Three Responses to King Jesus (Matthew 2)

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1 CFCW- 01/26/2014 Three Responses to King Jesus (Matthew 2) Introduction Perhaps you remember the media frenzy last July when Prince William and Kate Middleton announced the arrival of their first son, George. It seemed like media was in a rush to share every detail they could about this child who is in line to the throne of England. Glamour Magazine ran an article about his Christening in October of last year and carefully noted all the celebrities and members of royalty who took part in the event. They noted that George s christening outfit was a replica of an outfit worn by the daughter of Queen Victoria and that Prince William and Kate had broken tradition by choosing close friends rather than European royalty to be George s god-parents. 1 Photographs of every aspect of George s christening were posted by media outlets all over the world. It was a major media event. But what was surprising to me as I read the account of George s Christening was the fact that the media completely ignored the Christening itself. A Christening is the Church of England s baptism. As such, a Christening points to Jesus Christ. While I don t believe infants ought to be baptized, it was stunning how the media completely ignored the true significance of the event. They focused on one born to be an earthly king, but completely ignored the King of Kings. Background As church plant, we have just begun a study of the Gospel of Matthew. For the past two weeks, we have been studying Matthew s account of Jesus s birth. Two weeks ago, we looked at Jesus genealogy which demonstrated that his foster father, Joseph, was descended from Abraham and David. This is crucial knowledge because it demonstrated that the birth of Jesus was the fulfillment of ancient promises. As we saw last week, when Joseph named Jesus, Jesus was legally adopted into the royal line of David. God had promised David that a ruler would come from his line and would sit upon the Davidic throne and rule forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16). Jesus was the fulfillment of that promise. This morning in our passage, we are looking at events surrounding the birth and infancy of Jesus. We will see that from the very beginning, Jesus life was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. And we will see that even as a small child Jesus was a polarizing figure. A few worshipped Him, but most despised Him. This morning I want to give a brief exposition (explanation) of Matthew 2, and then I want us to drill down a bit and look at two things: 1. I want us to see how Matthew proves that Jesus is the Messiah the King. 2. I want us to see how different groups in this passage respond to Jesus. MIM: Jesus the Messiah should be worshipped but He is often despised. 1 From an article entitled A Very Royal Christening: the Official Portrait Revealed from accessed online on 01/24/

2 Brief Exposition of the Passage Matthew chapter two is a section of Scripture is familiar to most Christians. It is often read around Christmas time as we celebrate the birth of our Lord. In 2:1, Matthew tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king. Herod had been proclaimed King in Judea by Rome in 40 B.C. While he was not Jewish, Herod was an effective ruler. He built many cities and the rebuilt and enlarged the Temple in Jerusalem. 2 But Herod was also a tyrant. As he got closer to death, he became increasingly paranoid and unstable. He was ruthless in clinging to power. Those he suspected were plotting against him were executed. Among those Herod had executed in his final days were his wife, Mariamne, and at least two of his sons. 3 As our passage indicates, Jesus was born shortly before Herod s death (circa 4 BC), which helps explains Herod s violent reaction in this passage (2:13-18). In 2:2, Matthew introduces the wise men ( Magi in most translations) from the east. While we don t know exactly where they came from, it is very possible that they travelled more than 1000 miles from Babylon to Jerusalem. This journey would have taken several months to complete. Contrary to the popular Christmas carol, We Three Kings, the Magi were not kings and there were probably many more than three of them. 4 But while they were not kings, the magi were counselors to kings. 5 The magi were known for their skill in interpreting dreams (cf. Daniel 2). They were also interested in astronomy and astrology and so when they saw a new star rise in the heavens, it quickly caught their attention. Many people have speculated about the star. Some say it was a comet. Johannes Kepler believed it was the alignment of planets Jupiter and Saturn (occurred 7 B.C.). 6 It is even possible that the star was the visible manifestation of God s glory (the Shekinah). 7 We can t be sure. Somehow when they saw this new star, the magi perceived that a king had been born in Israel. Perhaps they had access to the Old Testament prophecies of Daniel who foretold the coming of the Christ or perhaps God informed them of this in a dream like the ones we see throughout this chapter. We don t exactly know how they knew a king had been born. But however they knew, they came in a caravan to Jerusalem and begin asking the people, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him (2:2). Apparently, the magi came in large enough numbers that they soon attracted the attention of Herod who learned that a new king had been born. At this news Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him (2:3). The people of Jerusalem were probably not as troubled at the birth of a new king as they were afraid of how Herod would respond to the news. For his part, Herod assembled the chief priests and scribes of the people and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born (2:4). 2 Leon Morris, The Gospel According to Matthew in the PNTC (Leicester: Intervarsity Press, 1992), D.A. Carson, Matthew in The Expositor s Bible Commentary, ed. by Frank Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984), The number three comes from the number of gifts the magi gave Jesus. 5 Daniel Doriani, Matthew vol. 1 in Reformed Expository Commentary (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing, 2008),28. 6 R.T. France, The Gospel of Matthew in NICNT, ed. by Joel Green (Grand Rapids: William B Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007), John MacArthur, Matthew 1-7 in The MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1985), 29. 2

3 The chief priests and the scribes were from different political parties. The chief priests were mostly Sadducees while the scribes were primarily Pharisees. They were religious and political rivals. But both groups responded with the prophecy of Micah 5:2. Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem in Judea, a small town about five miles south of Jerusalem (2:5-6). Jesus birth in Bethlehem was the fulfillment of OT prophecy. Armed with this information, Herod called the wise men (2:7) and sent them to Bethlehem to search for the child. They were to find him and bring news to Herod so that he could come and worship the child as well. We know from later in the passage (2:13-18) that the last thing Herod planned to do was worship Jesus, but the magi didn t know any better and went off towards Bethlehem. As the magi travelled to Bethlehem, the star again appeared and moved ahead of them until it came to rest over the place where the child was (2:9). Clearly, this was no ordinary star. Upon seeing the star, the magi were overwhelmed with joy. Matthew uses three Greek words (χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα; very great joy ) to emphasize how thrilled they were at the reappearance of this star. The magi rejoiced that God was leading them to the new king. When they entered the home of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, they saw the child with Mary (2:11). It is very interesting to note that when Matthew mentions Jesus and Mary in this passage, he always puts Jesus first ( the child and his mother (5 times in this passage; 2:11, 13, 14, 20, 21). Matthew s focus is on Jesus rather than Mary. By this point, Jesus would have been an older infant or even a toddler. We know this because of how long it would have taken the magi to travel to Jerusalem after seeing the star for the first time. When the magi see Jesus, in an act of amazing faith they fall down and worship Him (2:11). It is possible that this word for worship here simply means adoration such as one would give a king. However, as D. A. Carson put it, Matthew probably wants us to understand that they worshipped better than they knew. 8 These magi were worshipping the Messiah, the son of God. And they brought Jesus costly gifts gold, frankincense, and myrrh which were fit for a king. After being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, the magi depart for their homeland by a different route (2:12). After the magi left, God warned Joseph in a dream to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt so that they would be safe (2:13). This also was a fulfillment of OT prophecy. They stayed in Egypt until after the death of Herod. When Herod realized he had been tricked, he went into a characteristic rage and ordered the slaughter of all the boys in Bethlehem and the surrounding regions who were 2 years of age and under (2:16). Herod used the time of the appearance of the star told to him by the magi to make an estimation of Jesus age and then probably overshot that age just to be safe. While some have estimated that number of boys slaughtered in the thousands, Bethlehem was small town and probably no more than twenty or thirty boys were slain. Still, this evil act shows just how wicked Herod was. And the slaughter of these innocent children fulfilled of another OT prophecy. After Herod died, an angel came and told Joseph it was safe to bring the Jesus and Mary back to the land of Israel (1:21). They were initially planning to return to Bethlehem, but after learning that Archelaus, the son of Herod was reigning in Judah, and after being warned in a dream, Joseph took his family to live in the city of Nazareth, in the district of Galilee (2:22-23). Yet again, Matthew tells us this fulfilled OT prophecy (2:23). The birth of the Messiah, a new star in the heavens, magi travelling from distant lands, an insecure and violent king, the slaughter of innocent children, the flight to Egypt There is a LOT in this passage! This morning, we simply want to focus on two realities: 8 Carson, Matthew, 86. 3

4 I. Jesus is the Messiah the King A. We have been discussing this reality repeatedly over the past few weeks, but as we study this gospel we are going to see that the Kingship of Jesus is one of Matthew s primary emphases. Even though they would reject and crucify Him, Jesus is the King of the Jews. And in Matthew chapter 2, Matthew brings out three lines of evidence to prove that Jesus is the Messianic King 1. The Testimony of the Magi When the Magi came to Jerusalem, they asked an important question: Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? (2:2). The magi were probably shocked when they arrived in Jerusalem. They had travelled hundreds and perhaps thousands of miles to come worship this new born king, and no one in Jerusalem had any idea what they were talking about. God s people hadn t noticed the birth of their Messiah. But God caused a star to rise in the heavens in order to direct these wise men to come and honor His Son. While the people of Israel did not notice the birth of Jesus, God had declared that Gentiles would come to worship His Son. When Matthew writes that the wise men fell down and worshipped Jesus in 2:11, he was plainly alluding to Psalm 72:10-11 and Isaiah 60:6. 9 Psalm 72: May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! 11 May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him! Isaiah 60:6- A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD. Application: Do you see the sovereign grace of God in this? There is no way the magi would have known to come and worship Jesus the Messiah if God hadn t revealed his birth through causing a new star to rise in the heavens (2:2). They would have lived and died without Christ, just as millions of others have, but God intervened and revealed the Messiah to them. And they responded in faith and came to worship Him. It is the same for you and me. You and I would have never come to worship the Lord Jesus if God hadn t sovereignly moved in our lives calling us to become worshippers of Him. 2. The Protection and Guidance of God the Father Did you notice how God the Father protected and guided His Son? First, God guides the magi to the Jesus home so that they can worship Him (2:9-11). Then He warns them not to go back to Herod in order to protect Jesus (2:12). Then God warns Joseph to carry Jesus to Egypt to protect Him from Herod (2:13). Then God guides Joseph to bring Jesus back to Israel (2:20) and then warns him not to live in Judah because Herod s son, Archelaus, was reigning there (2:22). God s special care for His Son demonstrates that Jesus is the Messiah. 9 See Carson, Matthew, 89. 4

5 Application: Do you see the sovereignty of God here? Herod was raging and seeking to kill Jesus, but Jesus was NEVER in any real danger because the sovereign God was protecting Him. Psalm 2:2-4- The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, 3 Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. 4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Application: Christian, do you see what a good Father God is? One of Satan temptations in your life will be to make you doubt the goodness of your Heavenly Father. But God is good. If you are in Christ this morning, God both guides your life and protects you in the same way He guided and protected Jesus. When Satan tempts you to doubt the goodness of God, let Matthew 2 remind you that your Father in heaven is good. 3. The Fulfillment of Prophecy In Matthew 2, Matthew points to four different prophecies in the Old Testament and states that they were fulfilled by Jesus. Some of have looked at the way Matthew uses these Old Testament prophecies and have been puzzled because two of the four OT prophecies Matthew lists do not appear to be prophecies at all when you read them in their OT context. And the prophecy of 2:23, where Matthew says that Joseph settled his family in Nazareth, so that what was written by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be a called a Nazarene is not found in the Old Testament at all. What are we to make of Matthew s use of prophecy? Is he just making up stories that seem to relate to the OT in order to prove Jesus is the Messiah? No. Like all of the New Testament authors Matthew s understanding of the Old Testament is profoundly affected by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In light of Christ s life, the NT authors were reading the OT and finding Jesus everywhere. They realized that the OT was filled with types and shadows that pointed forward to Jesus. When Matthew, guided by the Holy Spirit, studied the birth and infancy of Christ in order to write his gospel, he discovered that Jesus s life fulfilled the Old Testament in numerous ways. He includes four of them in this passage to prove Jesus is the Messiah. Prophecy #1 (Micah 5:2; 2 Samuel 5:2) Matthew 2:5-6- They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. a. This is probably the clearest prophecy of the Messiah Matthew uses in this chapter. Even the chief priests and scribes understood that Micah 5:2 referred to the Messiah and so they quoted it to Herod when he asked where the Messiah would be born. In Micah 5:2, Micah had prophesied that a great ruler would be born in Bethlehem in Judea who would rescue God s people from their enemies. Bethlehem was a small town, but it was famous because it was the birthplace of King David (cf. 1 Samuel 17:12). 5

6 Jesus was great David s greater Son, and when he was born in Bethlehem, it fulfilled the prophecy of Micah 5:2. Prophecy #2 (Hosea 11:1) Matthew 2: And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt I called my son. Prophecy #3 (Jeremiah 31:5) b. Here Matthew quotes Hosea 11:1. As you read Hosea 11:1, you will notice that Hosea is clearly referring to the OT Exodus, when God rescued the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt. God called his son Israel out of bondage in Egypt so that Israel would worship Him. But Israel failed to worship God and sinned in the wilderness. But in Matthew 2:14-15, Matthew states that Hosea 11:1 is fulfilled in Jesus life. God instructed Joseph to carry Jesus to Egypt and to live there for a time not only to protect the child, but to fulfill this prophecy. When God sent an angel to tell Joseph to bring Jesus back to Israel, Jesus was reliving the Exodus because, as the Messiah, Jesus was God s obedient Son who would succeed where Israel had failed. Matthew 2: Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. Prophecy #4 c. Here Matthew quotes Jeremiah 31:15. And again, when you read Jeremiah 31:15 it appears that Matthew is taking a quote out of context and applying it to Jesus life because in Jeremiah 31:15, Jeremiah is clearly referring to the Babylonian captivity. After destroying Jerusalem, Babylon carried the people of Judah away into captivity. Rachel, who gave birth to Joseph and Benjamin, is pictured as the mother of Israel weeping for her children who are going away into captivity where they will die in a foreign land. But Matthew sees in Jeremiah 31:15 a picture (type) of the kind of sorrow caused by Herod when he killed the all the male children two years old and under in the region of Bethlehem. The sorrow of Rachel was fulfilled in the sorrow of the mothers who were weeping for their murdered sons. Matthew 2:23- And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. d. We have already pointed to this prophecy of Matthew as a particularly difficult case because nowhere in the OT is it said that Jesus would be called 6

7 a Nazarene. Again, is Matthew just making this up? No. The best solution is to realize what it means to be a Nazarene. The town of Nazareth was small and insignificant. The people of Jerusalem looked at people from Nazareth as hicks and rubes. They mocked them. In the same way, Jesus was called a Nazarene not as a compliment, but as a form of abuse. John 1:46 Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? When Matthew writes that the prophets had said Jesus would be called a Nazarene, he meant that Jesus would be despised and rejected. The people of Israel were expecting a suave and sophisticated military commander who would sweep away the Romans. But as the Messiah, Jesus wouldn t fit that description. Ultimately, he would be rejected by His own people. Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Application: In our passage, Matthew gives four examples of how the life of Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament. We need to see the kindness of God in this. All throughout the Old Testament, God was leaving signposts for His people directing them towards the Messiah. The Passover Lamb pointed towards Christ and the Temple pointed towards Christ. The ministry of the prophets, priests, and kings all pointed towards Christ. And scattered throughout the Old Testament are prophecies of the coming Messiah. They were flashing neon signs pointing to Jesus. Now here is the staggering reality: By His life, death, and resurrection, Jesus fulfilled every single prophecy in the Old Testament. Our passage this morning demonstrates that Jesus is the Christ. Commenting on this, John MacArthur wrote: Some three hundred and thirty Old Testament predictions concern Jesus Christ. In chapter 2, Matthew points out four of those prophecies that were fulfilled during Jesus infancy. There is no reasonable possibility that even those four much less all three hundred thirty could have been fulfilled accidentally in the life of a single individual. The fact in itself is overwhelming evidence of God s sovereign control of history and of the utter reliability of His Word. God is so gracious to give us such clear proof that Jesus is the Messiah. Application: If you are not a Christian, you need to understand that God has been amazingly clear about who Jesus is. Often people say that they just don t see enough evidence to believe in Jesus. But even if God were to write Jesus is the Messiah in the heavens, He wouldn t have given us more evidence than we have in His word. Jesus lived a life like no other. Only Jesus was born of a virgin. Only Jesus was sinless. Only Jesus died and rose from the dead. He fulfilled all the prophecies of the Old Testament. Jesus Christ is the Messiah. He is the King. And the message of the Gospel is that you should repent of your sins and trust in Him. The Gospel The Gospel we preach is that Jesus is the King. But what a King! He was the King of heaven, rich above all measure, but He became poor and lived as a man. Why? Because you and I have rejected God. God is the good and holy Creator. We were made to worship Him and love Him. But we have all rejected Him and lived for ourselves. The Bible calls this sin. We are all sinners. But Jesus Christ, the 7

8 King, was born to rescue His people from their sins. He lived a perfect life, the kind of life you and have should have lived, but have failed to live. He was a good King, but then He was arrested and beaten. Then Jesus died on the cross in behalf of His people. Do you know the charge against Jesus? Pilate wrote this on a sign and put it on the cross: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:37). The only other places in Matthew where Jesus is called the King of the Jews is at his crucifixion. Jesus, the King, was beaten and rejected and crucified in behalf of sinners. Jesus was despised on the cross so that you and I wouldn t have to be despised forever. Isaiah 53:3-6- He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. But then Jesus rose from the dead! And Jesus the King gives this command this morning: Repent and trust in Me! If you will turn from your sins and trust in Jesus this morning, you will be forgiven and Jesus will rule in your life as King. Does this sound like good news to you? II. Three Responses to the King A. Jesus Christ is the King and His gospel demands a response. Listen to how Matt Chandler calls attention to this: Jesus put it simply: Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters (Matt. 12:30). The gospel is such power that that it necessitates reaction. Jesus Christ has worked such an outrageous wonder that he demands response, whether hatred or passion. Anyone ambivalent about what Christ has actually done just isn t clear on the facts. To present the gospel, then, is to place a hearer in an untenable position. The heart of the hearer of the gospel must move, either toward Christ or away from him Even as an infant, Jesus was a polarizing figure. In our passage this morning we see three different responses to Jesus: a. Herod responded to Jesus with hatred Matthew 2:16- Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 1. Some, when they hear the message of the Gospel and the command to repent of their sins and trust in Jesus, respond like Herod. They hate Jesus and try to attack Him. It has been this way throughout history. Saul attacked the church in Acts 8. Men like Thomas Paine in America and Voltaire in France attacked Christ in the 18 th century. This is growing more common in our day. Men like Richard Dawkins 10 Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012), 63. 8

9 and Sam Harris have written books attacking Jesus and His Gospel. And groups like Boko Haram in Nigeria attack Christ almost weekly by burning His churches and killing His people. But to reject Christ is to incur His Judgment. b. The chief priests and scribes ignored Jesus. Matthew 2:5- They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 1. This was the thing that stood out to me the most in this passage. Look at the apathy in the chief priest and scribes. They were supposed to teach the people of Israel how to follow God. When magi from the east come and ask Where is the Messiah? and Herod asked the chief priests and scribes where the Messiah was to be born, they knew the answer: Bethlehem in Judah. But they were not willing to travel even five miles to Bethlehem to see their Messiah. They were apathetic towards Christ. Application: Let me say a word to the children present this morning. By God s grace you are in church this morning. You are hearing the Gospel, that God offers you salvation in Christ. But OFTEN the people most resistant to the Gospel are the ones who know it best. How often the very people who live nearest the means of grace are those who neglect them most! There is only too much truth in the old proverb, The nearer the church the further from God. Familiarity with sacred things has an awful tendency to make men despise them. 11 Don t ignore Jesus. If you do, you will be judged. Trust in Him. c. The Magi responded to Jesus with worship. -J.C. Ryle Matthew 2:11- And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 1. This is the proper response to Jesus. In light of the fact that He is the Messiah, the Son of God, who died on the cross for sinners, our response to Him should be worship. Jesus gave His life for us and so now we should worship Him with all our lives. I don t know exactly how much the Magi understood about Jesus s identity and mission. But they clearly understand that He is God s Messiah and J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew (Edinburg: Banner of Truth Trust, 2012 reprint), 9

10 like Joseph, they put their trust in Him. And they offered Him costly worship ( gold and frankincense and myrrh 2:11). Conclusion Friends, as we have seen in our passage this morning, the stark reality is that most people throughout history have rejected Jesus. They have either hated him outright or others, like the British media covering the Christening of George of Wales, have ignored Him. Matthew 7: Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. How have you responded to Jesus? God is just, if you don t want Jesus in this life, you won t have Him in eternity. You will suffer His wrath. But if you are willing to worship Christ today, you will be with Him and enjoy Him forever in heaven. May God bless us as we seek to worship Him this week! Let s pray 10