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that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the 23 prophet, saying: "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanu24 el;" which, being interpreted, is, God with us.) Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bid25 den him; and took unto him his wife, and knew her not till

put all mankind in the way of salvation, for so the word signifies, to lay the foundation of a kingdom of virtue and holiness as extensive as the race, as lasting as the earth. This aim he most diligently pursued in all his discourses, during his whole life, and by his exemplary death. To the last painful breath on the cross, to the last word at his ascension, he never wandered from the furtherance of this great plan. This is the key of his life and death, - that he came to save men from their sins; not the consequences merely, but from sin itself.

22. That it might be fulfilled, &c. That is not to be taken in the sense of cause, or intention, but of the event. The birth of Jesus did not take place in order that the words of Isaiah might be verified, but so that they were verified. The thing was done for its own sake, not for the sake of fulfilling Isaiah's words, though, as it was, it did fulfil them. Again, we have an instance here of what is called Accommodation. The words of Isaiah did not relate to the birth of Christ, but to something which happened in the reign of Ahaz. The prediction had long before been fulfilled. But Matthew quotes it in the way of an illustration, as if he had said, "the ancient saying was made good, or verified; the passage in Isaiah well describes these events." Is. vii. 14.

23. This and the preceding verse are parenthetical. They are the comment which Matthew makes upon the angel's message. - Behold

a virgin, &c. This prediction was originally made by the prophet Isaiah, and was accomplished in the days of Ahaz, one of the kings of Israel. Emmanuel. Composed of two Hebrew words, meaning God, and with us, i. e. God helpeth us. This signifies divine interposition in favor of Ahaz against his foes, an appropriate title for Jesus, but one which is not applied to him anywhere else in the Bible. The Jews were accustomed to form and apply appellations indicative of God's goodness, and compounded of his name. Thus, Bethel, house of God, Elijah, God the Lord. If the application of the word Emmanuel, God with us, to Jesus Christ, proves that he is God, as some hold, it might be argued just as strongly that the application, for instance, of the word Elijah, which means God the Lord, to John the Baptist, proved him to be God likewise. Matt. xi. 14.-God is with us in nature, reason, conscience, and the multitude of his blessings and mercies. He was with the Jews especially in Moses and the Prophets. But he is eminently with the whole world in Jesus Christ, reconciling it to himself; for he gave him his spirit without measure. John iii. 34. He sent him as the brightest manifestation of his glory, as the true image and likeness of himself for men to look upon and copy. Loving Christ, the Image, we shall love God, the Original.

24. Joseph is not disobedient unto the heavenly vision. His con

she had brought forth her first-born son; and he called his name Jesus.

CHAPTER II.

The Visit of the Wise Men and the Flight into Egypt.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the

duct shows that he was not only a just man towards others, but also submissive to the will of God.

25. Her first-born son. According to the Jewish custom and law, the first-born son was entitled to peculiar privileges. Whether Mary had other children afterwards is unknown, and unimportant. Between the birth and the naming and circumcision of the child, Luke records some interesting particulars. Chap. ii. 8-20. "The wisdom of God ordained, that he, who was to be the great Exemplar of human duty and of human destination, should be brought into the world and pass through it, in the lowest and most trying circumstances, erecting thereby an everlasting monument to this great and important truth that neither riches, high station, or worldly honor are any proof of the merit of their possessors, or any mark of the divine fa

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CHAPTER II.

1. For events not mentioned by Matthew, occurring between the end of the last chapter and the beginning of this, see Luke ii. 838.Now when, &c. i. e. about the time Jesus was born. It is supposed that Jesus was born from four to six years before the common era. According to the Jewish law, an interval of forty days must elapse before the mother could enter the temple and make the appropriate offerings. Levit. xii. 2-4. Probably the presentation of Jesus in the temple, and the benedictions

of Simeon and Anna, took place before the coming of the wise men. - Bethlehem of Judea. So called to distinguish it from another town of the same name in Galilee. Bethlehem signifies house of bread, referring perhaps to the fertility of the country. It was also called Ephrata. It was a small village six miles in a southerly direction from Jerusalem, lying in the midst of fertile hills and vales, and commanding a distant view of the Dead Sea and the valley leading to it; so that any phenomenon over the place, as the brilliant spectacle witnessed by the shepherds, Luke ii. 9, would be seen far beyond the Dead Sea in the east country. This village was the birthplace and home of David, in earlier times, and from it he went forth to the army of Saul, and his royal destiny. The place is now inhabited by Christians and Mahometans, and contains about two hundred houses. The localities of the sacred history are pointed out to travellers with great exactness. A monastery stands over the place of Jesus' birth. Still little reliance can be placed on some of these traditions. In the days. In the time or reign, a Hebraism. - Herod the king. This was Herod, miscalled the Great. The Romans were the virtual lords of the country, and he held the royal office under their authority.

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Wise men. Sages, Magi, or Magians. Their name is of Persian origin. They were found throughout the east, but especially in Persia, and comprehended priests,

2 east to Jerusalem, saying: Where is he that is born King of the Jews for we have seen his star in the east, and are come

philosophers, and men of letters. sephus, their historian, says that the They were much devoted to medi- principal cause which stimulated cine, astrology, and religion, and them to make war against the Rowere highly esteemed by kings as mans "was an ambiguous oracle, counsellors in civil and military af- found also in our sacred writings, fairs, as they professed to predict that about this time some one from future events. Their doctrines were Judea should obtain the empire of ascribed to Abraham as their au- the world." Suetonius, a Roman thor, or reformer; and afterwards historian, writing about the same becoming corrupted, were purified by period, mentions that there had Zoroaster, who is said to have been been for a long time all over the a descendant of the prophet Daniel. east a notion firmly believed, that it They are asserted to have worship- was in the books of the fates, that ped God in spirit, without the use some one from Judea was destined, of images. As they were imbued about that time, to obtain the emwith many Jewish notions, it was pire of the world." Tacitus, anothnot unnatural that they should have er Roman author, of great credit participated to some extent in the and veracity, speaking of the JewJewish expectation of a Messiah. ish calamities when their city was Indeed Bishop Pearce believes them destroyed by Titus, says "that the to have been Jews, residing in the mass of the people entertained a colleges of the Magi. Rabmag, strong persuasion that it was menJer. xxxix. 3, 13, means the chief tioned in the ancient writings of of the wise men. Daniel referred the priests, that at that very time to them v. 11, and at one time pre- the east should prevail, and some sided over them. From the east. one from Judea obtain the empire This is a general name of Arabia, of the world." Other writers might Media, Persia, and Chaldea. It be cited to the same effect. His cannot now be determined from star. It was believed by the anwhich country these visitors came, cients that new stars appeared bebut their gifts were famous pro- fore great events, and at the birth ductions of Arabia, though that or death of illustrious men, and had country lies rather south than east some mysterious connexion with of Judea.- To Jerusalem. They their lives. Pliny says, that a new naturally resort to the capital to see star or comet was seen on the accesthe supposed new-born king of the sion of Augustus to the Roman nation. empire, which he called his natal

2. King of the Jews. As the regal office was the highest in human estimation, Jesus is often spoken of as a king, and his religion as a kingdom. A general expectation was abroad throughout the whole eastern world, that some extraordinary personage would appear at this period. Mankind anxiously awaited his coming. The Jews, relying on their prophecies, thirsted to behold their great Restorer. Jo

star.

As the wise men were skilled in astrology, they readily detected uncommon appearances in the heavens. Whether the star or meteor they saw had any connexion with the bright light which accompanied the descent of the Angels to the shepherds, mentioned by Luke, ii. 9, is not stated. Probably the star was a brilliant meteor, supernaturally conducting them to the object of their search. No man, says

to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, 3 he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and when he 4 had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

Bishop Hall, “is so qualified to see the star of Christ as a diligent proficient in philosophy." - In the east. While they were in the east country, they saw the star in the west, and accordingly directed their steps thither. To worship him. Not in the sense of religious homage, but simply of obeisance or high respect. Marks of great reverence were shown to kings, especially in the east. Prostration of the body upon the ground before sovereigns, and the giving of the most costly presents, were common signs of homage. The wise men, regarding the young child as a candidate for the Jewish throne, and heir to some remarkable destiny, followed the usual custom. The word worship was formerly applied to the respect paid to man, as well as the homage given to God,

see 1 Chron. xxix. 20.

3. It does not appear that Herod had as yet seen the wise men. By common report he heard of their coming and object. Afterwards, ver. 7, he sent to have an interview with them. He was troubled. Was agitated. His fear was natural. He had laid the foundation of his throne in blood and crime, and killed several of his own family. His outraged conscience made him uneasy, jealous, and fearful. Wickedness converts men into cowards, "but the righteous are bold as a lion." Though far advanced in years, his insatiate ambition also led him to be anxious about the continuance of the government in his hands, and those of his successor; for the Pharisees, according to Josephus, had predicted the overthrow of Herod's reign, probably

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in sanguine expectation of the coming of their Messiah. If a legitimate heir to the throne was now born, he feared the kingdom would be taken out of his hands, for he was a foreigner and a usurper.· All Jerusalem with him i. e. city generally was agitated.__The friends and adherents of Herod would participate in his fear and suspicion; while his enemies might justly apprehend, what afterwards took place, ver. 16, that the tyrant would find on this occasion a pretext, however groundless, for some unheard-of atrocity. Or they might rejoice at the prospect of his downfall, and exult in the hope of the speedy coming of the Messiah.

4. We may infer the extent of his consternation from the active steps he took to calm it. Chief priests and scribes of the people. Probably a circumlocution for the Sanhedrim, or Jewish Senate, consisting of seventy persons. Its members were chiefly priests and Levites, including the high-priest, the ex-high-priests, and the chiefs of the twenty-four classes, into which David had divided the sacerdotal order. 1 Chron. xxiii. 6. Its jurisdiction was both civil and ecclesiastical. The scribes, elsewhere called lawyers and doctors of the law, were men of learning, versed in the laws of Moses, and the commentaries upon them. They kept the public records and registers, drew up law documents for the people, transcribed the sacred books, and acted as religious teachers and interpreters. -He demanded, c. As they understood the sacred books and made it their business to expound them, he naturally

5 And they said unto him: In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it 6 is written by the prophet: "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 7 Israel." 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 10 and stood over where the young child was. When they saw 11 the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy; and when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him; and

referred to them for information respecting the birthplace of the Messiah. Where. This was the important point with Herod. He

wished to know the exact place, that he might find the child and put it to death. Observe, too, that the question indicates how strong the expectation of the coming of the Messiah was; though the hypocritical king thought to falsify the sure word of prophecy, and, fighting against God, to destroy the infant Jesus. Christ. Rather the Christ, or the Messiah.

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7. Privily called. Jealousy loves to move in the dark. - Inquired diligently. Or, procured from them exact information. He probably wished to ascertain the precise age of the child.

8. Worship him also. Also should be placed before may come, thus, "that I also may come," &c. He veiled his purpose under the mask of hypocrisy. His conduct on this occasion was in accordance with his whole character, as drawn by Josephus and other ancient writers.

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9. Which they saw in the east. A different arrangement would be better; "which they, in the east, saw. It was the custom of the old painters to represent Christ with luminous rays encircling his head; derived perhaps from the circumstance of the star, standing over the place where the young child was, or the glory which surrounded him at the Baptism, or on the Mount of Transfiguration.

10. Their joy at finding their object indicates the value they attached to it.

11. Fell down and worshipped. Prostrated themselves and did obei

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