Chapter 2:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
Matthew 2
Verse 1. Bethlehem of Judea - There was another Bethlehem in the tribe
of Zebulon. In the days of Herod - commonly called Herod the
Great, born at Ascalon. The scepter was now on the point of
departing from Judah. Among his sons were Archelaus,
mentioned ver. 22; Herod Antipas, mentioned chap. xiv, and
Philip, mentioned Luke iii, 19. Herod Agrippa, mentioned Acts
xii, 1; &c., was his grandson. Wise men - The first fruits of the
Gentiles. Probably they were Gentile philosophers, who, through
the Divine assistance, had improved their knowledge of nature, as
a means of leading to the knowledge of the one true God. Nor is it
unreasonable to suppose, that God had favoured them with some
extraordinary Revelations of himself, as he did Melchisedec, Job,
and several others, who were not of the family of Abraham; to
which he never intended absolutely to confine his favours. The
title given them in the original was anciently given to all
philosophers, or men of learning; those particularly who were
curious in examining the works of nature, and observing the
motions of the heavenly bodies. From the east - So Arabia is
frequently called in Scripture. It lay to the east of Judea, and was
famous for gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We have seen his star -
Undoubtedly they had before heard Balaam's prophecy. And
probably when they saw this unusual star, it was revealed to them
that this prophecy was fulfilled. In the east - That is, while we
were in the east.
Verse
2. To do him homage - To pay him that honour, by bowing to the
earth before him, which the eastern nations used to pay to their
monarchs.
Verse
4. The chief priests - That is, not only the high priest and his
deputy, with those who formerly had born that office: but also the
chief man in each of those twenty-four courses, into which the
body of priests were divided, 1 Chron. xxiv, 6-19. The scribes
were those whose peculiar business it was to explain the
Scriptures to the people. They were the public preachers, or
expounders of the law of Moses. Whence the chief of them were
called doctors of the law.
Verse
6. Thou art in nowise the least among the princes of Judah - That
is, among the cities belonging to the princes or heads of thousands
in Judah. When this and several other quotations from the Old
Testament are compared with the original, it plainly appears, the
apostles did not always think it necessary exactly to transcribe the
passages they cited, but contented themselves with giving the
general sense, though with some diversity of language. The words
of Micah, which we render, Though thou be little, may be
rendered, Art thou little? And then the difference which seems to
be here between the prophet and the evangelist vanishes away.
Micah v, 2.
Verse
8. And if ye find him, bring me word - Probably Herod did not
believe he was born; otherwise would not so suspicious a prince
have tried to make sure work at once?
Verse
10. Seeing the star - Standing over where the child was.
Verse
11. They presented to him gifts - It was customary to offer some
present to any eminent person whom they visited. And so it is, as
travelers observe, in the eastern countries to this day. Gold,
frankincense, and myrrh - Probably these were the best things
their country afforded; and the presents ordinarily made to great
persons. This was a most seasonable, providential assistance for a
long and expensive journey into Egypt, a country where they were
entirely strangers, and were to stay for a considerable time.
Verse
15. That it might be fulfilled - That is, whereby was fulfilled. The
original word frequently signifies, not the design of an action, but
barely the consequence or event of it. Which was spoken of the
Lord by the prophet - on another occasion: Out of Egypt have I
called my Son - which was now fulfilled as it were anew; Christ
being in a far higher sense the Son of God than Israel, of whom
the words were originally spoken. Hosea xi, 1.
Verse
16. Then Herod, seeing that he was deluded by the wise men - So
did his pride teach him to regard this action, as if it were intended
to expose him to the derision of his subjects. Sending forth - a
party of soldiers: In all the confines thereof - In all the
neighbouring places, of which Rama was one.
Verse
17. Then was fulfilled - A passage of Scripture, whether
prophetic, historical, or poetical, is in the language of the New
Testament fulfilled, when an event happens to which it may with
great propriety be accommodated.
Verse
18. Rachel weeping for her children - The Benjamites, who
inhabited Rama, sprung from her. She was buried near this place;
and is here beautifully represented risen, as it were out of her
grave, and bewailing her lost children. Because they are not - that
is, are dead. The preservation of Jesus from this destruction, may
be considered as a figure of God's care over his children in their
greatest danger. God does not often, as he easily could, cut off
their persecutors at a stroke. But he provides a hiding place for his
people, and by methods not less effectual, though less pompous,
preserves them from being swept away, even when the enemy
comes in like a flood. Jer. xxxi, 15.
Verse
22. He was afraid to go thither - into Judea; and so turned aside
into the region of Galilee - a part of the land of Israel not under
the jurisdiction of Archelaus.
Verse
23. He came and dwelt in Nazareth - (where he had dwelt before
he went to Bethlehem) a place contemptible to a proverb. So that
hereby was fulfilled what has been spoken in effect by several of
the prophets, (though by none of them in express words, ) He
shall be called a Nazarene - that is, he shall be despised and
rejected, shall be a mark of public contempt and reproach.
Chapter 2:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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