The Message

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      <div class="chapter ch2" data-usfm="MAT.2">
         <div class="label">2</div><div class="s1"><span class="heading">Scholars from the East</span></div><div class="m"><span class="content">  </span><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="MAT.2.1+MAT.2.2"><span class="label">1-2</span><span class="content">After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory&#8212;this was during Herod&#8217;s kingship&#8212;a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, &#8220;Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We&#8217;re on pilgrimage to worship him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v1 v2" data-usfm="MAT.2.1+MAT.2.2"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v3 v4" data-usfm="MAT.2.3+MAT.2.4"><span class="label">3-4</span><span class="content">When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified&#8212;and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, &#8220;Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v3 v4" data-usfm="MAT.2.3+MAT.2.4"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="label">5-6</span><span class="content">They told him, &#8220;Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="content">It&#8217;s you, Bethlehem, in Judah&#8217;s land,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="content">no longer bringing up the rear.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="content">From you will come the leader</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="content">who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v5 v6" data-usfm="MAT.2.5+MAT.2.6"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v7 v8" data-usfm="MAT.2.7+MAT.2.8"><span class="label">7-8</span><span class="content">Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, &#8220;Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I&#8217;ll join you at once in your worship.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v7 v8" data-usfm="MAT.2.7+MAT.2.8"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="MAT.2.9+MAT.2.10"><span class="label">9-10</span><span class="content">Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v9 v10" data-usfm="MAT.2.9+MAT.2.10"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="MAT.2.11"><span class="label">11</span><span class="content">They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v11" data-usfm="MAT.2.11"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="MAT.2.12"><span class="label">12</span><span class="content">In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.</span></span></div><div class="pc"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="MAT.2.12"><span class="content">* * *</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v12" data-usfm="MAT.2.12"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="MAT.2.13"><span class="label">13</span><span class="content">After the scholars were gone, God&#8217;s angel showed up again in Joseph&#8217;s dream and commanded, &#8220;Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v13" data-usfm="MAT.2.13"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="MAT.2.14+MAT.2.15"><span class="label">14-15</span><span class="content">Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod&#8217;s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: &#8220;I called my son out of Egypt.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v14 v15" data-usfm="MAT.2.14+MAT.2.15"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="label">16-18</span><span class="content">Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he&#8217;d gotten from the scholars.) That&#8217;s when Jeremiah&#8217;s revelation was fulfilled:</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">A sound was heard in Ramah,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">weeping and much lament.</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">Rachel weeping for her children,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">Rachel refusing all solace,</span></span></div><div class="q1"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">Her children gone,</span></span></div><div class="q2"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">dead and buried.</span></span></div><div class="b"></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v16 v17 v18" data-usfm="MAT.2.16+MAT.2.17+MAT.2.18"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v19 v20" data-usfm="MAT.2.19+MAT.2.20"><span class="label">19-20</span><span class="content">Later, when Herod died, God&#8217;s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt: &#8220;Up, take the child and his mother and return to Israel. All those out to murder the child are dead.&#8221;</span></span></div><div class="p"><span class="verse v19 v20" data-usfm="MAT.2.19+MAT.2.20"><span class="content">  </span></span><span class="verse v21 v22 v23" data-usfm="MAT.2.21+MAT.2.22+MAT.2.23"><span class="label">21-23</span><span class="content">Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother, and reentered Israel. When he heard, though, that Archelaus had succeeded his father, Herod, as king in Judea, he was afraid to go there. But then Joseph was directed in a dream to go to the hills of Galilee. On arrival, he settled in the village of Nazareth. This move was a fulfillment of the prophetic words, &#8220;He shall be called a Nazarene.&#8221;</span></span></div>
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After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory—this was during Herod’s kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, “Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We’re on pilgrimage to worship him.”
When word of their inquiry got to Herod, he was terrified—and not Herod alone, but most of Jerusalem as well. Herod lost no time. He gathered all the high priests and religion scholars in the city together and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
They told him, “Bethlehem, Judah territory. The prophet Micah wrote it plainly:

It’s you, Bethlehem, in Judah’s land,
no longer bringing up the rear.
From you will come the leader
who will shepherd-rule my people, my Israel.”

Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth-announcement star appeared. Then he told them the prophecy about Bethlehem, and said, “Go find this child. Leave no stone unturned. As soon as you find him, send word and I’ll join you at once in your worship.”
Instructed by the king, they set off. Then the star appeared again, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies. It led them on until it hovered over the place of the child. They could hardly contain themselves: They were in the right place! They had arrived at the right time!
They entered the house and saw the child in the arms of Mary, his mother. Overcome, they kneeled and worshiped him. Then they opened their luggage and presented gifts: gold, frankincense, myrrh.
In a dream, they were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.
* * *
After the scholars were gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”
Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death. This Egyptian exile fulfilled what Hosea had preached: “I called my son out of Egypt.”
Herod, when he realized that the scholars had tricked him, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills. (He determined that age from information he’d gotten from the scholars.) That’s when Jeremiah’s revelation was fulfilled:

A sound was heard in Ramah,
weeping and much lament.
Rachel weeping for her children,
Rachel refusing all solace,
Her children gone,
dead and buried.

Later, when Herod died, God’s angel appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt: “Up, take the child and his mother and return to Israel. All those out to murder the child are dead.”
Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother, and reentered Israel. When he heard, though, that Archelaus had succeeded his father, Herod, as king in Judea, he was afraid to go there. But then Joseph was directed in a dream to go to the hills of Galilee. On arrival, he settled in the village of Nazareth. This move was a fulfillment of the prophetic words, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

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