Main Idea: The coming of Jesus reveals the desires of our heart and invites us to worship the true King.
This passage reveals 4 responses to the birth of the true “King of the Jews”:
I. Threatened By the King (2:1-3a)
The ‘wise men’ (Magi) were Gentile, pagan astronomers who followed a star to the place where they assumed the new “King of the Jews” would be born: Jerusalem
Herod (“The Great”) was a violent, paranoid, and oppressive ruler over Judea. He is “troubled” (lit. ‘disturbed’) by the news of a new King, since the birth of Jesus was a political threat to his power.
“If you want to be king, and someone else comes along saying he is the king, then one of you has to give in. Only one person can sit on an absolute throne… Jesus is calling for an allegiance to him so supreme that it makes all other commitments look weak by comparison. It is a claim of absolutely authority, a summons to unconditional loyalty, and it inevitably triggers deep resistance within the human heart.” ~ Tim Keller
“Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you… Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.” ~ Andrew Murray
II. Anxious About the King (2:3b)
“All Jerusalem with [Herod]” were also “troubled” by the news of the newborn King. They are likely troubled for 2 reasons:
If Herod is troubled, all of Jerusalem will be troubled with him
The announcement of the true King of the Jews will result in a “shaking” of the status quo
Haggai 2:7: And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures (‘desires’ in KJV) of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts.
III. Apathetic Toward the King (2:4-6)
Though the Scribes & Chief Priests (who were polarized politically & theologically) pinpoint the exact prophecy from Micah 5:2 about the Christ being born in Bethlehem, they are spiritually indifferent to this news. They do not go and investigate this claim & their hearts remain unaffected.
Matthew 15:7–9: You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:
‘This people honors me with their lips,
But their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” ~ C.S. Lewis
IV. Worshipping the King (2:7-12)
The only group to respond appropriately to the news of the birth of Jesus are the Gentile, pagan Magi. This is foreshadowing and fulfilling the work of the Messiah who will reign not only over Israel but over every tribe, tongue, nation, and people (cf. Micah 5:2-5).
Isaiah 60:1-3: Arise, shine, for your light has come,
And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
And thick darkness the peoples;
But the LORD will arise upon you,
And his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
The worship of the wise men invites us to worship in 3 ways:
1. We worship joyfully (2:10)
2. We worship humbly (2:11a)
“Christ is always born in Bethlehem among the little ones. Big hearts never get Christ inside of them; Christ lives not in great hearts, but in little ones. Mighty and proud spirits never have Jesus Christ, for he comes in at low doors, but he will not come in at high ones. He who has a broken heart, and a low spirit, shall have the Savior, but none else.” ~ Charles Spurgeon
3. We worship generously (2:11b; cf. Isa. 60:6)
