Matthew Chapter 2

Updated: September 14, 2025

The Pilgrimage of the Magi
(Micah 5:1–6)

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. 10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1-7)

13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: 15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Herod Slaughters Infants

(Jeremiah 31:1-30)

16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

The Return to Nazareth

(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)

19But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

King James Bible

Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.

The Pilgrimage of the Magi
(Micah 5:1–6)

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ would be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet,

6 ‘You Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the princes of Judah: for out of you shall come forth a governor, who shall shepherd my people, Israel.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.” 9 They, having heard the king, went their way; and behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Being warned in a dream that they shouldn’t return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way.

The Flight to Egypt
(Hosea 11:1–7)

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”

14 He arose and took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt, 15 and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

Weeping and Great Mourning
(Jeremiah 31:1–25)

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent out, and killed all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under, according to the exact time which he had learned from the wise men. 17 Then that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying,

18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; she wouldn’t be comforted, because they are no more.”

The Return to Nazareth
(Luke 2:39–40)

19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 20 “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.” 21 He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, 23 and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

The Pilgrimage of the Magi
(Micah 5:1–6)

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east a and have come to worship Him.”

3 When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

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.’ b”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”

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 stood over the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.

The Flight to Egypt
(Hosea 11:1–7)

13 When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”

14 So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” c

Weeping and Great Mourning
(Jeremiah 31:1–25)

16 When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. 17 Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

18 “A voice is heard in Ramah,

weeping and great mourning,

Rachel weeping for her children,

and refusing to be comforted,

because they are no more.” d

The Return to Nazareth
(Luke 2:39–40)

19 After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. 20 “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”

21 So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, 23 and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”

Footnotes:

2 a Or as it rose
6 b Micah 5:2; see also 2 Samuel 5:2.
15 c Hosea 11:1
18 d Jeremiah 31:15

The Pilgrimage of the Magi
(Micah 5:1–6)

1And Jesus having been born in Beth-Lehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, lo, mages from the east came to Jerusalem, 2saying, 'Where is he who was born king of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and we came to bow to him.' 3And Herod the king having heard, was stirred, and all Jerusalem with him, 4and having gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he was inquiring from them where the Christ is born. 5And they said to him, 'In Beth-Lehem of Judea, for thus it hath been written through the prophet,

6And thou, Beth-Lehem, the land of Judah, thou art by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for out of thee shall come one leading, who shall feed My people Israel.'

7Then Herod, privately having called the mages, did inquire exactly from them the time of the appearing star, 8and having sent them to Beth-Lehem, he said, 'Having gone -- inquire ye exactly for the child, and whenever ye may have found, bring me back word, that I also having come may bow to him.' 9And they, having heard the king, departed, and lo, the star, that they did see in the east, did go before them, till, having come, it stood over where the child was. 10And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, 11and having come to the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and having fallen down they bowed to him, and having opened their treasures, they presented to him gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, 12and having been divinely warned in a dream not to turn back unto Herod, through another way they withdrew to their own region.

The Flight to Egypt

(Hosea 11:1-7)

13And on their having withdrawn, lo, a messenger of the Lord doth appear in a dream to Joseph, saying, 'Having risen, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and be thou there till I may speak to thee, for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him.'

14And he, having risen, took the child and his mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt, 15and he was there till the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, 'Out of Egypt I did call My Son.'

Herod Slaughters Infants

(Jeremiah 31:1-30)

16Then Herod, having seen that he was deceived by the mages, was very wroth, and having sent forth, he slew all the male children in Beth-Lehem, and in all its borders, from two years and under, according to the time that he inquired exactly from the mages. 17Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

18A voice in Ramah was heard -- lamentation and weeping and much mourning -- Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be comforted because they are not.'

The Return to Nazareth

(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 13:53-58; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)

19And Herod having died, lo, a messenger of the Lord in a dream doth appear to Joseph in Egypt, 20saying, 'Having risen, take the child and his mother, and be going to the land of Israel, for they have died -- those seeking the life of the child.' 21And he, having risen, took the child and his mother, and came to the land of Israel, 22and having heard that Archelaus doth reign over Judea instead of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither, and having been divinely warned in a dream, he withdrew to the parts of Galilee, 23and coming, he dwelt in a city named Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophets, that 'A Nazarene he shall be called.'

Visitors from the East

¹ Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a small town in Judea, during the reign of King Herod the Great. In this momentous time, mysterious visitors arrived in Jerusalem, scholars from eastern lands who studied the stars and searched for divine signs. ² These wise men caused a stir in the city by asking, "Where can we find the newborn King of the Jews? We observed His star rising in the eastern skies—a celestial sign of royal birth—and we've traveled far to bow before Him in worship." ³ When King Herod heard this news, fear and paranoia gripped his heart. His anxiety spread throughout Jerusalem, as the people wondered how their volatile king would react to news of a potential rival.” ⁴ Herod immediately summoned the chief priests and teachers of religious law for an emergency meeting. With forced composure, he demanded to know where their ancient prophecies said the Messiah would be born.

⁵ They answered without hesitation, "In Bethlehem of Judea. This location was specifically recorded by the prophet Micah centuries ago." ⁶ Then they quoted the prophecy: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not just some insignificant village. From you will come a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel with the tender care of a loving guardian." ⁷ Following this, Herod arranged a secret meeting with the eastern scholars. Behind closed doors, he questioned them meticulously about when they first noticed the star, masking his murderous intentions with feigned interest. ⁸ Then, putting on a facade of piety, he sent them to Bethlehem with instructions: "Go and search thoroughly for the Child. When you find Him, return and tell me exactly where He is, so that I too may go and worship Him"—though his heart harbored plans for elimination, not adoration.

⁹ After this audience with the king, the wise men resumed their journey. Suddenly, the same star they had seen in the eastern skies reappeared, leading them forward like a divine compass until it stood still over the place where the young child lay. ¹⁰ When they saw the star stop, their hearts overflowed with indescribable joy—their long journey was about to reach its climactic moment. ¹¹ Entering the house, they found the child Jesus with His mother Mary. Immediately, these dignified scholars fell to their knees in worship. Then they opened their treasure chests, presenting gifts that proclaimed His identity: gold fitting for a king, frankincense used in divine worship, and myrrh pointing prophetically to His future sacrifice. ¹² That night, God warned them in a dream not to return to Herod. Understanding the danger, they chose an alternate route home, protecting the child from the king's murderous intentions.

The Escape to Egypt

¹³ After the wise men departed, an angel of יהוה (Yahweh) appeared to Joseph in a dream with urgent instructions: "Get up now! Take the child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you it's safe to return, because Herod will soon begin searching for the child to kill Him." ¹⁴ Joseph immediately acted on this divine warning. Under the cover of darkness, he gathered Mary and Jesus, beginning their desperate journey as refugees to a foreign land. ¹⁵ They remained in Egypt until Herod's death, fulfilling another ancient prophecy spoken by the Lord through Hosea:

"Out of Egypt I called My Son."

These words that originally described Israel's exodus were now finding deeper meaning in Jesus' life.

¹⁶ When Herod realized the eastern scholars had outwitted him, his fury erupted in horrific violence. He ordered soldiers to murder every boy two years old and younger in and around Bethlehem, based on the timeframe he had learned from the wise men. ¹⁷ This atrocity fulfilled the heartbreaking words spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:"A voice rings out in Ramah—raw with weeping and great mourning.

¹⁸ Rachel cries out in anguish for her children, refusing all comfort because they are gone forever." The prophet's ancient words captured the fresh grief of Bethlehem's mothers.

The Return to Nazareth

¹⁹ After Herod died, an angel of Yahweh appeared again to Joseph in a dream while the family remained in Egypt. ²⁰ The angel announced, "Rise and return to Israel with the child and His mother. Those who sought to kill Him are now dead themselves." ²¹ So Joseph rose and led his family back to the land of Israel, trusting once more in divine guidance for their protection. ²² But when he learned that Herod's son Archelaus now ruled Judea, fear gripped his heart—would the son share his father's murderous obsession? After receiving another warning from God in a dream, he turned instead toward the region of Galilee. ²³ There they settled in a town called Nazareth, fulfilling yet another prophetic thread that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. In this humble village, far from the powers that sought His life, Jesus would grow from child to man.

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The F.O.G Commentary

When Kings Collide: The Magi, a Massacre, and the Real Meaning of Christmas

What’s Matthew 2 about?

This is the chapter where Christmas gets complicated – wise men follow a star, a paranoid king plots murder, and a refugee family flees into the night. It’s Matthew showing us that Jesus’ birth wasn’t just a sweet nativity scene, but a cosmic collision between earthly power and heavenly purpose.

The Full Context

Matthew 2 picks up right after the genealogy and birth narrative of Matthew 1, but now the stakes get dramatically higher. Matthew is writing primarily to a Jewish audience around 70-80 AD, after the destruction of Jerusalem, when his community is wrestling with what it means that their promised Messiah was rejected by their own leaders but embraced by Gentiles. This chapter addresses that tension head-on.

The historical backdrop is crucial: Herod the Great ruled from 37-4 BC, known for his architectural achievements and his murderous paranoia. He killed his own wife and three sons when he suspected them of treason. Augustus reportedly joked that it was safer to be Herod’s pig than his son. Matthew places Jesus’ birth during this reign of terror, setting up a stark contrast between two very different kinds of kingship. The literary structure is masterful – Matthew weaves together fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies with the theme of Jesus as the new Moses, while simultaneously showing how God’s kingdom operates in ways that completely upend earthly expectations of power and recognition.

What the Ancient Words Tell Us

The mágoi who arrive in Jerusalem aren’t the “three wise men” of Christmas carols – they’re likely Zoroastrian priest-astronomers from Persia or Babylon, possibly members of a powerful political class who helped choose kings. When Matthew uses this specific Greek word, his Jewish readers would have thought of Daniel’s position among the Babylonian magi, setting up an expectation that these foreign wise men might recognize what Israel’s own leaders missed.

Grammar Geeks

The phrase “we have seen his star en tē anatolē” literally means “in the rising” – they saw the star at its heliacal rising, when it first appeared before dawn. This wasn’t just casual stargazing; it was sophisticated astronomical observation that would have taken months of calculation to interpret as signaling a royal birth.

The word prosekýnēsan (they worshiped) appears three times in this chapter – the magi worship Jesus, Herod demands worship, and the magi refuse to return to Herod. Matthew is making a point about true versus false worship, and who really deserves the knee-bending reverence that kings typically demand.

What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?

Matthew’s Jewish readers would have caught echoes of Moses throughout this narrative. Like Moses, Jesus is a deliverer born under a murderous king who kills Hebrew babies. Like Moses, he’s rescued from death and grows up in exile. The flight to Egypt isn’t random – it’s Matthew showing Jesus recapitulating Israel’s story, becoming the faithful son that Israel was called to be.

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But here’s where it gets really interesting: while Moses fled from Egypt to save his life, Jesus flees to Egypt to save his. God is doing something new while honoring something old. The magi’s gifts aren’t just expensive baby presents – gold for a king, frankincense for a priest, myrrh for burial. They’re prophetic gifts pointing to Jesus’ ultimate destiny.

Did You Know?

Bethlehem was tiny – maybe 300 people total. When Herod orders the killing of all boys under two, we’re probably talking about 6-20 children, not the hundreds depicted in medieval art. The horror isn’t in the scale but in the calculated cruelty of a king so threatened by a baby that he’s willing to massacre innocents.

The original audience would also have recognized the political implications. The magi ask “Where is the one born king of the Jews?” not “Where is the future king?” Their grammar suggests they believe this child is already king by birth right, not by later appointment. This is exactly the kind of talk that would send a usurper like Herod into a murderous rage.

Wrestling with the Text

But why didn’t God just prevent the massacre? This question has haunted readers for centuries. Matthew doesn’t give us a theological answer – instead, he shows us that God’s rescue plan involves real human suffering and real human choices. The angel warns Joseph, but Joseph still has to choose to listen and act. The magi have to choose whether to return to Herod or go home another way.

Matthew quotes Jeremiah 31:15 about Rachel weeping for her children, but he doesn’t quote the next verse: “There is hope for your future, declares the Lord, and your children shall come back to their own land.” The comfort isn’t that suffering doesn’t happen, but that God’s story isn’t finished yet.

Wait, That’s Strange…

The star that guides the magi is astronomically impossible by natural laws – it stops over a house in Bethlehem. Matthew isn’t trying to give us a science lesson; he’s showing us that when God acts in history, even the heavens pay attention. This is theological astronomy, not National Geographic.

There’s also the puzzle of timing. If Herod kills children “two years old and under,” and does so based on when the star first appeared, Jesus might have been a toddler by the time the magi arrive, not the newborn of nativity scenes. Matthew’s point isn’t about timing but about recognition – those who seek will find, even if it takes years of searching.

How This Changes Everything

This chapter demolishes our comfortable Christmas sentimentality. Jesus doesn’t come into a world ready to receive him with angels and shepherds – he comes into a world where earthly powers view his very existence as a threat to be eliminated. The first response to his birth from the political establishment isn’t wonder but fear, not worship but murder.

“The kingdom of heaven arrives not with fanfare but as a refugee family fleeing in the night, carrying everything they own and a baby who threatens empires simply by breathing.”

Matthew is showing us that following Jesus will always involve choosing between competing loyalties. The magi have to choose between their promise to Herod and their worship of Jesus. Joseph has to choose between the safety of staying put and the risk of trusting an angel’s midnight warning. These aren’t easy choices with obvious answers – they’re the kinds of faith decisions that require us to trust God’s character when we can’t see his plan.

The geographical movement also matters: Jesus goes from Bethlehem (the city of David) to Egypt (the place of slavery) to Nazareth (a nowhere town in Galilee). This isn’t upward mobility – it’s God choosing to identify with displaced people, refugees, and those from the wrong side of the tracks.

Did You Know?

Nazareth was so insignificant it’s not mentioned in the Old Testament, Josephus’s writings, or the Talmud. When Nathanael asks “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” in John 1:46, he’s expressing the first-century equivalent of “Can anything good come from that trailer park?”

Key Takeaway

True kingship isn’t about the power to destroy your enemies, but the willingness to become vulnerable for the sake of others. Jesus’ crown isn’t won by eliminating rivals but by surrendering his life – a completely different kind of kingdom that turns earthly power structures upside down.

Matthew Chapter 2

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