1 of 2

The two inspired birth accounts chose to focus on different events. Luke offers details about the angels appearing to the shepherds. Matthew skips that part of the story and records the astrologers' arrival and the escape to, and return from, Egypt. Today we focus on his account.

Matthew 2:1-23

1. Why (v. 3) would the astrologers' mission have "deeply disturbed" Herod, a non-Jewish "king of the Jews"?
   
   
2. The religious leaders and scholars (vv. 4-6) accurately answered Herod's question. Why were they later hostile to this same Messiah? (See John 7:40-43 for a possible source of confusion.) Why is Bible knowledge no substitute for submission to its authority?
   
   
3. How did the astrologers learn (v. 12) that Herod had lied to them (v. 8)?
   
   
4. "When Joseph woke up," Matthew 1:24 records, "he did what the angel of the Lord commanded." That was after an earlier dream had revealed that Mary's child would be the Messiah. In this passage he is guided by three more dreams (vv. 13, 19 & 22). What can you learn from his immediate, unquestioning obedience to divine instruction?
   
   
5. Matthew carefully documents (vv. 15, 17-18 & 23) how Jesus' birth fit into God's overarching plan. Are we anticipating Jesus Second Advent, as clearly taught in Scripture? (See, for example, Acts 1:9-11.)
   
   

Ask God to help you see Jesus through the expectant, wonder-filled eyes of the astrologers.

Matthew 2:1-23

1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him."

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, "Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?"

5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they said, "for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 'And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,
are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,
for a ruler will come from you
who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.'"

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, "Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!"

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

next page... |  1 of 2

share this page

Prayer for the Week

This Christmas, God, let me see behind a Jesus sanitized and neutered over the years to your actual battle-scarred, dragon-slaying Son.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip E-mail Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for International orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help