Interpretive Study of Matthew's Gospel-1,2.

Chapter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, God.

Matthew Chapter 1

links to sentences in this chapter:

C1-S1 (Verse 1), C1-S2 (Verse 2-16), C1-S3 (Verse 17), C1-S4 (Verse 18), C1-S5 (Verse 19), C1-S6 (Verse 20), C1-S7 (Verse 21), C1-S8 (Verse 22-23), C1-S9 (Verse 24-25)'.

Please use This link to see the chapter summary.

Chapter theme: Jesus fulfilled the law and proved that he is is God's Christ.

Matthew 1:1-17 occurs first, in the time sequence of the life of Jesus Christ, because it provides the list of the legal ancestors of Jesus before His birth. Matthew 1:18 starts with Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise, which means that what Matthew presented before that sentence occurred before the events of that sentence. Moving on, Luke 1 has the account of the birth of John the Baptist and occurs, time wise, between Matthew 1:17 and Matthew 1:18. Then Matthew 1:18-25 occur. After those events, we have the events of Luke 2:1 through the first phrase of Luke 2:39. Please see the Doctrinal Study called Gospel Time Sequences for related references in the time sequence of the physical life of Jesus Christ.

Matthew 1:18-25 presents the birth of Jesus. This event is also recorded as reported in Luke 2:1-20; John 1:1-5 and John 1:9-14. Each of these presentations take a different perspective. John presents the spiritual view. Matthew presents the legal view and his genealogy traces through Joseph, who is the adoptive, and legal, father of Jesus but not the physical father. Luke presents the physical view and his genealogy traces through Mary, who is the physical mother of Jesus but is not recognized under Jewish Law because she is female. Each Gospel author reveals the perspective of his Gospel with this opening event. Please remember that Matthew, as a former government employee, presents the perspective of keeping the Law. Luke, as a physician, presents the view of a physical man. John, the beloved disciple, presents the spiritual view because true love comes from God and is spiritual in nature. In addition, as a disciple of Jesus, john would have learned to understand the spiritual perspective of God's word. Further, the Prophecy Fulfilled Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, gives the Old Testament prophecies of this event and the new Testament references to the fulfillment of the prophecy.

The birth of Jesus was prophesied as reported in Matthew 1:18-21 and Luke 1:26-38. In addition, the Prophecy Fulfilled Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, gives the Old Testament prophecies of this event and the new Testament references to the fulfillment of the prophecy.

The theme of our chapter is; Jesus is God's Christ. We see this theme fulfilled by the points of legal evidence presented by Matthew within our chapter. Matthew 1:1-17 is the first point of the legal evidence presented by Matthew in this chapter. In his first point, Matthew shows that Jesus fulfilled the requirements of character and of geology.

Next, in Matthew 1:18, we have the witness of prophecy which tells us that Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). Our sentence says that Mary fulfilled this requirement.

Next, in Matthew 1:19-21, we have the witness of an angel to Joseph, who was minded to put her (Mary) away privily but changed his mind and accepted the public shame. This is evidence that Joseph accepted the message from God through the angel.

Next, in Matthew 1:22-23, we have the prophecy which proves that the virgin birth was from God. Only God fulfills Bible prophecy.

Next, in Matthew 1:24-25, we have Joseph accepting the warning from God, through a vision which woke him. He took Mary and Jesus and ran to Egypt in the middle of the night. He did not wait until morning to start the journey properly.

Lastly, in Matthew 1:24-25, we have the statement that Joseph: knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son. The midwife, who helped to deliver the child, would have been a witness to this fact and certainly would have gossiped about it to all of her friends. This is the evidence that Isaiah 7:14 was fulfilled.

In our next chapter, Matthew tells us about the wise men who came seeking the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). This is another evidence that Jesus is God's Christ, even though it is presented as a separate incident. As seen in the other verses and notes on King of the Jews, that title is part of the role of the Christ.

What we see here are seven (7) points which would be accepted as evidence in a righteous court of law. These seven (7) points are the evidence which Matthew gives to prove that Jesus is God's Christ.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

1-14. the divinity, humanity, office, and incarnation of Jesus Christ.
15-38. the testimony of John.
39-51. the calling of Andrew, Peter, etc.'.

C1-S1 (Verse 1) . Declare the character linage of Jesus Christ.

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,
the son of David,
the son of Abraham..

Matthew 1:1-17 is the first point of the legal evidence presented by Matthew in this chapter to show that Jesus is God's Christ. Please see the general note for the chapter about the listing of the seven (7) points of legal evidence presented by Matthew.

The genealogy of Jesus is reported in Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38. Matthew gives His legal genealogy, which comes through Joseph while Luke gives His physical genealogy, which comes through Mary.

Matthew 1:1-17 occurs first, in the time sequence of the life of Jesus Christ, because it provides the list of the legal ancestors of Jesus before His birth. Matthew 1:18 starts with Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise. Luke 1 has the account of the birth of John the Baptist and occurs, time wise, between Matthew 1:17 and Matthew 1:18. Then Matthew 1:18-25 occur. After those events, we have the events of Luke 2:1 through the first phrase of Luke 2:39. Please see the Doctrinal Study called Gospel Time Sequences for related references in the time sequence of the physical life of Jesus Christ.

In the book of Acts, Peter preached, and the Jews accepted, that God's promise to David was that Christ would come from David's loins. The action of the Jews, in this sentence, is based upon that well known prophecy. Please see the Prophecy Fulfilled Section of the Significant Gospel Events Study for Bible references to this prophecy and to where else it in found in the Gospel accounts.

The notes for this sentence within the Lord Jesus Christ Study (use the links in the sentence outline above) explains certain legal attributes of adoption and explains how this is one of the truths which assures us that we can not lose our salvation. In addition, those notes explain how Jesus had the character of Abraham and of king David, while the general Jew, and especially the Jewish religious leaders, did not have that character. (Those notes also provide links to where the Bible tells us these truths). Those notes also explain how receiving the character of God as part of true Biblical salvation and is required to be assured of our everlasting sanctification and salvation. In addition, our current sentence is, obviously, in context with the next sentence where we see the word begat used, but Matthew does not declare any of them to be as son. Thus, the next sentence tell us about how the physical seed was passed from Abraham and king David even while the character, as required to be a true Biblical son, was not received by any of the men mentioned in the next sentence. They may have received some of the character, but not enough for the Bible to recognize them as a true Biblical son. That is the main doctrinal difference between this sentence and the next sentence.

Please see the note for Luke 3:4 about the word book. The functional definition for this word is: 'A general name of every literary composition which is printed; but appropriately, a printed composition bound; a volume. the name is given also to any number of written sheets when bound or sewed together, and to a volume of blank paper, intended for any species of writing, as for memorandums, for accounts, or receipts. 1. A particular part of a literary composition; a division of a subject in the same volume. 2. A volume or collection of sheets in which accounts are kept; a register of debts and credits, receipts and expenditures'. Please also see the note for Galatians 3:10 about the phrase book of the law. Please also see the note for Revelation 13:8-LJC about the phrase book of the life.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S6 about the word generation. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Generation as: 'Ge 2:4, "These are the generations," means the "history." Ge 5:1, "The book of the generations," means a family register, or history of Adam. Ge 37:2, "The generations of Jacob" = the history of Jacob and his descendants. Ge 7:1, "in this generation" = in this age. Ps 49:19, "The generation of his fathers" = the dwelling of his fathers, i.e., the grave. Ps 73:15, "The generation of thy children" = the contemporary race. Isa 53:8, "Who shall declare his generation?" = His manner of life who shall declare? or rather = His race, posterity, shall be so numerous that no one shall be able to declare it.
In Mt 1:17, the word means a succession or series of persons from the same stock. Mt 3:7, "Generation of vipers" = brood of vipers. Mt 24:34, "This generation" = the persons then living contemporary with Christ. 1Pe 2:9, "A chosen generation" = a chosen people.
The Hebrews seem to have reckoned time by the generation. In the time of Abraham a generation was an hundred years, thus: Ge 15:16, "In the fourth generation" = in four hundred years (comp. Ge 15:13; Ex 12:40). In De 1:35; 2:14 a generation is a period of thirty-eight years'. We find forms of this word, within this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:1; Matthew 3:7; Matthew 11:16; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 12:39; Matthew 12:41; Matthew 12:42; Matthew 12:45; Matthew 16:4; Matthew 17:17; Matthew 23:33; Matthew 23:36; Matthew 24:34.

The phrase son of David was covered in the Lord Jesus Christ Study with links to every place where this phrase is used in the verses document. Please also see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the phrase house of David.

Please see the note for Hebrews 2:16 about Abraham. The functional definition for this word is: 'the father of the faithful'. (We see this definition in Romans 4:11-12 and Romans 4:16.) We find Abraham mentioned in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:1; Matthew 1:2; Matthew 1:17; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 8:11; Matthew 22:32. Please see the note for Romans 4 and James 2:21-LJC about Abraham's faith. Please see the note for Galatians C3S9 about the children of Abraham.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'A.M. 4000. B.C. 4. generation. Ge 2:4; 5:1; Isa 53:8; Lu 3:23-38; Ro 9:5 the son of David. Mt 9:27; 15:22; 22:42-45; 2Sa 7:13,16; Ps 89:36; 132:11; Isa 9:6-7; 11:1; Jer 23:5; 33:15-17,26; Am 9:11; Zec 12:8; Lu 1:31-32,69-70; Joh 7:42; Ac 2:30; 13:22; Ro 1:3; Re 22:16 the son of Abraham. Ge 12:3; 22:18; 26:3-5; 28:13-14; Ro 4:13; Ga 3:16'.

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C1-S2 (Verse 2-16) Declare the legal linage of Jesus Christ.

Equivalent Section: People who lived before the captivity.

Abraham begat Isaac;
and Isaac begat Jacob;
and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
And Judas begat Phares and Zara of thamar;
and Phares begat Esrom;
and Esrom begat Aram;
And Aram begat Aminadab;
and Aminadab begat Naasson;
and Naasson begat Salmon;
And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab;
and Booz begat Obed of Ruth;
and Obed begat Jesse;
And Jesse begat David the king;
and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
And Solomon begat Roboam;
and Roboam begat Abia;
and Abia begat Asa;
And Asa begat Josaphat;
and Josaphat begat Joram;
and Joram begat Ozias;
And Ozias begat Joatham;
and Joatham begat Achaz;
and Achaz begat Ezekias;
And Ezekias begat Manasses;
and Manasses begat Amon;
and Amon begat Josias;
And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren,
about the time they were carried away to Babylon:.

Equivalent Section: People who lived after the captivity.

And after they were brought to Babylon,
Jechonias begat Salathiel;
and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
And Zorobabel begat Abiud;
and Abiud begat Eliakim;
and Eliakim begat Azor;
And Azor begat Sadoc;
and Sadoc begat Achim;
and Achim begat Eliud;
And Eliud begat Eleazar;
and Eleazar begat Matthan;
and Matthan begat Jacob;
And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom was born Jesus,
who is called Christ..

Although most of the phrases in this sentence are actually Steps, although a few phrases are not, I did not include those points in the sentence outline because doing so would be more detrimental to understanding than it would be to understanding. One step must be done before the next step can be done. Likewise, a man has to be born, grow up, and then father a son before the son can repeat the process.

In addition to the above, our next sentence explains why this sentence is broken into two Equivalent Sections.

Next, the end of our sentence says: Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus. Thus, if the reader reads what is actually written, we see that Jesus was born from Mary but that He was not begat (fathered by) from Joseph.

Please also see the note for this sentence in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, which explains the reason for the wording found in the phrase who is called Christ and also provides a link to the prophecy where we are told that Christ will come from the loins of king David. That note also has the explanation of the difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King.

Please see the note for Galatians C4-S25 about Isaac. The functional definition for this word is: 'laughter. (1) Israel, or the kingdom of the ten tribes (Am 7:9,16). (2.) the only son of Abraham by Sarah. He was the longest lived of the three patriarchs (Ge 21:1-3)'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 11:9 about Jacob. The functional definition for this word is: 'The son and heir of Isaac. Jacob is used in the Bible when he was acting in the flesh. Israel is used in the Bible when he was following God's Holy Spirit'.

Please see the note for Acts 3:11 about Solomon. The functional definition for this word is: 'Son of David and Bathsheba. Considered the wisest and richest man who lived besides Jesus'. That note has extensive references to Him.

The word brethren occurs 564 times in 542 verses of the Bible, 231 times in 229 verses of the New Testament. When we include forms of the words brother and sister, the total occurs 1110 times in 989 verses of the Bible, 384 times in 346 verses of the New Testament and, in Matthew, in: Matthew 1:2; Matthew 4:18; Matthew 4:21; Matthew 5:47; Matthew 12:46; Matthew 12:47; Matthew 12:48; Matthew 12:49; Matthew 13:55; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 20:24; Matthew 22:25; Matthew 23:8; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 28:10. Please also see the notes for: Mark 3:31; Luke 8:19; John 2:12; Acts 1:14; Romans 1:13; 1Corinthians 2:1; 2Corinthians 1:8; Galatians C1-S1; Ephesians 6:10; Philippians 1:12; Colossians 1:2; 1Thessalonians 1:4; 2Thessalonians 1:3; 1Timothy 4:6; 2Timothy 4:21; Hebrews 2:11; James 1:2; 1Peter 1:22; 2Peter 1:10; 1John 2:7; 3John 1:3 and Revelation 6:11 about where the word brethren is used in those epistles. The functional definition for this word is: 'Spiritually used for God's people: the Jews and the people are saved, baptized and active members of the church'. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'A human male born of the same father and mother. A male by one of the parents only is called a half-brother, or brother of the half blood. 2. Any one closely united; an associate; as a band of brothers. 3. One that resembles another in manners. He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster. Proverbs 18. In scripture, the term brother is applied to a kinsman by blood more remote that a son of the same parents; as in the case of Abraham and Lot, Jacob and Laban. Persons of the same profession call each other brother, as judges, clergymen, professors of religion, members of societies united in a common cause, monks and the like. Kings give to each other the title of brother. Address their congregations by the title of brethren. In a more general sense, brother or brethren is used for man in general; all men being children of the same primitive ancestors, and forming one race of beings. Brother-german is a brother by the father's and mother's side, in contradistinction to a uterine brother, or by the mother only' The functional definition for this word is: 'Spiritually used for God's people: the Jews and the people are saved, baptized and active members of the church'.

Please see the note for verses in the New Testament and Summary on the name / role of king. The functional definition for this word is: 'The head of government for a nation whose character defines the character of the kingdom'. The difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King is that the lowercase is applied to any being who is not God and the uppercase is only applied to the Son of God by the word of God. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:6; Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:3; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 5:35; Matthew 10:18; Matthew 11:8; Matthew 14:9; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 18:23; Matthew 21:5; Matthew 22:2; Matthew 22:7; Matthew 22:11; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 25:34; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 27:11; Matthew 27:29; Matthew 27:37; Matthew 27:42. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the note for note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

Please see the note for Colossians C3S13 about the words wife / wives. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines these words as: 'The ordinance of marriage was sanctioned in Paradise (Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4-6). Monogamy was the original law under which man lived, but polygamy early commenced (Ge 4:19), and continued to prevail all down through Jewish history. the law of Moses regulated but did not prohibit polygamy. A man might have a plurality of wives, but a wife could have only one husband. A wife's legal rights (Ex 21:10) and her duties (Pr 31:10-31; 1Ti 5:14) are specified. She could be divorced in special cases (De 22:13-21), but could not divorce her husband. Divorce was restricted by our Lord to the single case of adultery (Mt 19:3-9). the duties of husbands and wives in their relations to each other are distinctly set forth in the New Testament (1Co 7:2-5; Eph 5:22-33; Col 3:18-19; 1Pe 3:1-7).'. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:6; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 1:24; Matthew 5:31-32; Matthew 8:14; Matthew 14:3; Matthew 18:25; Matthew 19:3; Matthew 19:5; Matthew 19:8; Matthew 19:9; Matthew 19:10; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 22:24; Matthew 22:25; Matthew 22:28; Matthew 27:19.

Please see the note for Acts 5:9 about the words carry / carrying. The functional definition for these words is: 'To bear, convey, or transport. In general, it implies a moving from the speaker or the place present or near, to a place more distant, and so is opposed to bring and fetch, and it is often followed by from, away, off, out'.

Please see the note for Revelation 14:8 about the word Babylon. The functional definition for this word is: 'The original city was Assyrian, and the name meant "The city of the dispersion of the tribes." In Revelation, it identifies the city which is the center of government joined to religion'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 3:9 about the word husband / husbandman / husbandry. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'The business of a farmer, comprehending agriculture or tillage of the ground, the raising, managing and fattening of cattle and other domestic animals, the management of the dairy and whatever the land produces. 1. Frugality; domestic economy; good management; thrift. But in this sense we generally prefix good; as good husbandry. 2. Care of domestic affairs'. The functional definition for this word is: 'one who takes care of domestic affairs'. We find forms of this word in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:16; Matthew 1:19; Matthew 21:33-34; Matthew 21:35; Matthew 21:38; Matthew 21:40; Matthew 21:41.

We find forms of the word born occurring 185 times in 180 verses of the Bible, 59 times in 55 verses of the New Testament and, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:16; Matthew 2:1-2; Matthew 2:4; Matthew 11:11; Matthew 19:12; Matthew 26:24. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'pp. of bear. baurn. Brought forth, as an animal. A very useful distinction is observed by good authors, who, in the sense of produced or brought forth, write this word born; but in the sense of carried, write it borne. this difference of orthography renders obvious the difference of pronunciation. 1. to be born, is to be produced or brought into life. "Man is born to trouble." A man born a prince or a beggar. It is followed by of, before the mother or ancestors. Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Job.14. 2. to be born, or born again, is to be regenerated and renewed; to receive spiritual life. John 3'. Please also see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. The functional definition for this word is: 'Conceived life is brought into the world'. Please see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. Please also see the note for Colossians 1:15 about the word firstborn. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word begotten. The functional definition is: 'Procreated; generated'. Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S3 about the word call. That note has links to notes in every New Testament book where there are links to every place where the particular book uses this word. The functional definition is: 'To command another to help or to cry for help, hence to pray (Ge 4:26)'. Please also see the note for Romans 10:13; 2Thessalonians 3:1-LJC; Ephesians 5:8-LJC and 1John 4:14-LJC about the phrase call upon the Lord. The note for Romans 10:13 has links to every place in the Bible where we find the words call and Lord used together, along with a small note on each reference. Forms of the word call are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:16; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 1:25; Matthew 2:7; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:18; Matthew 4:21; Matthew 5:9; Matthew 5:19; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 10:1; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 10:25; Matthew 11:16; Matthew 13:55; Matthew 15:10; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 18:2; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 19:17; Matthew 20:8; Matthew 20:16; Matthew 20:25; Matthew 20:32; Matthew 21:13; Matthew 22:3; Matthew 22:14; Matthew 22:43; Matthew 22:45; Matthew 23:7; Matthew 23:8; Matthew 23:9; Matthew 23:10; Matthew 25:14; Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:14; Matthew 26:36; Matthew 27:8; Matthew 27:16; Matthew 27:17; Matthew 27:22; Matthew 27:33; Matthew 27:47.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Abraham. Ge 21:2-5; Jos 24:2-3; 1Ch 1:28; Isa 51:2; Lu 3:34; Ac 7:8; Ro 9:7-9; Heb 11:11,17-18 exp: Ge 25:19; 1Ch 1:34. Isaac begat. Ge 25:26; Jos 24:4; 1Ch 1:34; Isa 41:8; Mal 1:2-3; Ro 9:10-13 Jacob begat. Ge 29:32-35; 30:5-20; 35:16-19; 46:8-27; 49:8-12; Ex 1:2-5; 1Ch 2:1-8; 5:1-2; Lu 3:33-34; Ac 7:8; Heb 7:14; Re 7:5 Juda. General references. exp: Ge 21:3.
Judas. Ge 38:27,29-30; 46:12 (Judah, Pharez, Zarah) Nu 26:20-21; 1Ch 2:3-4 Zerah. 1Ch 9:6 thamar. Ge 38:6,11,24-26 Tamar. and Phares. Ge 46:12; Nu 26:21; Ru 4:18; 1Ch 2:5; 4:1 Hezron. Lu 3:33 Aram. Ru 4:19; 1Ch 2:9 Ram.
Aminadab. Ru 4:19-20; 1Ch 2:10-12 Amminadab. exp: Lu 3:33. Naasson. Nu 1:7; 2:3; 7:12,17; 10:14 Nahshon. Lu 3:32 General references. exp: Nu 7:12.
Salmon. Ru 4:21; 1Ch 2:11-12 Salma, Boaz. Rachab. Jos 2:1-22; 6:22-25; Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25 Rahab. Booz. Ru 1:4,16-17,22; 2-4 Obed begat. Lu 3:32
Jesse. Ru 4:22; 1Sa 16:1,11-13; 17:12,58; 20:30-31; 22:8; 2Sa 23:1; 1Ch 2:15; Ps 72:20; Isa 11:1; Ac 13:22-23 Solomon. 2Sa 12:24-25; 1Ch 3:5; 14:4; 28:5 exp: 2Sa 5:14. her. 2Sa 11:3,26-27; 1Ki 1:11-17,28-31; 15:5; Ro 8:3 Urias. 2Sa 23:39; 1Ch 11:41 Uriah.
Roboam. 1Ki 11:43; 12:1-24; 1Ch 3:10; 2Ch 9:31; 13:7 Rehoboam. Abia. 1Ki 14:31 Abijam. 2Ch 12:1 Abijah. Asa. 1Ki 15:8-23; 2Ch 14-16
Josaphat. 1Ki 15:24; 22:2-50; 2Ki 3:1; 2Ch 17-20 Jehoshaphat. Joram. 1Ki 22:50; 2Ki 8:16 Jehoram. 1Ch 3:11; 2Ch 21:1 Ozias. 2Ki 14:21; 15:1-6 Azariah. 2Ch 26 Uzziah.
Joatham. 2Ki 15:7,32-38; 1Ch 3:11-13; 2Ch 26:21; 27 Jotham. Achaz. 2Ki 15:38; 16; 2Ch 27:9; 28; Isa 7:1-13 Ahaz. Ezekias. 2Ki 16:20; 18-20; 2Ch 28:27; 29-32; Isa 36-39 Hezekiah.
Manasses. 2Ki 20:21; 21:1-18; 24:3-4; 1Ch 3:13-15; 2Ch 32:33; 33:1-19 Manasseh. Amon. 2Ki 21:19-26; 2Ch 33:20-24 Josias. 1Ki 13:2; 2Ki 21:26; 22; 23:1-30; 2Ch 33:25; 34; 35; Jer 1:2-3 Josiah.
Josias. "Some read, Josias begat Jakim, and Jakim begat Jechonias." Jechonias. 2Ki 23:31-37; 24; 1Ch 3:15-17; 2Ch 36:1-8; Jer 2:10-28 about. 2Ki 24:14-16; 25:11; 2Ch 36:10,20; Jer 27:20; 39:9; 52:11-15,28-30; Da 1:2
Jechonias. 2Ki 25:27 Jehoiachin. 1Ch 3:17,19-24 Jeconiah. Jer 22:24,28 Coniah. and. Ezr 3:2; 5:2; Ne 12:1; Hag 1:1,12,14; 2:2,23 Shealtiel, Zerubbabel. Lu 3:27
Joseph. Mt 1:18-25; 2:13; Lu 1:27; 2:4-5,48; 3:23; 4:22 of whom. Mr 6:3; Lu 1:31-35; 2:7,10-11 who. Mt 27:17,22; Joh 4:25'.

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C1-S3 (Verse 17) Declare the pattern in the lineage.

So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations;
and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations;
and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations..

I am not sure why this number of fourteen is important, but Matthew thought it was important. In addition, I have not seen anything from a commentator which provides an acceptable explanation. The reader may have access to information which I don't have, but I doubt that the significance of the number is critical. If it was, the Bible would have been clearer on the symbolic meaning. That written, this number is used in the Bible 26 times and some of those references are interesting and can appear to be significant.

The main doctrinal significance, that I believe this sentence has, is that this is one of several places in the Bible where we can not be completely positive what the significance is. Therefore, it is letting us know that there are things which God knows and understands but which we can not know nor understand before we get to Heaven. Therefore, these things become a distracting test. Are you going to waste time trying to figure out what there is not enough Bible information to truly understand what is written, or are you going to concentrate on what God will reveal to you and that you need to spend time making part of your life? In simpler words: are you going to waste your life or are you going to spend it truly serving God?

Now, if the reader counts the names in the prior sentence, they will have difficulty fitting them into three groups of fourteen. However, if we truly consider the time that the Jews were in captivity, we can find the missing generations even while Matthew has not supplied the names for those generations. His failure to give us those names does not make this sentence untrue. What it seems that we have here is a test. Is someone going to claim that there is an error in God's perfect word just because they can't figure it out, or are they going to trust that God's true word is perfect and that any apparent error is our own lack of knowledge of our own failure in understanding.

Please see the note for Hebrews 2:16 about Abraham. The functional definition for this word is: 'the father of the faithful'. (We see this definition in Romans 4:11-12 and Romans 4:16.)

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C1-S4 (Verse 18) Declare the relevant details of the birth.

Equivalent Section: How the birth happened.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise:.

Equivalent Section: What happened in detail.

When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph,
before they came together,
she was found with child of the Holy Ghost..

This sentence gives us the same information as what is found in Luke 1:27-31. These references are also a fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. While all references tell about the same incident, the exact details are completely different and comparison at a detail level makes no sense. The reader is urged to read the other reference and do their own high-level comparison.

The miracle of Mary (mother of Jesus) becoming pregnant from the Holy Ghost is reported in: Matthew 1:18-25; and Luke 1:30-35. Please also see the Table of Miracles in the Gospels about this, and similar, miracles.

This is the second time that Matthew uses the title Jesus Christ. He has concluded his proof supporting the first point that Jesus is Christ, with the prior sentence, and is now starting the proof supporting his second point. Matthew's first point was that Jesus met the legal genealogy requirements to be the Christ and He had the character of Abraham and of king David, which was required to be their son and required to inherit the promises from God to those men.

in this second point, Matthew is declaring that Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Psalms 2:7 which states I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. As seen in this Psalms, the Christ would be begotten, (physically conceived), directly by God. When Matthew says (in our third phrase): she was found with child of the Holy Ghost, Matthew is claiming that Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

Please see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday. The functional definition, for the word birth, is: 'Life coming into the world. This is different from conception, which is when life starts. The Bible also makes the distinction n between physical birth and spiritual birth'. The functional definition, for the word birthday, is: 'The day that birth occurs'. The functional definition, for the word birthright, is: 'The rights received at the point of birth. These are distinguished from rights received later in life'. Please see the note for Colossians C1S3 about the word firstborn. Please also see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. Please also see the note for Matthew 1:16 about the word born. The functional definition for this word is: 'Concieved life is brought into the world'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word begotten. The functional definition is: 'Procreated; generated'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wisdom. The functional definition for this word is: 'The right use or exercise of knowledge; the choice of laudable ends, and of the best means to accomplish them'. Please also see the note for Romans 1:14 about the word unwise. Please also see the notes for Romans C16S23 and 1Corinthians C1S12 about the word wise. We find forms of this word in: Matthew 1:18; Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:7; Matthew 2:16; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 7:24; Matthew 10:16; Matthew 10:42; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 21:24; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 24:45; Matthew 25:2; Matthew 25:4; Matthew 25:8; Matthew 25:9.

Please see the note for Mark 1:30 about the word mother. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The law commanded that honour was to be paid to a mother as well as to a father. In nearly all cases the mothers of the kings of Israel are mentioned as well as the fathers. the wise woman who appealed to Joab as 'a mother in Israel,' was at once listened to. 2Sa 20:19. A mother has naturally great influence over her children, whether for good or evil, as Jochebed the mother of Moses, and Jezebel the mother of Athaliah. the children of the virtuous woman arise and call her blessed. Pr 31:28. Timothy had a faithful mother and grandmother. 2Ti 1:5. there are also 'mothers' in the church, who have the Lord's interests at heart in the welfare of the saints, as Paul called the mother of Rufus his own mother also. Ro 16:13.'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:2 about the word espouse. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: '(2Sa 3:14), to betroth. the espousal was a ceremony of betrothing, a formal agreement between the parties then coming under obligation for the purpose of marriage. Espousals are in the East frequently contracted years before the marriage is celebrated. It is referred to as figuratively illustrating the relations between God and his people (Jer 2:2; Mt 1:18; 2Co 11:2).'.

Please see the note for John 1:41 about the word find. The functional definition for this word is: 'Literally, to come to; to meet; hence, to discover by the eye; to gain first sight or knowledge of something lost; to recover either by searching for it or by accident'. The word found is the past-tense form of the word find.

Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S1 about the word child. The word children is the plural form of the word child. Please see the note for 2Corinthians 3:7-8 about the phrase children of Israel. The functional definition is: 'the Jews from a spiritual perspective'. This is opposed to the phrase children of Jacob, which means: 'the Jews from a physical perspective'. Please also see the note for Galatians C3S9 about the phrase children of Abraham. The functional definition is: 'The Jews claimed to be children of Abraham but Jesus said that the true children of Abraham would have his faith'. Please also see the note for Mark 2:19 about the phrase children of the bridechamber. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the phrase children of disobedience. The functional definition is: 'Saved people who live a life of disobedience to God'. Please also see the note for Romans 8:16 about the phrase children of God. The functional definition is: 'The truly saved'. Please also see the note for Colossians 3:8 about the phrase children of wrath. Please also see the note for Galatians 4:19-20 about the phrase my little children. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:18; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 2:8; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 2:11; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:14; Matthew 2:16; Matthew 2:18; Matthew 2:20; Matthew 2:21; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 5:9; Matthew 5:45; Matthew 7:11; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 9:15; Matthew 10:21; Matthew 11:16; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:27; Matthew 13:38; Matthew 14:21; Matthew 15:26; Matthew 15:38; Matthew 17:18; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 17:26; Matthew 18:2-3; Matthew 18:4; Matthew 18:5; Matthew 18:25; Matthew 19:13; Matthew 19:14; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 20:20; Matthew 21:15; Matthew 22:24; Matthew 23:15; Matthew 23:31; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 24:19; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:25; Matthew 27:56.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S16; 1Corinthians C3S17; Philippians 1:3-7 and Colossians C1S6 about the word holy. The functional definition for this word is: 'pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy, as his heart is more or less sanctified, or purified from evil dispositions. We call a man holy, when his heart is conformed in some degree to the image of God, and his life is regulated by the divine precepts. Hence, holy is used as nearly synonymous with good, pious, Godly'. Please see the Word Study on Spirit for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Spirit. Please see the Word Study on Holy Ghost for links to every place in the Bible where we find the phrase Holy Ghost. Please see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the phrase holy city. Please also see the note for 1John 2:20 about the phrase Holy One. Please also see the note for John 7:39 about the phrase Holy Spirit, indwelling. Forms of the word holy are found in this Gospel in:Matthew 1:18; Matthew 1:20; Matthew 3:11; Matthew 4:5; Matthew 7:6; Matthew 12:31; Matthew 12:32; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 25:31; Matthew 27:53; Matthew 28:19.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the birth. Lu 1:27-38 of the. Ge 3:15; Job 14:4; 15:14; Lu 1:25,35; Ga 4:4-5; Heb 7:26; 10:5 General references. exp: De 22:23; Lu 1:27; 2:5.'.

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C1-S5 (Verse 19) State the reaction and relevant thought of Joseph.

Then Joseph her husband,
being a just man,
and not willing to make her a publick example,
was minded to put her away privily..

One of the things which we see in this sentence, but which is different in other societies, is that Joseph is called Mary's husband. Yet, Matthew 1:24-25 tells us that Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son. In many societies, the man is declared to be the husband before he knows his wife, but that declaration is not considered to be legally binding if he is not allowed to knows his wife. However, our sentence goes on to say that Joseph was minded to put her away privily, which means that he was seriously considering a divorce. Since he would of had to get a divorce, the marriage was legally binding even though Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son.

Now, think about a society which tells the citizens that they are to not have sex before the marriage night, and which also often demands to see the sheet of the first night so that the woman's blood is evidence. With that in mind, it should be obvious to everyone that if a man is living in in such a society, he would be very upset with evidence that his future bride is not a virgin, especially if he has remained a virgin. Thus, people should be able to understand that Joseph was upset with this news. And, yet, because of his character, he was not willing to make her a publick example, as many men would if a woman hurt his ego so much. This sentence is one of the few places where the Bible tells us about the character of Joseph.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S16; Galatians 2:16-LJC and 2Peter 2:9-LJC about the word just. The functional definition is: 'Regular; orderly; due; suitable; exactly proportioned; proper; upright; honest; having principles of rectitude; or conforming exactly to the laws, and to principles of rectitude in social conduct; equitable in the distribution of justice'. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C3S29 about the phrase justification by faith. Please also see the note for Romans 3:20 about the word justify. Please see the Minor Titles of the Son of God in the Significant Gospel Events Study for the title of Just. Please also see the note for 2Peter 2:9-LJC about the word unjust. Forms of the word just are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:19, Matthew 5:45; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:37; Matthew 13:49; Matthew 27:19; Matthew 27:24.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 2:15 about the phrase will of God. Forms of the word just are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:19, Matthew 2:13; Matthew 3:12; Matthew 4:9; Matthew 4:19; Matthew 5:40; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 6:14-15; Matthew 6:21; Matthew 6:24; Matthew 7:9; Matthew 7:10; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 7:23; Matthew 7:24; Matthew 8:3; Matthew 8:7; Matthew 8:19; Matthew 9:13; Matthew 9:15; Matthew 9:38; Matthew 10:17; Matthew 10:32; Matthew 10:33; Matthew 11:14; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 11:28; Matthew 12:7; Matthew 12:11; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 12:29; Matthew 12:44; Matthew 12:50; Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 16:2; Matthew 16:3; Matthew 16:18; Matthew 16:19; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 16:25; Matthew 18:14; Matthew 18:16; Matthew 18:26; Matthew 18:29; Matthew 20:4; Matthew 20:14; Matthew 20:15; Matthew 20:26-27; Matthew 20:32; Matthew 21:3; Matthew 21:24; Matthew 21:25; Matthew 21:29; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 21:37; Matthew 21:40; Matthew 21:41; Matthew 21:44; Matthew 23:4; Matthew 24:28; Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23; Matthew 26:15; Matthew 26:18; Matthew 26:29; Matthew 26:31; Matthew 26:32; Matthew 26:33; Matthew 26:34; Matthew 26:35; Matthew 26:39; Matthew 26:41; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:17; Matthew 27:21; Matthew 27:42; Matthew 27:43; Matthew 27:49; Matthew 27:63; Matthew 28:14.

Please see the note for Acts 18:28 about the words public / publick. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'a. L.publicus, from the root of populus, people; that is, people-like. 1. Pertaining to a nation, state or community; extending to a whole people; as a public law, which binds the people of a nation or state, as opposed to a private statute or resolve, which respects an individual or a corporation only. thus we say, public welfare, public good, public calamity, public service, public property. 2. Common to many; current or circulated among people of all classes; general; as public report; public scandal. 3. Open; notorious; exposed to all persons without restriction. Joseph her husband being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily. Matt.1. 4. Regarding the community; directed to the interest of a nation, state or community; as public spirit; public mindedness; opposed to private or selfish. 5. Open for general entertainment; as a public house. 6. Open to common use; as a public road. 7. In general, public expresses something common to mankind at large, to a nation, state, city or town, and is opposed to private, which denotes what belongs to an individual, to a family, to a company or corporation. Public law, is often synonymous with the law of nations.
PUB'LIC, n. the general body of mankind or of a nation, state or community; the people, indefinitely. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. in this passage, public is followed by a verb in the singular number; but being a noun of multitude, it is more generally followed by a plural verb; the public are. In public, in open view; before the people at large; not in private or secrecy. In private grieve, but with a careless scorn, In public seem to triumph, not to mourn.'. Please also see the note for Mark 2:15 about the word publican.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C10S3 about the words example / ensample. The functional definition for this word is: 'A pattern; a copy; a mode; that which is proposed to be imitated'.

Please see the notes for Romans C11-S37; Romans C12-S2 and 2Corinthians C1S9 about the word mind. The functional definition for this word is: 'Inclination; will; desire; a sense much used, but expressing less than settled purpose'. Please also see the note for Philippians 2:5-8 about the phrase mind Jesus. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 2:16 about the phrase mind of Christ. Please also see the notes for Romans 11:20; 1Timothy 6:17 and 2Timothy 3:4 about the word highminded.

Please see the note for Mark 13:3-4 about the word privately. The functional definition for this word is: 'In a secret manner; not openly or publicly'. Please see the note for Acts 16:37 about the word privily.Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'adv. from privy. Privately; secretly. --False teachers among you, who shall privily bring in damnable heresies. 2 Pet.2'. Please also see the note for Acts 5:1 about the word privy.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'her husband. Le 19:20; De 22:23-24 a just. Ge 6:9; Ps 112:4-5; Mr 6:20; Lu 2:25; Ac 10:22 a publick. Ge 38:24; Le 20:10; De 22:21-24; Joh 8:4-5 was. De 24:1-4; Mr 10:4 General references. exp: De 22:23; Mr 10:4; Lu 2:5.'.

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C1-S6 (Verse 20) State God's intervention.

Equivalent Section: What Joseph is to believe and accept.

But while he thought on these things,
behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream,
saying,
Joseph,
thou son of David,
fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost..

This sentence is part of the legal evidence presented by Matthew in this chapter to show that Jesus is God's Christ. Please see the general note for the chapter about the listing of the seven (7) points of legal evidence presented by Matthew. In addition, Luke 1:35 tells us the same information as we find in this sentence, although there are differences between the sentences.

Please use the links in the sentence outline, above, to access the related notes and the doctrine found in those notes. The doctrines of those notes are not repeated here. This sentence is a fulfillment of prophecies found in Psalms 2:7 and Isaiah 7:14.

Our sentence starts with the word But, which means it is continuing the subject of the prior sentence while going in a different direction. The prior sentence told us what Joseph was thinking about doing because he found out that she was pregnant and he didn't make her pregnant. Therefore, it seemed obvious that she had been with another man and was no longer the faithful innocent virgin that he had planned to marry. Our prior sentence told us that he was minded to put her away privily. However, the change in direction of our current sentence is that Joseph went ahead and married Mary.

The First Equivalent Section of our current sentence tells us that Joseph saw the angel of the Lord...in a dream. Joseph believed and obeyed the message from God even while other people would not do that. His obedience is why the angel called him thou son of David. He personally (thou) obeyed a message from God like king David also obeyed and like few other men obey.

The commandment to Joseph was: fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. Lots of people fear manythings besides the Lord God. The action by Joseph showed the true and wise fear of the Lord because, while his flesh and society around him told him to disobey and put Mary away, his true fear of the Lord made him fear to disobey the commandment which he understood came from God.

The Second Equivalent Section of our current sentence tells us why Joseph was commanded to obey and to keep Mary as his wife. Unless Joseph was familiar with the relevant prophecy, which many people would not be familiar with, this message would be that God did something that God never did before. That much is true. But, other than God making Sarah pregnant wit Isaac, I can't think of any other similar act by God. And, even with Sarah, her husband provided the seed for her pregnancy. This is the only tome that God Himself provided the seed as we understand from the phrase; only begotten Son. Therefore, Joseph had to have a lot of true Biblical faith to react like he did.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word thought. The functional definition for this word is: 'the past-tense form of the word think'. Please also see the note for Philippians 3:4-6 about the word think. The functional definition for this word is: 'To have the mind occupied on some subject; to have ideas, or to revolve ideas in the mind'. We find forms of the word thought, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:27; Matthew 6:28; Matthew 6:31; Matthew 6:34; Matthew 9:4; Matthew 10:19; Matthew 12:25; Matthew 15:19. We find forms of the word think, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 3:9; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 9:4; Matthew 10:34; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 18:12; Matthew 21:28; Matthew 22:17; Matthew 22:42; Matthew 24:44; Matthew 26:53; Matthew 26:66.

Please see the note for Colossians C2S3 about the word behold. Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines this word as: 'to fix the eyes upon; to see with attention; to observe with care. Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world. John 1. 2. In a less intensive sense, to look upon; to see. When he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. Num. 21.
BEHO'LD, v.i. to look; to direct the eyes to an object. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, a lambdas it had been slain. Rev.5. 1. to fix the attention upon an object; to attend; to direct or fix the mind. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Rev.3.word is much used in this manner for exciting attention, or admiration. It is in the imperative mode, expressing command, or exhortation; and by no means a mere exclamation '. We find the word behold, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 4:11; Matthew 6:26; Matthew 7:3; Matthew 7:4; Matthew 8:2; Matthew 8:24; Matthew 8:29; Matthew 8:32; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:3; Matthew 9:10; Matthew 9:18; Matthew 9:20; Matthew 9:32; Matthew 10:16; Matthew 11:8; Matthew 11:10; Matthew 11:19; Matthew 12:2; Matthew 12:10; Matthew 12:18; Matthew 12:41; Matthew 12:42; Matthew 12:46; Matthew 12:47; Matthew 12:49; Matthew 13:3; Matthew 15:22; Matthew 17:3; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 19:16; Matthew 19:27; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 20:30; Matthew 21:5; Matthew 22:4; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 23:38; Matthew 24:25; Matthew 24:26; Matthew 25:6; Matthew 25:20; Matthew 26:45; Matthew 26:46; Matthew 26:51; Matthew 26:65; Matthew 27:51; Matthew 27:55; Matthew 28:2; Matthew 28:7; Matthew 28:9; Matthew 28:11.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S1; Significant Gospel Events and Significant New Testament Events about the word angel. The functional definition for this word is: 'Literally, a messenger; one employed to communicate news or information from one person to another'. Please also see the note for Jude 1:7 about the word archangel. We find the word angel, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 1:24; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 4:6; Matthew 4:11; Matthew 13:39; Matthew 13:41; Matthew 13:49; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 18:10; Matthew 22:30; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 24:36; Matthew 25:31; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 26:53; Matthew 28:2; Matthew 28:5.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:10 about the word appear. The functional definition for this word is: 'To come or be in sight; to be in view; to be visible'. Please also see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection. We find the word appear, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:7; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 6:16; Matthew 6:18; Matthew 13:26; Matthew 17:3; Matthew 23:27; Matthew 23:28; Matthew 24:30; Matthew 27:53.

We find forms of the word dream occurring 117 times in 84 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 27:19; Acts 2:17. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. the most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Ge 28:12; 31:10), Laban (Ge 31:24), Joseph (Ge 37:9-11), Gideon (Jg 7), and Solomon (1Ki 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Ge 20:3-7), Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (Ge 40:5), Pharaoh (Ge 41:1-8), the Midianites (Jg 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Da 2:1; 4:10,18), the wise men from the east (Mt 2:12), and Pilate's wife (Mt 27:19).
To Joseph "the Lord appeared in a dream," and gave him instructions regarding the infant Jesus (Mt 1:20; 2:12-13,19). In a vision of the night a "man of Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Ac 16:9; see also Ac 18:9; 27:23).'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word dream as: 'Evanescent: Job 20:8. Vanity of: Ec 5:3,7. INSTANCES OF: Of Abimelech,, concerning Sarah: Ge 20:3. Of Jacob, concerning the ladder: Ge 28:12. The ring-straked cattle: Ge 31:10-13. Concerning his going down into Egypt: Ge 46:2. Of Laban, concerning Jacob: Ge 31:24. Of Joseph, concerning the sheaves: Ge 37:5-10. Of Midianite concerning the cake of barley: Jg 7:13. Of Solomon, concerning his choice of wisdom: 1Ki 3:3-15. Of Eliphaz, of a spirit speaking to him: Job 4:12-21. Of Daniel, concerning the four beasts: Da 7. Of Joseph, concerning Mary's innocence: Mt 1:20-21. Concerning the flight into Egypt: Mt 2:13. Concerning the return into Palestine: Mt 2:19-22. Of Pilate's wife, concerning Jesus: Mt 27:19. Cornelius vision, concerning Peter: Ac 10:3-6. Peter's vision of the ceremonially unclean creatures: Ac 10:10-16. Paul's vision of the man in Macedonia, crying, "Come over into Macedonia,": Ac 16:9. Relating to his going to Rome: Ac 23:11. Concerning the shipwreck, and the safety of all on board: Ac 28:23-24. Revelations by: Nu 12:6; Jer 23:28; Joe 2:28; Ac 2:17. The dreams of the butler and baker: Ge 40:8-23. Pharaoh: Ge 41:1-36. Interpreted by Joseph: Ge 40:12-13,18-19; 41:25-32. Daniel: Da 2:16-23,28-30; 4. Delusive: Isa 29:7-8. False prophets pretended to receive revelations through: De 13:1-5; Jer 23:25-32; 27:9; 29:8; Zec 10:2'.

Thompson Chain Topics provides references for the word dream as: 'General References to: Nu 12:6; Job 7:14; Ec 5:3,7; Jer 23:28; Joe 2:28. Notable: Ge 28:12; 37:5; 40:5; 41:1; Jg 7:13; 1Ki 3:5; Da 2:1; 4:5; Mt 1:20; 2:12,19,22; 27:19. Interpretation of: Ge 40:12; 41:25; Da 1:17; 2:28; 4:20,24'.

Torrey's Topical Textbook provides references for the word dream as: 'Visions in sleep: Job 33:15; Da 2:28. Often by imaginary: Job 20:8; Isa 29:8. Excess of business frequently leads to: Ec 5:3. God's will often revealed in: Nu 12:6; Job 33:15. FALSE PROPHETS: Pretended to: Jer 23:25-28; 29:8. Not to be regarded in: De 13:1-3; Jer 27:9. Condemned for pretending to: Jer 23:32. Vanity of trusting to natural: Ec 5:7. ThE ANCIENTS: Put great faith in: Jg 7:15. Often perplexed by: Ge 40:6; 41:8; Job 7:14; Da 2:1; 4:5. Anxious to have, explained: Ge 40:8; Da 2:3. Consulting magicians on: Ge 41:8; Da 2:2-4. God the only interpreter of: Ge 40:8; 41:16; Da 2:27-30; 7:16. MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE, OF: Abimelech: Ge 20:3-7. Jacob: Ge 28:12; 31:10. Laban: Ge 31:24. Joseph: Ge 37:5-9. Pharaoh's butler and baker: Ge 40:5-19. Pharaoh: Ge 41:1-7. Midianite: Jg 7:13-15. Solomon: 1Ki 3:5-15. Nebuchadnezzar: Da 2:1; 4:5,8. Daniel: Da 7. Joseph: Mt 1:20; 2:13,19-20. Wise men: Mt 2:11-12. Pilate's wife: Mt 27:19. ILLUSTRATIVE OF: Prosperity of sinners: Job 20:5-8; Ps 73:19-20. Impure imaginations: Jude 1:8. Enemies of the church: Isa 29:7-8'.

Please see the note for Romans 11:1 about the phrase I say. The functional definition is: 'Uttering in articulate sounds or words; speaking; telling; relating; reciting'. Please also see the note for Revelation 1:8 about the word saith. Please also see the note for Romans C10S28 about the word gainsaying. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:1 about the word sayings (plural). Please also see the notes for Romans C15S15 and 2Corinthians 2:17 about the word speak. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:12-14 about the word speech. Please also see the notes for Ephesians C4S15 and 1Peter 2:1 about the phrase evil speaking. The words speaketh and saith mean that the person 'keeps on keeping on doing the saying'.

Please see the notes for Romans C11S25 and Philippians 1:12-14 about the word fear. The functional definition for this word is: 'A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. the force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us'. Please also see the Study called Fear the Lord. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:26 about the phrase fear not. Forms of the word fear are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:20; Matthew 8:26; Matthew 10:26; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 10:31; Matthew 14:5; Matthew 14:26; Matthew 21:26; Matthew 21:46; Matthew 27:54; Matthew 28:4; Matthew 28:5; Matthew 28:8. In addition, please see the note for John 6:19 about the word afraid. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Impressed with fear or apprehension; fearful. this word expresses a less degree of fear than terrified or frightened. It is followed by of before the object of fear; as, to be afraid of death. Joseph was afraid to sin against God'. Forms of the word afraid are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:22; Matthew 14:27; Matthew 14:30; Matthew 17:6; Matthew 17:7; Matthew 25:25; Matthew 28:10.

Please see the note for Luke 1:24-25 about the word conceived. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Formed in the womb; framed in the mind; devised; imagined; understood'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'while. Ps 25:8-9; 94:19; 119:125; 143:8; Pr 3:5-6; 12:5; Isa 26:3; 30:21 the angel. Jg 13:3,8-9; Lu 1:10-13,19,26-38; 2:8-14 exp: Mt 2:13. in. Mt 2:13,19,22; Ge 31:11; Nu 12:6; Job 4:13-16; 33:15-17; Joe 2:28 Joseph. Isa 7:2,13; Jer 33:26; Lu 2:4 fear not. Mt 28:5; Ge 46:3; 1Ki 17:13; Isa 51:7; Jer 40:9; Lu 1:30 that. Mt 1:18; Jer 31:22'.

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C1-S7 (Verse 21) Declare the relevant part of God's plan.

Equivalent Section: What Mary and Joseph are to do.

And she shall bring forth a son,
and thou shalt call his name JESUS :.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for he shall save his people from their sins..

Matthew 1:21; Matthew 1:25; Matthew 27:37; Luke 1:31; Luke 2:21 and John 19:19 all use JESUS, in all capitals. This capitalization directly ties these verses together, and also ties this verse to the name Saviour. The note for this sentence (use the link in the sentence outline above), in the Lord Jesus Christ Study, is significant and explains the doctrinal significance of our sentence using the name of JESUS with all capital letters, as opposed to what the Bible dies in most places where it uses the name with only the first letter capitalized (Jesus). in this separate case, the name is not used mainly for 'God in human flesh', although that basic definition is included. As explained in the Word Study on Saviour, 'The word Saviour is like the word parent. It takes more than one parent to create and to raise a child with each parent having different tasks to do. Likewise, the Bible teaches that our Saviour is God the Father, the Holy Spirit, the Son as Lord, the Son as Jesus and the Son as Christ with each having different roles in our salvation.'. Please also use this reference document (verses - Saviour) for links to every place in the Bible where this word is found. The reader is encouraged to do their own Word Study and verify the doctrine presented here.

Our sentence starts with the word And. which connects it to the prior sentence. The two sentences together tell us the message from God to Joseph as delivered by the angel. The prior sentence says that Mary was not unfaithful with another man since God's Holy Ghost made her pregnant. Therefore, Joseph was ordered to fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife. In addition, this sentence commands Joseph what is to be done in the future. The prior sentence explained what happened in the past while this sentence adds the required action in the future. Joseph and Mary have their part to do in the salvation of all men. God chooses to involve men in His work so that He remains righteous when He rewards the obedient and punishes the disobedient.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C1S1 and Philippians 2:9-11 about the word name. The functional definition is: 'How a person or thing is identified. In the Bible, the power and authority which is associated with the name is always part of the message where this word is used'. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C1S4 about the phrase the name. That note has links to every place in the New Testament where the phrase in the name. occurs along with links to where similar phrases occur in the New Testament. Please see the note for 1Peter 4:14-LJC about the name of Christ. Please see the note for Luke 13:35 about the phrase name of the Lord. Please also see the Summary and verses documents about the use of this word for the Son of God. Please also see the note for Acts 1:23 about the word surname. Forms of the word name are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:21; Matthew 1:23; Matthew 1:25; Matthew 6:9; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 7:22; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 10:2; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 10:41; Matthew 10:42; Matthew 12:21; Matthew 18:5; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 21:9; Matthew 23:39; Matthew 24:5; Matthew 24:9; Matthew 27:32; Matthew 27:57; Matthew 28:19.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:19-20 for links to every place in that epistle where we find the word salvation along with definitions from three different dictionaries and links from other commentators. The functional definition is: 'to exclude. When used spiritually, it means to exclude from the damned by having God's life in you. When used physically, it means to exclude from what is endangering physical life'. As we see in the Bible and in this epistle, our continuing spiritual growth, and our sanctification is part of true Biblical salvation. Please see the note for Main Menu item for Salvation about the word save. Please also see the notes for 2Thessalonians 2:13-LJC and Hebrews 12:2-LJC about the phrase salvation through sanctification. Please also see the note for John 8:30 about the phrase non-saving belief Please also see verses in the New Testament. Summary on the name / role of Saviour. Please also see the note for James 1:21 about the phrase save your soul. Forms of the word save are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:21; Matthew 5:32; Matthew 8:25; Matthew 10:22; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 13:57; Matthew 14:30; Matthew 16:25; Matthew 17:8; Matthew 18:11; Matthew 19:11; Matthew 19:25; Matthew 24:13; Matthew 24:22; Matthew 27:40; Matthew 27:42; Matthew 27:49.

Please also see the note for Romans C11S1 about the phrase God will not cast away his people. Please also see the note for Romans C10S13 about the phrase no difference in people. Please also see the notes for Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25 and James 2:1 about no respecter of persons. Forms of the word people are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:21; Matthew 2:4; Matthew 2:6; Matthew 4:16; Matthew 4:23; Matthew 4:24; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 7:28; Matthew 9:23; Matthew 9:25; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 12:23; Matthew 12:46; Matthew 13:15; Matthew 14:13; Matthew 15:8; Matthew 21:23; Matthew 21:26; Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:5; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 27:1; Matthew 27:15; Matthew 27:25; Matthew 27:64.

Please see the notes for Romans C7S26 and especially Sin in 1John about the word sin. The functional definition is: 'a violation of God's law' (1John 3:4). Please note that religious people call certain groups of people sinners. because they fit a religious definition which may have nothing to do with God's law. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. The functional definition for this word is: ' One that has voluntarily violated the divine law; a moral agent who has voluntarily disobeyed any divine precept, or neglected any known duty'. Please note that this designation applies to saved as well as to lost. As 1John 3:4 tells us, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Please also see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death. Forms of the word sin are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:21; Matthew 3:6; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:5; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 12:31; Matthew 18:21; Matthew 26:28; Matthew 27:4.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'she. Ge 17:19,21; 18:10; Jg 13:3; 2Ki 4:16-17; Lu 1:13,35-36 exp: Mic 5:3; 1Ti 2:15. Thou. Lu 1:31; 2:21 exp: Lu 1:13. JESUS. that is, Saviour. Heb. exp: 1Th 1:10. For. Ps 130:7-8; Isa 12:1-2; 45:21-22; Jer 23:6; 33:16; Eze 36:25-29; Da 9:24; Zec 9:9; Joh 1:29; Ac 3:26; 4:12; 5:31; 13:23,38-39; Eph 5:25-27; Col 1:20-23; Tit 2:14; Heb 7:25; 1Jo 1:7; 2:1-2; 3:5; Re 1:5-6; 7:14 General references. exp: Ge 49:18; Le 15:28; Lu 1:27,75; 19:10.'.

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C1-S8 (Verse 22-23) Give the scriptural basis.

Now all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
saying,
Behold,
a virgin shall be with child,
and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is,
God with us..

Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about titles in this sentence. This sentence references Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 8:8. In addition, there are two doctrinally significant notes (use the links in the sentence outline above) within the Lord Jesus Christ Study.

This sentence is part of the legal evidence presented by Matthew in this chapter to show that Jesus is God's Christ. Please see the general note for the chapter about the listing of the seven (7) points of legal evidence presented by Matthew. Please consider that our sentence literally says that one name for Jesus is: Emmanuel and that this name is interpreted ('the definition of the word is') God with us. Since most (All?) of the Jews understood that Christ would be 'God in human flesh' / God with us, the message of this sentence, which came from God the Father through His angel is: 'This child will be the long awaited Christ'.

Our sentence starts with the word Now, which means: 'after you understand what was just said'. Matthew has presented several evidences to legally support his claim that Jesus is God's Christ. The first couple of evidences (Matthew 1:1-17) were truths which can be verified by anyone and are independent of the testimony from anyone. Then Matthew told us what happened to Mary and Joseph and, therefore, depended upon the testimony of Mary and Joseph. And, their personal testimony is delivered in the report of their actions as reported in the four Gospels. With that in mind, Matthew starts this sentence with the word Now, and proceeds to tell us that all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Thus, we see God using Joseph and Mary to fulfill His prophecy. Therefore, the evidence actually comes from God and for someone to reject the testimony of Joseph and Mary is for them to reject the evidence from God of fulfilled prophecy.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:3-6 about the word might. The functional definition for this word is: 'Having great power and able to accomplish things which most people can not do'. Please also see the note for Revelation 4:8-LJC about the phrase Almighty. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 8:28; Matthew 12:10; Matthew 12:14; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 14:36; Matthew 15:5; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 21:32; Matthew 21:34; Matthew 22:15; Matthew 26:4; Matthew 26:9; Matthew 26:56; Matthew 27:35.

Please see the note for Romans C15S11 about the word fulfill. The functional definition is: 'A tautological compound of full and fill. 1. to accomplish; to perform; to complete; to answer in execution or event what has been foretold or promised; as, to fulfill a prophecy or prediction; to fulfill a promise'. Please also see the Studies called Prophecies Fulfilled in the Gospels and Prophecies Fulfilled in the Epistles Please also see the Studies called Prophecies Fulfilled in the Gospels and Prophecies Fulfilled in the Epistles. Please also see the note for Romans C15S11 about the word fill. The functional definition for this word is: 'Properly, to press; to crowd; to stuff'. Forms of the word fulfill are found in this Gospel in: this sentence and in: Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 3:15; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 5:18; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 13:14; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 24:34; Matthew 26:54; Matthew 26:56; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:35.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 about the word prophet. The worldly definition is: 'One that foretells future events; a predicter; a foreteller'. However, John the Baptist was a prophet and he told no future event. Therefore, the true Biblical definition is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please also see the Study called Jude; false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection. Forms of the word prophet are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 2:23; Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:14; Matthew 5:12; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 7:12; Matthew 7:15; Matthew 8:17; Matthew 10:41; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 11:13; Matthew 12:17; Matthew 12:39; Matthew 13:17; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 13:57; Matthew 14:5; Matthew 16:4; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 21:4; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 21:26; Matthew 21:46; Matthew 22:40; Matthew 23:29; Matthew 23:30; Matthew 23:31; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 24:11; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 24:24; Matthew 26:56; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:35. The words prophecy / prophesy is only found in Matthew 13:14.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:2 about the wod virgin. The functional definition for this word is: 'Used symbolically for those in separation from evil. Paul had espoused the saints at Corinth to one husband to 'present them as a chaste virgin to Christ.' 2Co 11:2: cf. Re 14:4. In their natural application the words apply to both sexes'.

The name of Emmanuel is also spelled Immanuel within the word of God. The American Tract Society Dictionary defines this name as: 'A compound Hebrew word or name, signifying God with us. It is applied to the Messiah, our Savior, who, as having united the divine with the human nature, and having come to dwell with men, is God with us, Isa 7:14; 8:8; Mt 1:23'. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about titles in this sentence.Emmanuel

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C12S8 about the word interpret. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'v.t. L. interpretor, from interpres. 1. to explain the meaning or words to a person who does not understand them; to expound; to translate unintelligible words into intelligible ones; as, to interpret the Hebrew language to an Englishman. --Immanuel, which being interpreted, signified, God with us. Matt.1. 2. to explain or unfold the meaning of predictions, vision, dreams or enigmas; to expound and lay open what is concealed from the understanding; as, Joseph interpreted the dream of Pharaoh. 3. to decipher. 4. to explain something not understood; as, to interpret looks or signs. 5. to define; to explain words by other words in the same language'. Please also see the many web pages accessed by the Hermey Main Menu link.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'that. Mt 2:15,23; 5:17; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35,21; 1Ki 8:15,24; Ezr 1:1; Lu 21:22; 24:44; Joh 10:35; 12:38-40; 15:25; 17:12; 18:9; 19:36-37; Ac 3:18; 13:27-29; Re 17:17
a virgin. Isa 7:14 they shall call his name. or, his name shall be called. Emmanuel Isa 7:14; 8:8 Immanuel. God. Mt 28:20; Ps 46:7,11; Isa 8:8-10; 9:6-7; 12:2; Joh 1:14; Ac 18:9; Ro 1:3-4; 9:5; 2Co 5:19; 1Ti 3:16; 2Ti 4:17,22 exp: Ge 21:22; 1Sa 10:7; Ps 14:5. General references. exp: 1Ki 8:57; Eze 34:30; Lu 1:27'.

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C1-S9 (Verse 24-25) Declare the obedience of Joseph.

Equivalent Section: Joseph obeyed God.

Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him,
and took unto him his wife:.

Equivalent Section: Joseph abstained until after Jesus was born.

And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son:.

Equivalent Section: they named Him as dictated by God.

and he called his name JESUS..

Matthew 1:21; Matthew 1:25; Matthew 27:37; Luke 1:31; Luke 2:21 and John 19:19 all use JESUS, in all capitals. This capitalization directly ties these verses together, and also ties this verse to the name Saviour. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about titles in this sentence.

Our sentence starts with the word Then, which means: 'after what happened in the prior sentence'. This is another evidence, from Matthew, that Jesus is God's Christ. If the reader truly considers the culture that Joseph and Mary lived in, and consider the information from the prior sentences with consideration of that culture, then it should be obvious that the only way that Joseph changed his mind and acted like this sentence reports is if he truly believed the message from the angel. Other than Mary, there is no other person who was more personally affected By this event. Therefore, although it is quite possible that more was said than what we have reported here, the message was sufficient to be court acceptable evidence that Jesus is God's Christ. Not only did Joseph go ahead and marry Mary, but our sentence reports that he knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son. It should be obvious that the angel made sure that Joseph knew that this was required because the prophecy was that Jesus would be born of a virgin and not just 'conceived of a virgin'.

Our sentence has three Equivalent Sections with each telling us something different that Joseph did and how his actions prove that he believed the message from the angel. Any one of these three actions would show that truth. However, the combination of all three actions makes the evidence of his belief something that can not be reasonably disputed. And, with everything that Joseph had at stake, his reactions make this another evidence for the truth that Jesus is God's Christ.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C15S32 and John 6:39 about the word raise. The functional definition for this word is: 'Bringing dead people back to life as opposed to a belief in reincarnation which says that the same spirit is given a new physical body in this physical reality. This is one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the Gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Co 15:14). In addition, there are times when this word is used for something being lifted higher physically, but even then the Bible reference often has a symbolic spiritual meaning in addition to the physical meaning.'. Our current sentence says: Joseph being raised from sleep. But, as pointed out for the next word definition, the Bible uses the word sleep, symbolically, for; sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. Before Joseph fell asleep, he was going to act like a spiritually dead person and follow the desires of his flesh and the dictates of this world (our society). After Joseph (was) raised from sleep, he acted in a spiritually alive manner and obeyed God in spite of what his flesh and the dictates of this world (our society) specified. Thus, while Joseph was physically asleep, our Gospel is using that truth to also teach us a symbolic spiritual lesson. Likewise, we see a similar type of lesson other places in the Bible such as when Lazarus was physically dead but Jesus told His disciples that he slept (John 11:11). We also see a similar occurrences with the daughter of Jarius (Matthew 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52). Forms of the word raise are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:24; Matthew 3:9; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:23; Matthew 22:24. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

Please see the note for Mark 4:26-27 about the word sleep. The functional definition for this word is: 'To take rest by a suspension of the voluntary exercise of the powers of the body and mind'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. Forms of the word sleep are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:24; Matthew 8:24; Matthew 9:24; Matthew 13:25; Matthew 25:5; Matthew 26:40; Matthew 26:43; Matthew 26:45; Matthew 27:52; Matthew 28:13.

Please see the note for Luke 7:39 about the word bidden. The word bidden is the past-tense form of the word bid The word bade is another past-tense form of the word bid. Please see the note for Matthew 14:28 about the word bid. Please see the note for Acts 11:12 about the word bade. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 4:1 about the word forbid. Please also see the notes for Romans C3S6 and Galatians C3S25 about the phrase God forbid.

Please see the notes for Romans C10S25; 1Corinthians C1S11; 2Corinthians C1S5; Galatians C3-S9; Colossians C1S3 and know in 1John about the word know. The word knew is the past-tense form of the word know. The functional definition is: 'A clear and certain perception of that which exists, or of truth and fact; and the perception of the connection and agreement, or disagreement between various truths and acts. Within the Biblical usage is the knowledge that comes only from personal intimate experience'. Please see the notes for 2Peter 1:2-LJC; 2Peter 2:20-LJC and Philippians 1:9-11 about the word knowledge. Please see the note for Romans 6:3 about the phrase Know ye not. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C16S17 about the word acknowledge. Forms of the word knew are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 1:25; Matthew 6:3; Matthew 6:8; Matthew 6:32; Matthew 7:11; Matthew 7:16; Matthew 7:20; Matthew 7:23; Matthew 9:4; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 9:30; Matthew 10:26; Matthew 11:27; Matthew 12:7; Matthew 12:16; Matthew 12:25; Matthew 12:33; Matthew 13:11; Matthew 14:35; Matthew 15:12; Matthew 17:12; Matthew 20:22; Matthew 20:25; Matthew 22:16; Matthew 22:29; Matthew 24:32-33; Matthew 24:36; Matthew 24:39; Matthew 24:42; Matthew 24:43; Matthew 25:12; Matthew 25:13; Matthew 25:24; Matthew 25:26; Matthew 26:2; Matthew 26:70; Matthew 26:72; Matthew 26:74; Matthew 27:18; Matthew 28:5.

Please see the note for Colossians 1:15 about the word firstborn. The functional definition for this word is: 'the first of those born. Usually, the main heir and the representative of all who follow'. The functional definition for the word first is: 'preceeding all others in the order under consideration'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:5-LJC about the word firstbegotten. Please also see the note for Romans C8S21 about the word firstfruits. Please also see the note for John 20:1 about the phrase first day of the week.

Please see the note for Matthew 1:16 about the word born. The functional definition for this word is: 'Concieved life is brought into the world'. Please see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. Please also see the note for Colossians 1:15 about the word firstborn. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word begotten. The functional definition is: 'Procreated; generated'. Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'did. Ge 6:22; 7:5; 22:2-3; Ex 40:16,19,25,27,32; 2Ki 5:11-14; Joh 2:5-8; 15:14; Heb 11:7-8,24-31; Jas 2:21-26 General references. exp: Mt 2:14.
she. Ex 13:2; 22:29; Lu 2:7; Ro 8:29 exp: 1Ti 2:15; Re 12:5. and he. Lu 2:21'.

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Matthew Chapter 2

links to sentences in this chapter:

C2-S1 (Verse 1-2), C2-S2 (Verse 2), C2-S3 (Verse 3), C2-S4 (Verse 4), C2-S5 (Verse 5-6), C2-S6 (Verse 7), C2-S7 (Verse 8), C2-S8 (Verse 9), C2-S9 (Verse 10), C2-S10 (Verse 11), C2-S11 (Verse 12), C2-S12 (Verse 13), C2-S13 (Verse 14-15), C2-S14 (Verse 16), C2-S15 (Verse 17-18), C2-S16 (Verse 19-20), C2-S17 (Verse 21), C2-S18 (Verse 22-23)'.

Please use This link to see the chapter summary.

Chapter theme: the first true worship of Jesus

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

1-2. the wise men from the east inquire after Christ;
3-8. at which Herod is alarmed.
9-12. they are directed by a star to Bethlehem, worship him, and offer their presents.
13-15. Joseph flees into Egypt with Jesus and his mother.
16-19. Herod slays the children;
20-22. himself dies.
23. Christ is brought back again into Galilee to Nazareth.
Fourth year before the account called Anno Domini.'.

C2-S1 (Verse 1-2) God let Gentiles know about the birth.

Now 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,
Saying,
Where is he that is born King of the Jews?.

Please use the links in the sentence outline, above, to access the notes for this sentence found in the Lord Jesus Christ Study. They explain some significant doctrine including why this sentence has a lowercase king and an uppercase King.

This entire chapter is Matthew's seventh (7) legal evidence that Jesus is God's Christ. in this sentence, we see that even men from another culture knew of the role that Jesus would have. I believe that these men were descendants from the sons that Abraham fathered after Sarah died and he had concubines (Genesis 25:6). However, that is speculation on my part and any identification from anyone else is also speculation. However, since they upset the entire city, there were assuredly more that the three claimed by the Roman Catholic Church. They came up with that number because there are only three gifts mentioned. However, that does not limit the number of wise men.

Please see the word definitions, below, for links to other places in the New Testament references Bethlehem While those Bible sentences are not reporting the same incident as we read here, they are related and should be considered in addition to this sentence. In addition, this sentence reports the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Psalms 132:11; Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5 and Micah 5:2.

Please see the note for verses in the New Testament and Summary on the name / role of king. The functional definition for this word is: 'The head of government for a nation whose character defines the character of the kingdom'. The difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King is that the lowercase is applied to any being who is not God and the uppercase is only applied to the Son of God by the word of God. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the note for note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

We find Bethlehem occurring 39 times in 38 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 2:1;Matthew 2:5-6; Matthew 2:8; Matthew 2:16; Luke 2:4; Luke 2:15; John 7:42. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'house of bread. (1.) A city in the "hill country" of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath (Ge 35:16,19; 48:7; Ru 4:11). It was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah (Mic 5:2), Beth-lehem-judah (1Sa 17:12), and "the city of David" (Lu 2:4). It is first noticed in Scripture as the place where Rachel died and was buried "by the wayside," directly to the north of the city (Ge 48:7). the valley to the east was the scene of the story of Ruth the Moabitess. there are the fields in which she gleaned, and the path by which she and Naomi returned to the town. Here was David's birth-place, and here also, in after years, he was anointed as king by Samuel (1Sa 16:4-13); and it was from the well of Bethlehem that three of his heroes brought water for him at the risk of their lives when he was in the cave of Adullam (2Sa 23:13-17). But it was distinguished above every other city as the birth-place of "Him whose goings forth have been of old" (Mt 2:6; comp. Mic 5:2). Afterwards Herod, "when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men," sent and slew "all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under" (Mt 2:16,18; Jer 31:15).
Bethlehem bears the modern name of Beit-Lahm, i.e., "house of flesh." It is about 5 miles south of Jerusalem, standing at an elevation of about 2,550 feet above the sea, thus 100 feet higher than Jerusalem.
There is a church still existing, built by Constantine the Great (A.D. 330), called the "Church of the Nativity," over a grotto or cave called the "holy crypt," and said to be the "stable" in which Jesus was born. this is perhaps the oldest existing Christian church in the world. Close to it is another grotto, where Jerome the Latin father is said to have spent thirty years of his life in translating the Scriptures into Latin. (See Version.)
(2.) A city of Zebulun, mentioned only in Jos 19:15. Now Beit-Lahm, a ruined village about 6 miles west-north-west of Nazareth'. The functional definition for this word is: 'Birth place of Jesus which fulfilled prophecy'.

Nave's Topical Bible provides links for Bethlehem as: 'A city southwest of Jerusalem: Jg 17:7; 19:18. Called EPHRATAH and EPHRATH: Ge 48:7; Ps 132:6; Mic 5:2. And BETH-LEHEM-JUDAH: Jg 17:7-9; 19:1,18; Ru 1:1; 1Sa 17:12. Rachel dies and is buried at: Ge 35:16,19; 48:7. The city of Boaz: Ru 1:1,19; 2:4; 4. Taken and held by the Philistines: 2Sa 23:14-16. Jeroboam converts it into a military stronghold: 2Ch 11:6. The city of Joseph: Mt 2:5-6; Lu 2:4. Birthplace of Jesus: Mic 5:2; Mt 2; Lu 2:4,15. Herod murders the infants of: Mt 2:16-18. 2. A town of Zebulun, six miles west of Nazareth: Jos 19:15. Israel judged at: Jg 12:10'.

Please see the note for John 7:3 about the words Jewry / Judaea / Judea / Judah. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'This name occurs in Ezr 5:8 for the territory of Judah; in Da 5:13 the same is called JEWRY. In the N.T. the name at times refers to a much larger district, including all south of about 32 5' N with the plain on the west border of the land to mount Carmel as generally shown on N.T. maps. the land was thus divided by Rome, with Samaria in the centre, and Galilee in the north. In Lu 3:1 Judaea embraces the above and Samaria; but in other passages a smaller area than the above is implied. Ac 12:19 speaks of Herod going down from Judaea to Caesarea, whereas Caesarea would be part of the Judaea of the Romans. Paul, in Ga 1:22; 1Th 2:14, speaks of the 'churches of Judaea' which would seem to embrace the whole of Palestine. the context will almost always show the extent of the district intended. It is called JEWRY in Lu 23:5; Joh 7:1.'. the functional definition is: 'The area of land generally associated with the Southern Kingdom and religious control by Jewish rulers but which varies in size from one reference to another'. These words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:5-6; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 3:1; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 19:1; Matthew 24:16.

Please see the note for Luke 1:5 about the word day. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Le 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps 55:17). "The heat of the day" (1Sa 11:11; Ne 7:3) was at our nine o'clock, and "the cool of the day" just before sunset (Ge 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (La 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Jg 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex 14:24). In the New Testament the division of the Greeks and Romans into four watches was adopted (Mr 13:35). (See Watches.) the division of the day by hours is first mentioned in Da 3:6,15; 4:19; 5:5. this mode of reckoning was borrowed from the Chaldeans. the reckoning of twelve hours was from sunrise to sunset, and accordingly the hours were of variable length (Joh 11:9). The word "day" sometimes signifies an indefinite time (Ge 2:4; Isa 22:5; Heb 3:8, etc.). In Job 3:1 it denotes a birthday, and in Isa 2:12; Ac 17:31; 2Ti 1:18, the great day of final judgment.'. The functional definition, of the phrase last day is: '(end of the) Church Age. However, in the life of the individual, it can be used for the day that he dies'. Please see the note for Hebrews 3:13 about the word today. The functional definition is: 'obey immediately'. Please also see the note for Matthew 26:55 about the word daily. Please also see the notes for Philippians 1:6-LJC and 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 5:2 about the phrase day of the Lord. Please also see the note for John 20:1 about the phrase first day of the week.

We find the name of Herod mentioned only in the New Testament. There this name 44 times in 41 verses. We find it in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:3; Matthew 2:7; Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:15; Matthew 2:16; Matthew 2:19; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 14:1; Matthew 14:3; Matthew 14:6. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this name as: 'Judaism by John Hyrcanus, 130 B.C. thus the Herods, though aliens by birth, were Jews in faith. they made religion an engine of state policy. Eschewing Antiochus Epiphanes' design to Graecize Jerusalem by substituting the Greek worship and customs for the Jewish law, the Herod's, while professing to maintain the law, as effectively set at nought its spirit by making it a lever for elevating themselves and their secular kingdom. for this end Herod adorned gorgeously the temple with more than Solomonic splendor.
Thus a descendant of Esau tried still to get from Jacob the forfeited blessing (Ge 27:29,40), in vain setting up an earthly kingdom on a professed Jewish basis, to rival Messiah's spiritual kingdom, as it was then being fore-announced by John Baptist. the "Herodians" probably cherished hopes of Herod's kingdom becoming ultimately, though at first necessarily leaning on Rome, an independent Judaic eastern empire. the Jewish religion thus degraded into a tool of ambition lost its spiritual power, and the theocracy becoming a lifeless carcass was the ready prey for the Roman eagles to pounce upon and destroy (Mt 24:28). (See HERODIANS.)
1. HEROD thE GREAT (Matthew 2; Lu 1:5), second son of Antipater (who was appointed by Julius Caesar procurator of Judaea, 47 B.C.) and Cypros, a noble Arabian. At the time of Antipater's elevation, though only 15 (or as other passages of Josephus make probable, 20), he received the government of Galilee and soon afterwards Coelo-Syria. He skillfully gained the favor of Antony, who made him and his elder brother Phasael joint tetrarchs of Judea. forced to abandon Judaea by the Parthians, who supported Antigonus the representative of the Asmonaean dynasty, Herod fled to Rome (40 B.C.), where he was well received by Antony and Octavian, and made by the senate "king of Judea." With Roman help he took Jerusalem (37 B.C.), slew his leading adversaries there, including the whole Sanhedrin except two, and established his kingly authority.
Undertaking next for Antony an expedition to Arabia against Malchus, he thereby escaped taking share in the war between Antony his patron and Octavian. After the battle of Actium he gained, by a mixture of humility and boldness at Rhodes, the favor of Octavian the conqueror, who confirmed him in the kingdom, and added several cities along with the province of Trachonitis and district of Paneas. But external prosperity did not save him from internal troubles, the fruits of his own lust and insatiable cruelty. He put to death successively Hyrcanus, his wife Mariamne's grandfather, Mariamne herself to whom he had been passionately attached, his two sons by her, Alexander and Aristobulus, and just four days before his death signed the order for executing their bitter accuser, his oldest son Antipater.
At last, seized with a fatal disease in the stomach and bowels, he became more cruel than ever; he ordered that the nobles whom he had called to him should be slain immediately after his decease, that there might be no lack of mourners at his death. It was at this time that he ordered the slaughter of all males, from two years old and under, in and about Bethlehem, the foretold birthplace of the expected Messiah. Josephus does not notice this, probably both because of his studied reserve as to Jesus' claims, and also because the slaughter of a comparatively few infants in a village seemed unimportant as compared with his other abounding deeds of atrocity. Macrobius long subsequently (A.D. 410) says that "when Augustus heard that among the children whom Herod ordered to be killed Herod's own son (Antipater) was slain, he remarked, It would be better to be one of Herod's swine than Herod's sons," punning on the similar sounding Greek terms for "son" and "swine", hus, huios.
Herod being a professed Jew his swine as unclean were safe from death, his sons were not. Josephus records what illustrates the Scripture account of the massacre of the innocents; "Herod slew all those of his own family who sided with the Pharisees, looking forward to a change in the royal line" (Ant. 17:2, section 6). As Matthew says, "Herod privily called the wise men and inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared." So Josephus says: "an Essene, Menahem, foretold when Herod was a boy he should be king. Accordingly when he was in full power he sent for Menahem and inquired of him how long he should reign. Menahem did not define the time, but in answer to Herod's question whether ten years or not, replied, Yes 20, nay 30 years" (Ant. 15:10, section 5).
Herod's keenness to establish his dynasty, jealousy of any rival, craft, hypocrisy, cruelty, recklessness of any sacrifice to gain his object, appear as vividly in the Scripture narrative as in Josephus. the wise men's question, "Where is he that is born king of the Jews?" was precisely one to excite Herod's jealousy. forHerod was not a born Jew, much less born king of the Jews, but an Idumean alien, made king by the anti-Jewish world power, Rome. Unimportant as the event seemed to the world, the murder of the innocents was the consummation of his guilt before God, and places him among the foremost of Satan's and the world's foretold (Jer 31:15) representative adversaries of the Lord and His church, answering to the Pharaoh who oppressed Christ's type, Israel, murdering the male children in the nation's infancy in order to stifle the nation's first beginnings; but in vain, for God secured the nation's Exodus from Egypt by the tyrant's overthrow, just as subsequently He saved Jesus and destroyed Herod, and in due time "called His (antitypical) Son out of Egypt" (Mt 2:15; compare Ho 11:1).
Herod's death and Jesus' birth therefore must have been at least four years before the era known as A.D. Ambition was his ruling passion. forits sake he compromised the Jewish religion which he professed, in order to conciliate Rome, by offerings to the Capitoline Jupiter at his elevation to the throne. He rebuilt the temple of Apollo at Rhodes, which had been consumed by fire, "the greatest and most illustrious of all his works" according to Josephus. He built a theater and amphitheater, and introduced pagan games in honour of Caesar every fifth year at Jerusalem. He rebuilt Samaria and its temple, and called it Sebaste (Greek for Augusta) in honour of Augustus; also Caesarea on the site of Straton, and made provision at it for pagan worship. At Paneas he dedicated a temple of white marble to Augustus. the stricter Jews were so offended that ten men conspired to kill him in the theater at Jerusalem.
Being detected by a spy they were put to death, but the spy was torn to pieces afterward by the mob. thereupon he erected the castle of Antonia, near the temple, to overawe the disaffected. However, he turned the tide of feeling in his favor by two acts. In the 13th year of his reign during a severe famine he spent all his resources and sold even valuable works of art to import grain from Egypt for the relief of the people. Still more did he win popularity by rebuilding the temple on a magnificent scale, to vie with that of Solomon; yet with such scrupulous care that it seemed a restoration rather than a new building. He inaugurated the work with a set speech. the building of the temple itself began in 20 B.C., and was finished in a year and a half. the surrounding buildings occupied eight years more. But still fresh additions continued to be made, so that at the beginning of Jesus' ministry the Jews said, "Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?"
At that time He was 30 years old, which added to 16 years (for 20 B.C., when Herod began building, means only 16 before His real date of birth) makes 46. It has been thought that he used the opportunity of building the temple to destroy the authentic genealogies of the priesthood, and that the monument which he raised over the tombs of the kings was owing to superstitious fear after his sacrilegious attempt to rob them of treasures. His title "Herod the Great" was given him in admiration of splendid and successful, though often awfully impious and cruel, tyranny. How vastly different it is to be "great in the sight of the Lord" (Lu 1:15).
2. HEROD thE TETRARCH (Mt 14:1, etc.; Mr 7:17, etc.; Lu 3:1,19; 9:7; Ac 13:1). Called "King Herod" by courtesy, not right (Mr 6:14). ANTIPAS contracted for Antipater; son of Herod the Great by a Samaritan, Malthake. Originally Herod the Great destined him to succeed to the throne, but in his last will made him tetrarch of Galilee and Peraea, which yielded him a yearly revenue of 200 talents. He married the daughter of Aretas, king of Arabia Petraea; but afterwards, meeting at Rome, he became enamoured of and took, his half-brother Herod Philip's wife, and his own niece, daughter of Aristobulus, Herodias. this sin against God became the retributive source of evil to him. Aretas in consequence invaded his land and defeated him severely. Herod stood to John Baptist in the same relation that Ahab did to Elijah.
Herod "feared" John at first (compare Ahab's fear of Elisha, 1Ki 21:20), "knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him (preserved him from Herodias, or else respected, regarded him); and when he heard him he did manythings and heard him gladly." But Herod when reproved for his sin by John preferred keeping his sin to gaining God's favor and the approval of God's minister. A slight breath of temptation, regard for the world's opinion, and dislike of reproof, were enough to dry up his shallow religion. His first downward step was, he cast John his faithful reprover into prison (compare Asa, 2Ch 16:10). Herodias having gained this first step, like her prototype Jezebel, found the next step an easy one; at the first "convenient day" (his birthday, which he observed with the Herodian characteristic aping of Roman ways, in defiance of Jewish abhorrence of the pagan custom) when Herod made a supper to his lords, and Herodias' daughter by dancing so pleased him that he promised to give whatever she might ask, Herodias prompted her to ask for John's head.
(Josephus, Ant. 19:7, section 1, notices the Herods' magnificent celebration of their" birthdays," which became proverbial and were celebrated by the Herodi and even at Rome, as noticed by the pagan Persius, 5:180). So "she came in straightway with haste" to give him no time to repent, and though "exceeding sorry, yet for his oath's sake and for their sakes which sat with him he would not reject her." So John was beheaded in fort Machaerus, facing the Dead Sea from the S. on the borders between Herod's and Aretas' dominions. How scrupulous men are as to the law of opinion among men, how reckless of the law of God! True conscientiousness would see his oath, which involved the sacrifice of an innocent life in violation of God's law, would be more honoured in its breach than in its observance. Not to let conscience have time to restrain him, he ordered the execution as "immediately" as she had demanded it.
When Christ appeared conscience reasserted her supremacy; he said unto his servants, "This is John the Baptist, therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him." In comparing Mr 8:15 with Mt 16:6 we find "the leaven of Herod" is "the leaven of the Sadducees," i.e. disbelief of angel or spirit or resurrection. Luke (Lu 9:7) says, "Herod was perplexed because it was said of some that John was risen from the dead." A Pharisee would have regarded John's reappearance in Jesus as an instance of the transmigration of the souls of good men, and would have felt no perplexity; Herod's "perplexity" is just what we might expect from a Sadducee, accused by a guilty conscience and trembling lest the world of spirits and the judgment should prove after all to be realities.
And that he was so comes out in the most incidental and undesigned way, a clear mark of the truth of the narrative: On his lending himself, fox-like, to the Pharisees' design to get Christ out of Galilee into Judea (see Fox) his superstitious fears were too great to admit of his repeating in Christ's case the execution which, to his own torment of conscience, he had perpetrated in John's case; but he was glad of any, means to relieve himself of Christ's presence which "perplexed" him (Lu 13:32). Yet "he desired to see Him" (Lu 9:9), for he had "heard of the fame of Jesus" (Mt 14:1); and so in Christ's last hours "when he saw Him he was exceeding glad, for he was desirous to see Him of a long season, because he had heard manythings of Him (doubtless through Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and through Manaen his foster brother: Lu 8:1-3; Ac 13:1), and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by Him."
So "he questioned with Him in many words, but He answered him nothing." Christ would not gratify Herod's idle curiosity, but He did answer Pilate when the honour of His Messianic kingship was at stake, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" (Lu 23:3-12). Baffled in his idle wish, Herod in proud scorn "with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him again to Pilate." the Roman governor in the first instance had sent Him to Herod as soon as he knew that He as a Galilean belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction. So "the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together," doubtless owing to Pilate's courtesy and recognition of Herod's jurisdiction, even as their estrangement was owing to the contrary conduct on Pilate's part toward Galile and (Lu 13:1). At variance at other times and on other points, the world potentates agree in this, to insult and persecute Christ.
So Herod and Pilate are coupled together in their divinely foretold anti-Christianity (Ac 4:25-27; Ps 2:1-2, etc.). Another incidental and therefore unstudied coincidence with truth is the implication that neither Pilate nor Herod resided at Jerusalem: "Herod who himself ALSO was at Jerusalem at that time." Josephus states that the Herod who slew James (Acts 12) was "not at all like that Herod who reigned before him, he took pleasure in constantly living in Jerusalem" (Ant. 19:7, section 3); this proves that Herod Antipas did not reside much at Jerusalem. So Pilate's usual residence was at Caesarea, the abode of the Roman governors of Judea (Ant. 18:4, section 1; 20:4, section 4; Bell. Judaeorum 2:9, section 2). the danger of popular outbreaks at the Passover was what brought Pilate to Jerusalem for a brief time.
Finally, Herodias, the source of Herod's sin, became his source of shame, for at her instigation he went to Rome, A.D. 38, to sue the emperor Caligula for the title of" king," just conferred on his nephew Herod Agrippa. Instead of this, through Agrippa's influence, H. lost his kingdom and was banished to Lyons, thence to Spain, where he died. the one faithful (humanly speaking) act of her life was her preferring to share Herod's exile rather than stay at home in her own country; surely sinners "eat of the fruit of their own ways, and are filled with their own devices" (Pr 1:31; Jer 2:19).
Herod was wicked in other respects besides adultery, and was accordingly "reproved by John for all the evils which he had done" (Lu 3:19). Cruel yet cunning, like his father (Lu 13:32), he was the very type of an oriental despot, sensual, capricious, yet with a sense of honour and having a respect for piety in others; but like Ahab too weak to resist a bad woman's influence, under which false scrupulosity outweighed right conscientiousness, to be succeeded by superstitious terrors. Tiberias, which he founded and named after the emperor, was one of his greatest works.
3. HEROD PHILIP I. Son of Herod the Great and Mariamne, the high priest. Simon's daughter. Distinct from the tetrarch Herod Philip II. He married Herodias, sister of Agrippa I, by whom he had Salome, the daughter who by dancing pleased Herod ANTIPAS (see above), the paramour of her own mother and dishonourer of her father! Owing to his own mother Mariamne's treachery, Herod Philip I was excluded from all share in his father's dominions, and lived privately. His being without a kingdom was doubtless a cause of the ambitious Herodias deserting him for his brother the tetrarch. But "vaulting ambition o'erleaps itself and falls on the other side"; and seeking the name of "king" besides the reality which her paramour had, she and he ended their days in shameans exile.
4. HEROD PHILIP II. Son of Herod the Great and Cleopatra. Advocated Archelaus' claims before Augustus, on the death of his father. His own kingdom was Batanaea, Trachonitis, Auranitis, and some parts about Jamnia, with the title "tetrarch." He ruled justly, without taking part in the intrigues which rent his family asunder. He built Caesarea Philippi at the site of Paneas, near the sources of the Jordan (Mt 16:13). His wife was Salome, daughter of Herod Philip I and Herodias. He died at Julius, the city which he raised Bethsaida into, A.D. 34. As he died childless his dominions were added to the Roman province, Syria.
5. HEROD AGRIPPA I. Son of Aristobulus Herod the Great's son) and Berenice. Imprisoned by Tiberius for an unguarded speech. Caius Caligula, A.D. 37, on his accession set him free, and gave him the governments formerly held by the tetrarchs Philip and Lysanias, Abilene, etc., with the title of "king" (Ac 12:1). Galilee and Peraea were added to his dominions on the exile of Herod ANTIPAS (see above), whom, notwithstanding the kindnesses he formerly when in difficulties received from him, Agrippa supplanted by intrigues at Rome. By services to Claudius, Caligula's successor, he secured in return the addition of Judaea and Samaria, so that now his kingdom equaled that of Herod the Great.
Unlike his predecessors he strictly kept the law. A legend states that once he burst into tears on reading in a public service De 17:15, on which the Jews exclaimed, "Be not distressed, thou art our brother," namely, by half-descent from the Hasmonaeans. It was on his entreaty at the risk of his interest and life that Caligula desisted from his attempt to set up his statue in the temple, which so engrossed the Jews that for a time they let the Christians alone (Ac 9:31). to "please the Jews" he slew James the brother of John, and imprisoned Peter with the intention of bringing him forth to the people for execution after the Passover ("Easter".) Love of popularity was his ruling principle, to which his ordinary humanity was made to give way. Self seeking vanity led him to design Peter's death, but the issue was his own death.
The church's "prayer without ceasing" (Isa 62:6-7; Lu 18:7) saved Peter, whereas the church's Lord avenged His own and her cause on the church's persecutor. In the fourth year of his reign over the whole kingdom (A.D. 44) he attended games at Caesarea "in behalf of the emperor's safety" (possibly on his return from Britain), according to Josephus (Ant. 19:8). When he appeared in the theater in a robe all of silver stuff which shone in the morning light, his flatterers saluted him as a god, and suddenly he was afflicted with a terrible pain in the bowels, of which he died in five days, in the 54th year of his age. the sacred writer unveils the unseen world in his account, which Josephus so remarkably confirms. the authorities of Tyre and Sidon offended him, "but came with one accord and, having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend, desired peace because their country" was dependent on the king's country for grain, etc. (1Ki 5:9,11; Eze 27:17).
Then upon a set day" Herod arrayed in royal apparel sat upon his throne and made an oration. And the people gave a shout, saying It is the voice of a god and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory; and he was eaten of worms and gave up the ghost. But the word of God (which he bad thought to stifle) grew and multiplied." So Belshazzar (Daniel 5); "pride teeth before destruction" (Pr 16:18). Josephus states that Herod said in his pain, "I whom you call a god am ordered to depart this life immediately.
Providence thus instantly reproves the lying words you just now addressed to me, and I who was by you called immortal am immediately to be hurried away by death." thus fell he whom the world called Agrippa the Great! a monument to warn proud men, "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth" (Isa 45:9).
6. HEROD AGRIPPA II. Son of Herod Agrippa I and Cypros, grandniece of Herod the Great. Being but 17 at his father's death (A.D. 44), he was thought too young to succeed his father in the kingdom, but six years later (A.D. 50) the emperor Claudius conferred on him Chalcis which had been under his uncle, shortly before deceased (A.D. 48). then (A.D. 52) he was transferred to the tetrarchies formerly held by Philip and Lysanias with the title "king." Accurately he is called so in Ac 25:13; 26:2,7. Nero added several cities of Galilee and Persea to his kingdom (A.D. 55). Five years later Paul pleaded before him, who naturally consulted him on a question of Jewish law). (See FESTUS.)
The great pomp with which he and his sister Berenice (whose connection with him caused grave suspicion) "entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the city" accorded with his character, fond of show. In the last Roman war he took part with the Romans in the destruction of his nation in the same spirit of cold cynicism with which he met the impassioned appeal of the apostle. After the fall of Jerusalem he retired with Berenice to Rome, where he died in the third year of Trajan (A.D. 100).
He was the last of the race of Herod commemorated in history. Ac 25:13 represents his losing no time in going to Caesarea to salute the new Roman governor. In exact consonance with this Josephus (Bell. Judg., 2:15, section 1; Life, section 11) records his anxiety to stand well with the Roman governors, Alexander in Egypt, and Gessius Florus in Judaea, in the latter case Berenice accompanying him.'.

We find forms of the word east occurring 157 times in 148 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:2; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 8:11; Matthew 24:27; Luke 13:29; Revelation 7:2; Revelation 16:12; Revelation 21:13. The Morrish Bible Dictionary definition for this word is: 'Several words are used to express the East, which imply 'going forth,' 'rising,' 'that which is before,' having reference to the sun and its rising. Nearly all the references in scripture to the East or to other quarters are of course reckoned from Palestine; so that 'children of the East,' 'men of the East,' point out Assyria, Babylon, etc.
THE EAST WIND was distressing and destructive to vegetation, Ge 41:6,23,27; dangerous to vessels at sea, Ps 48:7; Eze 27:26; and is symbolical of the withering power of God's judgements. Ho 13:15.'.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S12 about Jerusalem. The functional definition for this word is: 'the central place of worship of the true God'. Several Bible dictionaries have quite large entries about Jerusalem because it is so important within the Bible and within world history outside of the Bible. This city is mentioned, in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:1; Matthew 2:3; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 5:35; Matthew 15:1; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 20:17-18; Matthew 21:1; Matthew 21:10; Matthew 23:37. Please also see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the phrase holy city. Webster's 1828 defines this phrase as: 'There is more than one holy city, but, usually, this phrase is used for Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem'. In the Bible, this phrase is used only for 'Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem'.

Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings.

Please see the note for John 7:3 about the words Jewry / Judaea / Judea / Judah. The functional definition for this word is: 'God's chosen people'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Jesus. Mt 1:25; Lu 2:4-7 Bethlehem. Mt 2:5; Mic 5:2; Lu 2:11,15; Joh 7:42 Herod. this was Herod the Great, for an account of whom see the Connection of the Old and New Testaments in the Comprehensive Bible. Mt 2:3,19; Ge 49:10; Da 9:24-25; Hag 2:6-9 exp: Lu 1:5. from. Ge 10:30; 25:6; 1Ki 4:30; Job 1:3; Ps 72:9-12; Isa 11:10; 60 General references. exp: Joh 4:30.'.

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C2-S2 (Verse 2) the wise men state why they are there.

for we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him..

The word worship is defined, in the Bible, as: 'The personal recognition and (often verbal) expression of the superiority of another being in relationship to self. True worship is not a vague general expression but expresses specific ways that the superiority is recognized. While devils and men desire worship, all proper worship is reserved for the only true God.'. in this sentence, we see that worship includes: 'a personal act that often requires personal sacrifice'. The Bible indicates that it took these men up to two (2) years to make this trip one way. That is up to four (4) years for the round-trip. Now consider how many people would make that type of sacrifice today. Consider also how much they had to be convinced that Jesus was truly born King of the Jews, since they surely encountered danger and hardship on their trip. King Herod would not have been the only person who would have wanted to take advantage of them.

As mentioned in the note for the prior sentence, I believe that these men were descendants from the sons that Abraham fathered after Sarah died and he had concubines (Genesis 25:6).

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C13S9; 2Corinthians 2:17 and Colossians C1S6 about the words see / sight. The functional definition is: 'perception of objects by the eye; view. this word is often used symbolically for spiritual understanding'. Please also see the note for John 6:40-LJC about the phrase see the Son. Please also see the note for Acts 2:25 about the words foresee / foresaw. Forms of the word see / sight are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:2; Matthew 5:1; Matthew 5:8; Matthew 5:16; Matthew 6:1; Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:5; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:18; Matthew 7:5; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 9:2; Matthew 9:30; Matthew 9:33; Matthew 11:4; Matthew 11:7; Matthew 11:8; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 12:38; Matthew 13:13; Matthew 13:14-15; Matthew 13:16; Matthew 13:17; Matthew 13:18; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 16:28; Matthew 20:34; Matthew 21:32; Matthew 22:11; Matthew 23:5; Matthew 23:39; Matthew 24:2; Matthew 24:6; Matthew 24:15; Matthew 24:30; Matthew 24:33; Matthew 26:58; Matthew 26:64; Matthew 27:4; Matthew 27:24; Matthew 27:49; Matthew 28:1; Matthew 28:6; Matthew 28:7; Matthew 28:10.

We find forms of the word star occurring 66 times in 63 verses of the Bible, 29 times in 26 verses of the New Testament and, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:2; Matthew 2:7; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 2:10; Matthew 24:29. The Morrish Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'From the account given of this star it is evident that it was one specially sent for the nativity, for it not only appeared to the Magi in the East, but guided them from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and 'stood over' where the young child was. Faith in the power of God dispels all difficulty as to the star. Mt 2:1-10. there were traditions that God would raise up a deliverer, and the Magi may have heard of the O.T. prophecies as to Messiah; but whether this be so or not, God, who provided the star, sent the Magi to find out the King of the Jews, and instructed them not to return to Herod.'. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Matthew 2. (See MAGI.) Smith's Bible Dictionary ably disproves the theory of its being a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn which took place thrice in 7 B.C. (i.e. three years before Jesus' birth, for the B.C. dates from the fourth year after His birth), May, September, and December, answering to the seven months which would intervene between the beginning and the end of the wise men's journey. Tacitus, Suetonius, and Josephus in their statements as to the universal expectation then prevalent of some great One about to appear in the East refer to Vespasian long after Christ. the star was probably a meteoric body employed by the God of nature to be His instrument in the world of revelation, to guide the wise men to the divine Messiah. Curiously a star appeared in September, 1604, between Mars and Saturn, after a conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in Pisces, but at a shorter interval than the star of the Magi after the conjunction in 7 B.C.'.

Please see the note for Matthew 2:1 about the word east. The Morrish Bible Dictionary definition for this word is: 'Several words are used to express the East, which imply 'going forth,' 'rising,' 'that which is before,' having reference to the sun and its rising. Nearly all the references in scripture to the East or to other quarters are of course reckoned from Palestine; so that 'children of the East,' 'men of the East,' point out Assyria, Babylon, etc.
THE EAST WIND was distressing and destructive to vegetation, Ge 41:6,23,27; dangerous to vessels at sea, Ps 48:7; Eze 27:26; and is symbolical of the withering power of God's judgements. Ho 13:15.'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'born. Mt 21:5; Ps 2:6; Isa 9:6-7; 32:1-2; Jer 23:5; Zec 9:9; Lu 2:11; 19:38; 23:3,38; Joh 1:49; 12:13; 18:37; 19:12-15,19 his. Nu 24:17; Isa 60:3; Lu 1:78-79; Re 22:16 worship. Mt 2:10-11; Ps 45:11; Joh 5:23; 9:38; 20:28; Heb 1:6 General references. exp: Mr 15:2; Joh 4:30.'.

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C2-S3 (Verse 3) the wise men cause a stir throughout the city and government.

When Herod the king had heard these things,
he was troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him..

Think about this sentence. all Jerusalem would not be troubled by the appearance of just three men. And, if they were in fact kings, which some traditions claim, they would not have traveled alone. There probably were enough men to stay safe from even the largest of bandit bands but it is doubtful that any were kings. Further, while the Bible does not give us enough information to prove the traditions wrong, we can see how this type of error persists. Someone adds to the and convinces others that their addition is right even though it can not be proved by claiming it can not be disproved and that they have some secret source of knowledge. Many claim that the addition can't hurt while it truly can. It gets people accepting distortions to God's word, which eventually leads them to accepting doctrines of devils which are supported by society of which please their flesh while bringing the judgment of God upon their children.

Please see the note for Matthew 2:1 about the name of Herod. There were several men with this name but they are mentioned only in the New Testament. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this name as: 'Judaism by John Hyrcanus, 130 B.C. thus the Herods, though aliens by birth, were Jews in faith'. Please also see the note for Mark 3:6 about the name Herodians.

Please see the note for verses in the New Testament and Summary on the name / role of king. The functional definition for this word is: 'The head of government for a nation whose character defines the character of the kingdom'. The difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King is that the lowercase is applied to any being who is not God and the uppercase is only applied to the Son of God by the word of God. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the note for note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C12S14 and Galatians C3-S7 about the word hear. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Perceiving by the ear. This word is often used symbolically for hearing the spiritual message of the word of God, as sound. 1. Listening to; attending to; obeying; observing what is commanded. 2. Attending to witnesses or advocates in a judicial trial; trying'. Please pay attention to the word 'obey' within this definition. That is what most people refuse to do when the Bible says that they do not hear. Please also see the note for James 2:5 about the word hearken. Please also see the note for Mark 4:9 about the phrase He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Forms of the word hear / heard are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:3; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 2:18; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 4:12; Matthew 5:21; Matthew 5:27; Matthew 5:33; Matthew 5:38; Matthew 5:43; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 7:24; Matthew 7:26; Matthew 8:10; Matthew 9:12; Matthew 10:14; Matthew 10:27; Matthew 11:2; Matthew 11:4-5; Matthew 11:15; Matthew 12:19; Matthew 12:24; Matthew 12:42; Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:13; Matthew 13:14-15; Matthew 13:16; Matthew 13:7; Matthew 13:18; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:20; Matthew 13:22; Matthew 13:23; Matthew 13:43; Matthew 14:1; Matthew 14:13; Matthew 15:10; Matthew 15:12; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 17:6; Matthew 18:15; Matthew 18:16; Matthew 18:17; Matthew 19:22; Matthew 19:25; Matthew 20:24; Matthew 20:30; Matthew 21:16; Matthew 21:33; Matthew 21:45; Matthew 22:7; Matthew 22:22; Matthew 22:33; Matthew 22:34; Matthew 24:6; Matthew 26:65; Matthew 27:13; Matthew 27:47.

Please see the note for Galatians C5-S10 about the word trouble. The functional definition for this word is: ' Disturbance of mind; agitation; commotion of spirits; perplexity; a word of very extensive application'. Forms of the word hear / heard are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:3; Matthew 14:26; Matthew 24:6; Matthew 26:10.

Please see the note for Galatians C1-S12 about Jerusalem. The functional definition for this word is: 'the central place of worship of the true God'. Several Bible dictionaries have quite large entries about Jerusalem because it is so important within the Bible and within world history outside of the Bible. Please also see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the phrase holy city. Webster's 1828 defines this phrase as: 'There is more than one holy city, but, usually, this phrase is used for Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem'. In the Bible, this phrase is used only for 'Jerusalem or the New Jerusalem'.

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C2-S4 (Verse 4) King Herod prepared for a challenge of his position.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together,
he demanded of them where Christ should be born..

This sentence is part of the doctrinal proof that King of the Jews is part of the role of Christ and is also part of Matthew's third proof that Jesus is the Christ because Jesus is the only person who fulfilled all of the prophecies about Christ. The place of the birth of Christ is in Micah 5:2. Herod demanded the answer from the priests because that was their job according to Malachi 2:7.

Our sentence, combined with Matthew 2:1, shows us that even king Herod understood that the King of the Jews would be Christ. Thus, this was common knowledge among all Jews.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:13-15 about the word gather. The functional definition for this word is: 'Collected; assembled; contracted; plaited; drawn by inference'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:4; Matthew 3:12; Matthew 6:26; Matthew 7:16; Matthew 12:30; Matthew 13:2; Matthew 13:28; Matthew 13:29; Matthew 13:30; Matthew 13:40; Matthew 13:41; Matthew 13:47-48; Matthew 18:20; Matthew 22:10; Matthew 22:34; Matthew 22:41; Matthew 23:37; Matthew 24:28; Matthew 24:31; Matthew 25:24; Matthew 25:26; Matthew 25:32; Matthew 27:17; Matthew 27:27.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 11:5 about the word chief. The functional definition for this word is: 'Highest in office or rank; principal; as a chief priest; the chief butler'. Forms of the word chief are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:4; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 20:27; Matthew 21:15; Matthew 21:23; Matthew 21:45; Matthew 23:6; Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:14; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 26:59; Matthew 27:1; Matthew 27:3; Matthew 27:6; Matthew 27:12; Matthew 27:20; Matthew 27:41; Matthew 27:62; Matthew 28:11.

Please see the note for Hebrews 4:14 about the word priest. The functional definition for this word is: 'One who represents men before God'. Please also see the note for Mark 14:63 about the phrase high priest. Forms of the word priest are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:4; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 12:4; Matthew 12:5; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 21:15; Matthew 21:23; Matthew 21:45; Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:14; Matthew 26:47; Matthew 26:51; Matthew 26:57; Matthew 26:58; Matthew 26:59; Matthew 26:62; Matthew 26:63; Matthew 26:65; Matthew 27:1; Matthew 27:3; Matthew 27:6; Matthew 27:12; Matthew 27:20; Matthew 27:41; Matthew 27:62; Matthew 28:11.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians 1:20 about the word scribe. The functional definition for this word is: 'In the New Testament the word is used in the sense in which it is applied to Ezra, and scribes are classed with the chief priests and the elders. they are described as sitting in Moses' seat, and what they taught was to be observed; but, alas, their works were not to be followed. Mt 7:29; 23:2,13-33.'. Forms of the word chief are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:4; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 7:29; Matthew 8:19; Matthew 9:3; Matthew 12:38; Matthew 13:52; Matthew 15:1; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:10; Matthew 18:18; Matthew 21:15; Matthew 23:2; Matthew 23:13; Matthew 23:14; Matthew 23:15; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 23:25; Matthew 23:27; Matthew 23:29; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 26:3; Matthew 26:57; Matthew 27:41.

Please see the note for Luke 3:14 about the word demand. The functional definition for this word is: 'o ask or call for, as one who has a claim or right to receive what is sought; to claim or seek as due by right'.

Please see the note for Matthew 1:16 about the word born. The functional definition for this word is: 'Concieved life is brought into the world'. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'pp. of bear. baurn. Brought forth, as an animal. A very useful distinction is observed by good authors, who, in the sense of produced or brought forth, write this word born; but in the sense of carried, write it borne. this difference of orthography renders obvious the difference of pronunciation. 1. to be born, is to be produced or brought into life. "Man is born to trouble." A man born a prince or a beggar. It is followed by of, before the mother or ancestors. Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. Job.14. 2. to be born, or born again, is to be regenerated and renewed; to receive spiritual life. John 3'. Please also see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. Please see the note for 1John 3:9 about the phrase born of God. Please also see the note for Colossians 1:15 about the word firstborn. Please also see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word begotten. The functional definition is: 'Procreated; generated'. Please also see the note for Galatians C4-S17 about the words birth / birthright / birthday.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the chief. Mt 21:15,23; 26:3,47; 27:1; 1Ch 24:4-19; 2Ch 36:14; Ezr 10:5; Ne 12:7; Ps 2:2; Joh 7:32; 18:3 scribes. Mt 7:29; 13:52; 2Ch 34:13,15; Ezr 7:6,11-12; Jer 8:8; Mr 8:31; Lu 20:19; 23:10; Joh 8:3; Ac 4:5; 6:12; 23:9 he demanded. Mal 2:7; Joh 3:10 General references. exp: Joh 12:10.'.

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C2-S5 (Verse 5-6) the question is answered by consulting scripture.

Equivalent Section: .

And they said unto him,
In Bethlehem of Judaea:.

Equivalent Section: .

for thus it is written by the prophet,
And thou Bethlehem,
in the land of Juda,
art not the least among the princes of Juda:.

Equivalent Section: .

for out of thee shall come a Governor,
that shall rule my people Israel..

This sentence references Micah 5:2. We also see the same information, as our current sentence, in John 7:42. Our sentence tells us that Jesus Christ will do the work of the Governor of the entire world. We see the statement of His doing this work in: Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:19; 1Chronicles 5:2; Psalms 2:1-6; Psalms 78:71-72; Isaiah 9:6-7; Isaiah 40:11; Jeremiah 23:4-6; Ezekiel 34:23-25; Ezekiel 37:24-26.

in this sentence we see that the religious scholars gave the place of the birth of Jesus to the king. While they, undoubtedly, knew the type of person that he was, they probably did not expect him to react like he eventually did. What we see from his reported actions is that he was a religious Jew for the political power it gave to him but also that he was not one by conviction. Otherwise, he would not have tried to murder God's Christ.

Please see the note for Matthew 2:1 about Bethlehem The functional definition for this word is: 'Birth place of Jesus which fulfilled prophecy'.

Please see the notes for Romans 4:23-25 about the word written. The functional definition for this word is: 'a retained record which can be used for judgment in a court of law'. Please see the note for Romans 15:15-16 which has links to every place in Romans where forms of the word write are used. Please also see the notes for Romans C15S13; 2Corinthians 1:13-14; Galatians C3-S12 and John 20:31-LJC about the word write. Please also see the note for Luke 6:3 about the phrases have ye not read and it is written. Forms of the words write / written are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:5; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:6; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10; Matthew 5:31; Matthew 11:10; Matthew 19:7; Matthew 21:13; Matthew 26:24; Matthew 26:31; Matthew 27:37.

Please see the note for Mark 10:30 about the word land. The functional definition for this word is: 'Earth, or the solid matter which constitutes the fixed part of the surface of the globe, in distinction from the sea or other waters, which constitute the fluid or movable part'. Forms of the word land are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:6; Matthew 2:20; Matthew 2:21; Matthew 4:15; Matthew 9:26; Matthew 10:15; Matthew 11:24; Matthew 14:34; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 23:15; Matthew 27:45.

Please see the note for Luke 7:28 about the word least. The functional definition for this word is: 'Smallest; little beyond others, either in size or degree; as the least insect; the least mercy'. Forms of the words least are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:6; Matthew 5:19; Matthew 11:11; Matthew 13:32; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 25:45.

The word prince is defined as: 'the powers of This world'. We see forms of the word prince found in: Matthew 2:6; Matthew 9:34; Matthew 12:24; Matthew 20:25; Mark 3:22; John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11; Acts 3:15; Acts 5:31; 1Corinthians C2S5; Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 1:5. In those verses we see Satan called the prince of the devils and the prince of this world and the prince of the power of the air. We also see the Son of God called the Prince of life and the prince of the kings of the earth. We also see notes about principalities ('area ruled by the prince') in Romans C8-S40 and in Ephesians C6-S8. In all of these references we see that a prince rules an area and a people but is under a king. We also see that the princes of this world have the same title as Satan, which means they are under his control and represent his kingdom.

Please see the note for Luke 2:2 about the title governor. The functional definition for this word is: 'A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice'. Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about the title Governor. In our current sentence, this title is capitalized to show that it only applies to the Son of God and not to any other human man. This title is only in this sentence but it references several places in the Bible which tell us that Jesus Christ will do the job associated with this title. Forms of the word governor are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:6; Matthew 10:18; Matthew 27:2; Matthew 27:11; Matthew 27:14; Matthew 27:15; Matthew 27:21; Matthew 27:23; Matthew 27:27; Matthew 28:14.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 10:14-16 about the word rule. The functional definition for this word is: 'Government; sway; empire; control; supreme command or authority'. Please also see the note for John 7:26 about the word ruler. The functional definition for this word is: 'One that governs, whether emperor, king, pope or governor; any one that exercises supreme power over others'. This sentence is the only place in this Gospel where any form of this word is used.

Please see the note for Luke 1:16 about the word Israel. The functional definition for this word is: 'The name for Jacob when he was acting spiritual and the name for his descendants'. Please also see the note for 2Corinthians 3:7-8 about the phrase children of Israel. Please also see the note for Romans C11S30 about the phrase all Israel shall be saved. We see forms of the word Israel found in: Matthew 2:6; Matthew 2:20; Matthew 2:21; Matthew 8:10; Matthew 9:33; Matthew 10:6; Matthew 10:23; Matthew 15:24; Matthew 15:31; Matthew 19:28; Matthew 27:9; Matthew 27:42.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ge 35:19; Jos 19:15; Ru 1:1,19; 2:4; 4:11; 1Sa 16:1 exp: Joh 12:10.'.

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C2-S6 (Verse 7) King Herod determined the physical age of God's Christ.

Then Herod,
when he had privily called the wise men,
inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared..

As we read later in this account, Herod wanted to know the possible age of God's Christ so that he could be sure that he murdered God's Christ. When the wise men did not return with the exact identification of God's Christ, Herod had all babies in the area and in the age bracket murdered. He failed in his attempt to murder God's Christ, but he did prove to be a mass-murderer.

Our sentence shows us a common form of deceit. Questions were asked and presented as wishing the information for one reason while the information was really sought for another reason.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:23 about the word inquire. The functional definition for this word is: 'To ask a question; to seek for truth or information by asking questions'.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:7 about the word diligence. The functional definition for this word is: ' Steady application in business of any kind; constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken; exertion of body or mind without unnecessary delay or sloth; due attention; industry; assiduity'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 26:3-5; Ex 1:10; 1Sa 18:21; Ps 10:9-10; 55:21; 64:4-6; 83:3-4; Isa 7:5-7; Eze 38:10-11; Re 12:1-5,15 exp: Joh 12:10.'.

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C2-S7 (Verse 8) King Herod lies about his intention.

First Step: Go find.

And he sent them to Bethlehem,
and said,
Go and search diligently for the young child;.

Second Step: send word.

and when ye have found him,
bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him also..

Here we read the lie told by king Herod. He claimed to want to worship God's Christ when, later in the account, we see that he truly wanted to murder God's Christ. Only a fool thinks that they can fool God. He did not accomplish what he tried to do but did provide the evidence that God will use to condemn him when he is judged.

Please see the note for Matthew 2:1 about Bethlehem The functional definition for this word is: 'Birth place of Jesus which fulfilled prophecy'.

Please see the note for Romans C11S36 about the word search. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'v. t. search 1. to look over or through for the purpose of finding something; to explore; to examine by inspection; as, to search the house for a book; to search the wood for a thief''. Please also see the note for Romans C11S36 about the word unsearchable.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'. We see forms of the word young found in: Matthew 2:8; Matthew 2:9; Matthew 2:11; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:14; Matthew 2:20; Matthew 2:21; Matthew 19:20; Matthew 19:22.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S2 about the word word. Please also see the note for Romans C13S12 about the phrase every word. Please see the notes for Romans C10S22; Word in 1John about the phrase word of God. Please note that when a Bible reference uses a lowercase word, it is referring to the Bible. When a Bible reference uses an uppercase word, it is referring to Jesus Christ. The uppercase makes this a formal name of the Son of God. However, while the exact definition is different, the properties are spiritually similar and the lowercase word symbolically represents the uppercase word. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:8; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 8:8; Matthew 8:16; Matthew 10:14; Matthew 12:32; Matthew 12:36; Matthew 12:37; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:20; Matthew 13:21; Matthew 13:22; Matthew 13:23; Matthew 15:23; Matthew 18:16; Matthew 22:22; Matthew 22:46; Matthew 24:35; Matthew 26:44; Matthew 26:75; Matthew 27:14; Matthew 28:8.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'go. 1Sa 23:22-23; 2Sa 17:14; 1Ki 19:2; Job 5:12-13; Ps 33:10-11; Pr 21:30; La 3:37; 1Co 3:19-20 that. Mt 26:48-49; 2Sa 15:7-12; 2Ki 10:18-19; Ezr 4:1-2; Ps 12:2-3; 55:11-15; Pr 26:24-25; Jer 41:5-7; Lu 20:20-21 General references. exp: Joh 12:10'.

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C2-S8 (Verse 9) God finished guiding them to their destination.

First Step: they left human authority.

When they had heard the king,
they departed;.

Second Step: God provided direction.

and,
lo,
the star,
which they saw in the east,
went before them,
till it came and stood over where the young child was..

It makes sense to go to the authorities when you are from a far country and a different culture and you want to know a cultural specific event. That is exactly what the birth of the King of the Jews. was. And, our sentence tells us that the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. It could have done that before they went to king Herod but, apparently, God prevented that happening until after they saw king Herod and he was tempted to try to kill God's Christ. We need to be aware that some things which seem fortunate just might be a temptation to sin. If we act upon the temptation, we will reap the consequences.

Think about what this sentence tells us. Go outside at night and look at the stars. Now try to imagine a star highlighting a single house in a town or small city. That is what is meant by the phrase till it came and stood over where the young child was. In order for a star to highlight a single house, it had to act differently from how all other starts act. Please see the Table of Miracles in the Gospels about this, and similar, miracles.

After they had accomplished the task that God wanted them to do, God let the star continue to lead them. When things seem to stall, we need to wait on God but we also need to see if God has some side task that He wants us to do.

Please see the note for verses in the New Testament and Summary on the name / role of king. The functional definition for this word is: 'The head of government for a nation whose character defines the character of the kingdom'. The difference between a lowercase king and an uppercase King is that the lowercase is applied to any being who is not God and the uppercase is only applied to the Son of God by the word of God. Please also see the note for Revelation 10:11-LJC about the phrase kings of the earth. Please also see the note for John 18:33-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please also see the note for Revelation 14:14-LJC about the phrase King of kings. Please also see the note for Matthew 27:37-LJC about the phrase King of the Jews. Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C4S20; 1Corinthians C15S46; Galatians C5S20 and the Doctrinal Study for about the phrase The kingdom of God. The functional definition is: 'God's character in us'. Please also see the notes for Ephesians 5:5; 2Timohy 4:1 and 2Peter 1:11 for about the phrase kingdom of Christ. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the note for note for Matthew 3:2 about the phrase kingdom of heaven.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 12:8 about the word depart. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'to go or move from. Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Matt. 25. It is followed by from, or from is implied before the place left. I will depart to my own land, that is, I will depart from this place to my own land. Num. 10. 2. to go from; to leave; to desist, as from a practice. Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam. Jehoshaphat departed not from the way of Asa his father'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:9; Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:14; Matthew 4:12; Matthew 7:23; Matthew 8:18; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 9:7; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 9:31; Matthew 10:14; Matthew 11:1; Matthew 11:7; Matthew 12:9; Matthew 13:53; Matthew 14:13; Matthew 14:16; Matthew 15:21; Matthew 15:29; Matthew 16:4; Matthew 17:18; Matthew 19:1; Matthew 19:15; Matthew 20:29; Matthew 24:1; Matthew 25:41; Matthew 27:5; Matthew 27:60; Matthew 28:8.

Please see the note for Luke 18:28 about the word lo. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'exclaim. Look; see; behold; observe. this word is used to excite particular attention in a hearer to some object of sight, or subject of discourse. Lo, here is Christ. Matt 24. Lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Acts 13'.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S5 and 1Corinthians C15S1 about the word stand. The functional definition for this word is: 'to be upon the feet, as an animal; not to sit, kneel or lie'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:18 about the word notwithstanding. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C14S2 about the word understand. The word stood is the past-tense form of the word stand. Please also see the note for Galatians C5S1 about the phrase stand fast.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the star. Mt 2:2; Ps 25:12; Pr 2:1-6; 8:17; 2Pe 1:19'.

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C2-S9 (Verse 10) Seeing God's provision brings great joy.

When they saw the star,
they rejoiced with exceeding great joy..

Our sentence tells us that they had far more (exceeding great) joy than they had before. They had been relying on guidance directly from God. Then it seemed as if they had to rely upon the word of a lying king. But, after they did the job that God wanted, they received guidance, again, directly from God. We should always rejoice when we realize that we have guidance directly from God.

Please see the notes for Romans C12S8; Galatians C4-S24 and Philippians 4:4-LJC about the word rejoice. The functional definition for this word is: 'To experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult'. Forms of the word rejoice are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:10; Matthew 5:12; Matthew 18:13.

Please see the note for Ephesians C2S2 about the word exceed. The functional definition for this word is: 'Going beyond; surpassing; excelling; outdoing'. Forms of the word exceed are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:10; Matthew 2:16; Matthew 4:8; Matthew 5:12; Matthew 5:20; Matthew 8:28; Matthew 17:23; Matthew 19:25; Matthew 26:22; Matthew 26:38.

Please see the notes for John 15:11; Romans C14S23 and 1John C1S2 about the word joy. The functional definition for this word is: 'a spiritually based sense that we will be blessed by God for enduring current circumstances in a way that brings God glory'. Forms of the word joy are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:10; Matthew 13:20; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 25:21; Matthew 25:23; Matthew 28:8. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 6:17-19 about the word enjoy.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they rejoiced. De 32:13; Ps 67:4; 105:3; Lu 2:10,20; Ac 13:46-48; Ro 15:9-13'.

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C2-S10 (Verse 11) Wise men worship 'God in human flesh'.

Equivalent Section: they acted as part of their worship..

And when they were come into the house,
they saw the young child with Mary his mother,
and fell down,
and worshipped him:.

Equivalent Section: they gave as part of their worship.

First Step: Identify the actions.

and when they had opened their treasures,
they presented unto him gifts;.

Second Step: Identify the gifts.

gold,
and frankincense,
and myrrh..

When Joseph and Mary first came to Bethlehem, they found no room for them in the inn. Yet in Matthew 2:11, we are told that the young child with Mary his mother are still in Bethlehem and were now in a house. Therefore, Joseph and Mary probably stayed in Bethlehem, because it was close to Jerusalem and the Temple where they had to go after the birth in order to make this sacrifice and fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic law. At some point they moved into a house which became available when others registered and paid their tax and left Bethlehem. Since Joseph was a carpenter, he could stay anywhere and find work in the area where he stayed.

Our sentence is about the worship of the wise men. Several preachers have preached a message about 'Wise Men Still Worship Jesus'. Our chapter contracts their actions to those of king Herod. In addition, as the notes below explain, their worship included appropriate gifts. People who just show up for a religious ceremony or meeting do not truly worship.

Please notice that our sentence says that they fell down, and worshipped him. This is a physical act of humbling themselves and showing their recognition of His greater authority even though Jesus was only a young child at this time. God blesses those who humble themselves. We see God do this in our next sentence which tells us that they were warned of God in a dream. That is a separate act from God warning Joseph. With the character that king Herod displays with his actions, king Herod probably would have also murdered the wise men. We can not be sure of that, but, based upon God's character and God's reported actions, in the next sentence, we can be sure that God protected these wise men. One very probable reason why God did this was because they humbled themselves as our current sentence says. And, yes, while this is speculation on my part, we can be sure that their action was important enough to God for God to have Matthew report it in this Gospel account.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 5:1 about the word house. The functional definition for this word is: ' In a general sense, a building or shed intended or used as a habitation or shelter for animals of any kind; but appropriately, a building or edifice for the habitation of man; a dwelling place, mansion or abode for any of the human species. It may be of any size and composed of any materials whatever, wood, stone, brick, etc. This word is also used, symbolically within the Bible, for the descendants of a person'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 4:17 about the phrase house of God. Please also see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about the phrase house of David. Please also see the note for Luke 1:32-33 about the phrase house of Jacob. Forms of the word house are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 5:15; Matthew 7:24-25; Matthew 7:26-27; Matthew 8:14; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 9:7; Matthew 9:10; Matthew 9:23; Matthew 9:28; Matthew 10:6; Matthew 10:12; Matthew 10:13; Matthew 10:14; Matthew 10:25; Matthew 10:36; Matthew 11:8; Matthew 12:4; Matthew 12:25; Matthew 12:29; Matthew 12:29; Matthew 12:44; Matthew 13:1; Matthew 13:27; Matthew 13:36; Matthew 13:52; Matthew 13:57; Matthew 15:24; Matthew 17:25; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 20:1; Matthew 20:11; Matthew 21:13; Matthew 21:33; Matthew 23:14; Matthew 23:38; Matthew 24:17; Matthew 24:43; Matthew 24:45; Matthew 26:6; Matthew 26:18.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

Please see the note for 1Timothy 3:6 about the word fall. The functional definition for this word is: 'To drop from a higher place; to descend by the power of gravity alone. Rain falls from the clouds; a man falls from his horse; ripe fruits fall from trees; an ox falls into a pit. The spiritual application is: apostasy: unexpectedly moving from a high spiritual position to a low spiritual position'. The word fell. is the past-tense form of the word fall. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 4:9; Matthew 7:25; Matthew 7:27; Matthew 10:29; Matthew 12:11; Matthew 13:4-5; Matthew 13:7; Matthew 13:8; Matthew 15:14; Matthew 15:27; Matthew 17:6; Matthew 17:15; Matthew 18:26; Matthew 18:29; Matthew 21:44; Matthew 24:29; Matthew 26:39.

Please see the note for John 18:20 about the word open / openly. The functional definition for this word is: 'Unclosed; not shut; unsealed'. Forms of the word house are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 5:2; Matthew 6:4; Matthew 6:6; Matthew 6:18; Matthew 7:7-8; Matthew 9:30; Matthew 13:35; Matthew 17:27; Matthew 20:33; Matthew 25:11; Matthew 27:52.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:7 about the word treasure. The functional definition for this word is: 'Wealth accumulated; particularly, a stock or store of money in reserve'. Please also see the note for Hebrews 12:2-LJC and the Message called Laying up Treasure in Heaven about the phrase treasure in Heaven. Forms of the word treasure are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 6:19-21; Matthew 12:35; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 13:52; Matthew 19:21.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 4:13-14 about the word present. The functional definition for this word is: 'Being in a certain place; opposed to absent'.

Please see the notes for Romans C5S9 and 1Corinthians C12S4 about the word gift. The functional definition for this word is: 'given from one person to another without compensation; a donation. It is applicable to anything movable or immovable'. Please also see the note for John 4:10 about the phrase gift of God. Forms of the word gift are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 5:23-24; Matthew 7:11; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 15:5; Matthew 23:18; Matthew 23:19.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C3S13 about the word gold. The functional definition for this word is: 'A precious metal of a bright yellow color, and the most ductile and malleable of all the metals. It is the heaviest metal except platina; and being a very dense, fixed substance, and not liable to be injured by air, it is well fitted to be used as coin, or a representative of commodities in commerce. Its ductility and malleability render it the most suitable metal for gilding'. This word is used symbolically for provision for our long term needs. This gift is a symbolic recognition that He is King. Forms of the word exceed are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:11; Matthew 10:9; Matthew 23:16; Matthew 23:17.

We find forms of the word frankincense in: Exodus 30:34; Leviticus 2:1; Leviticus 2:2; Leviticus 2:15; Leviticus 2:16; Leviticus 5:11; Leviticus 6:15; Leviticus 24:7; Numbers 5:15; 1Chronicles 9:29; Nehemiah 13:5; Nehemiah 13:9; Song 3:6; Song 4:6; Song 4:14; Matthew 2:11; Revelation 18:13. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: '(Heb lebonah; Gr. libanos, i.e., "white"), an odorous resin imported from Arabia (Isa 60:6; Jer 6:20), yet also growing in Palestine (Song 4:14). It was one of the ingredients in the perfume of the sanctuary (Ex 30:34), and was used as an accompaniment of the meat-offering (Le 2:1,16; 6:15; 24:7). When burnt it emitted a fragrant odour, and hence the incense became a symbol of the Divine name (Mal 1:11; Song 1:3) and an emblem of prayer (Ps 141:2; Lu 1:10; Re 5:8; 8:3).
This frankincense, or olibanum, used by the Jews in the temple services is not to be confounded with the frankincense of modern commerce, which is an exudation of the Norway spruce fir, the Pinus abies. It was probably a resin from the Indian tree known to botanists by the name of Boswellia serrata or thurifera, which grows to the height of forty feet.'. This gift is a symbolic recognition of the healing power brought by Jesus.

Nave's Topical Bible provides references for the word frankincense as: 'An ingredient of the sacred oil: Ex 30:34. Used with showbread: Le 24:7. Used with meat offerings: Le 2:1-2,15-16; 6:15. Prohibited, in sin offerings when they consist of turtledoves or pigeons: Le 5:11. In making an offering of memorial: Nu 5:15. A perfume: Song 3:6. Commerce in: Re 18:11-13. Used as an incense: Isa 43:23; 60:6; 66:3; Jer 6:20'.

Please see the note for Mark 15:22 about the word myrrh. The functional definition for this word is: 'A spice used in embalming'. This gift is a symbolic recognition of His death to pay for our sins.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'they saw. Lu 2:16,26-32,38 worshipped. Mt 2:2; 4:9-10; 14:33; Ps 2:12; 95:6; Joh 5:22-23; Ac 10:25-26; Re 19:10; 22:8-10 exp: Ge 24:52; Mt 8:2. presented. or, offered. Ge 43:11; 1Sa 10:27; 1Ki 10:2,10; Ps 72:10,15; Isa 60:6 frankincense. Ex 30:23,34; Le 2:1-2; 6:15; Nu 7:14,86; Ps 45:8; Mal 1:11; Re 5:8 General references. exp: Ps 72:10.'.

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C2-S11 (Verse 12) God protects true wise men.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country another way..

As mentioned in the note for the prior sentence, God warned them so that they would not give king Herod the information that the king needed to kill God's Christ child. In addition, with the character reported for king Herod, this warning also probable kept king Herod from murdering the wise men.

Please see the note for Colossians C1S6 about the word warn. The functional definition for this word is: 'To give notice of approaching or probable danger or evil, that it may be avoided; to caution against anything that may prove injurious'. Please also see the note for Luke 12:5 about the word forewarn. Forms of the word gift are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 3:7.

Please see the note for Matthew 1:20 about the word dream. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. the most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Ge 28:12; 31:10), Laban (Ge 31:24), Joseph (Ge 37:9-11), Gideon (Jg 7), and Solomon (1Ki 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Ge 20:3-7), Pharaoh's chief butler and baker (Ge 40:5), Pharaoh (Ge 41:1-8), the Midianites (Jg 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Da 2:1; 4:10,18), the wise men from the east (Mt 2:12), and Pilate's wife (Mt 27:19).
To Joseph "the Lord appeared in a dream," and gave him instructions regarding the infant Jesus (Mt 1:20; 2:12-13,19). In a vision of the night a "man of Macedonia" stood before Paul and said, "Come over into Macedonia and help us" (Ac 16:9; see also Ac 18:9; 27:23).'.

Please see the note for Mark 12:1 about the word country. The functional definition for this word is: 'An area of land. It can be all the land controlled by a government or the land lying near a city'. Please also see the note for Luke 1:65 about the phrase hill country. Forms of the word county are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:12; Matthew 8:28; Matthew 9:31; Matthew 13:54; Matthew 13:57; Matthew 14:35; Matthew 21:33; Matthew 25:14.

Please see the note for John 14:6; 1Corinthians C4S17 and Psalms 119 about the word way. The functional definition for this word is: 'how we get from where we are at to our destination'. Please also see the note for Mark 1:3 about the phrase way of the Lord. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:12; Matthew 3:3; Matthew 4:15; Matthew 5:24; Matthew 5:25; Matthew 7:13-14; Matthew 8:4; Matthew 8:13; Matthew 8:28; Matthew 8:30; Matthew 8:33; Matthew 10:5; Matthew 11:10; Matthew 13:4; Matthew 13:19; Matthew 13:25; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 20:4; Matthew 20:14; Matthew 20:17; Matthew 20:30; Matthew 21:8; Matthew 21:19; Matthew 21:32; Matthew 22:5; Matthew 22:16; Matthew 22:22; Matthew 27:65.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'warned. Mt 2:22; 1:20; 27:19; Ge 20:6-7; 31:24; Job 33:15-17; Da 2:19 they departed. Ex 1:17; Ac 4:19; 5:29; 1Co 3:19'.

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C2-S12 (Verse 13) God protects His own.

Equivalent Section: Instruction to Joseph.

And 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 the word:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him..

Our sentence starts with the word And. This action was added to the prior action. That is, the angel of the Lord first warned the wise men and then he warned Joseph. In both cases, the angel of the Lord warned them is a dream and in both cases the men who received the warning paid attention and reacted properly. Often God's people are hurt, if not destroyed, because they refuse to pay heed to warnings.

When the current king died, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and old him to return (2:19-23). That fulfilled a prophecy found in Hosea 11:1. Thus, our current sentence is setting things up so that a later action can fulfill prophecy.

Please see the note for Mark 10:1 about the words arise / arose. The functional definition for the word arose. is: 'The past tense of the verb, to arise'. The functional definition for the word arise. is: 'To ascend, mount up or move to a higher place; as, vapors arise from humid places'. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:14; Matthew 2:20; Matthew 2:21; Matthew 8:15; Matthew 8:24; Matthew 8:26; Matthew 9:5; Matthew 9:6; Matthew 9:7; Matthew 9:9; Matthew 9:19; Matthew 9:25; Matthew 13:21; Matthew 17:7; Matthew 24:24; Matthew 25:7; Matthew 26:62; Matthew 27:52.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

Please see the note for Luke 8:34 about the words flee / fled. The functional definition for the word fled. is: 'The past tense of the verb, to flee'. The functional definition for the word flee is: 'To run with rapidity, as from danger; to attempt to escape; to hasten from danger or expected evil'. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 3:7; Matthew 8:33; Matthew 10:23; Matthew 24:16; Matthew 26:56.

Please see the note for Hebrews 3:16 about Egypt. The functional definition for this word is: 'While Egypt is a physical country on this Earth, it is used for a type of the world (way of thinking, etc) within the Bible'. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 2:14-15; Matthew 2:19.

Please see the note for Colossians 2S2 about the word word. The functional definition is: 'a single component part of human speech or language'. However, the word of God is the holy scriptures and in the English language, it is only the KJV-1611. Please also see the notes for Romans C10S22 and Word in 1John about the phrase word of God. Please also see the note for John 1:1 for an extensive note explaining the differences, and similarities, between the capitalized and the non-capitalized word word. When a Bible reference uses an uppercase word, it is referring to Jesus Christ. The uppercase makes this a formal name of the Son of God. However, while the exact definition is different, the properties are spiritually similar to the lowercase word. Please also see the note for 1Thessalonians 1:8 about the phrase word of the Lord. Please note that the word of the Lord is a sub-set of the word of God. the word of God contains all of God's written truth including recording the lies of Satan. The word of the Lord is that part of the word of God which will be used to judge us. The lies from Satan are not included within the word of the Lord.

The meaning of the word wilt, does not match what is found in a man-written dictionary. The true Biblical meaning is: 'The will applied at a lifestyle level. That is: a decision of will which does not change throughout the life.'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for Philippians 1:15-17 about the word will. The functional definition for this word is: 'That faculty of the mind by which we determine either to do or forbear an action; the faculty which is exercised in deciding, among two or more objects, which we shall embrace or pursue'. Please also see the note for 1Peter 2:15 about the phrase will of God. Please also see the Message called The Will of God for the application of these verses in the life of the believer.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C10S24 about the word seek. The functional definition for this word is: 'to go after, and the primary sense is to advance, to press, to drive forward'. Please also see the note called The S and P's of 2Timothy 1. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 6:32; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 7:7-8; Matthew 12:39; Matthew 12:43; Matthew 13:45; Matthew 16:4; Matthew 18:12; Matthew 28:5.

Please see the notes for Romans C14S22 and 1Corinthians C3S17 about the word destroy. The functional definition for this word is: 'To demolish; to pull down; to ruin; to annihilate a thing by demolishing or by burning'. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians 10:10 about the word destroyer. Please also see the note for 1Timothy 6:9 about the word destruction. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 5:17; Matthew 7:13; Matthew 10:28; Matthew 12:14; Matthew 21:41; Matthew 22:7; Matthew 26:61; Matthew 27:20; Matthew 27:40.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'the angel. Mt 2:19; 1:20; Ac 5:19; 10:7,22; 12:11; Heb 1:13-14 Arise. Mt 10:23; Re 12:6,14 exp: Mt 2:20. until. Mt 2:19-20; Jos 3:13,17; 4:10,18; Da 3:25-26; Ac 16:36 for. Mt 2:16; Ex 1:22; 2:2-3; Job 33:15,17; Ac 7:19; Re 12:4'.

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C2-S13 (Verse 14-15) God always fulfills His prophecy.

Equivalent Section: Joseph paid attention to the warning.

When he arose,
he took the young child and his mother by night,
and departed into Egypt:.

Equivalent Section: How long they stayed.

And was there until the death of Herod:.

Equivalent Section: this action fulfilled prophecy.

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet,
saying,
Out of Egypt have I called my son..

This sentence fulfills the prophecy of Numbers 24:8 and Hosea 11:1. It is also related to, and some claim also fulfills a prophecy, in Exodus 4:22.

Our sentence is part of this chapter and the entire chapter is the seventh (7) evidence which Matthew offers to prove that Jesus is God's Christ. In the first two chapters, Matthew tells us about many fulfilled prophecies. (Please see the Prophecy Fulfilled Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, for these references.) Since only God can fulfill prophecy, and God does not support doctrinal error, the fact that our sentence reports that this action was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet makes this court-acceptable evidence that Jesus is God's Christ.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

Please see the note for John 11:10 about the word night. The functional definition for this word is: 'The time when the sun is on the other side of the world.'. This word is used symbolically several ways in the Bible. The note for this word, in the Book Study on John, gives us several of those symbolic meanings along with the Bible references. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:13; Matthew 4:2; Matthew 12:40; Matthew 14:25; Matthew 26:31; Matthew 26:34; Matthew 27:64; Matthew 28:13.

Please see the notes for Romans C6S4; 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20 and Colossians C1S4 about the words dead / death / die the functional definition is: 'an ongoing process of corruption which starts at conception and continues until the body is completely destroyed. Physical death is used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the corrupted body. Spiritual death is also used for the one-time point when the soul and spirit are forced to leave the presence of God. When the Bible uses death for these events, it assumes that the reader understands that the one-time-event is the pinnacle of an ongoing process. Within the Bible, death is to be understood to be an ongoing process, even while highlighting the ultimate point of victory for the process'. Please also see the notes for Sin in 1John; Romans C2S4; 1Corinthians 8:11-LJC and Galatians C3-S26 about the phrase sin unto death. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C11S34 about the phrase sleep is physically dead but spiritually alive. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:14-15; Matthew 2:19-20; Matthew 4:16; Matthew 8:22; Matthew 9:18; Matthew 9:24; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 10:21; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 14:2; Matthew 14:5; Matthew 15:4; Matthew 16:28; Matthew 17:9; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 22:24; Matthew 22:27; Matthew 22:31; Matthew 22:32; Matthew 23:27; Matthew 26:35; Matthew 26:38; Matthew 26:59; Matthew 26:66; Matthew 27:1; Matthew 27:64; Matthew 28:4; Matthew 28:7.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 about the word prophet. The worldly definition is: 'One that foretells future events; a predicter; a foreteller'. However, John the Baptist was a prophet and he told no future event. Therefore, the true Biblical definition is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. . Please also see the Study called Jude; false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 2:20-21; 1:24; Ac 26:21
until. Mt 2:19; Ac 12:1-4,23-24 that. Mt 2:17,23; 1:22; 4:14-15; 8:17; 12:16-18; 21:4; 26:54,56; 27:35; Lu 24:44; Joh 19:28,36; Ac 1:16 Out. Ex 4:22; Nu 24:8; Ho 11:1 General references. exp: Mt 2:17'.

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C2-S14 (Verse 16) King Herod reveals his true nature.

Then 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..

Here we see that the visit of the wise men was some time up to two years after the birth. This, obviously, goes against the common portrayal of the wise men being at the manger. And, yes, many will claim that this distinction is not important. However, if it was not important then God would not have had Matthew report it like God has not reported many other things which people like to speculate and argue about. In addition, ignoring this error puts people into the habit of ignoring errors which they think are minor but, some of which, make a critical doctrinal difference. A simple example is the difference in who inherits the promise of God based upon the difference between a singular seed and multiple seeds (Galatians 3:16).

Next, please notice that our sentence tells us that king Herod diligently inquired. That is: he was extra careful to ask and demand that they verify accurately how long they had seen the star. This was because he was going to upset a lot of people by murdering their babies. Therefore, he wanted to minimize the number of people who were upset. In addition, our next sentence tells us that this fulfills prophecy. Therefore, God would make sure that king Herod did this accurately so that the fulfillment of prophecy was exact.

Please see the note for Jude 1:18 about the word mocker. The functional definition for this word is: 'One that mocks; a scorner; a scoffer; a derider'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:16; Matthew 20:19; Matthew 27:29; Matthew 27:31; Matthew 27:41.

Please see the note for Ephesians C2S2 about the word exceed. The functional definition for this word is: 'Going beyond; surpassing; excelling; outdoing'.

We find forms of the word wroth occurring 49 times in 47 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 2:16; Matthew 18:34; Matthew 22:7; Revelation 12:17. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'Very angry; much exasperated. Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Genesis 4. I was wroth with my people. Isaiah 47. An excellent word and not obsolete'.

We find forms of the word slew occurring 197 times in 186 verses of the Bible and, in the New Testament, in: Matthew 2:16; Matthew 21:39; Matthew 22:6; Matthew 23:35; Luke 13:4; Acts 5:30; Acts 10:39; Acts 22:20; Romans 7:11; 1John 3:12; 1John 3:12. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'pret. of slay'. Please see the note for Luke 11:49-51 about the word slay. The functional definition for this word is: ' the proper sense is to strike, and as beating was an early mode of killing, this word, like smite, came to signify to kill'.

Please see the note for Matthew 2:1 about Bethlehem. The functional definition for this word is: 'Birth place of Jesus which fulfilled prophecy'.

Please see the note for Mark 5:17 about the word coast. The functional definition for this word is: 'Border; region/country; land by water. Ex 10:14'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:16; Matthew 4:13; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 15:21; Matthew 15:22; Matthew 15:39; Matthew 16:13; Matthew 19:1.

Please see the note for Luke 1:7 about the word year. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Heb shanah, meaning "repetition" or "revolution" (Ge 1:14; 5:3). Among the ancient Egyptians the year consisted of twelve months of thirty days each, with five days added to make it a complete revolution of the earth round the sun. the Jews reckoned the year in two ways, (1) according to a sacred calendar, in which the year began about the time of the vernal equinox, with the month Abib; and (2) according to a civil calendar, in which the year began about the time of the autumnal equinox, with the month Nisan. the month Tisri is now the beginning of the Jewish year'.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1 about the word accord. The functional definition for this word is: 'Agreeing; harmonizing when two notes are in a music chord, they move together, up or down, to the next note'. Please also see the note for Psalms 119:23 about the phrase according to works. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:16; Matthew 9:29; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 25:15.

Please see the note for 2Corinthians 8:23 about the word inquire. The functional definition for this word is: 'To ask a question; to seek for truth or information by asking questions'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'when. Ge 39:14,17; Nu 22:29; 24:10; Jg 16:10; Job 12:4 was exceeding. Pr 27:3-4; Da 3:13,19-20 and slew. Ge 49:7; 2Ki 8:12; Pr 28:15,17; Isa 26:21; 59:7; Ho 10:14; Re 17:6 according. Mt 2:7 General references. exp: Da 2:12; Joh 12:10.'.

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C2-S15 (Verse 17-18) the reaction to Herod was prophesied.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet,
saying,
In 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..

This sentence fulfills Jeremiah 31:15.

The prophecy, and our sentence, uses the name of Rachel for the area which was given to the tribe of Benjamin, who was the son of Rachel. Normally speaking, women will weep more over the loss of a child than men do. It is not that they feel the loss more, only that women are more prone to express the hurt this way than men are.

It should be obvious that this was due to all of the babies who were murdered. Thus we have a mass-murderer who is not normally named among the famous mass-murderers of the world.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 about the word prophet. The worldly definition is: 'One that foretells future events; a predicter; a foreteller'. However, John the Baptist was a prophet and he told no future event. Therefore, the true Biblical definition is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. . Please also see the Study called Jude; false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

We find forms of the word Rama / Ramah occurring 37 times in 35 verses of the Bible with all of them in the Old Testament, except this reference, and all other references spelled Ramah. Smith's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: '(a hill). this is the name of several places in the holy land. 1. One of the cities of the allotment of Benjamin. Jos 18:25 Its site is at er-Ram, about five miles from Jerusalem, and near to Gibeah. Jg 4:5; 19:13; 1Sa 22:6 Its people returned after the captivity. Ezr 2:26; Ne 7:30 2. the home of Elkanah, Samuel's father, 1Sa 1:19; 2:11 the birthplace of Samuel himself, his homeans official residence, the site of his altar ch. 1Sa 7:17; 8:4; 15:34; 16:13; 19:18 and finally his burial-place, ch. 1Sa 25:1; 28:3 It is a contracted form of Ramathaim-zophim. All that is directly said as to its situation is that it was in Mount Ephraim, 1Sa 1:1 a district without defined boundaries, the position of Ramah is a much-disputed question. Tradition, however places the residence of Samuel on the lofty and remarkable eminence of Neby Samwil which rises four miles to the northwest of Jerusalem. Since the days of Arcult the tradition appears to have been continuous. Here, then, we are inclined in the present state of the evidence, to place the Ramah of Samuel. 3. One of the nineteen fortified places of Naphtali. Jos 19:36 Dr. Robinson has discovered a Rameh northwest of the Sea of Galilee, about 8 miles east-south-east of Safed. 4. One of the landmarks on the boundary of Asher, Jos 19:29 apparently between Tyre and Zidon. Some place it 3 miles east of Tyre, others 10 miles off and east-southeast of the same city. 5. By this name in 2Ki 8:29 and 2Chr 22:6 only, is designated Ramoth-gilead. 6. A place mentioned in the catalogue of those reinhabited by the Benjamites after their return from the captivity. Ne 11:33'.

Please see the note for 1Corinthians C14S11 about the word voice. The functional definition for this word is: 'Sound or audible noise uttered by the mouth, either of human beings or of other animals'. Please also see the note for Luke 3:21-22 about the phrase voice from heaven Please also see the note for Revelation 20:9 about the phrase fire from heaven. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 3:3; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 12:19; Matthew 17:5; Matthew 27:46; Matthew 27:50.

Please see the note for John 16:20 about the word lament. Webster's 1828 defines this word as: 'LAMENT', v.i. L. lamentor. to mourn; to grieve; to weep or wail; to express sorrow. Jeremiah lamented for Josiah. 2Chron. 35. 2. to regret deeply; to feel sorrow. LAMENT', v.t. to bewail; to mourn for; to bemoan; to deplore. One laughed at follies, one lamented crimes.
LAMENT', n. L. lamentum. Grief or sorrow expressed in complaints or cries; lamentation; a weeping. Torment, and loud lament, and furious rage. this noun is used chiefly or solely in poetry'.

Please see the note for John 20:11-12 about the word weep. The functional definition for this word is: 'To express sorrow, grief or anguish by outcry. Tomanifest and express grief by outcry or by shedding tears'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 8:12; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30.

Please see the notes for 1Corinthians C5S2 and 2Corinthians 7:6-7 about the word mourn. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Frequent references are found in Scripture to, (1.) Mourning for the dead. Abraham mourned for Sarah (Ge 23:2); Jacob for Joseph (Ge 37:34-35); the Egyptians for Jacob (Ge 50:3-10); Israel for Aaron (Nu 20:29), for Moses (De 34:8), and for Samuel (1Sa 25:1); David for Abner (2Sa 3:31,35); Mary and Martha for Lazarus (Joh 11); devout men for Stephen (Ac 8:2), etc.
(2.) forcalamities, Job (Job 1:20-21; 2:8); Israel (Ex 33:4); the Ninevites (Jon 3:5); Israel, when defeated by Benjamin (Jg 20:26), etc.
(3.) Penitential mourning, by the Israelites on the day of atonement (Le 23:27; Ac 27:9); under Samuel's ministry (1Sa 7:6); predicted in Zechariah (Zec 12:10-11); in many of the psalms (51, etc.).
Mourning was expressed, (1) by weeping (Ge 35:8, marg.; Lu 7:38, etc.); (2) by loud lamentation (Ru 1:9; 1Sa 6:19; 2Sa 3:31); (3) by the disfigurement of the person, as rending the clothes (Ge 37:29,34; Mt 26:65), wearing sackcloth (Ge 37:34; Ps 35:13), sprinkling dust or ashes on the person (2Sa 13:19; Jer 6:26; Job 2:12), shaving the head and plucking out the hair of the head or beard (Le 10:6; Job 1:20), neglect of the person or the removal of ornaments (Ex 33:4; De 21:12-13; 2Sa 14:2; 19:24; Mt 6:16-17), fasting (2Sa 1:12), covering the upper lip (Le 13:45; Mic 3:7), cutting the flesh (Jer 16:6-7), and sitting in silence (Jg 20:26; 2Sa 12:16; 13:31; Job 1:20).
In the later times we find a class of mourners who could be hired to give by their loud lamentation the external tokens of sorrow (2Ch 35:25; Jer 9:17; Mt 9:23).
The period of mourning for the dead varied. forJacob it was seventy days (Ge 50:3); for Aaron (Nu 20:29) and Moses (De 34:8) thirty days; and for Saul only seven days (1Sa 31:13). In 2Sa 3:31-35, we have a description of the great mourning for the death of Abner'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 5:4; Matthew 9:15; Matthew 11:17; Matthew 24:30.

Please see the note for Philippians 2:1 about the word comfort. The functional definition for this word is: 'To strengthen; to invigorate; to cheer or enliven'. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 5:4; Matthew 9:22.

Please see the note for Romans C1S10 about the word because. The functional definition for this word is: 'provides a effect where the effect and effect are both in the past'. Please also see the note for Romans C8S38 about the phrase dying because of the truth. Forms of this word are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:18; Matthew 5:36; Matthew 7:14; Matthew 9:36; Matthew 11:20; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 12:41; Matthew 13:5-6; Matthew 13:11; Matthew 13:13; Matthew 13:21; Matthew 13:58; Matthew 14:5; Matthew 15:32; Matthew 16:7; Matthew 16:8; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 18:7; Matthew 18:32; Matthew 19:8; Matthew 20:7; Matthew 20:15; Matthew 20:31; Matthew 21:46; Matthew 23:29; Matthew 24:12; Matthew 26:31; Matthew 26:33; Matthew 27:6; Matthew 27:19 .

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Mt 2:15
Rama. Jer 31:15 Ramah. lamentation. Jer 4:31; 9:17-21; Eze 2:10; Re 8:13 Rachel. Ge 35:16-20 exp: Ge 29:17; 48:7. would. Ge 37:30,33-35; 42:36; Job 14:10'.

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C2-S16 (Verse 19-20) the fulfillment of earlier mentioned prophecy.

Equivalent Section: the new commandment.

But when Herod was dead,
behold,
an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Saying,
Arise,
and take the young child and his mother,
and go into the land of Israel:.

Equivalent Section: Why.

for they are dead which sought the young child's life..

This sentence fulfills Jeremiah 30:10.

Now that the threat to the life of Jesus Christ was gone, God had Joseph return Him, and Mary, to the country of God's people so that Jesus Christ could fulfill prophecy and so that God could fulfill His promises to His people. In addition to that reason, there is a lot of symbolism relating the first Joseph taking God's people to Egypt to provide for them and protect them and his also telling them to take his bones out of Egypt when they left. The text around the prophecies of the events within this chapter will show the reader the related symbolic events, if they wish to pursue that research.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

The word sought is: 'the past-tense form of the word seek'. Please see the note for 1Corinthians C10S24 about the word seek. The functional definition for this word is: 'to go after, and the primary sense is to advance, to press, to drive forward'. Please also see the note called The S and P's of 2Timothy 1. Forms of these words are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:20; Matthew 21:46; Matthew 26:16; Matthew 26:59.

Please see the notes for 2Corinthians 2:15; Philippians 1:19-20; Life in 1John about the word life. The functional definition is: 'Life is that by which a created being enjoys the place in which the Creator has set it'. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. Please also see the notes for Hebrews 1:8-LJC; Philippians 1:27-LJC about the phrase life everlasting. Please note that eternal life is different from everlasting life in that while eternal life is 'Without beginning or end of existence', everlasting life 'has a beginning but is without end of existence'. Please see the note for John 5:24 about the phrase everlasting life. Please also see the note for Life in 1John about the phrase eternal life. Please also see the note for Romans C10S15 about the phrase belief changes life. Please also see the note for 1Corinthians C6S16 about the phrase kingdom of God rejected by lifestyle sins. Please also see the note for Matthew 9:10 about the word sinners. Please also see the notes for Romans C14S11; Galatians C2-S14 and Philippians 1:21 about the word live. Please also see the note for Colossians C3S4 about the phrase Christ lives through us. Please also see the note for Ephesians C1S2 about the phrase just shall live by faith. Please also see the note for Romans C11S6 about the phrase just shall live by his faith. Please also see the note for Romans C9S28 about the phrase live / walk by faith. Forms of the word live / life are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:20; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 6:25; Matthew 6:25; Matthew 7:14; Matthew 9:18; Matthew 10:39; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:25; Matthew 18:8; Matthew 18:9; Matthew 19:16; Matthew 19:17; Matthew 19:29; Matthew 20:28; Matthew 22:32; Matthew 25:46; Matthew 26:63.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'Herod. Ps 76:10; Isa 51:12; Da 8:25; 11:45 exp: Mt 2:1. an. Mt 2:13; 1:20; Ps 139:7; Jer 30:10; Eze 11:16
arise. Mt 2:13; Pr 3:5-6 for. Ex 4:19; 1Ki 11:21,40; 12:1-3 General references. exp: Mt 2:14.'.

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C2-S17 (Verse 21) Joseph returned with Mary and Jesus.

And he arose,
and took the young child and his mother,
and came into the land of Israel..

The notes for the prior sentences give the links to Old Testament prophecy which was fulfilled by those sentence combined with this sentence. Just as Joseph, the son of Jacob, protected God's people in Egypt, so also did this Joseph protect God's only begotten Son in Egypt. Also, in both cases, God returned His people, and His only begotten Son, to the promised land so that they could receive the promises of God.

Please see the note for Luke 15:11-12 about the word young. The functional definition for this word is: 'Not having been long born; being in the first part of life'.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'General references. Ge 6:22; Heb 11:8 exp: Mt 2:14.'.

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C2-S18 (Verse 22-23) Jesus was raised in Nazareth.

Equivalent Section: Joseph reacted to news.

But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go thither:.

Equivalent Section: Joseph was warned by God.

notwithstanding,
being warned of God in a dream,
he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:.

Equivalent Section: Joseph went where God wanted.

And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth:.

Equivalent Section: Joseph helped to fulfill prophecy.

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets,
He shall be called a Nazarene..

Please also see the Minor Titles of the Son of God Section, of the Significant Gospel Events Study, about titles in this sentence.

Our sentence tells us that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets. However, I could not find any Old Testament reference for this prophecy and I did not find any commentator which provided a reference. The closest that I found is that Psalms 22:7-8 and Isaiah 53:2-3 tell us that He would despised and rejected. In addition, John 1:46 says: And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, come and see. this was a common attitude of the Jews that anyone from Nazareth, who claimed to be a prophet, was rejected.

Regardless of our finding the reference, we see here why Jesus was called Jesus of Nazareth and why people mistakenly believed that He was born there.

Please see the note for Romans C6S12 about the word reign. The functional definition for this word is: 'To possess or exercise sovereign power or authority; to rule; to exercise government, as a king or emperor; or to hold the supreme power'.

Please see the note for Mark 12:38-40 about the word room. The functional definition for this word is: 'Often used for "a place at table" or "a place at the gathering", but also used for an enclosed space within a building'.

Please see the note for Hebrews 1:5 about the word father. The functional definition for this word is: 'the man who passes his character to the son'.

Please see the notes for Romans C11S25 and Philippians 1:12-14 about the word fear. The functional definition for this word is: 'A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. Fear expresses less apprehension than dread, and dread less than terror and fright. the force of this passion, beginning with the most moderate degree, may be thus expressed, fear, dread, terror, fright. Fear is accompanied with a desire to avoid or ward off the expected evil. Fear is an uneasiness of mind, upon the thought of future evil likely to befall us'. Please also see the Study called Fear the Lord. Please also see the note for Matthew 10:26 about the phrase fear not. In addition, please see the note for John 6:19 about the word afraid. Webster's 1828 dictionary defines this word as: 'Impressed with fear or apprehension; fearful. this word expresses a less degree of fear than terrified or frightened. It is followed by of before the object of fear; as, to be afraid of death. Joseph was afraid to sin against God'.

Please see the note for Philippians 1:18 about the word notwithstanding. The functional definition for this word is: 'the participle of withstand, with not prefixed, and signifying not opposing; nevertheless'.

Please see the note for Luke 9:10 about the word aside. The functional definition for this word is: 'Distinct from others, privately, to withdraw'. In context, Joseph planned to return to Bethlehem of Judaea but, instead, went to Galilee after being warned by God of the danger which would result from his returning to Judaea.

Please see the note for John 1:43 about the word Galilee. Fausset's Bible Dictionary defines this word as: 'Galilee from galil. "A circle" or "circuit" around Kedesh Naphtali, in which lay the 20 towns given by Solomon to Hiram, king of Tyre, in payment for his having conveyed timber from Lebanon to Jerusalem (Jos 20:7; 1Ki 9:11). the northern part of Naphtali (which lay N. of Zebulun) was inhabited by a mixed race of Jews and Gentiles of the bordering Phoenician race (Jg 1:30; 1Ki 9:11). Tiglath Pileser carried away captive its Israelite population to Assyria; then Esarhaddon colonized it with pagan (2Ki 15:29; 17:24; Ezr 4:2,10). Hence called (Isa 9:1) "Galilee of the nations," or "Gentiles" (Mt 4:13,15-16). During and after the captivity the Gentile element became the preponderating population, and spread widely; and the province included in our Lord's days all the ancient Issachar, Zebulun, Asher, and Naphtali'. Forms of the word Galilee are found in this Gospel in: Matthew 2:2; Matthew 3:13; Matthew 4:12-15; Matthew 4:18; Matthew 4:23; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 15:29; Matthew 17:22; Matthew 19:1; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 26:32; Matthew 26:69; Matthew 27:55; Matthew 28:7; Matthew 28:10; Matthew 28:16.

Please see the note for Romans C7S24 about the word dwell. The functional definition for this word is: 'Inhabiting; residing; sojourning; continuing with fixed attention. DWELL'ING, n. Habitation; place of residence; abode'.

Please see the note for Mark 11:19 about the word city. The functional definition for this word is: 'An area where many people live together and have a local government rule over them'. Please also see the note for Romans C13S12 about the phrase city of refuge. Please also see the note for Matthew 4:5 about the phrase holy city. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:5; Matthew 5:14; Matthew 5:35; Matthew 8:33; Matthew 8:34; Matthew 9:1; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:5; Matthew 10:11; Matthew 10:14; Matthew 10:15; Matthew 10:23; Matthew 11:1; Matthew 11:20; Matthew 12:25; Matthew 14:13; Matthew 21:10; Matthew 21:17; Matthew 21:18; Matthew 22:7; Matthew 23:34; Matthew 26:18; Matthew 27:53; Matthew 28:11.

Please see the note for Luke 1:26-27 about Nazareth. The functional definition for this word is: 'the city where Jesus grew up'. Forms of this word are used, in this Gospel, in: Matthew 2:23; Matthew 4:13; Matthew 21:11; Matthew 26:71.

Please see the notes for Luke 1:76; Romans C16S33 and Romans C12S5 about the word prophet. The worldly definition is: 'One that foretells future events; a predicter; a foreteller'. However, John the Baptist was a prophet and he told no future event. Therefore, the true Biblical definition is: the functional definition is: 'a person who tells us what God actually says, which is usually different from what religion says. In Old Testament times, a prophet of God was verified by his telling a true prediction of future events. In New Testament times, a prophet of God is verified by comparing his doctrine to what the word of God literally says'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. Please note that 1Corinthians 14:3 tells us: But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. This is what the word of God tells us is the true job of a true prophet of God. It is not 'foretelling the future'. . Please also see the Study called Jude; false prophets. Please also see the notes for Romans C12S5; 1Corinthians C11S4 and 1Thessalonians 5:20 about the words prophecy / prophesy. The functional definition for this word is: 'The world claims that this word means a foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. True Biblical prophecy is telling the Law of God when religious doctrine took people away from the truth. Before the word of God was complete, true prophecy was accompanied by a true telling of a future event to show thayt the message came from God. Since the word of God has been complete, true prophecy matches the word of God to correct doctrinal error. the prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction.'. Please also see the Prophecies and Prophecy Fulfilled Sections for Bible references to resurrection.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides Bible references for this sentence as: 'he was. Ge 19:17-21; 1Sa 16:2; Ac 9:13-14 being. Mt 2:12; 1:20; Ps 48:14; 73:24; 107:6-7; 121:8; Isa 30:21; 48:17-18 into. Mt 3:13; Lu 2:39; Joh 7:41-42,52 Nazareth. Joh 18:5,7; 19:19; Ac 2:22 He shall. Mt 26:71; Nu 6:13; Jg 13:5; 1Sa 1:11; Ps 69:9-10; Isa 53:1-2; Am 2:10-12; Joh 1:45-46; Ac 24:5'.

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Interpretive Study of Matthew's Gospel-1,2.

Matthew Chapter 1

links to sentences in this chapter:

Chapter theme: Jesus fulfilled the law and proved that he is is God's Christ.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

Matthew Chapter 2

links to sentences in this chapter:

Chapter theme: the first true worship of Jesus

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge provides a chapter outline as:

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