EPIPHANY - A

And on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Mt 2:1-12

v. 1. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem…

The place is called Bethlehem of Judea because there is another Bethlehem in Zebulun (Jos 19:15). Lk 2:1-7 explains how Jesus came to be born in Bethlehem and then brought up at Nazareth.

King Herod ruled over Palestine from 37-4 B.C.

Magi (magoi ) may be used in two senses: a wise man or a magician. In the NT the only other magus was Elymas (Acts 13:6ff) and he was clearly a magician.

v. 2. …saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."

The magi ask for the king of the Jews because they were gentiles. Jews would say the Christ (v. 4) o the King of Israel (27:42).

The star was the sign of a king. In Num 24:17 we read: “A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel”.

In 7 B.C. there was an alignment of Jupiter, Venus and Saturn. Matthew might be referring to this phenomenon.

v. 3. When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

We meet the word “troubled” again in Mt 14:26. “When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.” In this passage the Greek word is translated as terrified. In both cases being troubled and being terrified arise from unbelief.

v. 4. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

The chief priests and scribes make up the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jews.

There might be a reference to Ps 2:2 “Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the LORD and his anointed”.

v. 5-6. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'"

The prophecy of Micah might have been combined with a passage from Samuel.

Micah 5:1 - But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.

2Samuel 5:2 - In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the Israelites out and brought them back. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'"

v. 7. Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.

From v. 16 it would seem that the star had appeared two years earlier. “When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had ascertained from the magi.”

v. 8. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."

This is a lie. V. 13 “When they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him."

v. 10. They were overjoyed at seeing the star.

We see the same reaction in the women when angels announce the resurrection of Jesus and the command to give a message of Jesus to the disciples. “Then they went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce this to his disciples” (Mt 28:8).

v. 11. …and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Worshipping Jesus is often cited in Matthew.

• 8:2 - And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, "Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean."
• 28:16-17 - The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted.

Symbolic meanings have been given to the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

• But they may all be gifts suitable for a king.
• They may be the materials used by a magus/magician. In this case the magi by surrendering them to Jesus may be declaring an end to their practices.