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Matthew 2: 8-11 Magi and the child in the house
1. House or stable
Let us now look at the issue of whether Jesus was in a "
stable" or "
house" when visited by the magi.
2. The appearance of the star
Matthew 2:7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. [kjv]
τοτε ηρωδης λαθρα καλεσας τους μαγους ηκριβωσεν παρ αυτων τον χρονον του φαινομενου αστερος [gnt]
… magis … apparuit … [v]
Because Herod assumed the star appeared when the baby was born, many others since then have made the same assumption. This assumption requires the Magi to arrive much later in the story.
[magistrate]
3. Jonah
God prepared a big fish for Jonah. God could have had the star appear years before to give time for the Magi to make the trip (from Parthia).
4. Matthew 2:7
KJV: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
Greek: τοτε ηρωδης λαθρα καλεσας τους μαγους ηκριβωσεν παρ αυτων τον χρονον του φαινομενου αστερος
Latin: tunc Herodes clam vocatis magis diligenter didicit ab eis tempus stellae quae apparuit eis
5. Finding the young child
Matthew 2:8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. [kjv]
και πεμψας αυτους εις βηθλεεμ ειπεν πορευθεντες εξετασατε ακριβως περι του παιδιου επαν δε ευρητε απαγγειλατε μοι οπως καγω ελθων προσκυνησω αυτω [gnt]
… puero … adorem … [v]
The Greek implies a child from birth to about 12 years old.
Latin word slide:
The Latin word "puer" ≈ "child" implies child and not an infant.
The Latin word "infans" ≈ "infant" and means, literally, "not speaking" and is the source, through French and/or Spanish of the English word "infantry".
6. Song: First Noel
Written in England, 1823, by Davies Gilbert.
Music by William Sandys, 1833, from other popular tunes, including some drinking tunes.
Criticized for Biblical inaccuracies, repetition, simple peasant words and phrasings
What do you notice about "ABCDEFGHIJKMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"?
No el
7. Verse 1
The First Noel the angel did say
Was to certain poor shepherds
in fields as they lay;
In fields as they lay, keeping their sheep,
On a cold winter's night that was so deep.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
* It was spring or fall, not winter.
8. Verse 2
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the east beyond them far,
And to the earth it gave great light,
And so it continued both day and night.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
* From their perspective, the star would have been shining in the west.
9. Verse 3
And by the light of that same star
Three wise men came from country far;
To seek for a king was their intent,
And to follow the star wherever it went.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
* It is not known that there were three. They were magi, not wise men.
10. Verse 4
This star drew nigh to the northwest,
O'er Bethlehem it took it rest,
And there it did both stop and stay
Right over the place where Jesus lay.
Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,
Born is the King of Israel.
* Bethlehem is to the southwest of Jerusalem.
11. Finding the young child
Matthew 2:9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. [kjv]
The "
star" led them to the "
young child" Jesus. We are not told if this is Bethlehem or some other place.
Do UFO's exist? The Greek idea of a "
star" was much more general than the technical definition of today.
12. Song: Away in the manger
Martin Luther wrote many songs, one of which is "
Von Himmel hoch, da komm ich her", which in English is "
From highest heaven, I come here".
[Kristkind, Cris Kringle]
1883: Lutheran Church song for 400th anniversary birth of Luther.
Not true: Luther wrote it. Claim: German mothers sing it to their babies.
World War I: new Welsh melody.
Both melodies can be used without offending some.
Did Mary and Joseph determine how heavy the baby Jesus was?
Yes, there was a weigh in the manger. Was He worth the wait?
13. Verse 1 and 2
Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
The cattle are *lowing, the baby awakes,
But little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.
I love Thee, Lord Jesus, look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle 'til morning is nigh.
The word *lowing is related Latin "clamor" and Greek for "called out" as in "a gathering of believers".
14. Matthew 2:8
KJV: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
Greek: και πεμψας αυτους εις βηθλεεμ ειπεν πορευθεντες ακριβως εξετασατε ακριβως περι του παιδιου επαν δε ευρητε απαγγειλατε μοι οπως καγω ελθων προσκυνησω αυτω
Latin: et mittens illos in Bethleem dixit ite et interrogate diligenter de puero et cum inveneritis renuntiate mihi ut et ego veniens adorem eum
15. Matthew 2:9
KJV: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
Greek: οι δε ακουσαντες του βασιλεως επορευθησαν και ιδου ο αστηρ ον ειδον εν τη ανατολη προηγεν αυτους εως ελθων εστη εσταθη επανω ου ην το παιδιον
16. Matthew 2: 8-11 Magi and the child in the house
Matthew 2:10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. [kjv]
2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [kjv]
Many nativity scenes show the shepherds and the magi at the birth of Jesus. When and where did the magi visit the "
young child" in the "
house"?
They "
rejoiced" with great "
joy" could be read as that they "
greeted" it as a great "
favor". In context, they were probably happy about that favor.
17. Matthew 2:10
KJV: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
Greek: ιδοντες δε τον αστερα εχαρησαν χαραν μεγαλην σφοδρα
18. The young child in the house
Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [kjv]
The gifts were, gold, frankincense, but wait, there's myrrh!
The "
gift" of "
gold", would be useful in the unplanned trip to Egypt.
Here we are interested in the "
house" and the "
young child".
19. Matthew 2:11
KJV: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
Greek: και ελθοντες εις την οικιαν ευρον ειδον το παιδιον μετα μαριας της μητρος αυτου και πεσοντες προσεκυνησαν αυτω και ανοιξαντες τους θησαυρους αυτων προσηνεγκαν αυτω δωρα χρυσον και λιβανον και σμυρναν
20. The young child in the house
Matthew: (Magi,
unknown days old)
Matthew 2:11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. [kjv]
και ελθοντες εις την οικιαν ειδον το παιδιον μετα μαριας της μητρος αυτου και πεσοντες προσεκυνησαν αυτω και ανοιξαντες τους θησαυρους αυτων προσηνεγκαν αυτω δωρα χρυσον και λιβανον και σμυρναν [gnt]
Luke: (Mary and Joseph,
eight days old)
Luke 2:27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, [kjv]
και ηλθεν εν τω πνευματι εις το ιερον και εν τω εισαγαγειν τους γονεις το παιδιον ιησουν του ποιησαι αυτους κατα το ειθισμενον του νομου περι αυτου [gnt]
Many people assume, as Herod had assumed, that this happened a year or so after the birth. The reasoning for this often includes the following.
They visited Jesus in a "house" and not the "inn" or "stable".
Jesus was a "young child" and not a "newborn baby".
21. Magi
Let us return to the questions.
Question: Did the magi visit Jesus in a "
house" or in a "
stable"?
Answer: The magi could have visited baby Jesus in Bethlehem when the "
guest room" in the "
house" became available. It could have been at a later date and different place.
Question: Did the magi visit Jesus as a "
young child" or as a "
newborn baby"?
Answer: The Greek word is the same for both "
young child" and "
newborn baby" so it could have been soon after the birth or at some later time.
22. Child
There are several ancient Greek words for child.
"τέκνον" ≈ "child" and comes from the root of building or making something. In this case, a child as a created being from God.
"παῖς" ≈ "child, servant" is one who is to learn from and follow the example of a parent (or teacher or master).
"παιδίον" ≈ "small child" of any age up to about 12 (due to the diminutive suffix).
Jesus and John and Paul (and others) will often use the word for "
child" when referring to a believer (of any age).
Another ancient Greek word is
"βρέφος" ≈ "unborn baby, baby, infant".
23. End of page
