In Matthew 2:6 the scribes tell Herod with great assurance that the Christ would be born in Bethlehem. It was well known among the Jews that the Christ would come from Bethlehem (see John 7:42). It is only fitting that Bethlehem, meaning the house of bread, should be the birthplace of the one who is the Bread of Life.
GOD now eliminates all the cities in the world, save one, for the entrance of His incarnate Son.
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11. PRESENTED WITH GIFTS
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"Let the kings of Tarshish and of the islands bring presents; The kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts."
Psalms 72:10 (Also see Isaiah 60:6.)
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"...Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem...and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts..."
Matthew 2:1,11
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The historic application of this passage is to Solomon. The Messianic application is amplified in verses 12-15 (Psalms 72).
The inhabitants of Seba and Sheba, the Sabeans, lived in Arabia. Matthew Henry says about Matthew 2:1,11 that the wise men were "men of the east, who were noted for their soothsaying (Isa. 2:6). Arabia is called the land of the east (Gen. 25:6) and the Arabians are called, Men of the east (Judg. 6:3). The presents they brought were the products of that country..."
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12. HEROD KILLS CHILDREN
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"Thus says the LORD, 'A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.' "
Jeremiah 31:15
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"Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its environs, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the magi."
Matthew 2:16
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The dispersion and extermination of Israel is spoken of in Jeremiah 31:17,18. What does Herod murdering the infants of Bethlehem have to do with the deportation? Was Matthew mistaken when he viewed Jeremiah's prophecy being fulfilled in Herod's atrocities (Matthew 2:17,18) or the murder of the innocents as a type of the destruction of Israel or Judah? Laetsch says, "No. Certainly not. The entire context of ch. 31, beginning ch. 30:20 and continuing to ch. 33:26, is Messianic. The four chapters speak of the approach of the L
ORD's salvation, of the coming of Messiah to re-establish the Kingdom of David in the form of a new covenant, of which forgiveness of sins is to be the foundation (ch. 31:31-34); a kingdom in which every weary and sorrowful foul shall be fully comforted (vv. 12-14,25). As an example of this comfort the L
ORD introduces the consolation to be extended to others who had suffered great loss for the sake of Christ, the cruel murder of their infant sons."
Prophecies Concerning His Nature
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13. HIS PRE-EXISTENCE
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."
Micah 3:2 (Also see Is. 9:6,7; 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Ps. 102:25; Prov. 8:22,23)
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"And He is before [or, has existed prior to] all things, and in Him all things hold together."
Colossians 1:17 (Also see John 1:1,2; 8:58; 17:5,24; Rev. 1:17; 2:8; 22:13.)
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Jewish source:
Targum Isaiah says, "The prophet saith to the house of David, A child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and He has taken the law upon Himself to keep it, and His name has been called from of old, Wonderful counsellor, Mighty G
OD, He who lives forever, the Anointed one (or Messiah), in whose days peace shall increase upon us' (Isaiah 9:6).
Jewish source: Targum Isaiah states: "Thus saith the LORD, the King of Israel, and his saviour the LORD of hosts; I am He, I am He that is from of old; yea, the everlasting ages are mine, and beside me there is no GOD" (Isaiah 44:6).
Hengstenberg says about Micah 5:2, "The existence of the Messiah in general, before His temporal birth at Bethlehem, is asserted; and then His eternity in contrast with all time is mentioned here."
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14. HE SHALL BE CALLED LORD
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"The LORD says to my LORD: 'Sit at My right hand, Until I make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet.' "
Psalms 110:1 (Also see Jer. 23:6.)
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"For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the LORD."
Luke 2:11
"He said to them, 'Then how does David in the Spirit call Him "LORD," saying, "The LORD said to my LORD, 'Sit at My right hand, until I put Thine enemies beneath Thy feet.' " If David then calls Him "LORD," how is He his son?' "
Matthew 22:43-45
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Jewish source: The
Midrash Tehillim, Commentary on Psalms, 200-500 AD, says on Psalms 32:3: "G
OD calls King Messiah by His own name. But what is His name? Answer: Jehovah is a man of war" (Exodus 15:3).
Jewish source: Echa Rabbathi, 200-500 (Lamentations in Large Commentary on Pentateuch and five scrolls), on Lamentations 1:16: " 'What is the name of Messiah?' R. Abba ben Cahana (200-300 AD) has said: Jehovah is His name, and this is proved by 'This is His name' " (Jeremiah 23:6).
"The LORD said unto my LORD. 'Jehovah said unto Adonai,' or 'my LORD,' - i.e., the LORDof David, not in his merely personal capacity, but as representative of Israel, literal and spiritual. It is because he addresses Him as Israel's and the Church's LORD, that Christ in the three Gospels quotes it. 'David calls Him LORD,' not 'His LORD.' "
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15. SHALL BE IMMANUEL (GOD With Us)
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel."
Isaiah 7:14
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" 'Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,' which translated means, 'GOD with us.' "
Matthew 1:23 (Also see Luke 7:16.)
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Jewish source:
Targum Isaiah on Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore the L
ORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold a damsel is with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
Delitzsch says about Isaiah 9:6 the following, "There is no reason why we should take El in this name of the Messiah in any other sense than in Immanu-El; not to mention the fact that El in Isaiah is always a name of GOD, and that the prophet was ever strongly conscious of the antithesis between El and Adam, as ch. 31:3 (cf. Hosea 11:9) clearly shows."
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16. SHALL BE A PROPHET
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him."
Deuteronomy 18:18
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"And the multitudes were saying, 'This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.' "
Matthew 21:11 (Also see Luke 7:16; John 4:19; 6:14; 7:40.)
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Jewish source: The Jewish scholar, Maimonides, in a letter to the community of Yemen, denounces a purporter of the Messiahship by writing: "The Messiah will be a very great Prophet, greater than all the Prophets with the exception of Moses our teacher...His status will be higher than that of the Prophets and more honourable, Moses alone excepted. The Creator, blessed by He, will single him out with features wherewith He had not singled out Moses; for it is said with reference to him, 'And his delight shall be in the fear of the L
ORD; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears' " (Isaiah 11:3).
Christ compared to Moses:
- He was delivered from a violent death in His infancy.
- He was willing to become Redeemer of His people (Exodus 3:10).
- He worked as mediator between Yahweh and Israel (Exodus 19:16; 20:18).
- He made intercession on behalf of sinful people (Exodus 32:7-14,33; Numbers 14:11-20).
"Sir, I perceive that Thou art a prophet" (John 4:19, KJV).
Kligerman says, "The use of the term 'prophet' by the Jews of Jesus' day shows not only that they expected the Messiah to be a prophet in accordance with the promise in Deuteronomy eighteen, but also that He who performed these miracles was indeed the Promised Prophet."
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
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17. PRIEST
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, 'Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.' "
Psalms 110:4
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"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession."
Hebrews 3:1
"So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, 'Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee'; just as He says also in another passage, 'Thou art a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.' "
Hebrews 5:5,6
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"The final victory of Messiah's people over the world and Satan is...certain. The oath of G
OD did not accompany the Aaronic priesthood, as it does our Melchizedek-like Priest, who 'is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.' 'After the order of Melchizedek' is explained, Heb. 7:15, 'after the similitude of Melchizedek.' The oath of covenant on the part of the Father to the Son is for the comfort of Messiah's people. Uzziah's punishment for his usurpation of the functions of priest shows that David cannot be the King-Priest here described (II Chron. 26:16-21). The extraordinary oath of G
OD shows that the King-Priesthood here is something unparalleled. David died, but this Melchizedek-like Priest lives forever. Zech. 6:9-15, especially 13, similarly describes Messiah - 'He shall sit and rule upon His throne, and He shall be a Priest upon His throne.' "
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18. JUDGE
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"For the LORD is our judge, The LORD is our lawgiver, The LORD is our king; He will save us..."
Isaiah 33:22
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"I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."
John 5:30 (Also see II Tim. 4:1)
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Jewish source:
Targum Isaiah on Isaiah 33:22 says, "For the L
ORD is our judge, who brought us out of Egypt by his might; the L
ORD is our teacher, who gave us the instruction of his law from Sinai; the L
ORD is our King, he shall deliver us, and execute a righteous vengeance for us on the armies of Gog."
"...Judge...lawgiver...King - perfect ideal of theocracy, to be realized under Messiah alone: the judicial, legislative, and administrative functions as King, to be exercised by Him in person (Isaiah 11:4; 32:1; James 4:12)."
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19. KING
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PROPHECY
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FULFILLMENT
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"But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain."
Psalms 2:6 (Also see Zech. 9:9; Jer. 23:5)
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"And they put up above His head the charge against Him which read, 'This is Jesus the King of the Jews.' "
Matthew 27:37 (also see Matt. 21:5; John 18:33-38)
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