The Birth of Jesus
Matthew 2:1-12
Thursdays Thurst For Truth
BCC Bible Study
December 4, 2008
Rev. Sherry Molock, Instructor
BBC Vision Statement
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Intro
Are two different narratives of birth of Jesus
found in the Gospels:
– Matthew: Matthew 1:18-2:23
– Luke: 1:26-56; 2:1-40
Nativity stories have some similarities:
– Jesus is child of Mary
– Supernaturally conceived via Holy Spirit
– Mary betrothed to Joseph – descent of King
David
– Angel announces birth
Scriptural Differences Between
Matthew & Luke Stories
Concept Matthew Luke
Announcement Angel appears to Joseph Angel appears to Mary
during pregnancy before pregnancy
Name to be Given Jesus, Immanuel Jesus
Date of Birth Before Herod’s death in The Quirinius Census
4BCE, since innocent in 6CE bc of misrule
babies that are ordered to by Archelaus
be put to death are 0-2
Joseph resides in Bethlehem Nazareth
Birth location At Joseph’s home In manger
Adoration Wise men follow star Shepherds go at
direction of angels
After adoration Angels tell family to flee Jesus circumcised after
to Egypt bc of massacre 8 days, later presented
of innocent babies in temple
Theological Differences in Stories
from: http://catholic-resources.org/Bible/Jesus-Birth.htm
Important Concept Matthew Luke
Theological Key Hebrew Scripture Holy Spirit at Work
fulfilled
Jesus’ Heritage Son of David, Son of God
Son of Abraham Son of Mary via Holy Spirit
Adopted son of Joseph Heir to throne of David
Child of Holy Spirit
Names & Titles of Messiah, Jesus Jesus, Son of God,
Jesus Emmanuel, King of Son of Most High
Jews A light of revelation for
Gentiles & Glory of Israel
Themes Obstacles, conflict, Glory, praise, joy, poverty,
fear, murder, politics humility, faith
OT Parallels Dreamer Joseph Birth of Samson
Baby Moses Birth of Samuel
Intro to Gospel of Matthew
Jesus is the fulfillment of OT Scriptures
Matthew sets out to prove that Jesus is the
Messiah prophesied in the OT
Genealogy links Jesus to David and
Abraham thru his adoptive father Joseph
More focus on Jesus coming for the
“House of Israel” first, only goes to
Gentiles when Jews refuse to accept him
Matthew Birth Narrative
Mt 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,
during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east
came to Jerusalem
Mt 2:2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been
born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east
and have come to worship him.”
Mt 2:3 When King Herod heard this he was
disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
Mt 2:4 When he had called together all the people‟s
chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them
where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew Birth Narrative
Mt 2:5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this
is what the prophet has written:
Mt 2:6 “ „But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.‟‟”
Mt 2:7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found
out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Matthew Birth Narrative
Mt 2:8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and
make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find
him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship
him.”
Mt 2:9 After they had heard the king, they went on
their way, and the star they had seen in the east went
ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the
child was.
Matthew Birth Narrative
Mt 2:10 When they saw the star, they were
overjoyed.
Mt 2:11 On coming to the house, they saw the child
with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and
worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and
presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and
of myrrh.
Mt 2:12 And having been warned in a dream not to
go back to Herod, they returned to their country by
another route.
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
Matthew focused on presenting Jesus as the long
awaited King who came to fulfill Old Testament
Prophecy
Jesus’ earthly father, Joseph reminds the people
of the Patriarch Joseph, who was also an
interpreter of dreams
– The angel Gabriel comes to Jesus’ father Joseph in a
dream to tell him about Jesus’ conception in 1 st
chapter of Matthew
Jesus is born in Bethlehem, the city of David
(Micah 5:2) of a virgin (Isa. 7:14)
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
Joseph, rather than Mary is center of this story bc
important that Jesus be linked to line of David;
Joseph’s naming of Jesus effectively adopts Jesus
into line of David
Later in Ch. 2, Joseph and Mary have to flee to
Egypt bc Herod is slaughtering all of the babies
when he can’t find Jesus, just like Pharaoh killed
the Hebrew babies in Exodus
Those who do have knowledge of the Scriptures
[i.e., Herod and “all of Jerusalem” (v. 2-3)] are
disturbed by Jesus’ arrival
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
Herod is threatened by Jesus bc:
– The beginning of his rule was prosperous but
it was also filled with strife
– Both the Romans, their enemies and the Jews
were constantly trying to overthrow him
When he hears of a “King” being born, he
wants to snuff him out before he can grow
up to claim his throne
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
The Magi are Gentiles who are guided by a
star to find the long-awaited Messiah
Magi were originally a religious caste
among the Medians; were a hereditary
priesthood; considered wise men who also
often had a lot of political power & were
behind the scene “King-makers”
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
When the Magi arrive, they worship Jesus
and give him gold, frankincense and
myrrh.
Some scholars say the gifts are symbolic
– Gold: Kingship of Jesus
– Frankincense: Jesus’ divinity bc used during
worship
– Myrrh: Jesus’ death bc used during
embalming
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
Irony: one of the first to see Jesus &
recognize the “King of the Jews” are
Gentiles, who don’t know the Scriptures
but still recognize the truth about Jesus
Matthew Theme: Jesus is King
While the story in Matthew is about Jesus,
it really is Theocentric = God centered
About what God is doing for the world
thru Jesus = Sends His Son to save us from
our sins (Matthew 1:21)
Passages illustrates that God’s grace
precedes human behavior: God sent God’s
Son to save us, even from the beginning,
some wanted to “snuff” him out