Bible Commentaries

Now when ¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem of ^a Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came ^b wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

(1) Christ a poor child, laid down in a crib, and though given no attention by his own people, receives nonetheless a noble witness of his divinity from heaven, and of his kingly estate from strangers: which his own people unknowingly let happen, although they did not acknowledge him.

(a) For there was another in the tribe of Zebulun.

(b) Wise and learned men: It is a Persian word which they use frequently.

When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was ^c troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

(c) Was much moved, for he was a foreigner, and became ruler by force; and the Jews were troubled; for wickedness is mad and raging.

And when he had gathered all the ^d chief priests and ^e scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

(d) The chief priests, that is, such as were of Aaron's family, who were divided into twenty-four orders. (1 Chronicles 24:5) ; (2 Chronicles 36:14).

(e) They that expound the law to the people, for the Hebrews take this word for another, which means as much as to expound and to declare.

And thou Bethlehem, [in] the land of Juda, art not the ^f least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that ^g shall rule my people Israel.

(f) Though you are a small town, yet you will be very famous and notable through the birth of the Messiah, who will be born in you.

(g) That will rule and govern: for kings are rightly called leaders and shepherds of the people.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and ^h fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their ⁱ treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

(h) A kind of humble and lovely reverence.

(i) The rich and costly presents, which they brought him.

And being ^k warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

(k) God warned and told them of it, even though they did not ask him.

² And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

(2) Christ having just been born, begins to be crucified for us, both in himself, and also in his members.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken ^l by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

(l) For God speaketh by the mouth of the prophets.

In Rama was there ^m a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, ⁿ Rachel weeping [for] her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

(m) A voice of lamenting, weeping and howling.

(n) That is to say, All who live around Bethlehem: for Rachel, Jacob's wife who died in childbirth, was buried by the road that leads to this town, which is also called Ephratah, because of the fruitfulness of the soil, and the plentifulness of corn.

³ But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

(3) Christ is brought up in Nazareth, after the death of the tyrant by God's providence: that by the very name of the place it might plainly appear to the world that he is the Lord's true Nazarite.