Herod the King Troubled Matthew 2:3

Matthew shared what happened, “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the 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 to worship him.”, and in chapter two and verse three of his book, Matthew shares how, “Herod the king...was troubled” where we read:

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

The verse reads, “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, ...” Matthew began with the word, “when” which means “at the time and moment” “Herod” or “Herod the Great was the son of Antipater of Idumaea. Appointed king of Judaea B.C. 40 by the Roman Senate at the suggestion of Antony and with the consent of Octavian, he at length overcame the great opposition which the country made to him and took possession of the kingdom B.C. 37 whose name means heroic” “the king” or “leader of the people, prince, commander and lord of the land” “had heard” which means “was endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf, understood and perceived the sense of what was said” “these things” or “the circumstances and Herod was agitated, disquieted, made restless and stirred up”. Matthew shared how “Herod” was “agitated and restless” when he heard about the “star” and the “King of the Jews”.

The verse continues, “... and all Jerusalem with him.” Matthew added the words, ““and all Jerusalem” which means “and each, every, the whole and everyone in Jerusalem which means set you double peace” “with him” or “alongside and by Herod the king”. Matthew added how the entire city of Jerusalem was also made “restless and agitated” at the announcement of the “wise men”.

When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see the effect the “wise mens'” news had upon King Herod and the entire city of Jerusalem. No doubt the news concerning a “King of the Jews” stirred the minds of everyone because of the conditions of their day. “Herod” was known to be a paranoid tyrant, and the thought of any “King” arising on the scene was an immediate threat to his reign. God knew all these things in advance, and because He purposed to send His Son as the Messiah and “Savior” of the world, He used the reactions of King Herod and the people of Jerusalem to further His cause. Let all who read these words consider our Great God and His plan to bring His “Savior Jesus” into the world.

Next time Matthew shares how Herod, “demanded of” the wise men “where Christ should be born”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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