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Intermediate Sunday School Lesson 3 : The Search of the Wise Men I

Text: Matthew 2:1-12
16 January 2022

INTERMEDIATE SUNDAY SCHOOL 16 January 2022
Text: Matthew 2:1-12
Subject: The Search of the Wise Men I

THE BIRTH OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

1. It was made known to

a) Zacharias and Elizabeth

i) Their son would be the Forerunner -Luke 1:76-77

ii) The Lord Jesus would be the Dayspring from on high -Luke 1:78-79

b) Joseph and Mary

i) An angel spoke to Joseph in a dream -Matthew 1:18-25

ii) The angel Gabriel spoke to Mary directly -Luke 1:28-38

c) Shepherds watching over their flocks by night

i) An announcing angel -Luke 2:8-12

ii) A choir of angels -Luke 2:13-15

2. God also made the birth of the Lord known to people outside Israel

a) To: The Wise Men from the East

b) The Title “Wise Men” may be traced

i) To the time of the Babylonian Empire

ii) King Nebuchadnezzar had a team of Advisors

iii) They were called “Wise Men” Daniel 2:13, 14, 18

c) Daniel was in this group of “Wise Men” Daniel 2:14-27

i) The wise men

ii) Astrologers

iii) Magician

iv) Soothsayers -Daniel 2:27

3. How may we know that God alerted them to the birth of the Lord Jesus?

a) The answer is in this Scripture text

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,

2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

b) An analysis of what they said

i) Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem

ii) Knowledge that there was born a King

“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” Matthew 2:2a

iii) Seeing the Bethlehem Star

“We have seen His star in the East” Matthew 2:2b

iv) Not just a King but One to be worshipped!

“And have come to worship Him” Matthew 2:2c

c) This kind of Knowledge must come from the Lord

i) God revealed knowledge to Zacharias through an angel (Luke 1)

ii) He revealed knowledge to Joseph through an angel via a dream
(Matthew 1)

iii) He also revealed knowledge to Mary directly (Luke 1)

iv) He revealed vital knowledge to the Wise Men
through the Bethlehem Star

THE WISE MEN

1. They did not have complete knowledge

a) They did not know the exact birth-place of Baby Jesus

b) They figured out that a Baby King would be born in a palace

2. They went to the Palace of King Herod

a) By name
Herod the Great

b) In Latin, Herodes Magnus

c) His life

i) Born 73 BC

ii) Died 4 BC in Jericho, Judaea

iii) He was a Roman-appointed king of Judaea (37–4 BC)

iv) He built many fortresses, aqueducts, theatres

v) The most famous was the Jerusalem Temple

3. The Reaction of King Herod

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Matthew 2:3-4

a) He was troubled

i) Upset

ii) Disturbed

iii) Threatened

b) And all Jerusalem with him

i) They were afraid of what King Herod might do

ii) They knew how wicked and cruel he could be

iii) He was capable of great violence

iv) He ruled with a heavy hand

v) Rome had given him strong support

CALLING OF THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES

1. Herod called the people he felt would know about Prophetic Scriptures

4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Matthew 2:4-6

a) The chief priests and scribes

b) These were the scholars of Judaism

2. His question concerned “The Christ”

a) Recall what we have read about “The Christ”

b) This is a title

c) The word “Christ” means “The Messiah”

d) He would be “The Anointed One of the LORD”

THE ANSWER OF THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES

1. They knew the answer

a) The birthplace of the Messiah would be Bethlehem, in Judah

b) It was just a few Kilometres away from the city of Jerusalem

2. The Prophet Micah said

a) The Messiah would become a Ruler -Matthew 2:6c

b) He will shepherd God’s people- Israel -Matthew 2:6d

SOME OBSERVATIONS

1. Contrast # 1

a) The Wise Men did not have much knowledge
But they went in search of Baby Jesus, born to be King

b) The chief priests and scribes
They had much knowledge, but they did nothing much

2. Contrast # 2

a) King Herod’s rule

i) He ruled by terror

ii) He ruled by using brute force

b) The Messiah’s rule

i) He would be a Ruler

ii) But He would function as a Shepherd-King

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

1. Who is the Lord Jesus to you?

a) The Wise Men believed that He is King

b) And that He is worthy to be worshipped

2. Is He your:

a) King?

b) Shepherd?

3. Do you believe in the Lord Jesus and do you worship Him?