Matthew 2

And, 2. In reference to his enemies. 1. In reference to his people: 1. To govern them, it was prophesied of Christ before he was born (Matthew 2:6), And you Bethlehem are not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of you shall come a governor that shall rule my people Isr…

This is to live to him, who has died for us (2 Corinthians 5:15). The wise men did not only worship Christ, but presented him with gifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). Let us present Christ with the fruits of righteousness, which are to the glory and praise o…

Thus the angels in heaven glorify him; they wait on his throne, and are ready to take a commission from him, therefore they are resembled by the cherubims with their wings displayed to show how swift the angels are in their obedience. This is to glorify God when we are devoted t…

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chrysostom. The Wise Men showed honor to Christ, not only by bowing the knee to him, but by presenting him with gold and myrrh (Matthew 2:11); we hallow God's name not only by lifting up our eyes and hands to Heaven, and bowing the knee in prayer, but b…

Verse 49. I honor my Father. The Wise Men did not only bow the knee to Christ, but presented him with gold and myrrh (Matthew 2:8). So we must not only bow the knee, give God adoration, but bring presents, give him golden obedience.

(7.) By witchcraft and sorcery, a thing forbidden under the Law (Deuteronomy 18:10): There shall not be found among you an enchanter or a witch, or a consulter with familiar spirits. (8.) By having an intention to kill another; as Herod would, under a pretense of worshipping Chr…

So the raven, that unnatural creature — that will hardly feed its own young, yet — providentially brought sustenance to the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17:6). The Virgin Mary, though by bearing and bringing forth the Messiah she helped to make the world rich, yet she herself was ver…

Secondly whereas Christ says, he preached in their synagogues and temple, which at that time were places full of disorder; in so much as he called the temple a den of thieves (Matthew 21:1[illegible]): and the Scribes and Pharisees had corrupted the doctrine of the law, transgre…

They want the Pomegranate (says Gregory Nazianzene) who have no good works. The wise men did not only bow the knee to Christ, but present him with gold myrrh and Frankincense Matthew 2. 11. Pretences of zeal are insufficient; we must not only worship Christ, but bestow something…

It is true Paul made a vow and afterward kept the same in the time of the New Testament (Acts 18), yet not as a part of God's worship but as a thing indifferent for the time, wherein he only condescended to the weakness of the Jews that by this means he might bring them the bett…

"But this he spoke of the Spirit" (John 20:23). "Then went this saying abroad among the Brethren, that that disciple (John) should not die: yet Jesus said not to him, he shall not die" — so (Matthew 2:16-18). But that Christ draws sinners by his death, was not so much controvert…

Secondly, it serves to teach us all to bemoan our own estates, or the estates of any of ours, that we yet see in the gall of bitterness, lying in an estate of nature; is it yourself, or your father, or mother, or your children or servants? Whatever he be, be he never so good a n…

As for other ordinary teachers, they are in part and in the second place to be heard as angels, and as Christ so far forth as they follow the doctrine of the Apostles. Thus are they also called the angels of the covenant (Matthew 2:7). And ambassadors in the stead of Christ (2 C…

For he was in his death a figure of Christ. The words, Matt. 2. he shall be called a Nazarite, are first spoken of Sampson, and then applied to Christ, in whome was verified that which Sampson figured. For as Sampson conquered his enemies more in his death, then in his life: eue…

For actions abide, and are of force, when words pass as the wind. Moreover, upon this depends another property of seducers, which is, to set a fair gloss upon the matter, and to make the world believe, they do these and these things, for such and such ends (as these false teache…

The Papists have also abused this place, to prove that Kings came from the East to offer gifts to Christ: wherein they show themselves too ridiculous, seeing the Prophet speaks of all sorts of people. But they snatch up without judgment all such like places wherein mention is ma…

Angels announced that “a Savior was born,” (Luke 2:11;) but their voice was only heard by the shepherds, and traveled no farther. One miracle, — everywhere published by “the wise men who came from the east,” (Matthew 2:1) that they had seen a star which proclaimed the birth of t…

For the substance of faith lay in this expectation; and it is evident, that there were few who actually cherished it in their minds. 39. They returned to Galilee The departure to Egypt, I readily acknowledge, came between those events; and the fact mentioned by Luke, that they d…

It had a very close connection with this object, that we should be informed, first, that Christ is a true man, (John 1:14,) and next, that he is “the Son of Abraham and of David,” ( Matthew 1:1 ;) as to both of which, the Lord has been pleased to give us an attestation. The othe…

Great joy as well as great sorrow transports a man in his next actions. It is said (Matthew 2:10-11) that the wise men when they found Christ, rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and presently, they fell down and worshipped him. Neither is this posture peculiar to worship in time…

2. That love to Christ, and zeal for him, holds believers stirring, and makes them send forth a sweet and savory smell. This smell is preferred to all spices, not to one or two, but to all: spices were either used as gifts, because they were precious and costly; so the Queen of…

It is not everyone's happiness thus to enjoy God, to be well-pleasing to him; some may come near with Moses, when others must worship afar off: none so capable of intimate communion with God as the well-furnished Christian: ordinarily, he that has the greatest treasure has the s…

Herod the Great, who reigned about forty years, and governed with proper royal authority, only paying homage to the Romans. But presently after Christ was born he died, as we have an account, Matthew 2:19, and Archelaus succeeded him; but was soon put down by the Roman Emperor;…

2. God will punish for sinful thoughts. We say Thoughts are free; so they are in mans Court; but God will punish for Thoughts: it was set upon Herods score, that he thought to have destroyed Christ under a pretence of worshipping him, Matthew 2:8. Let us be humbled for the sins…

(Deuteronomy 5:1) Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that you may learn them, and do them: Otherwise we deceive our own souls (James 1:22): But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls. We put a paralog…

Sometimes it signifies an imposing upon the credulity of others, things that seem incredible and impossible: so we read in Genesis, when Lot had declared to his sons-in-law the destruction of Sodom, it is said, he seemed to them as one that mocked (Genesis 19:14). Sometimes it i…

They want the pomegranate who have no good works. The wise men did not only bow the knee to Christ but presented him with gold, myrrh, and frankincense (Matthew 2:11). Pretenses of zeal are insufficient; we must not only worship Christ but bestow something upon his members.

2. True love is a love of desire, when we desire to be united to Christ as the fountain of happiness; love desires union; the soul that loves Christ, is ambitious of death, because this dissolution tends to union; death slips one knot, and ties another. 3. True love is a love of…

First, there is a carnal mourning, when we lament outward losses. Matthew 2:18: In Rama there was a voice heard, lamentation and weeping, and great mourning; Rachel weeping for her children. There are many such tears shed; many can mourn over a dead child, who cannot mourn over…

How cheerful may that man be who has taken Christ in the arms of his faith! When the wise men saw the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2:10). Christian, have you seen the Lord Jesus? Has this morning star shined into your heart?

And what ground is there to exclude nursing children? For the word in (Acts 2:39) is used as in (Matthew 2:18) and (1 Corinthians 7:14), where surely the word is taken for nursing children, of whose actual faith the Scripture speaks not. Second, the promise "to you and to your c…

There is an acquired hypocrisy in all, less or more, and a habit thereof in not a few. According to men's ways so are men white and painted hypocrites; Herod professes to worship Christ and minds to kill him (Matthew 2). And Absalom covers treason and rebellion against his fathe…

So also (Esther 2:4), (Ecclesiastes 4:15), (2 Samuel 17:25), (Genesis 30:2), (1 Kings 16:10): Zimri reigned, [in non-Latin alphabet] (Ezekiel 16:32). Joseph heard that Archelaus did reign in the room of Herod his father (Matthew 2:22). Tremellius, and Trostius both turn it, loco…

But this exception has little force, for the same preposition used in a similar construction in other places does confessedly indicate a commutation — as Romans 9:3, where Paul says he could wish himself accursed from Christ for his brethren, that is in their stead. And concerni…

Now this also our Savior himself makes apparent. Matthew 20:28: 'He came to give himself a ransom for many' — the word always supposes a substitution and exchange of one person or thing in the place of another (so Matthew 2:22). So 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Peter 3:18: 'He died for us, t…

Hebrews 1:6. Matthew 2:11. Socinus, I confess, evades the force of this argument, by denying the Divine person of Christ.

In the like manner our Saviour going by the way, meets with a young man, the only son of his mother, carried to be buried, and they wept sore (Luke 7:12-13). So Rachel wept for her children, and would not be comforted because they were not (Matthew 2:18). Though Joseph was not t…