerusalem. It was formally called Ephratah in Genesis 35:16 & 19, 48:7 and Micha 5:2. Bethlehem is the ancestral home of king David, Israel’s favorite king and also the place where he was anointed by Samuel as king Saul’s successor. The name of Bethlehem meaning HOUUSE OF BREAD probably was due to the entire region as a grain-producing center In Old Testament times. It is appropriate that Yeshua the Messiah, WHO IS THE BREAD OF LIFE, was born in this town.

Herod was the FAMILY NAME of SEVERAL ROMAN RULERS who served as provincial governors of PALESTINE and surrounding regions during New Testament times. The FIRST Herod known as HEROD THE GREAT, was the ROMAN RULER of PALESTINE during the days of the ROMAN EMPEROR CEASAR AUGUSTUS when YESHUA was born in Bethlehem. All the other different HERODS mentioned in the New Testament were the SONS and GRANDSONS of this Herod. Read Luke 2:1-6.

The Study Bible explains that the Magi were not sorcerers or magicians, nor were they astrologers, although they did observe the stars. They were Jewish Sages (advisors, mentors), wise men of PERSIA. These wise men came from the Medio-Persian Empire of Babylon and many scholars agree that they were linked to the Prophet Daniel who in the Diaspora (the dispersion or scattering of the Jews after exile), waited for the time of return of the Messiah and the RESTORATION of ISRAEL. We also read the prophecy in Numbers 24:17 of the STAR that will come out of JACOB; a scepter (a staff or rod) will rise out of Israel.  And In Isaiah 60 we read the prophecy in verse 3 about nations that will go toward your LIGHT and in verse 6 about the Caravans of camels of Midian and Ephah (descendants from Abraham and Keturah, Abrahams wife after the death of Sarah, a nomadic people of northwestern Arabia) and all from Sheba (a kingdom in southwestern Arabia) bringing GOLD and FRANKINSENCE and GOOD NEWS and the PRAISES of YHVH. Also read the prophecies in Psalm 72:10-15.

The AFRIKAANS BIBLE in PRACTISE indicates the irony that the MAGI honored YESHUA as the KING by bringing HIM GIFTS. But today people mostly expect GOD to give them gifts of POSPERITY, HEALTH and OTHER GIFTS. It is however IMPORTANT to SEEK GOD for WHO HE IS, and for WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE FOR US, PAYING the ULTIMATE PRICE for our sins. Therefore, we should WORSHIP HIM for being the PERFECT, RIGHTEOUS FATHER and ALMIGHTY CREATOR of HEAVEN and EARTH and ALL in it and being full of JOY and WONDER that HE LOVES us as HIS CHILDREN and WANTS a RELATIONSHIP with each one of us and of cause BLESS US but also disciplines us for our own good.

A scepter was a staff or rod which serves as an emblem of authority, especially for royalty. Among such ancients as the Egyptians and the PERSIANS it was a rod, probably about five feet long bearing at one end an ornamental ball or other figure. You might have also seen this type of rod with the inauguration of King Charles after the death of Queen Elizabeth. The word “scepter” in the Bible is used as a reference to the COMING MESSIAH, who would have POWER and AUTHORITY as the RULER of the earth and the kings of the earth. Read the prophecies in Genesis 49:10, Psalm 2:9, Isaiah 30:31, Hebrews 1:8, Revelation 2:27, 12:5 and 19:15.

Yeshua was already described in Matthew 2:2 by the Magi as the KING OF THE JEWS. And we know at the end of His life this was also put as the charge against Him on top of the CROSS by Pilate (see Matthew 27:37, Mark 15:26, Luke 23:38 and John 19:19-20). And this inscription was read by MANY of the JEWS, for the place where Yeshua was crucified was near the city (of Jerusalem), and it was WRITTEN in ARAMAIC, in LATIN and in GREEK (read John 19:20). Aramaic, a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew was the everyday language of the first century Jews after the exile. Hebrew was the language of the Israelites consisting of 22 consonants and reads from right to left. The Old Testament with the exception of a few portions written during the exile and the restoration, was written in HEBREW. Up to the time of the captivity the language was quite pure, but following the exile it was MIXED with ARAMAIC but still called Hebrew.

We also see that the Roman soldiers MOCKED YESHUA by TWISTING together a CROWN of THORNS, putting it on His head and putting a reed in HIS right hand and kneeling before Him while saying: “Hail, KING of the JEWS” and striking Him with their hands and beating Him on His head. And the people present at the crucifixion, telling Him if He was the King of the Jews, He should come down from the cross and SAFE HIMSELF, that they may see and believe (read Matthew 27:29, Mark 15:18 & 32, Luke 23:37 & John 19:2-3).

This saddens one deeply and we as people do so easily feel humiliated or ridiculed by others, but our CREATOR and KING of HEAVEN and EARTH was willing to be humiliated and ridiculed for YOU and ME, bearing everything that we deserve on our behalf.  This is the ultimate poof of HIS TRUE and EVERLASTING LOVE for ALL PEOPLE, including YOU and ME – a LOVE that HAS NO LIMITS and NO END as also confirmed in Romans 8:38-39.

Yeshua also confirmed HIS TITLE of KING OF THE JEWS in Matthew 27:11, Mark 15:2 and Luke 23:3. The JEWS are from the TRIBE of JUDAH and the SMALLER TRIBE of BENJAMIN, known as the SOUTHERN KINGDOM after the division of the Kingdom of ISRAEL in the time Solomon’s son Rehoboam became king (1st Kings chapters 11-12). David’s descendants continued to sit on the throne of throne of Judah (the Southern Kingdom); many of the kings were wicked, but every once in while a good king rose up who tried to turn the nation back to worshipping YHVH, the God of Israel. There have been 8 good kings of the 20 in the Southern Kingdom while there were sadly no good kings in the Northern Kingdom of Irael. We know that Yeshua our Messiah was born from the TRIBE of JUDAH and therefore He lived His life as a JEW. It was prophesied the scepter will remain in JUDAH (Genesis 49:10, Jeremiah 30:21 and Zechariah 9:9) and also promised to King David that one of his descendants will remain KING including the prophecies of the MESSIAH from the line of David who will rule on the throne of David and over his kingdom (read 2 Samuel 7:12-13, 1 Kings 8:25 and 9:5, Psalm 89:4-5 and prophesies of Yeshua as King in Isaiah 2:1-4, 9:6-7 and 11:1-10 and many more in Isaiah, Jeremiah 33:17-22, Ezekiel 36:1-12 and confirmed in Matthew 1:1 and Luke 1:32-33. Yeshua therefore came as the PROMISED MEISSAH and as the TRUE KING to LEAD HIS PEOPLE – not only the JEWS, but ALL OF ISRAEL including believers grafting into the tree of ISRAEL according to Romans 11:17. We read in John 1:49 Nathanael said to Him: “Rabbi, You are the SON of GOD! You are the KING of ISRAEL!” It also has been PROPHESIED in Zechariah 9:9, Micah 5:2 and Isaiah 49:7. We KNOW that YESHUA the MESSIAH is the KING of KINGS (Revelation 1:5, 16:14 and 19:16 as well as Daniel 2:47). And the ULTIMATE KING is GOD the FATHER. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 Paul explaining that Yeshua in the culmination, will hand over the KINGDOM TO GOD HE FATHER, after having put an end to every rulership, including EVERY AUTHORITY and POWER. For He has to rule until He puts all His enemies under His feet of which the LAST ENEMY to be done away with will be DEATH itself. And when everything has been subjected to HIM as the SON, then He will subject Himself to GOD THE FATHER to that GOD mat be EVERYTING in EVERYONE. But REMEMBER – God the Father and Yeshua the Son IS ONE as we also clearly recognize in the description of Psalm 10:16 saying: “YHVH is King forever and ever!” and Psalm 72:9-14 saying “The kings of Tarshish and the coasts will pay Him tribute; the kings of Sheba and Seba will OFFER GIFTS. Yes, ALL KINGS will prostrate themselves before Him; ALL NATIONS will SERVE HIM. For HE will RESCUE the needy when they cry, the poor too and those with none to help them. He will REDEEM them from oppression and violence; their blood will be precious in His view.” And in Revelations 21:22-24 and 22:1-2 they will be THE TEMPLE on the NEW HEAVEN and NEW EARTH, and they will RULE and REGIN from ONE THRONE FOREVER with God the Father being the LIGHT of the and Yeshua the Messiah will be the lamp. And nations and the kings of the earth will walk in their LIGHT.