Down an Unfamiliar Road

In reading from the famous Jewish philosopher and theologian, Moses Maimonides, I came across this section in his work called: “A Guide for the Perplexed.” He begins by saying: “We might be asked, Why has God inspired a certain person and not another? why has He revealed the Law to one particular nation, and at one particular time? why has He commanded this, and forbidden that? why has He shown through a prophet certain particular miracles? what is the object of these laws? and why has He not made the commandments and the prohibitions part of our nature, if it was His object that we should live in accordance with them? We answer to all these questions: He willed it so; or, His wisdom decided so. Just as He created the world according to His will, at a certain time, in a certain form, and as we do not understand why His will or His wisdom decided upon that peculiar form, and upon that peculiar time, so we do not know why His will or wisdom determined any of the things mentioned in the preceding questions. But if we assume that the Universe has the present form as the result of fixed laws, there is occasion for the above questions; and these could only be answered in an objectionable way, implying denial and rejection of the Biblical texts, the correctness of which no intelligent person doubts.” So often I’ve often wondered, and sometimes wished, I had lived at a different time in the history of the world. What would it have been like to be there when Jesus walked the earth; when Paul was on his missionary journeys; when Martin Luther and Calvin stoked the Reformation; or when Wesley ignited the revivals that swept the world. But I do not know who I would have reacted to any of that, perhaps since I wouldn’t know then what I know now. This has led me to thank God I live in this present era; that He created me for such a time as this, to enjoy my relationship with Him during the last seven decades. So when I get to heaven, I won’t be asked, “What would you have done if you were there when Jesus entered Jerusalem with singing, dancing and rejoicing?” But I will have to give an answer for what I did for my Master while living during an age when man went from driving down two-lane highways, to landing on the moon; from flying in helium filled dirigibles, to flying in jet aircraft; from talking to each other over a wire, to speaking with each other by way of satellite. So don’t spend your time living in the past or dreaming about living in the future. This is your era, your century, your day, your hour. Live it to the fullest in honor and glory to the KING of Kings!

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER TWO

Part III

Verses 5-6: “They answered, “In the town of Bethlehem in Judea, just as the prophet wrote: ‘Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, although you are not among the rulers of Judah, yet a ruler will come from you, and that ruler will lead Israel, my people.’” Although Matthew is paraphrasing the prophet Micah, or perhaps using an Aramaic text we no longer possess, how accurate God’s prophecy proved to be. There was also a town known as Bethlehem of Zebulun west of Nazareth, but the Scripture specifically said: “In Bethlehem of Judah,” not “Bethlehem of Galilee,” and that is how, with the cooperation of a Roman Caesar wanting a census, it happened as the scripture said it would! One of the earliest Hebrew versions of Matthew reads this way: “You Bethlehem Judah, Ephrathah, land of Judah, behold you are insignificant among the clans of Judah; from you shall come forth to me One who will be a ruler in Israel,”¹ while the Hebrew text of Micah actually reads: “But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y’hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra’el, whose origins are far in the past, way back in ancient times.”² Most Jewish scholars take this prophecy to clearly involve the coming Messiah. They note that the term “Bethlehem Ephrathah” is found where David answered king Saul’s question, “Who are you?” by answering: “I am the son of your servant Yishai (Jesse) the Beit-Lachmi (Bethlehemite).”³ Also in Jacob’s talk with Joseph when he told him, “…when I came from Paddan, Rachel died suddenly, as we were traveling through the land of Kena‘an (Canaan), while we were still some distance from Efrat (Ephrath); so I buried her there on the way to Efrat [also known as Beit-Lechem] (Bethlehem).”⁴ This same Rabbi also says that calling Bethlehem “the least important town in Judah,” was due to the stigma attached to Ruth the non-Jew Moabitess whom Boaz married, and who lived there. Furthermore, in a story about the ox we shared in verse 1 above, it should be noted that when an Arab was once asked where his father was from, he stated, “From the royal capital of Bethlehem in Judea.”⁵ Nothing is called a royal capital unless it is home of a monarch. So while some believe he was referring to King David, others take this as a sign of the Messiah. Furthermore, that the term “Ruler of Israel,” is definitely a reference to the Messiah, the son of David, we see that in this statement: “The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone,”⁶ and that his origin is from old, because the Psalmist says: “May the king be famous forever. May people remember his name as long as the sun shines. May all nations be blessed through him, and may they all bless him.”⁷ Also, the great Jewish teacher Rabbi Rashi uses the Jewish Version that reads: “May his name endure forever, his name, Yinnon,⁸ as long as the sun. May people bless themselves in him, may all nations call him happy.” Also, Rabbi David Kimchi comments on the scripture that says: “… out of you will come to me a Judge to be Ruler in Israel, and this is the King Messiah,”⁹ as being correct with that designation. There is also an interesting comment by a medieval Jewish critic on this same scripture:

Proposition – This verse has been designated by the Christians as confirming their faith; and they assert that the prophet was saying that their Messiah would be born at Bethlehem, and their declaration is impossible for Israel to expect that the Messiah will be born there, seeing that the city of Bethlehem has already been destroyed.

Refutation – For three reasons it is impossible to vindicate this prophecy in favor of Jesus, setting aside the numerous other unsubstantial arguments they allege to prove that he was the true Messiah. First,—The above scriptural passage has no special allusion to him. The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem does not entitle him to the claim of being the Messiah, for hundreds and thousands of children were born at Bethlehem, and that circumstance did not constitute them being Messiahs. Secondly,—We read there, ‘From you will come for me a ruler.’ Now, as to Jesus of Nazareth, he was by no means a ruler. On the contrary, the people ruled over him, as is evinced by the mode of his death. Thirdly,—It is not said that Bethlehem would be the birth-place of the Messiah, for we find that the prophet adds there, ‘And his going forth shall be of olden times.’ But the sense of the verse is this: Thou Bethlehem, although one of the minor localities among the cities of Judah, from thee a man shall come forth (i. e., trace his descent back to thee), who shall be a ruler in Israel, and that same man will be the King Messiah who will be a descendant of David who came from Bethlehem. See Samuel where he is called ‘The son of an Ephrathite from Bethlehem Judah.’¹⁰ The words ‘since olden times,’ relate to the great space of time elapsed between the reign of David and the coming of the Messiah. We must also call the attention of the reader to the chapter preceding and the passages following the verse we are discussing, and it will then be perceived that the whole prophecy is applied to the terrific convulsions predicted to happen at the epoch of the ‘latter days.’ In connection with this prophecy must be read the announcements of Ezekiel 38 and 39, and Zechariah 14.”¹¹

With this type of faulty mindset, it’s no wonder that so many Jewish scholars in Jesus day refused to see the truth of the written Word because they kept their heads in the sand of verbal traditions. They could not see the future because they were fixated on the past. No wonder that Jesus told Nicodemus that in order to understand what the kingdom of heaven was all about he must be born anew.

Nevertheless, on this occasion King Herod’s counselors convinced him enough with these Scriptures that this was indeed a possibility that a unknown Messiah had been born in nearby Bethlehem. That was enough for him to become anxious that his job was in jeopardy, and that he needed to do something quickly in order to prevent this from happening.

Verses 7-8: “Then Herod had a secret meeting with the magi from the east. He learned from them the exact time they first saw the star. Then he sent them on to Bethlehem. He said, ‘Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, come tell me. Then I can go worship him too.’” Herod’s curiosity, fueled by his jealousy and pride, prompted him to gather more information on what these Magi were really up to. His interrogation as to when they saw the star, was instigated by the desire to know how long ago this birth took place so that he would know the estimated age of this so-called king. In astrological terms, the original appearance of the star was the first sign that the birth had taken place. Of course, this meeting had to be in secret, because had it been out in the open then Herod was afraid that friends or family of the parents of this child would immediately notify them so they could either hide or escape. What Herod did not know was that this couple had friends in heavenly places, and these friends were aware of what this meeting was all about. That’s why an angel would be sent to alert them, and the Magi, on what to do before any damage could be done.

Verses 9-10: “After the Magi heard the king, they left. They spotted the same star they had followed since they left their country in the east, and continued following it. The star went before them until it stopped above the place where the child was. They were very happy and excited to see that the star had stopped.” It must be duly noted, that Matthew does not say that the magi then went to Bethlehem. Rather, they continued to follow the star. And it does not indicate that the star took them to Bethlehem, only that it took them to the place where the child (not baby) was living. The miracle of the star becomes more and more fascinating. Although several astronomical and astrological explanations have been given to its identification or what caused it to appear, still very little is known of its actual formation and why it shown brightly on this night. All one has to do is look out into the star-bedecked sky at night to see the difficulty in following just one star. But for a star to shine so bright that it could be detected by the natural eye as it came to rest overlooking one small dwelling on earth, is very extraordinary. But so was Christ’s birth!

There is no evidence that the star emitted so much light that it took on the appearance of a spotlight. But it is obvious that the Magi undertook this search at night, while the star could be clearly seen. Here we see the words of the prophecy made more clearly, “Then the nations will come to your light. Kings will come to your bright sunrise.”¹² One particular Rabbi believes that this is a reference to Jerusalem, which was “…destined to become a beacon for the nations of the earth, and they will walk in its light.”¹³ What is interesting is that this Rabbi wrote this long after the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Could it be that they saw this light as part of the Messianic age? That after His death and resurrection, Jerusalem would become the mecca for believers to come and see the empty hill where His cross stood, and the empty grave where His body laid? There has also been some debate on just how the star guided the magi. Some scholars indicate that the star moved, like a lamp in the sky, in front of the Magi and they simply followed it. However, as we know from astronomy, it is not the stars that are moving, but appear to be doing so because of the earth’s rotation. Therefore, they used this star to fix their direction, much like the mariners did on the open seas.

Once they learned during their secret meeting that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, just a few miles away, there would have been no need for such a star. What Matthew seems to be saying is that when they left the palace of Herod, they saw the star was still illuminated, so they charted their course in it’s direction and the path they took led them straight to where Joseph, Mary and Jesus were living at the time. In such a case, the star must have been low on the horizon to get such a course fixture. But after the Magi arrived, and on their way back to Persia, we find no mention of this unusual star again. This was not a foreign concept to astrologers in those days. As a matter of fact, one time Roman poet Virgil followed the star Venus until he came to the field on Laurentum to engage in battle, after which it no longer appeared. And this was written some 37 years before Christ was born.¹⁴ There’s still another factor. These Magi were traveling west, therefore they had to wait for the star that rose in the east to get directly overhead before they started following it until it disappeared on the western horizon, just as dawn began to appear in the east. In any case, God was in control of the star, so we’ll leave it up to Him as to how it really happened. But for sure, there was a star, there were Magi being guided by it, and it led them to where the baby boy Jesus, the new King of the Jews, and King of all the earth was living at that time. Perhaps this was the true star of David we hear the Jews speak of. When you look at the two intertwining triangles you might be able to imagine this: First, the upward pointing triangle represents Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The downward pointing triangle symbolizes mans Body, Mind and Spirit. The upward apex of the star is pointing to God, and the downward antapex of the star is pointing to man. But most of all, it can be seen as the star of the Messiah in that it combines both God and man into one.

Amazing how many people who lived in the darkness of not knowing that much about Jesus as the true Redeemer, once they come to the light and are born anew, have similar stories to tell. They often say: “I don’t know what it was, but I just felt drawn to the truth, it was like a light and I kept walking toward it until I found Jesus and accepted Him as my Lord and Savior.”

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER TWO

Part II (con’t)

Verse 3: “When King Herod heard about this, it upset him as well as everyone else in Jerusalem.” This is to be expected. First of all, there is no evidence that King Herod and his wife had recently had a baby born to them. Second, news of a new king in the capitol city would have been announced from the king’s palace, not by visiting magi on camels. Third, in those days the kings of Judea were appointed by Caesar in Rome. Did that mean Caesar had appointed someone to take Herod’s place without telling him about it? So there could be only one person who fit that description, the Messiah. No doubt someone in King Herod’s court were familiar with the prophecy: “The days are coming,” says Adonai when I will raise a righteous Branch for David. He will reign as king and succeed, he will do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, Isra’el will live in safety, and the name given to him will be Adonai Tzidkenu, which translated is “The LORD our righteousness.”¹ Another Jewish translator renders it: “…is our righteousness.”² Could it be that these astrologers were the messengers bringing the fulfillment of this prophecy? Whatever the case, some Jewish scholars believe that a king was in this prophecy.³ In fact, one of them expresses it this way: “Kings will not cease, nor rulers, from the house of Judah, nor scribes teaching the law from his offspring, until the time that the King the Messiah, shall come, the youngest of his sons; and on account of him shall the peoples flow together. How beauteous is the King, the Messiah who will arise from the house of Judah!”⁴ And that is what upset Herod, because it indicated that people would swarm in support of the Messiah, and that would put his job and position in jeopardy. Not only that, even the Jewish Kabbalists⁵ see it like this: “What was the reason for the appearance of these Messiahs? Because there was no Moses to make intercession with the divine Shekinah, and therefore it is written, ‘There was no man to plow the ground.’ This esoteric meaning and interpretation is also that of the words, ‘And the Sceptre will not depart from Judah,”⁶ referring to the Messiah son of David; while the words, ‘nor a prince of his posterity,’ denotes Messiah the son of Joseph [Jesus].”⁷ We can also see by Matthew’s wording that he had little love or respect for the denizens of Jerusalem.⁸

Verse 4: “Herod called a meeting of all the leading Jewish priests and teachers of the law. He asked them where the Messiah would be born.” This was a logical move for Herod. Not that he wanted his army to raid the village, but simply that it would give him the information he needed when planning on how to get rid of this uninvited usurper of the throne. It also may seem strange that after finding out it was Bethlehem, that the scribes, chief priests and King Herod himself did not accompany the Magi after such a controversial subject as the new king was brought up. But there were good reasons for it. The scribes and priests expected a Messiah to arrive on the scene fully grown, and ready to establish the kingdom as a prince, not as some unknown infant in a small insignificant village. So they no doubt dismissed the Magi’s information as invalid. This is evident by the Pharisees’ reply to Jesus that no one would know where the Messiah came from nor know who his father or mother would be.⁹ Furthermore, to them the astrologers were just following stars, as was their profession. Herod also knew that if he showed up looking for this baby, the people would conceal the child because they all feared Herod the maniac. He used the Magi as spies but this time it didn’t work out the way he planned it. In the Septuagint Version,¹⁰ the term for those whom Herod called together is rendered as “officers of the people and their scribes.”¹¹ We also see that Solomon referred to these people as “leaders of assemblies.”¹² These were the leaders in every city who would call the people together for the teaching of the Torah. In fact, one Jewish scholar tells us that Solomon himself was called a leader of assemblies because he was so great at teaching.¹³ In Jesus’ day, a priest was called a “cohen.” And since “im” is the plural in Hebrew, a group of priests were referred to as “cohanim.” The role of the priest was similar to that of the prophet, to serve as a spokesman and mediator between God and man. As one Jewish scholar explains: “The prophet speaks to man on behalf of God, the priest speaks to God on behalf of man.”¹⁴ While the prophets did not have a patriarchal ancestor to point to, while all priests were descendants of Aaron, the brother of Moses. After much study, Dr. John Lightfoot conjectures that even though it was reported that Herod slew all the elders of the Sanhedrin who opposed his taking of the throne, he did not kill them all. Lightfoot says, “Out of that slaughter the two sons of Betira escaped, who held the first places in the Sanhedrin after the death of Shemaiah and Abtalion. Shammai and Hillel escaped, and both were likely present; and Menahem, who certainly was there, and who afterward sat as second in charge. Baba Ben Buta escaped also, who afterward persuaded Herod that he should repair the Temple to atone for this bloody unrighteous act. And others escaped. When the Sanhedrin consisted of priests, Levites, and Israelites, the word chief priests referred to whatever members of clergy were in the Sanhedrin; and the name scribes of the people referred to all those of the Sanhedrin who were not of the clergy.”¹⁵

NOTE: TEACHERS OF THE LAW, OR SCRIBES: Body of teachers whose office was to interpret the Law for the people, and were called in Hebrew, “sofers”. Their organization began with Ezra,¹⁶ who was their chief, and terminating with Simeon the Just. Ezra is styled “a ready scribe in the law of Moses.”¹⁷ Indeed, he might be correctly so called for two reasons, inasmuch as he could write or copy the Law and at the same time was an able interpreter of it. The original meaning of the Hebrew word soferim was “people who know how to write”; and therefore the royal officials who were occupied in recording in the archives the proceedings of each day were called soferim or “scribes.”¹⁸ But as the art of writing was known only to the intelligent, the term “scribe” became synonymous with “wise man.”¹⁹ Later, in the time of Ezra, the designation was applied to the body of teachers who, as stated above, interpreted the Law for the people. The Rabbis, however, interpret the term “soferim” to mean those who count the letters of the Torah or those who classify its contents and recount the number of laws or objects belonging in each group. For example: five classes of people that are exempt from bringing a heave-offering, four chief causes of damages, thirty-nine chief works which are forbidden on the Sabbath, etc. We find this in the Aggadah, which is the nonlegal or narrative material, as parables, maxims, or anecdotes, in the Talmud and other rabbinical literature, serving either to illustrate the meaning or purpose of the law, custom, or Biblical passage being discussed or to introduce a different, unrelated topic. It is evident that these scribes were the first teachers of the Torah and the founders of verbal teachings. The Greek term used in the New Testament is grammateus, which is variously translated as “scribes,” (KJV) and “teachers of the law,” (NIV). Both Nicodemus and Gamaliel was such. Later on after the 6^th century, these scribes became better known as Rabbis.

So it is clear, even before Jesus began His ministry and His eventual confrontations with these Jewish Rabbis, scholars and teachers, there was a narrow mindset on if and when the Messiah would come, how He would be revealed, and what He would be like. So it is no wonder that when this poor prophet named Jesus of Nazareth arrived with a bunch of uneducated fishermen, He did not fit their mold and was quickly dismissed as being an impostor. Perhaps this will help us better understand why Jesus was so pleased when He found those to whom He was able to say: “Your faith has made you whole.”²⁰

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER TWO

Part II

Verse 2: “They asked people, ‘Where is the child who has been born to be the king of the Judeans? We saw His star that announced His birth. We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship Him.’” Most Jewish historians and scholars object to use of the English phrase here: “king of the Jews” instead of the proper term: “king of the Judeans.” One Jewish scholar gives a brief but clear explanation: “On the cross on which Jesus was crucified the words ‘Jesus of Nazareth, king of the Judaeans’ were inscribed in Hebrew.” He goes on to say that the words Messiah and Christ were synonymous in their minds with ‘son of David’ and ‘king of the Judeans‘.¹

Once the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, they started asking around about Jesus. Jerusalem, after all, was the capital city of Judea. This is where a visitor most likely would go to find a new king. You also notice, they stated: “We have seen His star.” In the Greek this is a personal possessive pronoun. These religious astrologers were not only well acquainted with the galaxies, but also the many stories connected with their significance. The wording here by Matthew of the magi saying, “We saw it rise in the sky in the east,” has been the cause for some misinterpretation. Since they had to travel from east to west, that would have put the star behind them and led them in the opposite direction. A paraphrase will make it clearer: “From where we were in the east, we saw the star rise in the sky and followed it here to worship Him.” Dr. John Lightfoot, in his commentary on Matthew, gives this explanation: “We, being in the east, have seen his star: – that heavenly light.” But it also leaves open the possibility that when the star was first seen on the horizon in the east, that as the earth turned – which to them seemed to be the other way around, that the star was moving – it went toward the west, signifying that they were supposed to go that way and follow its light. This means that they could only follow it at night. It also appears that these magi may have had access to some of the Jewish Scriptures, such as the Torah, where they read: “I see him coming, but not now. I see him coming, but not soon. A star will come from the family of Jacob. A new ruler will come from the Israelites.”² Not only that, but this was said by a fellow astrologer. Even Jewish rabbis connected this to the Messiah. In a well-known Jewish Targum we read: “I shall see Him, but not now; I shall behold Him, but it is not near. When the mighty King of Jakob’s house shall reign, and the Meshiha (Aramaic for Messiah), the Power-sceptre of Israel, be anointed.”³ It is interesting that they leave out any mention of the star, no doubt because by the time this was written (circa 1550 AD) they knew that this star had become associated with the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. Also, a Portuguese Jewish statesman, philosopher, and Bible commentator was sure the Messiah had already come. In spite of opposition, this Rabbi remained constant in his efforts to “reveal the day of redemption in the ears of the sons of Judah.” He also states: “Signs of the forthcoming upheaval could be found in many places, not least of which are the stars.” This Rabbi was convinced that the Messiah had already come sometime before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.⁴ He was in fact right, for Jesus was born some 75 years before the Temple was destroyed. When examining the statement by Balaam we referenced before,⁵ one medieval Jewish Rabbi says that Balaam’s statement that a star will step forth from Jacob, should be taken as “an allusion to the great name that the Messiah will make for Himself on the whole globe.”⁶ So there is no question that this star was to accompany the appearance of the Messiah, but when it was applied to Jesus of Nazareth, many Jewish scholars became defensive. In fact, Aaron, the son of a medieval Jewish physician, offers the following speech as spoken by the wise men to Herod, when conversing with him about star: “A certain person, say they, of great note with us, in a book which he composed, warned us in it, mentioning these things; a child that will descend from heaven, will be born in Palestine, whom the greatest part of the world will serve, and the sign of his appearance will be this; you will see a strange star, which will direct you where he is; when you shall see this, take gold, myrrh and frankincense, and go and offer them to him, and worship him, and then return, lest a great calamity befall you. Now the star has appeared unto us, and we are come to perform what was commanded us.”⁷ This is backed up by another writer who quoted the same message.⁸ This “certain person of great note” is actually his defense of Balaam’s prophecy, He goes on to say:

“That a remarkable star should appear. This prediction was delivered by Balaam,⁹ ‘There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.’ That this is a prediction of the Messiah is acknowledged by Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, and Aben Ezra who say that many interpret it as the Messiah. Our people still expect the appearance of a star at the coming of Messiah. Hence we read of one whose name was Bar Cochvah, i. e. the Son of a star, who claimed to be the Messiah, and had many followers; but, after his death, and not rising again from the dead, they became convinced that he had been a deceiver, and therefore called him Bar Cosivah, i. e. the son of a lie. Abulpharagius,¹⁰ an Arabic writer, tells us that Zoroastres, who lived four or five hundred years before Christ, instructed his magicians of the coming of Messiah, and that at his birth there should appear a wonderful star, which would shine by day as well as by night; and therefore left it on command with them, that when that star appeared they should follow its direction, and go to the place where he was to be born, and there offer gifts and pay their adoration’s to him. Now this Zoroaster appears to have been a Jew, both by birth and religion, and servant to one of the prophets of Israel, and well versed in the sacred writings, and therefore may well be supposed to have learned all this from the prophecy of Balaam. All this was remarkably fulfilled in Jesus Christ. At his birth an unusual star appeared, which led the magi, or wise men, from the East to Bethlehem, where they found the holy child Jesus, ‘and they fell down and worshiped him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh’:¹¹ and thus another Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, ‘the kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.’¹² This leads me to notice two other circumstances, which, though perhaps not directly prophecies, yet may be said to be fulfilled in Jesus”.¹³

This mention of the gifts can also be found in Greek writings. We read: “Unto him shall priests convey and offer gold, and myrrh, and frankincense; for all these things he’ll also bring to pass.”¹⁴ In addition, a 4th-century philosopher (and possibly a Christian) states: “There is also a more venerable and sacred history, which speaks of the rising of a certain unusual star; not foretelling diseases and deaths, but the descent of a venerable God, born for the sake of human conversation, and the affairs of mortals; which star truly, when the wise men of the Chaldeans saw in their journey by night, and being very expert in the consideration of celestial things, are said to inquire after the birth of the new Deity, and having found the infant majesty, to worship him, and pay their vows worthy of such a God.”¹⁵ The end purpose for these Magi in taking such a long journey is clearly established from many sources. They were there to pay their respects to the fulfillment of a long standing prophecy. They were convinced by an extraordinary appearance of an unusual star that led them to believe that it had taken place. This was no overnight phenomenon, it was two years in the making, including their travels. How ironic that these religious astrologers from the east were more impressed with the coming of a new Judean king than were the residents of the very land in which he was born. So, there was a general expectancy of a coming world monarch. This star was the sign He had arrived. But where? With all the intricacies involved in the interpretation, the journey, the timing, the location and the circumstances, their success gives hint to the involvement of a higher power rather than the mere sagacity of these Magi. One can be assured that the Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient One was involved in their motivation to follow the star. After all, it was His Son being born a human!¹⁶ The events of this chapter have a striking similarity to the plight of Israel as a nation: Jesus unusual birth; His flight into Egypt; His crucifixion and resurrection and promise of His return could be paralleled with the Children of Israel being born through the miracle baby, Isaac, the only legitimate son of Abraham; their flight into Egyptian bondage; and the promise that they would return again from exile to settle in the Promised Land of the New Israel. One might go further by recalling that as the Romans crucified the Son of God, so were the Jews crucified in like manner by the Romans, just 40 years later in 70 AD when the Roman general Titus took Jerusalem. The Magi did not ask for a Messiah, or a Savior, or a Prophet, but explicitly referred to the One they were looking for as “King of the Judeans.” He did not become King by birth in a royal, human family; He was already a divine King born to inherit a heavenly kingdom already promised through His royal ancestor David.

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER TWO

Part I (con’t)

At this point in Matthew’s biography of Jesus, King Herod Antipas becomes the main character. He was considered by most as having been nothing more than a servant of king Hyrcanus II. The Jewish leaders did not have a very high regard for Herod. As a matter of fact, in the Babylonian Talmud we find this sordid story of one incident in his life. “Herod was the slave of the Hasmonean house, and had set his eyes on a certain maiden of that house. One day he heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Every slave that rebels now will succeed.’ So he rose and killed all the members of his master’s household, but spared that maiden. When she saw that he wanted to marry her, she ran up on to a roof and yelled out, ‘Whoever comes and pretends they are from the house of Hasmonean, is a slave, since I am the only one left, I am throwing myself down from this roof.’ Herod preserved her body in honey for seven years. Some say…his reason was that people might say that he had married a king’s daughter.”¹ This maiden’s name was Mariamne, the daughter of Alexander, a son of Aristobulus II. According to Josephus, she was actually put to death by Herod after being married to him several years.² As a matter of fact another Jewish historian tells us that: “Before going to Egypt to meet with Octavian, and thinking that he may meet his death there, Herod had given secret orders to execute his wife Mariamne and her mother Alexandra, the last survivors of the Hasmonean dynasty, should he not come back alive. These orders came to be known to Mariamne who then hated her husband Herod more than ever. And he could not reconcile the matter with her after he came back from Egypt. Herod’s sister, the wicked Salome who hated Mariamne, took this opportunity to make false claims that Mariamne intended to poison her husband, and she got her brother’s approval to have her executed without trial.”³ Is it any wonder then that this same Herod would show no fear or hesitation in slaughtering all newborn infants boys up to the age of two, just based on the word of some visiting eastern astrologers?

Now Matthew turns his attention to the strange visitors who showed up looking for the new king of the Judeans. Contrary to the way they are depicted in most manger scenes at Christmas time, these travelers from the east were not well thought of by the Jews in those days. The word among the Jews was quite negative: One Rabbi referred to them as sorcerers while another called them blasphemers. In fact, one Rabbi went so far as to say: “He who learns a single thing from a magian is worthy of death.” Such astrologers were dismissed because they did not give credit to God for arranging the stars and galaxies in the heavens, which violates the Scriptures.⁴ This is confirmed by what another Rabbi said: “They regard not the work of the Lord, neither have they considered the operation of His hands.⁵ Not only that, but the Jews refer to what else the Scriptures had to say as to why the Torah was more dependable than the stars. This was Moses’ message to the children of Israel: “Look, I have taught you laws and rulings, just as Adonai my God ordered me, so that you can behave accordingly in the land where you are going in order to take possession of it. Therefore, observe them; and follow them; for then all peoples will see you as having wisdom and understanding. When they hear of all these laws, they will say, ‘This great nation is surely a wise and understanding people.’”⁶ The reason, because in all the nations except Israel, wisdom and understanding was sought in the “science of cycles and planets.”⁷ In addition, when discussing what to call certain Jews who were negligent and did not faithfully observed Jewish customs and traditions, we read that such magi were included in a negative way: “It has been reported, If one has learning of Scripture and Mishnah but was not taught by Rabbinical scholars…he is an ‘Am ha-arez’ [Lit., ‘people of the earth’; the description of those Jews who are careless about religious duties]. Rabbi Samuel ben Nahmani says such people are boors; Rabbi Jannai says they are Samaritans; And their bread and wine must not be used by an observant Jew. Rabbi Aha ben Jacob says they are magicians who deceive the people. Rabbi Nahman ben Isaac said: The definition of Rabbi Aba ben Jacob appears the most probable; because there is a popular saying: The magician mumbles and knows not what he says; the scholar recites and knows not what he says.”⁸ To the people of Jesus’s day, all such wizardry and magic came from the east. We are told that: “During the time between ancestors Eber, and Peleg and the building of the tower of Babel and the first city after the flood – which was founded in its actual building – came the beginning of taking of counsel, and of ideology. For Nimrod the son of Cush the Ethiopian, the father of Asshur, ruled as a king. His kingdom arose in Orech, Arphal and Chalana, and he also founded Tiras, Tubal and Laban in Assyria. The Greeks say that it is the Zoroaster who went on further to the east and became the original settler of Bactria. The world’s transgressions were spread abroad from there, for Nimrod was the originator of wrong doctrine, astrology and magic – which is what some say of Zoroaster.”⁹ I’m sharing this so that you get a taste of how these astrologers were looked at, not looked up to by the Jews. Also, historian Herodotus includes them among the Medes as follows: “Deïokes then united the Median race alone, and was their ruler: and of the Medes there are the tribes as follows: namely, Busai, Paretakenians, Struchates, Arizantians, Budians, Magians: the tribes of the Medes are so many in number.”¹⁰ However, some scholars dispute this as being the name of a tribe. Instead, they see it as the possible name of an office or profession. In any case, this term seems to fit that of the Magi. Yet others say that the term “magi” is of Persian origin and is their word for “priest.” In fact, a Latin-language prose writer states: “If what I read in a large number of authors is true, namely, that magician is the Persian word for priest, what is there criminal in being a priest and having due knowledge, science, and skill in all ceremonial law, sacrificial duties, and the binding rules of religion, at least if magic consists in that which Plato sets forth in his description of the methods employed by the Persians in the education of their young princes? I remember the very words of that divine philosopher. Let me recall them to your memory.”¹¹ Also, mid-eastern documents we read about what these Magi were responsible for. Xenophon, a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, and student of Socrates, born around 429 BC, was certainly aware of what their function was before they ever showed up in search for Jesus. Here is what he shares: “Now at dawn of day the first thing that Cyrus did was to call the magi and bid them select the gifts ordained for the gods in acknowledgment of such success.”¹² He goes on to say: “In the first place, set other things apart for the gods whatever the magi direct, as they interpret the will of the gods.”¹³ He follows this with: “And then the Medes came in, after they had delivered to the magi what the magi had directed them to set apart for the gods.”¹⁴ So we can see that such magi were gift bearers to the gods. Also, in the works of a Neoplatonic philosopher we read: “Among the Persians they that were wise concerning God, and worshipped him, were called ‘Magi’, for so ‘Magus’ signifies in their country dialect; and so august and venerable were this sort of men accounted with the Persians, that Darius, the son of Hystaspis, ordered this, among other things, to be inscribed on his monument, that he was the master of the Magi.”¹⁵ All of this is to give you as a reader of the Scriptures a better understanding of who these visitors from the east were seen as. From some of these references we learn to a certain degree that these men called magi were considered holy, revered, and highly respected for their study of the galaxies, so as to earn the title, “wise men” in their homeland. No doubt this is why Luther and the English translators of the Bible decided to call them “wise men.” Also a Roman philosopher, politician, lawyer, orator, political theorist, consul and constitutionalist, considered one of Rome’s greatest orators and prose stylists, made this comment on the magi: “Among the Persians the prophets and diviners are the magi, who assemble regularly in a sacred place for practice and consultation, just as formerly you priests used to do on certain days of the month. Indeed, no one can become king of the Persians until he has learned the theory and the practice of the magi. Moreover, you may see whole families and tribes devoted to this art. For example, Telmessus in Caria is a city noted for its cultivation of the soothsayer’s art, and there is also Elis in Peloponnesus, which has permanently set aside two families as soothsayers, the Iamidae and the Clutidae, who are distinguished for superior skill in their art. In Syria the Chaldeans are pre-eminent for their knowledge of astronomy and for their quickness of mind.”¹⁶ Adding to that, another Roman author and teacher of rhetoric, shared this story about the magi: “The wisdom of the Persian Magi was (besides other things proper to them) conversant in prediction: They foretold the cruelty of Ochus towards his subjects, and his bloody disposition, which they collected from some secret signs. For when Ochus, upon the death of his father Artaxerxes, came to the crown, the Magi charged one of the eunuchs that were next him to observe upon what things, when the table was set before him, he first laid hands; who watching intently, Ochus reached forth both his hands, and with his right laid hold of a knife that lay by, with the other took a great loaf, which he laid upon the meat, and did cut and eat greedily. The Magi, hearing this, foretold that there would be plenty during his reign, and much blood shed. In which they were correct.”¹⁷ So they were also seen as soothsayers and predictors of future events, much like we read about in Daniel: “So the king called his wise men to come to him. They used magic and watched the stars. They did this to try to interpret dreams and to learn what would happen in the future. The king wanted them to tell him what he had dreamed, so they came in and stood in front of him.”¹⁸ Therefore, many Bible scholars accept the possibility that the magi who came to find Jesus, came from Persia (today’s Iran). No doubt this is why they had such an affect on king Herod’s thinking and plotting. There is a possibility, that because of these non-Jewish astrologers looking for the new king of the Judeans, that a foreign power was involved.

Based on the time of their arrival; Joseph then being warned and taking Jesus and Mary into Egypt, and the plot being carried out, it is calculated by many scholars to have occurred close to two years after Jesus birth. So, it wasn’t any factor of royalty represented in these magi, nor that they were rich. But that they were known as predictors of the future and were tied closely to foreign kings as religious advisers. So Herod had much to fear because of their talent to predict correctly. This is also attested to by one of the early church fathers who writes: “And that he was God as soon as he was born and not a mere man, the magi will plainly show. For after a period of two years – as they told Herod the time the star had risen, ‘two years ago at the most’ – they came to Jerusalem.”¹⁹ Dr. John Lightfoot, a highly respected British theologian and rabbinical scholar agrees with this assessment, as we will see in his commentary on verse 16.

NOTE: A little lesson on stars so that you can get a better idea of what the Magi may have followed on their way to Jerusalem:

A star is a ball of burning gases, mostly hydrogen and helium. A star shines or glows because its gravity causes its gases to fuse together. This process releases energy, hence the “shine”. Our Sun is only a medium-sized star. There are stars that are bigger, smaller, hotter, and cooler. However, the Earth is very small compared to the Sun. More than a million Earths could fit into the Sun. Therefore, if what the Magi saw was a star, it had to be far away in the galaxy, otherwise it would have competed with our own star, the sun. It is good to remember, while all sky objects appear bright, some stars and galaxies radiate light, while the others only reflect light. The stars make their own light. The Moon, planets, asteroids, natural satellites, and comets shine by light reflected from the Sun. Our closest star is 4½ light years away, which means when you look up into the sky at night, the lights you see from the stars is already old. The further away the star, the older the light. In fact, the light from many stars reaching us just now started out toward earth long before Jesus was born. Just as scientists cannot fathom a fish that could swallow Jonah and keep him alive for three days, neither can they reconcile a star in the sky that stayed in place for almost two years and then disappeared. Rather than dismissing these as objects of our imagination, we can certainly advocate that only God could create and control such things. When we add this to the virgin birth of Jesus after a visit by an angel, it is certainly a level of understanding that can only be attain through faith. Could it be that the star spoken of by the prophets was ignited when it was decided by the Father for Him to come to earth as the Messiah, and it’s light arrived just in time to lead the Magi to their destination. Think about it!

1 Babylonian Talmud, op. cit., Seder Nezikin, Masekhet Bava Bathra, folio 3b

2 Josephus op. cit., Antiquities of the Jews, Bk. 15, Ch. 7:6-7

3 Abraham Zacuto, “Seder Olam Zutta,” Year 3731 – 29 BC, “Death of Mariamne and Alexandra”

4 Deuteronomy 18:8

5 Isaiah 5:12

6 Deuteronomy 4:5-6 – Complete Jewish Bible

7 Babylonian Talmud, Seder Mo’ed, Masekhet Shabbath, folio 75a

8 Ibid., Masekhet Sotah, folio 22a

9 The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Book I, Anacephalaeosis I, Hellenism 3:1-3

10 Histories, Book I, Clio 101

11 Lucius Apuleius Madaurensis (124-170 AD, Apologia, Sec. I, Part 25

12 Xenophon’s Cyropaedia, Bk. 4, Ch. 5:14

13 Ibid., Book 4, 5:51

14 Ibid, Book 4, 6:11

15 Porphyry of Tyre (234-305 AD), Abstentia From Animal Food, Vol., 1, Bk., 4, Ver. 16

16 Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), On Divination, Book I, Sec. 41

17 Claudius Aelianus (circa 175-235 AD), Varia Historia, Vol 2, Chap. 17

18 Daniel 2:2

19 Epiphanius of Salamis, The Panarion of Epiphanius, Sec. II, 30, Contra Ebonites, 29, 1

NEW TESTAMENT CRITICAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER TWO

Part I

Verse 1: “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. Sometime after Jesus was born, some magi from the east came to Jerusalem.” It is interesting to note that most Jewish and Christian scholars now estimate that Yeshua was born somewhere between 8 to 4 BC. The reason is because Dionysius Exiguous, the sixth-century monk who set up the modern calendar, made an error in determining the date which was not corrected until later. This is why the Jewish community and secular scholars customarily denote the period from 1 AD (“Anno Domini,”) meaning: “in the year of the Lord,” onward, as “CE” (“Common Era”). And the years before the birth of Christ was always referred to as BC, meaning “before Christ,” now has become “BCE” (before the Common Era) to avoid relating dates explicitly to the Messiah. So often, people are led by what they perceive to be the case, rather than the evidence in the case. This helps us to make better sense from historical data when we calculate the events under Herod the Great (circa 73 – 4 BC), who founded the Herodian dynasty which ruled Israel from 37 BC until the war with Rome in 66–70 AD. Herod himself was a man of great physical energy and ambition. His career came to the notice of historians in 47 BC in Syria and the Galilee through a combination of military successes, political organization and bribery of Roman superiors, which enabled him to replace the last of the Hasmonean rulers, King Antigonus, when the latter died in 37 BC (possibly as a consequence of one of Herod’s bribes). Therefore, if Herod died shortly after the innocents were slain when Yeshua was only two years old (which would be in 4 BC, then this means that Yeshua was possibly born in 6 BC. It is also important to note that Matthew specifically says that the wise men came to Jerusalem. Bethlehem is only about 5 miles from Jerusalem. Too often we see this event presented much like the traditional manger scene. But we must note that these visitors did not go to the stable in Bethlehem, they went to Herod’s palace in the city of Jerusalem. We also have an interesting variety of identities given to these men. One of the oldest Hebrew versions of Matthew calls them “astrologers.”¹ In Luther’s German Bible, which had a great influence on the early English versions, they are called “Weisen vom Morgenland” (Wise men from the East), which is what the King James Version names them. In the Greek these men are called “magos” hence the term “Magi” for the visitors from the east at Christmas time. And in the Aramaic Version they are referred to as “Magians”. Our English word “magician” comes from this root word. They were not known as kings, but rather astrologers. In ancient days kings would call their wise men and astrologers to help interpret their dreams on how successful they might be on certain ventures, including war. This may be what led one Jewish philosopher to call the prophet from Mesopotamia, named Balaam,² a “magos” because he was “very celebrated for his skill in divination…who was initiated in every branch of the soothsayers’ art. And he was celebrated and renowned above all men for his experience as a diviner and prophet, as he had in many instances foretold to many people incredible and most important events.”³ It should also be pointed out that in addition to Tamar, Rahab and Ruth who were non-Jewish women involved in Jesus’ family tree, these magi were non-Jewish Persians. Adding another Gentile factor to the mix. What may have led this same philosopher to consider Balaam a magi was what Balaam said in his last prophecy, “I see him coming, but not now. I see him coming, but not soon. A star will step out from the family of Jacob. A new ruler will arise from the Israelites.”⁴ One Jewish scholar renders the first part of this verse this way: “What I see is not for now; what I behold will not be soon.”⁵ This scholar goes on to say that the star referred to here as “an allusion to the great name that the Messiah will make for Himself on the whole globe.”⁶ He then refers to the scripture that says: “Then Adonai will be king over the whole world. On that day Adonai will be the only one, and his name will be the only name.”⁷ So we can see that this star was already part of Jewish lore about the coming Messiah King. You would think that with such expectation on the part of the Jews for the coming Savior, they would have recognized Jesus immediately, especially when He started teaching, “in My name.”⁸ But even more so when He told them, “I and the Father are one.”⁹ Perhaps this was another factor in Jesus’ commission for His disciples to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. The only Jewish king we know of in the Bible who was a student of the stars was King David of Israel. How felicitous that his descendant, the KING of Kings, would be born in his home town to which the Magi were eventually lead by a star. Some scholars have suggested that the Bethlehem spoken of here is the one we read about in Joshua that was in the territory of Zebulun, which would put it in Galilee near Kiryat Tivon, around 6 miles north-west of Nazareth.¹⁰ But this would certainly preclude the wise men from going out of their way to Jerusalem since they were led by the star. Even one noted Jewish chronicler, mathematician, historian, astronomer and astrologer stated that Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem of Judah, which is about six miles from Jerusalem.¹¹ Also, a well-known Jewish traveler named Benjamin wrote about his visit to this area in 1575 AD: “From Jerusalem it is two parasangs¹² to Bethlehem, which is called by the Christians Beth-Leon, and close thereto, at a distance of about half a mile, at the parting of the way, is the pillar of Rachel’s grave, which is made up of eleven stones, corresponding with the number of the sons of Jacob. Upon it is a dome resting on four columns, and all the Jews that pass by carve their names upon the stones of the pillar.” This traveler says that this was also attested to by a Muslim known as Edrisi,¹³ who was born in Sabtah (now Ceuta, Spain), around 1100 AD. He wrote in 1154 AD, “The tomb is covered by twelve stones, and above it is a dome vaulted over with stones.” The traveler continues: “At Bethlehem there are two Jewish dye shops. It is a land of brooks of water, and contains wells and fountains.”¹⁴ And an early Christian apologist (100 – 165 AD), wrote, “Now there is a village in the land of the Jews, thirty-five stadia [circa 4 miles] from Jerusalem, in which Jesus Christ was born, as you can ascertain also from the registers of the taxing made under Cyrenius, your first procurator in Judaea.”¹⁵ However, knowing that Christians held Bethlehem in high esteem because Jesus was born there, we see in a polemic Jewish writing that they had little respect for this village. As a matter of fact, one ancient Jewish story goes this way:

“Once a Jew was plowing and his ox snorted loudly. An Arab who was passing by and heard the snorting said to him: ‘Jew, Jew. Unharness your ox, and unhook your plow and stop plowing. For today your Temple was destroyed!’ The ox snorted again. The Arab then said to him, ‘Jew, Jew. Harness your ox, and hook up your plow. For today the Messiah-king was born!’ He said to him, ‘What is his name?’ The Arab replied, ‘Menachem,’ meaning “consoler.” He said to him, ‘And what is his father’s name?’ The Arab said, ‘Hezekiah.’ He said to him, ‘Where is he from?’ He said to him, ‘From the royal capital of Bethlehem in Judea.’ So the Jew went and sold his ox and sold his plow. And he became a peddler of infants’ clothing. And he went from place to place until he came to that very city. All of the women bought from him. But Menachem’s mother did not buy from him. He heard the women calling, ‘Menachem’s mother, Menachem’s mother, come buy some clothes for your child’…The Jew said to her, ‘We are sure that on this day it was destroyed, and on this day of the year it will be rebuilt. Do not abandon the child. Provide for him; She said to the peddler, ‘I have no money.’ He said to her, ‘It doesn’t matter to me. Come and buy for him and if you have no money, pay me when I return’.”¹⁶

It is said that later this farmer turned peddler returned to Bethlehem and went looking for the mother and her child Menachem. When he did not see the baby, he said to her, “What happened to the infant?” She said to him, “Since the time you saw him a spirit came and carried him up and took him away from me.” A Rabbi named Bun was asked what this story meant, and he said, “Why must we learn this that the Messiah was born on the day that the Temple was destroyed from a story about an Arab? Do we not have explicit Scriptural evidence for it? Lebanon with its majestic trees will fall.¹⁷ And what follows this? There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse.¹⁸ Right after an allusion to the destruction of the Temple the prophet speaks of the Messiah.” This same story is repeated in other Jewish literature.¹⁹ Also, St. Jerome spent quite a bit of time in Bethlehem in Judea. He certainly would have researched any suggestions that the place where Jesus was born lay in another part of Israel. Jerome commented that “Bethlehem” means “House of Bread,” and it was there that the “Bread which came down from heaven” also was revealed.²⁰ Just think, this little village would have gone unnoticed and perhaps ignored by tourist to this day, had it not been for the fact that a baby named Jesus was born there over 2000 years ago. If His being born there could do that to a sleepy little village, then what a change can He make when He is born in one’s heart! But the skepticism on the part of some was already alive even during our Lord’s early ministry. It was this type of thinking and theorizing that Jesus encountered wherever He went. No wonder His being called the Messiah met such resistance by some, and made fun of by others. It also may explain why after healing several people He told them not to tell who did it because it would interfere with His trying to spread the good news of God’s new covenant for the salvation of His people. But what about King Herod Antipas who is mentioned in the text? He was considered a member of the Hasmonean Dynasty before it became the Herodian Dynasty. In fact, a British barrister and legal academic, and also the British-appointed attorney-general of Mandatory Palestine and a lifelong Zionist, wrote this on the relationship between Herod Antipas and Julius Caesar:

“A happier era seemed to be dawning for the Jews when Julius Caesar became dictator. At the beginning of the civil war between him and Pompey, Hyrcanus, at the instance of Antipater, prepared to support the man to whom he owed his position; but when Pompey was murdered, Antipater led the Jewish forces to help Caesar, who was hard pressed at Alexandria. His timely help and his influence over the Egyptian Jews recommended him to Caesar’s favor, and secured for him an extension of his authority in Palestine, and for Hyrcanus the confirmation of his political leadership over the Jews. Joppa was restored to the Hasmonean domain, Judea was granted freedom from all tribute and taxes to Rome, and the independence of the internal administration was guaranteed. Caesar, too, whatever may have been his motive, showed favor to the Jews throughout his Empire. Mommsen²¹ thinks that he saw in them an effective mixture of cosmopolitanism and national decomposition, and to that intent gave them special privileges; but this seems a perverse reason to assign for the grant of the right to maintain in all its thoroughness their national life, and for their exemption from all Imperial or municipal burdens that would conflict with it. It is more reasonable to suppose that, taking in this as in many other things a broader view than that of his countrymen, Caesar recognized the weakness of a world-state whose members were so denationalized as to have no strong feeling for any common purpose, no passion of loyalty to any community, and he favored Judaism as a counteracting force to this peril”.²²

Through this we can see how God was influencing the cultural, religious, and political forces into the balance and substance needed for His Son to come into the world to accomplish the greatest feat ever attempted, the salvation of mankind from certain ruin and everlasting punishment. At no other time in the history of the part of the world, would it have been more right or possible for Jesus to be born so that he would minister as He did, gather the disciples that He did, have the effect on Jerusalem and the Temple that He did, and set into motion what would become the church. We should never see this as a matter of happenstance. It was all part of God’s eternal plan.

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

To all my friends, followers, fans, and students who love and reverence God’s Word.

We just finished chapter one of Matthew’s Gospel.  There we discovered some details concerning Mary and Joseph relationship, and how Joseph could be called Mary’s husband before their marriage was consummated because she was pregnant with Jesus.

According to Jewish Law, couples must wait one year from the time of engagement before marrying.  However, the groom can seal his commitment by writing a decree of marriage and paying a dowry to the bride’s father.  No doubt, something Joseph did.

However, the Law also required that couples be separated for a minimum of three months after their engagement in order to prove that the bride was a virgin.  So Mary decided to go visit her cousin Elizabeth.  This was not a last minute decision, it was all orchestrated by God.  So we read that after these three months, Mary comes back, but announces to Joseph that she is pregnant.

Since Joseph had already made his commitment, he had the right to annul the marriage. However, an angel told him to hold on to Mary, and let her have the baby, then he could consummate the marriage.  This is what Joseph did, because this was no ordinary baby, it was the Son of God.

So what happens now?  On Monday we will start the second chapter Matthew.  So join me and lets explore this together.  God bless you for your commitment to know more about our Lord.

Every automobile engine, whether it has 4, 6, or 8 pistons, must have its timing set exactly right in order for the motor to run smoothly.  That means, each piston must reach its maximum height and compression at point of ignition by the spark plug, to get the full power it needs to drive the car forward.  If the timing is off, then the engine will run rough and there will be less power to move ahead.  Spark plugs will fire when there is little fuel and compression in the chamber, or not fire when it needs to, thus wasting fuel and becoming ineffective in doing what it is designed to do.  Life is a lot like an engine, and our timing is critical in order for us to be effective in doing what God designed us to do.  So we need God to set our timing so that we can perform at our maximum efficiency.  No wonder the prophet Isaiah said, those who wait on the Lord will have renewed strength, their takeoff will be like that of an eagle (Isa. 40:31). – Dr. Robert R. Seyda

In Greek philosopher Plato’s work titled Philebus, we read the dialogue between Socrates, Protarchus, and Philebus. Among the things they discuss are those things that Philebus says brings a person enjoyment, pleasure and delight, and how good they are to every living being. But Socrates disagrees, and contends that wisdom, intelligence, memory, fact-based opinion and sound reasoning are much more desirable than those mentioned by Philebus. Dr. Benjamin Jewett, who translated this work, says in his introduction that we can learn this from their conversation: “The higher the view which men take of life, the more they lose sight of their own pleasure or interest. True religion is not working for a reward only, but is ready to work equally without a reward. It is not ‘doing the will of God for the sake of eternal happiness,’ but doing the will of God because it is best, whether rewarded or unrewarded. And this applies to others as well as to ourselves. For he who sacrifices himself for the good of others, does not sacrifice himself that they may be saved from the persecution which he endures for their sake, but rather that they in their turn may be able to undergo similar sufferings, and like him stand fast in the truth. To promote their happiness is not his first object, but to elevate their moral nature. Both in his own case and that of others there may be happiness in the distance, but if there were no happiness he would equally act as he does.” Certainly there was no pleasure in what our Lord went through in order to endure the shame and agony of the cross. But because of His willingness to suffer for our sake, He gave us an example to follow when we must make the choice between enjoyment, pleasure and delight for ourselves, but choose rather to use our intelligence, memory, fact-based opinion and sound reasoning in order to help others gain access to knowing and understanding more about God’s love, grace and mercy. Of course this all comes with a price that may include inconvenience, suffering and even sacrifice. Jesus didn’t hesitate, should we?

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER ONE

Part V (con’t)

As we have seen, in the case of Moses, the concept of predestination and God’s involvement in helping man achieve his destiny was already part of Jewish thought. Therefore, the prophecies, angelic visitations, childhood, ministry, sacrifice, resurrection and ascension of Jesus were already mapped out by His Father in heaven. All He needed to do was be faithful and obedient to the end. If that was the case for our Lord, then why should it not be the same for us, His followers and children of the Most High. This brings us back to the doctrine of the virgin birth and the ever-virgin dogma of Mary. Matthew’s statement that Joseph and Mary did not have intimate relations until after Jesus was born has caused some conflict between Protestant and Catholic scholars, especially since the development of the perpetual virginity of Mary was conceived in the Roman Catholic Church some two hundred years after the foundation of the church in Antioch. The idea of the perpetual virginity of Mary comes from an apocryphal book written well after the New Testament. It states that: “…the brethren of Jesus were sons of Joseph by a former wife, whom he married before Mary. Now those who say so wish to preserve the honor of Mary in virginity to the end, so that body of hers which was appointed to minister to the Word . . . might not know intercourse with a man after that the Holy Spirit came into her and the power from on high overshadowed her. And I think it in harmony with reason that Jesus was the first-fruit among men of the purity, which consists in perpetual chastity, and Mary was among women. For it were not pious to ascribe to any other than to her the first-fruit of virginity.”¹ This writer says that this information is based on a tradition found in the Gospel of Peter, as well as the Gospel of James. In the Gospel of James we read this: “And there was an order from the Emperor Augustus, that all in Bethlehem of Judea should be enrolled. And Joseph said: I will enroll my sons, but what will I do with this maiden? How shall I enroll her? As my wife? I am ashamed. As my daughter then? But all the sons of Israel know that she is not my daughter. The day of the Lord will itself bring it to pass as the Lord wills.”² This of course implies that he already had sons before Jesus was born to Mary. In all the writings over the centuries, it appears quite clear that most supporters of the perpetual virginity of Mary viewed her as the Second Eve, and did not want anything to lessen her stature as the chosen one to bring the Son of God into the world. This effort was double-edged. First, to secure the sanctity of Mary as the most blessed among women, having conceived by the Holy Spirit and given birth to the promised Messiah, the Son of God. And second, to ensure the holiness of Jesus as one born of a virgin, thereby providing the claim that He was without spot or wrinkle, to become the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world. One of the earliest mentions was made by Anthanasius Bishop of Alexandria (296-373 AD) who called the mother of Jesus, “Mary Ever-Virgin.”³ It was not until the 1566 AD that Catechism of the Council of Trent appeared that explicitly taught that because Eve believed the serpent it brought a curse on the human race. However, Mary by believing the angel brought blessings to mankind. At first, many leaders of the Protestant Reformation accepted this teaching as valid. For instance, Martin Luther wrote on February 2, 1546 that “Christ our Savior was the real and natural fruit of Mary’s virginal womb. . . . This was without the cooperation of a man, and she remained a virgin after that.”⁴ But as more and more ancient documents of early Christian writers were made available, Protestants refused to declare it a doctrine of the movement. The reason being, that while Mary was a blessed woman, and one out of many, she plays no role in man’s salvation. She was at the cross, but only as a spectator. She was at the tomb, but only to pay her respects. She was in the Upper Room, where she too was filled with the Holy Spirit. But there is no record that she ministered, died a martyr or that she rose from the dead. As a matter of fact, in Acts of the Apostles it says: “All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren.”⁵ This by no means makes her less important as the one God chose from among all others to bear His Son in human form. From that time on there is no further mention of Mary in the New Testament as having any role in the church, the propagation of the Gospel, or present at any meetings of the Jerusalem Council of the Church. However, on the Roman Catholic side, her veneration continued to grow. Part of the reason can be traced to the Jews attack on Jesus as being the illegitimate son of a mercenary Roman soldier. The church leaders felt they needed to venerate Mary and raise her to a higher level in the minds of their own constituents, lest they too be persuaded by these bogus arguments. They reasoned, that God would not select any woman to bear His Son who was not herself the purest and most innocent. It would take many centuries though for the Catholic Church to adopt the Immaculate Conception idea as doctrine and dogma, and many more years before on December 8, 1854 Pope Pius IX infallibly defined, excathedra: “The Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the foreseen merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.” Father John Hardon, S.J., notes that “Neither the Greek nor Latin Fathers explicitly taught the Immaculate Conception, but they professed it implicitly.”⁶ For better understanding, the Immaculate Conception refers to the concept that the Blessed Virgin Mary was free from Original Sin from the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne. Roman Catholics say: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the solemn belief in the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is universally celebrated on December 8, nine months before the feast of the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated on September 8. The Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church never adopted these views as dogma or doctrine. In conclusion, these are the thoughts of man, not the words of God, since neither the immaculate conception or perpetual virginity are found anywhere in the New Testament canon. Therefore it should be up to each individual to accept or reject this teaching without risk of losing their salvation by grace through Jesus Christ the Son of God. While most Catholic priests and scholars tell you that Catholics do not pray “to” Mary, that they only ask her to hear their pray and communicate it to God the Father and Jesus her son, still many prayers authorized by the Catholic church seem to indicate otherwise. For instance the Rosary prayers: