Authentic Jesus #6

A Light to the Gentiles

Reading: Matthew 2:1–23

It might be surprising to some to discover that this story of Jesus did not take place at the same time as the visit of the shepherds to the manger. When the magi found Jesus, He was in a house and was called a child. In this story, He is likely a toddler, less than two years of age.

In this passage, Matthew acts as a master artist, combining various pictures of the coming Messiah from the Old Testament.

The Light of the Lord’s Glory

In Isaiah 60, the prophet looked forward to a time when God’s glory would be seen in Israel and the nations would come to it, bringing gifts.

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising…the wealth of the nations shall come to you…They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall bring good news, the praises of the Lord.” (Isaiah 60:1–6, ESV)

In Matthew’s gospel, magi—most likely astrologers—see a star and travel to the land of Israel to seek out the newborn king. It is not that the people of Israel did not see the star (or planet), but since they did not practice astrology, they did not ascribe religious significance to astrological signs.

The magi understood the star to mean that a king had been born in Israel, so they naturally went to the capital city, Jerusalem, to meet this new king. Their visit surprised everyone, because of course there was no newborn king in Jerusalem.

Herod, who was notoriously paranoid about his position (even killing two of his own sons and most of his wife’s family), worried that should there be such a child, his own position might be at stake.

A Shepherd from Bethlehem

Bethlehem, a small town of about 25,000 people, was often referred to as the city of David because it was where the famous Israeli king had been born. Prophecies foretold that the new Messiah king would be born in the same city.

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” (Micah 5:2, ESV)

God had promised that one day the Messiah would come from David’s line to restore the kingdom of Israel. The Messiah would establish God’s kingdom over all of the earth and reign over it forever.

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.” (2 Samuel 7:11–15, ESV)

Of course any such Messiah would threaten not only the Jew’s relationship with Rome, but Herod’s claim as Rome’s puppet king.

Herod was a politician and cared little for the teachings of the Scriptures, but he knew they were important to the Jewish people. He initially hoped that the magi would lead him to the child so he could have him killed.

A Prophet like Moses

Before his death Moses promised that God would send another prophet like him.

And the Lord said to me… “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:17–18, ESV)

The original readers of Matthew’s gospel would have remembered how God saved Moses when Pharaoh ordered the death of all the male children of Israel.

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “Every son that is born to the Hebrews you shall cast into the Nile, but you shall let every daughter live.” (Exodus 1:22, ESV)

Interestingly, Matthew does not cite the story of the Exodus. Instead, he quotes the prophets Hosea and Jeremiah, who prophesied that, though God had scattered Israel among the nations, He would gather them again.

Jesus is the Light of God’s glory, the Shepherd of Israel, and the Prophet like Moses. He has come as the Messiah King who will restore the nation of Israel and be a light to the Gentiles. He will shepherd his people and dwell among them. He will speak God’s words to them and create from them a renewed Kingdom of God…and He will reign forever.

O, come, let us adore Him.

Live for Jesus.