Matthew 2 Commentary
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The teachers of the Law weren’t always wrong! They got it right on the birthplace of the Messiah, Bethlehem. According to the scripture.
The love/hate affair with Egypt continues. The patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all found themselves in Egypt, mostly for relief. And here we are with the Son fleeing to Egypt, presumably for relief.
Part of the holy script was written in Egypt by the great prophet Jeremiah while on a ‘trouble holiday’ there.
You guess the LORD is up to something with these symbols!
But should evil (Herod the Great) be so powerful that righteousness (Jesus) must run away from it in fear? Of course, a time when evil rules has its own expiry date! While it lasts, the LORD employs all sorts of solutions and reactions to the aggression posed by evil. Among them are confrontation, escape, hiding, head-to-head battle, apparent defeat, endurance, and victory.
The Magi are yet another symbol of the ‘nations’ lining up to present their gifts to the Son.
This is no time for models, samples, or examples. Reality is here. So what could be the meaning of these symbols? It could be that the scripture warns us of a bias toward an understanding that the gifts and the homage are political. The magi weren’t envoys in the same tune as ambassadors drawn from geopolitical regions or arrangements.
Gifts would be presented to the King of kings by wise men and women drawn to Israel under the guidance of the Spirit of God. They are not drawn to the political office like the one Herod held at the time. They don’t need a physical map!
Let’s check the facts again. The magi were educated men who specialized in astronomy, astrology, and the natural sciences. Yet they needed guidance. A special star arose and led them to the King. Forget the sciences! You need the Holy Spirit to guide you. Forget the political arrangements of this world! You need to find the real King – the one with the government on His shoulders. His government would be different from what we all know and feel is power, authority, or dominion.
‘Herod’ did search for the son and eventually killed him, when Heaven allowed it. But we have several days before the events of Calvary. Not before nor after was the son so venerable. Yes, but only in our minds. The LORD was ever in charge of events. Only His Will would prosper!
After Egypt, Nazareth became the Son’s base. Those with a short memory would argue that the Messiah would never come from Nazareth! Jesus was never from Nazareth! He simply relocated there for convenience purposes. But that too fulfilled the scriptures!
The Son (Isaiah), Immanuel (Isaiah), the Servant (Isaiah), the Shepherd (Zechariah), and Ruler (Micah), among countless titles. How does He fit and operate within a human body and mind, and how does He interact with our physical world and the spiritual world we know very little about? Indeed, this journey will be very interesting!
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