1. NOW WHEN Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2. Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet,
6. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshiped him; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
Golden Text: "And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."
NOTE.—This lesson includes Matthew 1, Luke 1, John 1:1-18, besides the lesson texts, and all should be carefully studied. The time of the birth of Christ is about four years before the time known as A.D. 1. The method of reckoning time as we now have it was not devised until about five hundred years this side of Christ, and was not generally used until the fifteenth century. The method used until then dated events from the founding of the city of Rome. This new system placed the birth of Christ in the year of Rome 753, but later historical light shows it should have been 749, four years earlier. This accords with Luke 3:23, which gives the age of Jesus when he began his ministry, in A.D. 27.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Where and when was Jesus born? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Who came to Jerusalem? Ib. (3) What did the wise men say? Verse 2. Note 2. (4) How did this question affect King Herod? Verse 3. (5) What means did he take to learn more concerning this matter? Verse 4. (6) What answer did the doctors of the law give? Verse 5. (7) How did they know where Christ would be born? Verses 5, 6. See Micah 5:2. Note 3. (8) What inquiry did Herod make of the wise men? Verse 7. Note 4. (9) What message did he then give them? Verse 8. (10) How were they again guided? Verse 9. (11) What effect did the reappearance of the star have upon them? Verse 10. Note 5. (12) When the wise men found the child, how did they honor him? Verse 11. What gifts were made? Note 6. (13) Why did not the wise men return to Herod? Verse 12. To what place did they go? Ib.
NOTES.
1. Jesus was born in Bethlehem.—He who was born Jesus and became a man was the Son of God. John calls him the Word, through whom all things were created, and other writers bear a similar testimony to his exalted position. See Heb. 1:1-3; Col. 1:13-17, etc. This was God incarnate,—God in flesh,—God with us,—Emmanuel. The mystery of the incarnation we can not fathom; the fact we may know daily, if we will. One of the evidences that he was the true Messiah is the exact fulfilment of prophecy in regard to his birth and work. Peter tells us that while the evidence of the senses is certainly very positive, yet the word of prophecy, whereby God spoke through holy men of old, is far surer. 2 Peter 1:16-19. The prophecies began pointing to him from Eden on, through Adam (Gen. 3:15), Abraham (Gen. 22:18), Jacob (Gen. 49:10), David (2 Sam. 7:12-16), Isaiah (9:6; 11:1-9), Dan. (9:24), and others. Herod the Great, the Herod of the lesson, died, according to best light on the subject, B.C. 4, not long after the flight into Egypt.
2. Wise men.—The eastern nations were believers in astrology, and hence a star would, above all things else, attract their attention. But it is evident that these men knew the prophecies concerning the Messiah and his mission, for they believed in him, and worshiped him. What a sad commentary on the moral condition of the chosen people—the Jews—who should have been the foremost in looking for the Messiah, when those considered by them heathen were prepared before them by the Lord to herald the news of the advent of the new King! Those to whom much light has been given are expected to live up to that light, otherwise it will become in them darkness. It is the same now as then. Have we a Christ to herald to the world? Then let us to the work, lest it be given to another, and our crowns be taken from us.
3. Thou Bethlehem.—This quotation from Micah 5:2 is not in the exact words of the Lord through that prophet, but is a free quotation, as tho from memory, which it doubtless was. So we find many references to the Old Testament Scriptures in the New varying slightly from the exact words of the original, altho using the thought. Note that the word "rule" is "to shepherd," or "feed," in the original.
4. What time the star appeared.—The knowledge of how long it had been since the star appeared to them appears to have been used by Herod in his merciless slaughter of the children of Bethlehem. Verse 16. It might not have been two years before, but sufficiently long to cause him to feel assured that his inhuman act would put out of the way one whom he regarded as a menace to his throne.
5. When they saw the star.—When they reached Jerusalem the star for a time disappeared. This was doubtless for the purpose of causing them to make known their mission, and proclaim the wondrous fact to the world. It not only did this, but through the urgent demands of the king, the rulers of the Jews were themselves brought to confess to a knowledge of the prophecy. A belief in it they could not deny. Herod himself believed. Thus at the very outset they were left without excuse, should they fail to follow up the matter and receive the Messiah. The entire silence of the record concerning any thing they may have done to this end shows their indifference to the results of the event, an indifference due solely to wounded pride, in that they were not the first to whom the joyful news came. Instead, it came to humble shepherds, and by the mouth of strangers, and the alleged King himself was born in the humblest manner. The event was not ordered according to their notions, and they would have nothing to do with it. Had they been first informed, they would not have believed it. That this so-called star was not in reality a star is quite evident. First, it displayed intelligence, appearing in such a manner as to attract the attention, then leading the wise men from their homes; then disappearing and reappearing, and finally stopping directly over the spot where the child was. So far as we know stars do not possess this intelligence. Its nearness to the earth also precludes the idea that it may have been a star, as we understand a star to be, altho it were guided by heavenly intelligences. In all probability the light was an angel, or group of angels, presenting at a distance the appearance of a brilliant star. See Ps. 104:4; Job. 38:4; Ex. 23:20, etc.
6. The gifts.—They presented gifts as to a king, according to oriental custom. They were significant, also,—gold, as to a king, frankincense, as to God, myrrh, pointing to the burial and resurrection of Christ. See John 19:39. Joseph was a poor man, and doubtless these valuable gifts were used to defray the expenses of the trip into Egypt, and the return.
THE TALENTS. By M. C. Wilcox. A brief essay on "The Parable of the Talents," showing that the talents represent the various gifts of the Spirit which God bestows as he will upon those who are consecrated to him, with the duties and blessed privileges involved therein. Bible Students' Library, No. 77; 16 pp., price 2 cents.
