Monthly Archive for March, 2008

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Matthew 4:5f

Published on March 21, 2008 in Matthew. 2 Comments
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Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
 
4:5
Then
The word “then” indicates sequence in Satan’s temptations.
the devil took him to the holy city
The “holy city” is Jerusalem. The devil took Jesus from the wilderness in Judah up to Jerusalem for the second temptation.
and set him on the pinnacle of the temple
The devil took Jesus to the highest point of the temple (Solomon’s Porch) towering over the Kidron Valley. It was on the very precipice of the temple overlooking the valley. It was about 300 feet above the Kidron Valley.
4:6
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down,
The devil again assumed that Jesus was the Son of God. The words “Son of God” is a title of deity. The word “if” makes an assumption of fact that Jesus is the Son of God—“if, and you are.”
Satan tempted Jesus with the use of His deity: “Prove that you are the Messiah in a spectacular fashion!” This temptation was for Jesus to create His own temptation. The peril did not exist before, but Satan wanted Him to create the peril Himself. This is presumption. Putting God to the test is not trust in God. It is the manipulation of surprise by stupendous sensation.
PRINCIPLE: Man-made sensation ultimately produces bizarre results.
APPLICATION: Some people today approach Christianity with man-made sensation. Today’s sensation is tomorrow’s commonplace event. The thrust is to attempt greater and greater sensation. This carries some people into bizarre forms of Christianity.
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Matthew 4:3f

Published on March 21, 2008 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
 
4:3
And the tempter came and said to him,
Satan now came to test Jesus with the first temptation. He would come with three temptations.
Note that Matthew referred to the devil by his function—the tempter.
The word “came” communicates local nearness. Satan came into the close purview of Jesus.
“If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”
The word “if” in the Greek means since. Satan assumed the reality that Christ was God in this temptation. The tempter tempted Jesus to act independently from the Father in the area of His Sonship. Jesus was the “Son of God” but it was not God’s will to arbitrarily turn stones into bread to satisfy His human hunger. It was the Father’s will for Jesus to hunger in His humanity.
4:4
But he answered, “It is written,
Jesus began his response to all three temptations with the words, “It is written.” All three quotes are from Deuteronomy.
The Greek for “it is written” implies that it stands written as an ongoing document from God. Deuteronomy was as valid in Jesus’ day as it was in Moses’ day. Jesus asserted the standing authority of Scripture. Jesus did not depend on His deity to challenge the tempter.
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
God’s Word is a greater source for sustaining Jesus than physical food. Bread is basic food; man cannot live simply by basic food, for he needs supernatural food as well.
The word “man” indicates Jesus would face temptation in His humanity, not His deity.
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3 in response to Satan’s temptation. Above all, He turned to the Word of God. Jesus demonstrated that principle by both His ability to quote Scripture and the particular Scripture He used—the verse itself showing the way to respond to temptation.
The words “every word” indicate the verbal inspiration of Scripture. Jesus believed Scripture to be the verbally inspired Word of God.
PRINCIPLE: Victory over sin comes from the Word of God. 
APPLICATION: Satan always tempts us to move into human viewpoint exclusive of divine viewpoint. The devil seeks to tempt us to find resource in something other than God or His Word. His timing in this is when we are at our weakest.
Jesus’ reply has to do with the way God expects us to respond to temptation. God, found in the Word of God, is the object of our faith. That is how we become alive unto God. It is the Word of God that sustains dynamic fellowship with God. Dependence on God depends on knowing the Word of God. Just as physical food goes into our body and converts into energy, so taking in the Word of God converts into spiritual energy and power.
Note the ways the tempter tempts us to sin in the first temptation:
1.    The tempter will come into our personal domain.
2.    He will come after our strengths.
3.    He will come in time of our greatest weakness.
4.    He will time his temptation for its most effective impact.
5.    He will appeal to the desires of the flesh.
6.    His appeal is to meet our own needs rather than a higher end.
7.    He tempts us to use valid things in an invalid way.
8.    He tempts us to move into human viewpoint exclusive of divine viewpoint.
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Matthew 4:2

Published on March 21, 2008 in Matthew. 2 Comments
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And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
 
4:2
And after fasting forty days and forty nights,
Before the test began, Jesus went without food for 40 days and nights. Both Moses and Elijah fasted for 40 days. The purpose of fasting is to maximize time with God.
he was hungry.
The temptation came when Jesus was in a weakened condition. That is often when temptation comes to us.
PRINCIPLE: The devil does not have power independent of God’s sovereignty.
APPLICATION: The devil does not have power independent of God’s sovereignty. God does not solicit people to evil, but He does allow the devil in His sovereignty to tempt. God will not allow the devil to tempt us beyond our capacity to resist evil.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Co 10:13
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Matthew 4:1

Published on March 21, 2008 in Matthew. 2 Comments
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Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
 
4:1
Then
The word “then” indicates chronological sequence. The Spirit of God led Jesus, immediately after the baptism, into the desert where the devil would test Him.
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
The purpose of temptation was to demonstrate Jesus’ suitability for ministry as Messiah. Temptation was not for the purpose that the Father would learn something, for the Father had already declared, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” Jesus’ temptation was for others to understand His qualifications for ministry.
The word “tempted” carries two meanings: (1) to solicit to sin, and (2) to test or prove something as valid. Jesus’ temptation was to prove His character. Jesus faced temptation as a man, not as God. He was tempted only in His humanity. 
The word “devil” means slanderer, accuser. The devil imputed something to Jesus that He was not. The devil’s purpose was to hinder Jesus from going to the cross.
And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.” Re 12:10
PRINCIPLE: God overrules Satan’s temptation for His own purposes.
APPLICATION: Was the humanity of Jesus susceptible to sin? Yes. However, His deity could never sin. His humanity faced true or real temptation. Since He did not have a sin nature or sin capacity, Satan could not appeal to something within Him to sin. Jesus was very similar to Adam and Eve in this regard—for Adam and Eve had no sin capacity. Yet they sinned. Jesus’ temptation was from outside His person. Jesus proved that He could rule Himself before He ruled others.
For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Heb 2:16-18
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:15-16
Jesus was tempted in all points like we are. This is the doctrine of the peccability verses impeccability of Christ. This is the issue of whether Christ could sin or not. The Son of God has two natures: (1) human and (2) divine. His deity is not peccable but His humanity is peccable. However, Christ lived a life of sinlessness:
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me… Jn 14:30
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Co 5:21
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 1 Pe 2:22
You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. 1 Jn 3:5

 

 

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Matthew 3:13f

Published on March 20, 2008 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
 
3:13
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.
Now, in this verse, the adult Jesus appeared on the scene for the first time. Jesus presented Himself to John for baptism. His baptism was for the purpose of launching His ministry.
3:14
John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
Jesus did not match the requirements for John’s baptism, so he questioned Jesus’ need for baptism. Jesus was the sinless lamb of God (Jn. 1:29). Jesus sought a different baptism.
3:15
But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.
Jesus indicated that He needed to be baptized now “to fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus sought to fulfill the ministry of the Father. John then baptized Jesus. Jesus fulfills all righteousness by His life, death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension.
3:16
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
This verse shows the uniqueness of Jesus’ baptism. Jesus’ office was unto His death and resurrection. His going under the water indicates His death for our sins, and His rising up out of the water indicates His resurrection and victory over sin.
3:17
and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
The Father immediately approved the baptism of Jesus as the legitimate launching of His ministry. Thus, all three members of the Trinity involved themselves in Jesus’ baptism.
PRINCIPLE: The purpose of the baptism of Jesus was to launch His office of redemption.
APPLICATION: Jesus’ baptism was not an example for our baptism. We do not “follow the Lord in baptism.” Jesus was completely without sin, so He had no need for someone to die for Him or for a baptism that represents sacrifice. His baptism was not a picture of death, burial, and resurrection, as it is for us. His baptism launched His office for public ministry as Messiah.
The doctrine of redemption is behind Jesus’ launching of His public office. He did what we could not do—pay for our sins.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”… Ga 3:13
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Matthew 3:11f

Published on March 20, 2008 in Matthew. 3 Comments
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I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
 
3:11
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry.
John set forth the worthiness of the Messiah. First-century people viewed carrying sandals as menial. There was no comparison between the Baptist and the Messiah. John was not worthy to untie the Messiah’s sandals. Jesus was “mightier” than John.
He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
There is an important distinction between the baptism of John and that of Jesus. John’s baptism was ritual water baptism identifying his followers with the coming Messiah. Jesus’ baptism would wholly surpass John’s baptism. The prophet Joel (2:28-29) gave the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is a baptism of blessing benefiting true believers. The word “fire” refers to judgment of those entering the kingdom (Malachi 3:2-5; 4:1). That will occur at the Second Coming, not the Rapture.
There are two baptisms in this passage: (1) John’s and (2) Jesus’. John’s baptism was a baptism to prepare for the coming Messiah. Jesus’ baptism was a baptism of separation of true believers from pretenders at His Second Coming after the Tribulation. Jesus’ baptism was a baptism of judgment.
Jesus’ baptism of fire is not the same as what happened on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2). It is also not the same as the baptism of the Spirit for believers (1 Co 12:12, 13).
The word “with” governs both “Holy Spirit” and “fire,” giving the one baptism of Jesus two elements. There were not two baptisms in mind here: “Holy Spirit” and “fire” were two aspects of Jesus’ one baptism.
3:12
His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
There is a separation that occurs when the winnowing fork (a large wooden shovel) tosses up grain. While the grain is in the air, the wind removes the chaff from the wheat. Wheat (believers) separates from chaff (unbelievers). The harvesters put the wheat in the barn but burn the chaff. When the Messiah comes, He will separate true believers from pretenders.
Those rejected at the Second Coming will go into everlasting judgment of “unquenchable” fire. This fire will never stop; it is the “lake of fire” of the book of Revelation.
PRINCIPLE: Our estimation of Jesus’ worth shapes our attitude of humility towards Him.
APPLICATION: Do we hold Jesus in distinction? How much worth is He in our estimation? Our estimate of Jesus shapes humility towards Him.
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Matthew 3:7f

Published on March 20, 2008 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
 
3:7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Two groups of religious leaders appeared on the scene. They were a cross between religious and political groups. The Pharisees devoted themselves to the law but they did not match their lives with the law. They were self-righteous. The Sadducees were religious skeptics who rejected the resurrection of the body, angels, and the immortality of the soul. Although these two groups opposed each other, they united against John’s message.
The Pharisees and Sadducees believed that they were routinely eligible to enter the Messiah kingdom because they were the physical sons of Abraham.
John the Baptist spoke to these leaders with exceedingly strong language. His statement about fleeing the wrath to come implied they were headed for God’s wrath. Matthew called them a “brood of vipers” or snakes in the grass. That is not a nice title for leaders! These leaders did not come open to the message but ready to judge its adequacy. They carried religious poison like the offspring of snakes.
3:8
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
Radical change involves more than religious profession and physical heritage from Abraham. “Repentance” is a change of mind that results in a change of life. Physical heritage is of little importance to God. This must have wounded the Pharisees in particular because they deemed themselves righteous; however, they were self-righteous.
3:9
And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’
Profession of faith is no big deal without attaching a change of life to the profession. These leaders presumed that their physical descent from Abraham was all that was necessary to make them sons of Abraham.
for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.
God can save stones as easily as save these religious leaders. Stones appear to be dead, so the religious leaders were dead.
3:10
Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees.
John proclaimed that God was in the process of judging Israel. The “trees” (those people in Israel) were not bearing fruit. Root and fruit go together. It is necessary to have the right kind of tree (root) to bear fruit; otherwise, God would judge Israel.
Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
God would reject Israel if they did not accept the message of the Messiah.
PRINCIPLE: Religion in itself offers nothing to God.
APPLICATION: Religion that views itself as intrinsic to itself has no value in God’s eyes. Many people today think that because they are religious they are acceptable to God. No, it is not religion; it is the message that counts. It is the Messiah that saves, not some religious system.
What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone… Ro 9:30-32
Religion seeks to establish its own righteousness rather than rest in the righteousness of Christ.
For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Ro 10:3-4
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Matthew 3:1f

Published on March 20, 2008 in Matthew. 3 Comments
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In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
 
3:1
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
Now we jump 30 years from chapter two to the days of John the Baptist. John the Baptist was the introducer of the Messiah. John introduced his ministry in the arid desert of Judea. John was six months older than his cousin Jesus.
Kings of old usually had a herald who ran before them announcing their coming. Malachi prophesied that a messenger (John the Baptist) would come ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way for His coming. He was the forerunner to the Messiah.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.” Mal 3:1
3:2
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John’s message consisted of two parts: (1) repentance and (2) a coming kingdom. It was a message to the Jews.
The word “repent” means to change the mind. It does not mean to feel sorry for sins. The idea is to reverse direction of belief from one’s own ideas to God’s belief system. Repentance means to change from believing one thing to believing another thing. The act of believing is the essence of repenting. Confessing sins is the result, not the cause, of repentance. The cause of repenting is Christ and His message.
The people of Israel needed to change their mind about their conventional religious systems. God had not spoken for 400 years, during the period between the Old and New Testaments. Now a new message came with John the Baptist: The Messiah was coming. It was a message very different than the message of the Pharisees or Sadducees. It was a message with a whole new construct, for John announced Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah. This was time of great fulfillment of the Old Testament.
John announced a coming ruling earthly kingdom. God would rule on earth. Jesus would rule over the earth as King Jesus, King of the World.
The words “at hand” meant that the kingdom would come when Christ came. The kingdom was approaching and was a present reality. The kingdom was present in the person of the King. There was a present reality of the kingdom in Matthew’s day.
The phrase “kingdom of heaven” carries the idea of the rule of heavens over earth. This is the first occurrence of this term in Matthew and occurs only in Matthew. The phrase “kingdom of God” occurs in all four gospels. There is very little difference in meaning between these terms. Christ does not reign over the world today. He will come one day to rule over the world. The kingdom is an intrusion of God’s power into history. This kingdom will culminate in the final Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth.
3:3
For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
John’s message fulfilled Isaiah 40:3. All four gospels relate this message to Isaiah (Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4-6; John 1:23). Isaiah 40:3 relates to highway construction laborers clearing the way in the desert for Israel to return from the Babylonian Captivity in 537 B.C. John the Baptist in a similar fashion prepared the way for the return of the Lord. He prepared the remnant to embrace the Messiah.
The word “crying” does not mean to cry as with tears. The idea is to announce something with certainty. “Make his paths straight” refers to repaired and smoothed roads.
3:4
Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
John looked like a vagrant. He dressed like Elijah in rough, coarse clothing. He ate basic foods because he had a basic message. He stood in stark contrast to people consumed by materialism.
3:5
Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him,
Great numbers of people went to the desert to hear John preach. He did not go to them. This baptism represented repentance, a change of mind, from current religious viewpoint to believing in Christ as the Messiah.
3:6
and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Some believed John’s message and accepted baptism. In doing this, they confessed their sins. John’s baptism was not the same as Christian baptism. John’s baptism anticipated the coming Messiah.
PRINCIPLE: The messages of the kingdom and the church are different.
APPLICATION: The kingdom is not the same as the church. The kingdom began when Christ launched His public ministry. It was a message to Israel. The church began on the day of Pentecost (Ac 2).
We cannot “follow the Lord in baptism” because His baptism was a baptism unto His role as Messiah-King. It was a baptism into an office.
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Matthew 2:19f

Published on March 19, 2008 in Matthew. 0 Comments
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Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’
 
2:19
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Herod died in extreme pain. He died in 4 B.C. After his death the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph again with further instruction to return to Israel.
2:20, 21
saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
Herod and his cohorts died, so Joseph could return to Israel. The family may have been in Egypt for a year.
2:22
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
Joseph moved to Galilee because of the viciousness of Archelaus, Herod’s son. Archelaus was another brutal ruler. He murdered 3,000 people in the Temple with one fell swoop.
2:23
And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”
The Old Testament never mentions Nazareth. Nazarene means root shoot, branch. To call someone a Nazarene was a term of contempt. For the fourth time in this chapter Matthew relates the events of Christ’s birth and early life to prophets. There are a lot of things the prophets said that are not recorded in the Old Testament. Here the reference to Nazarene means that Christ would be treated with contempt, for he had a nickname of reproach from where he grew up.
Matthew uses the word “prophets” in the plural to show that he does not refer to a specific prophecy.
This verse shows that the main reason God led Joseph to come to Nazareth was because it was a despised place.
For we have found this man a plague, one who stirs up riots among all the Jews throughout the world and is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. Ac 24:5
But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!” Ps 22:6-8
He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Is 53:3
PRINCIPLE: No Christian should be surprised that the world despises him.
APPLICATION: The Old Testament said that the Messiah would be despised, so it should be no surprise that men despise us.
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. Jn 15:18-20
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Matthew 2:16f

Published on March 19, 2008 in Matthew. 2 Comments
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Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.’
 
2:16
Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
This is the only record in the Bible of Herod’s killing of children two and under. The words “exceedingly angry” mean that Herod burned with rage. This was consistent with his assassination of close associates and family members.
2:17
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
Killing of children at Christ’s birth was a parallel to Jeremiah 31:15. Jeremiah’s statement referred to Israel weeping for children at the time of the Babylonian Captivity (586 B.C.). This was a prophecy 600 years before Christ. It was a figurative reference to the Bethlehem event.
The words “was fulfilled” at first appear to indicate a direct fulfillment of prophecy; however, the words draw a general relationship to those who grieved in Babylon. The context of Jeremiah’s prophecy is hope.
2:18
“A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more.”
God promised Jeremiah that, although there was weeping in Israel, He would give hope by redeeming Israel back. He did this 70 years later.
Ramah was a village five miles north of Jerusalem. Israel associated Ramah with weeping because the deportations into captivity took place from there. The mothers of Israel wept because foreign conquerors took their children.
PRINCIPLE: God’s providence overrules evil actions of men and gives hope in the ultimate victory in Christ.
APPLICATION: God will redeem Israel again in the Millennial Kingdom (Ro 11:26). There is still hope because the Messiah will do what the Old Testament covenants prophesied.
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