Matthew 2 is a very “Jewish” chapter in the Gospel narratives. What do I mean by that? Matthew is a Jewish man, writing to a primarily Jewish audience, trying to proclaim the Jewish Messiah to a Jewish nation, using Jewish Scripture: that’s what I mean. When this chapter is taught by any decent expositor of Scripture, it is shown how Jesus was the fulfillment of many promises in the Bible.

Vs. 6 is a prophecy fulfilled about Jesus the “shepherd for God’s people” (Micah 5:2) coming from Bethlehem.

Vs. 15 is to fulfill the prophecy about Jesus being called “out of Egypt” (Hosea 11:1) after Mary and Joseph are fleeing in fear for Jesus’ life.

Vs. 18 is to fulfill a prophetic verse about “weeping and lamentation” (Jeremiah 31:15) when Herod kills all the male children under 2 years of age.

Vs. 23 refers back to another promise that the Messiah would “be called a Nazarene” which was without specific reference, but commonly held that the prophets had proclaimed this as well. That is why there is no reference (or footnote) in most Bibles for this. It may even represent more about Jesus being despised as were all Nazarenes.

All this to say that if you were a Jewish believer in the God of the Hebrew Bible, you would be hard pressed to explain all these away as coincidence! So, this becomes a very powerful “Jewish message”.

However, there is another story going on. Beyond the “Jewishness” of the Matthew’s prophetic fulfillments, there is also a story about the response of people to Jesus’ birth. Two characters are in this story, and both have very different responses to the birth of Jesus.

The first character is the group of Magi (or “wise men”) that discover the birth Jesus by noting the star they had seen. Matthew 2:2 tells us that these Magi come to “worship [Jesus]”. Many on hearing or seeing Jesus for the first time are compelled to do just that – worship. Though, there is another response too.

Herod receives this news from the wise men that have come to worship the King who has come. They tell Herod this news, and Herod (this would be Herod the Great) seeks to kill the newborn Christ. He goes so far as to kill every newborn male child who is under 2 years of age. This is how desperate Herod is.

My question is what is Herod afraid of? Is it the prophecy of the “King of the Jews”? Does this threaten Herod’s way of life? His status? His throne? What is it that is so deeply a part of Herod that Jesus threatens?

Here is a better question: what is it about Jesus that stops you from joining the Magi in worship? What are you afraid you will have to give up if you worship Jesus?

I know in my life I was slow in coming to worship Jesus. My initial fears were much like I pictures Herod’s to be; I was afraid my life would have to change too much. Maybe I would no longer have the kind of fun that I wanted. Wow, was I ever wrong. My worst day today – in Christ – is better than any day without.

What are you afraid of? What are you holding back?