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aving concluded with Luke’s (Luk 2:12,16). Second, Herod’s target was
material on the birth narrative of children under the age of two (Mat 2:16).
Hthe Savior, we move to Matthew Third, the wise men saw the star appear-
for these final two articles. We find Joseph ing before they made the long trek to
and Mary still in Bethlehem (Mat 2:16), Jerusalem (vv1,7).
2
but they are no longer in the stable but in Just who these wise men were has been
a “house” (v11). That a significant amount the subject of much debate. We like to
of time has elapsed since Christ’s birth picture them in colorful garb, preferably
1
is evident for at least three reasons. First, riding on camels, but none of these details
the Lord Jesus is now referred to as “the are given. Matthew identifies them using
young child” (vv9,11) rather than “babe” the Greek word magos, found also in Acts
to describe Simon the sorcerer (8:9) and
1 Modern scholars place the date of Christ’s birth Elymas the sorcerer (13:6,8). John Milton
anywhere from 7 B.C. to 4 B.C., while Herod referred to them as “Star-led Wizards.” It
the Great was still alive. “The puzzling dating
… is due to mistakes made when the Christian might be going too far to lump them in
calendar was instituted in 525 C.E. by Dionysius
Exiguus” [David L. Turner, Matthew: Baker 2 R.T. France, Matthew: Tyndale New Testament
Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B.
(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2008), 78]. Eerdmans, 1985), 81.
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