Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 2]
another of the leaders gathered together, both Sadducees (chief
priests) and Pharisees (scribes). McNeile doubts, like Holtzmann,
if Herod actually called together all the Sanhedrin and probably
"he could easily ask the question of a single scribe," because he
had begun his reign with a massacre of the Sanhedrin (Josephus,
_Ant_. XIV. ix. 4). But that was thirty years ago and Herod was
desperately in earnest to learn what the Jews really expected
about the coming of "the Messiah." Still Herod probably got
together not the Sanhedrin since "elders" are not mentioned, but
leaders among the chief priests and scribes, not a formal meeting
but a free assembly for conference. He had evidently heard of
this expected king and he would swallow plenty of pride to be
able to compass the defeat of these hopes.
2:5 {And they said unto him} (\hoi de eipan aut•i\). Whether the
ecclesiastics had to search their scriptures or not, they give
the answer that is in accord with the common Jewish opinion that
the Messiah was to come from Bethlehem and of the seed of David
(Joh 7:42). So they quote Mic 5:2, "a free paraphrase" Alford
calls it, for it is not precisely like the Hebrew text or like
the Septuagint. It may have come from a collection of
_testimonia_ with which J. Rendel Harris has made the world
familiar. He had consulted the experts and now he has their
answer. Bethlehem of Judah is the place. The use of the perfect
passive indicative (\gegraptai\) is the common form in quoting
scripture. It stands written. {Shall be shepherd} (\poimanei\).
The Authorized Version had "shall rule," but "shepherd" is
correct. "Homer calls kings 'the shepherds of the people'"
(Vincent). In Heb 13:20 Jesus is called "the great shepherd of
the sheep." Jesus calls himself "the good shepherd" (Joh
10:11). Peter calls Christ "the chief shepherd" (1Pe 2:25).
"The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall be their
shepherd" (Re 7:17). Jesus told Peter to "shepherd" the lambs
(Joh 21:16). Our word pastor means shepherd.
2:7 {Then Herod privily called the wise men} (\tote H•r•id•s
lathrai kalesas tous magous\). He had manifestly not told members
of the Sanhedrin why he was concerned about the Messiah. So he
conceals his motives to the Magi. And yet he "learned of them
carefully" (\ekrib•sen\), "learned exactly" or "accurately." He
was anxious to see if the Jewish prophecy of the birthplace of
the Messiah agreed with the indications of the star to the Magi.
He kept to himself his purpose. The time of the appearing star
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