Finding The King[2015]-4 Series

FINDING The KING-IV—Matthew 2:1-12

Attention:

Summarize with quotes from Kirsten Powers’ testimony: ’Becoming a Christian Ruined My Love of Christmas’

Published Dec. 17, 2015 @ ChristianityToday.com

God doesn’t want you to miss the King.

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 of people who find Jesus.

Last week we found that Those who find the King, perceive His....

1. SIGNS(:1-2)

2. OBJECTIVE/Direction(:3-6)

3. CIRCUMVENTION(:7-8, 12)

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

His EQUIPPING(:9-10)

Explanation:(:9-10)Direction

:9—“When they heard the king, they departed; & behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came & stood over where the young Child was.”

“The Star”:

It was “the glory of God”.... “visible only to the eyes for whom it was intended to be seen.”—MacArthur. Obviously not a star common to our experience but a star of magnificent & miraculous origin & purpose.

A visible manifestation of God’s presence(Shekinah Glory) of specific application as in(not exhaustive!):

1)God’s cloud & fire of Israel’s wilderness wanderings(Ex. 13:21)

2)God’s cloud & fire on the mountain of God(Ex. 24:15-17)

3)God’s cloud filled the tabernacle at its completion(Ex. 40:34-35)

4)God’s cloud filled the temple at its completion(1Kgs. 8:10-12)

5)God’s cloud & voice at Jesus’ transfiguration(Mat. 17:2)

6)The brilliant blinding light from heaven & voice of Jesus at Saul’s Damascus Road experience(Acts 9:3-4ff)

7)God Himself illumines the New Jerusalem(Rev. 21:23).

“Young Child”:

By the time the magi arrived, Jesus is referred to as a “young Child”(paidion) rather than a “Babe”—brefov as in Lk. 2:12, 16—strictly one unborn, or an infant. 8 days later(Lk. 2:21) He is referred to as a Child—paidion—A young child(little girl or boy) & refers exclusively to little children. We also must remember these are two different authors(Matthew & Luke) who may use the terms with unique mindsets towards the use of the words. As diminutives of paiv[child, servant], paidion & paidarion are used without appreciable difference to denote a young child.

“Departed”(See :9—“Go”)—poreuomai—Aorist Passive Deponent Indicative—1) To lead over, carry over, transfer—1a) To pursue the journey on which one has entered, to continue on one's journey, 1b) To depart from life, 1c) To follow one, that is: become his adherent—1c1) To lead or order one's life. Poreuomai expresses motion in general, often confined within certain, limits, or giving prominence to the bearing; hence the, regular word for the march of an army. Strong—To traverse, i.e. Travel (literally or figuratively; especially--To remove[figuratively--Die], live, etc.). “Seen/Saw”(See :2, 10, 16)—eidw/oida—2nd Aorist Active Indicative—1) To see—1a) To perceive with the eyes, 1b) To perceive by any of the senses, 1c) To perceive, notice, discern, discover, 1d) To see—1d1) i.e. To turn the eyes, the mind, the attention to anything, 1d2) To pay attention, observe, 1d3) To see about something 1d31) i.e. to ascertain what must be done about it, 1d4) To inspect, examine, 1d5) To look at, behold, 1e) To experience any state or condition, 1f) To see i.e. have an interview with, to visit; 2) To know—2a) To know of anything, 2b) To know, i.e. get knowledge of, understand, perceive—2b1) of any fact, 2b2) the force & meaning of something which has definite meaning, 2b3) To know how, to be skilled in, 2c) To have regard for one, cherish, pay attention to(1Th 5:12). Eidw/oida denotes to see with the mind's eye, signifies a clear & purely mental perception. Strong—a primary verb; used only in certain past tenses, the others being borrowed from the equivalent optanomai & oraw; properly--To see(literally or figuratively); by implication (in the perf. only)--To know.

“Went before/Went ahead”—proagw—1) To lead forward, lead forth—1a) one from a place in which he has lain hidden from view, as from a prison, 1b) in a forensic sense--To bring one forth to trial; 2) To go before—2a) Preceding, prior in time, previous, 2b) To proceed, go forward—2b1) in a bad sense--To go further than is right. or proper. Strong—To lead forward(magisterially); intransitively--To precede(in place or time [participle--Previous]). Used 18X.

“Came”(See :2, 8)—ercomai—2nd Aorist Active Participle—1) To come—1a) of persons—1a1) To come from one place to another, & used both of persons arriving & of those returning, 1a2) To appear, make one's appearance, come before the public; 2) metaph.—2a) To come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence, 2b) Be established, become known, to come(fall) into or unto; 3) To go, to follow one. Ercomai denotes motion or progress generally, & of any sort, hence to “come” & arrive at, as well as “to go.” Strong—middle voice of a primary verb(used only in the present & imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice]eleuyomai; or [active]elyw; which do not otherwise occur); To come or go(in a great variety of applications, literally & figuratively).