Finding The King[2015]-1 Series

FINDING The KING-I—Matthew 2:1-12

Attention:

Read from ‘Coastal Connection’—the holiday calendar selection regarding local town’s 'Christmas' festivities. Not much to bring the true message of Christ’s birth to others! Mostly about cooler weather & Santa & ignorant delight.

God doesn’t want you to miss the main event...the King.

Do you consider yourself perceptive?

Magi traveled from the east to pay homage to the newborn King of Israel.

Jesus is worthy of discovery.

The King of Israel is worthy of careful searching.

Who are those who discover Jesus?

8 characteristics/perceptions of people who find Jesus.

1— Those who find the King, Perceive....

His SIGNS(:1-2)

Explanation:(:1-2)

:1—“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,”

What follows in this chapter takes place sometime(2 yrs. more or less(some say 6mths.(?))—cf. :16) after Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.

“born in Bethlehem of Judea”

5-6 miles south of Jerusalem, as opposed to Bethlehem of Zebulun(Josh. 19:15).

Also the location of 1)Rachel’s burial (near Ephrath—Gen. 35:19, 48:7); 2)Ruth’s meeting Boaz(Ruth 1:22--2:6); & 3)David’s hometown(1Sam. 17:12-15, 20:6, 2Sam. 23:15).

“in the days of Herod the king”

Herod(the Great) was “king” when these events took place. Herod born 73AD Herod was appointed ‘prefect of Galilee’ in 37BC & ‘King of Judea’ in 40BC.—EBC/NAC/

Some suppose that due to erroneous dating by the 6th century scholar Dionysius Exiguus, whose faulty calculations helped shift BC/AD dating from that based upon the foundation of Rome, it appears that Jesus would have been born in ~4BC(traditionally assumed), the same year of Herod’s death(:19-20).—WBC/EBC

Some “wise men”(magoi) traveled to Jerusalem “from the East,” that is, they traveled from another country far outside Israel’s borders.

We do not know the date of their arrival nor their number nor their names. It is possible that these “wise men” were the result of Daniel’s influence via his capture, resettlement & subsequent promotion by Nebuchadnezzar(Daniel became “ruler over the whole province of Babylon & chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon”—Dan. 2:48-49).

In the 7th century BC “wise men/magi” are a tribe within Media(Bordered by Iran, Iraq(Tigris River), Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan & Caspian Sea).

Involved in various occult practices(astrology, sorcery, dream interpretation, etc.) resulting in their being adept astronomers. The Magi were among the highest ranking advisors & officials in the Medo-Persian empire & on into Babylonian empire during Daniel’s time.

“Born”2X—gennaw—Aorist Passive Participle—1) Of men who fathered children—1a) To be born, 1b) To be begotten—1b1) Of women giving birth to children; 2) metaph.—2a) To engender, cause to arise, excite, 2b) in a Jewish sense--Of one who brings others over to his way of life, to convert someone, 2c) Of God making Christ his son, 2d) Of God making men his sons through faith in Christ's work. Strong—To procreate(properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively--To regenerate.

“Wise men/Magi”—magov—A magus— 1a) the name given by the Babylonians(Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, & others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc., 1b) The oriental wise men(astrologers) who, having discovered by the rising of a remarkable star that the Messiah had just been born, came to Jerusalem to worship him, 1c) A false prophet & sorcerer. Strong—a Magian, i.e. Oriental scientist; by implication a magician. Used 6X.

“Came to”—paraginomai—1) To be present, to come near, approach; 2) To come forth, make one's public appearance. Strong—To become near, i.e. Approach(have arrived); by implication--To appear publicly.

From—para—a primary preposition; properly--Near; i.e. (with genitive case)--From beside(literally or figuratively), (with dative case)--At(or in) the vicinity of (objectively or subjectively), (with accusative case)--To the proximity with (local [especially--Beyond or opposed to] or causal--On account of])—&—ginomai—a prolongation & middle voice form of a primary verb; To cause to be(“gen”-erate), i.e. reflexively--To become(come into being), used with great latitude(literal, figurative, intensive, etc.).

:2—“saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East & have come to worship Him.”

These “magi” made their trek in order to “worship” the true “King of the Jews”(Jesus).

These must have had this information foretold them in their own land. According to the “wise men,” the “King of the Jews” had a representative “star,” which they had observed. Being astrologers, they would have been attentive to such an occurrence.

*Baalam’s prophecy of Num. 24:17—“I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star[bkwk ko-kawb'] shall come out of Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And batter the brow of Moab, And destroy all the sons of tumult.” This would be the One to whom Balak(king of the Moabites) would ultimately answer.

“Star”—bkwk ko-kawb’—probably from the same as Nwbk[To heap up/Hilly] (in the sense of rolling) or hwk[ To prick or penetrate/To blister(as smarting or eating into)] (in the sense of blazing); A star (as round or as shining); figuratively--A prince.