Matthew 2
A little over a year ago, I was shopping for an engagement ring for my beautiful wife Kelsey. I'll never forget the experience. It was foreign soil for me. Diamonds, settings, karats ... they might as well have been speaking Chinese. I was way out of my league - thank God she gave me pictures! I had a great jeweler and an awesome brother to accompany me. Needless to say, things went well. Almost six months into my marriage.
Anyways, what really intrigued me was the point where I got to pick out the diamond. I had never known the complexities and intricacies of gemology. No one diamond was alike; and for each diamond you observed, there were numerous cuts which revealed its beauty and gave it it's shine. To pick out the right diamond, you had to turn it and look at it from several different angles just to get a full-view that would give it justice. One look wouldn't do - you had to see it over and over again. It was absolutely captivating.
These past few chapters, Matthew has been functioning as a jeweler. As if handing a diamond to his audience - he presents Jesus; giving us different angles and views. As a jeweler presents his diamonds, so Matthew presents Jesus. We get a full-view of His identity in all its shining glory. One look won't do - we have to see Him over and over again from different angles and perspectives; and I promise you, when you see Him for what He is- its absolutely captivating.
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I. Jesus He's Our Promised King (2:1-23)
While the genealogy of chapter 1 set us up for this , Matthew 2 makes it clear - Jesus is our King. He's not just king over the people of Israel, but king over all humanity. Even pagan magi who come from the far-east recognize this Jesus as King. But what is interesting is that this king is so absolutely ... 'un-kingly'!
If you read chapter 2 its clear that there is a character contrast between Herod king of the Jews and Jesus king of humanity (including Herod). Herod is the epitome of what one would expect a king to look like. He has power. He has a kingly court with whom he has the capability to scheme and control in order to keep power and 'protect' the people. Herod is kingly.
But then there's Jesus, a child-king. Born in a remote city to a family of little repute. Not received in any royal fashion by his own people but instead crowned by pagans from the East. Jesus who has to flee from the power and rage of Herod to Egypt. Jesus, a king on the run. Quite ... 'un-kingly'
But you see, I think this is the very point that Matthew - and God for that matter - is making! That we have so misunderstood power and authority in this world that when God presents true human power and authority, when He sets up His King - the true King, we are taken so completely by surprise. He looks absolutely foreign to us. He is so 'un-kingly' because our ideas of true Kingship are so off the mark!
II. Jesus. The Great Recycler! (Matthew 2:1-23)
Its very interesting that all throughout chapter 2, Matthew highlights events in Jesus' childhood that were experienced in former days by Israel and it's leadership. Notice:
When we discussed some of these things in our youth group two different points of connection were made. I'll just mention them briefly in hopes that they spark reflection in your own time:
1. Jesus drastically redefines our world's understanding of power and authority.
2. If Jesus brought the New Kingdom of God and closed out the Old way of the Law - it'll be hell trying to live by the Old. Interestingly probably quite a bit like what Paul was saying ... (Pssh! and people say Paul and Jesus don't agree ... )
These past few chapters, Matthew has been functioning as a jeweler. As if handing a diamond to his audience - he presents Jesus; giving us different angles and views. As a jeweler presents his diamonds, so Matthew presents Jesus. We get a full-view of His identity in all its shining glory. One look won't do - we have to see Him over and over again from different angles and perspectives; and I promise you, when you see Him for what He is- its absolutely captivating.
---------------
I. Jesus He's Our Promised King (2:1-23)
While the genealogy of chapter 1 set us up for this , Matthew 2 makes it clear - Jesus is our King. He's not just king over the people of Israel, but king over all humanity. Even pagan magi who come from the far-east recognize this Jesus as King. But what is interesting is that this king is so absolutely ... 'un-kingly'!
If you read chapter 2 its clear that there is a character contrast between Herod king of the Jews and Jesus king of humanity (including Herod). Herod is the epitome of what one would expect a king to look like. He has power. He has a kingly court with whom he has the capability to scheme and control in order to keep power and 'protect' the people. Herod is kingly.
But then there's Jesus, a child-king. Born in a remote city to a family of little repute. Not received in any royal fashion by his own people but instead crowned by pagans from the East. Jesus who has to flee from the power and rage of Herod to Egypt. Jesus, a king on the run. Quite ... 'un-kingly'
But you see, I think this is the very point that Matthew - and God for that matter - is making! That we have so misunderstood power and authority in this world that when God presents true human power and authority, when He sets up His King - the true King, we are taken so completely by surprise. He looks absolutely foreign to us. He is so 'un-kingly' because our ideas of true Kingship are so off the mark!
II. Jesus. The Great Recycler! (Matthew 2:1-23)
Its very interesting that all throughout chapter 2, Matthew highlights events in Jesus' childhood that were experienced in former days by Israel and it's leadership. Notice:
Wisdom from pagan nations comes to see King Jesus
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The pagan Queen of Sheba comes to hear the wisdom of King Solomon
Jesus flees from hardship to Egypt
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Jacob (Israel) flees from hardship to Egypt
Jesus flees Herod's power hungry jealous murder
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The pagan Queen of Sheba comes to hear the wisdom of King Solomon
Jesus flees from hardship to Egypt
||
Jacob (Israel) flees from hardship to Egypt
Jesus flees Herod's power hungry jealous murder
||
Moses flees pharaoh's power hungry jealous murder
It's very interesting that Matthew sees in Jesus a sort of recycling of Israel's past experiences. That in Jesus, Matthew seems to think that all the past of Israel has been summed up and concluded; that Jesus is the embodiment and the perfection of what Israel should have been. Matthew seems to be saying that Jesus has culminated the Old and made things New. He's the great recycler!
This New thing that Jesus brings is the very Kingdom of God; but we're getting ahead of ourselves. John the Baptist is about to enter stage right and introduce this coming of the Kingdom. Until then we'll have to be content knowing that Jesus - in all His Kingly glory - as true humanity and as true divinity - culminates the Old and ushers the New Kingdom of God. This is Matthew's introduction. King forever, Lord of all. Amen!
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This New thing that Jesus brings is the very Kingdom of God; but we're getting ahead of ourselves. John the Baptist is about to enter stage right and introduce this coming of the Kingdom. Until then we'll have to be content knowing that Jesus - in all His Kingly glory - as true humanity and as true divinity - culminates the Old and ushers the New Kingdom of God. This is Matthew's introduction. King forever, Lord of all. Amen!
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1. Jesus drastically redefines our world's understanding of power and authority.
2. If Jesus brought the New Kingdom of God and closed out the Old way of the Law - it'll be hell trying to live by the Old. Interestingly probably quite a bit like what Paul was saying ... (Pssh! and people say Paul and Jesus don't agree ... )
//ExProfundis//
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