Why would a king who reigned for 33 years be threatened over the birth of a child? Isn’t 33 years long enough to be the ‘king of the Jews’? Yet, here it is in Matthew 2 the story of how Herod the Great conspired to have Jesus, the infant, killed. Jesus was born close to the end of his reign. By this time Herod was in his 70’s. What’s curious is that Herod, just days before his death, split the Jewish state up among 3 of his sons.
Herod had been an adept politician. Could it be that he was put off when he heard that wise men were looking for the King of the Jews who had been born. Not only were they looking for him but they had come to worship him. Herod’s immediate response was that he was troubled by this. Troubled? It looks worse than that because in verse 3 it says that all Jerusalem was troubled by the news.
Herod calls in the priests and scribes and wants to know what gives. They tell him the prophet Micah had made such a prediction. It’s in Micah 5:2 but also in Matthew 2:6. Being the good politician he is, he arranges a secret meeting with the wise men and gets from them when they saw the star. Then he sends them, as though they were his representatives, to find this Jesus. When they found him, the wise men were to report back to Herod where he was.
Herod was probably jealous. These wise men didn’t come looking for him and just look at how long he had been king! In fact, he was jealous enough to have all the male children in Bethlehem 2 years and under murdered. Herod was old. He knew he wasn’t long for this world. Yet, he was determined to dominate the Jews until his last breath.
The wise men were wise. They traveled a long way to find the King of the Jews and worship him. They found him and left their gifts. They were wise enough to heed the angel’s warning and not return to Herod. The first definition of wise means having or showing good judgment. It’s appropriate here. Would that all would be wise and make the trip down the aisle to find and worship the King of the Jews, our Christ--the head of the church.
Herod had been an adept politician. Could it be that he was put off when he heard that wise men were looking for the King of the Jews who had been born. Not only were they looking for him but they had come to worship him. Herod’s immediate response was that he was troubled by this. Troubled? It looks worse than that because in verse 3 it says that all Jerusalem was troubled by the news.
Herod calls in the priests and scribes and wants to know what gives. They tell him the prophet Micah had made such a prediction. It’s in Micah 5:2 but also in Matthew 2:6. Being the good politician he is, he arranges a secret meeting with the wise men and gets from them when they saw the star. Then he sends them, as though they were his representatives, to find this Jesus. When they found him, the wise men were to report back to Herod where he was.
Herod was probably jealous. These wise men didn’t come looking for him and just look at how long he had been king! In fact, he was jealous enough to have all the male children in Bethlehem 2 years and under murdered. Herod was old. He knew he wasn’t long for this world. Yet, he was determined to dominate the Jews until his last breath.
The wise men were wise. They traveled a long way to find the King of the Jews and worship him. They found him and left their gifts. They were wise enough to heed the angel’s warning and not return to Herod. The first definition of wise means having or showing good judgment. It’s appropriate here. Would that all would be wise and make the trip down the aisle to find and worship the King of the Jews, our Christ--the head of the church.
