Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 2]
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2:1 {Now when Jesus was born} (\tou de I•sou genn•thentos\). The
fact of the birth of Jesus is stated by the genitive absolute
construction (first aorist passive participle of the same verb
\genna•\ used twice already of the birth of Jesus, 1:16,20, and
used in the genealogy, 1:2-16). Matthew does not propose to
give biographic details of the supernatural birth of Jesus,
wonderful as it was and disbelieved as it is by some today who
actually deny that Jesus was born at all or ever lived, men who
talk of the Jesus Myth, the Christ Myth, etc. "The main purpose
is to show the reception given by the world to the new-born
Messianic King. Homage from afar, hostility at home;
foreshadowing the fortunes of the new faith: reception by the
Gentiles, rejection by the Jews" (Bruce).
{In Bethlehem of Judea} (\en B•thleem t•s Ioudaias\). There was a
Bethlehem in Galilee seven miles northwest of Nazareth (Josephus,
_Antiquities_ XIX. 15). This Bethlehem (house of bread, the name
means) of Judah was the scene of Ruth's life with Boaz (Ru
1:1f.; Mt. 1:5) and the home of David, descendant of Ruth and
ancestor of Jesus (Mt. 1:5). David was born here and anointed
king by Samuel (1Sa 17:12). The town came to be called the city
of David (Lu 2:11). Jesus, who was born in this House of Bread
called himself the Bread of Life (Joh 6:35), the true Manna
from heaven. Matthew assumes the knowledge of the details of the
birth of Jesus in Bethlehem which are given in Lu 2:1-7 or did
not consider them germane to his purpose. Joseph and Mary went to
Bethlehem from Nazareth because it was the original family home
for both of them. The first enrolment by the Emperor Augustus as
the papyri show was by families (\kat' oikian\). Possibly Joseph
had delayed the journey for some reason till now it approached
the time for the birth of the child.
{In the days of Herod the King} (\en h•merais H•r•idou tou
Basile•s\). This is the only date for the birth of Christ given
by Matthew. Luke gives a more precise date in his Gospel (Lu
2:1-3), the time of the first enrolment by Augustus and while
Cyrenius was ruler of Syria. More will be said of Luke's date
when we come to his Gospel. We know from Matthew that Jesus was
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Word Pictures in the New Testament
(Matthew: Chapter 2)