THE PRESERVATION OF THE KING (Matthew 2)

THE PRESERVATION OF THE KING (Matthew 2)

H. A. IRONSIDE

MATTHEW 2 - Many non-scriptural ideas and legends have been linked with the visit of these Wise Men from the East. Contrary to the pictures we see generally, they are not called Kings, but Magi, that is, Wise Men, who devoted themselves to the study of ancient lore. Undoubtedly they were somewhat acquainted with certain prophecies, possibly those of Balaam (who was of the East) and of Daniel, whose book was written partly in the Hebrew and partly in the Chaldee languages. The Wise Men (Magi) had learned of the birth of the promised King by divine revelation, or else had worked out the great time prophecy of Daniel 9, so that they felt assured he was present in Israel. 

Led by the star which was seen again as they left Jerusalem they had no difficulty in locating the house where the holy family resided at this time. It is evidently a mistake to suppose that Mary and Joseph, with the Child, were still in the stable where the shepherds found them. They were now in a more convenient dwelling. Doubtless some weeks or even months had elapsed since the birth of Jesus.

  Beholding Him the Wise Men prostrated themselves before Him and presented their well-selected gifts: gold, speaking of the divine nature and righteousness; frankincense, suggesting the fragrance of His perfect Human life; and myrrh, pointing forward to His sacrificial death. 

  The angels were created by the eternal Word, the Son, who in the fullness of time became Man for our salvation. 

Joseph’s obedience to each message of the angel is noteworthy. Without raising any questions he complied immediately with every commandment which was given him in this supernatural way. He was one who was very sensitive to the Word of the Lord. He furnishes us with a most precious example of implicit obedience to the will of God, even under most perplexing and difficult circumstances.

   Because of His residence in Nazareth, Jesus was called a Nazarene, a name intimately connected with the Hebrew word Netzer meaning “branch,” as in Zechariah 6:12, and other scriptures. In a secondary sense it might mean “a separated one,” a Nazarite, as in Numbers 6:2, for Jesus was the true Nazarite, separated to God from His birth. The city of Nazareth evidently took its name from this word Netzer, possibly because of some special tree or sprout found in that vicinity. Therefore, it was easy to link the name Nazarene with the prophecies concerning Jesus as the Branch, or Sprout of the Lord (Isaiah 4:2), the Branch out of David’s roots (Isaiah 11:1). But as applied to Jesus by His enemies, it was a term of reproach—a term, however, which the early Christians readily appropriated and gloried in (Acts 24:5).