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Observations from Matthew 2
Nov 25, 12:33 PM
When Jesus was born, things began to happen. As you look at Matthew’s account, the whole region is stirred. Wise men come in response to an apparently long-awaited celestial sign. The stirring reaches the upper levels of government as Herod the king is troubled. The capital city, which was also the religious epicenter, was similarly distressed. Why were they all troubled by this birth? People are normally anxious when their sense of well-being is being threatened, when their worst fears are being aroused, or when they are seeking to maintain control as things seem to be slipping out of their control. Most people exercise inappropriate, even pathological control in response to fear.
It is interesting to note that the governmental head, Herod, immediately consults with religious leaders. Was the religious leadership in cahoots with the government? Did they have similar interests when it came to responding to this “threat?” What are they all afraid of? What are they trying to protect? The religious leaders assist the government by disclosing a Kingdom secret: He shall be born in Bethlehem.
Matthew continuously reminds us that “this was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet.” Commentators will tell you that he does this intentionally. He is a Jewish writer writing to a primarily Jewish audience. Jesus must be portrayed not only as coming from the lineage of David but also as the fulfillment of prophetic vision. There is more at stake here than that. The eternal purposes of God, of which the prophets spoke long ago, is clashing with the devices and desires of humanity. God must intervene. The wheels had begun to turn. Events were set into motion. God had made a colossal intrusion into the world’s realm and the world was beginning to react. “Get Him out of there,” God said to Joseph in a dream. And so the Lord of Life, born among the poor, now takes His place among the world’s refugees.
Herod’s depravity is now released in its full fury. Innocent children are massacred in the government’s murderous rampage. The wondrous event which was to bring life to the world results in death. The cries reach God’s ears and grieve God’s heart as Rachel mourns her children and refuses to be consoled.
What shall we say to these things? Jesus Christ’s coming to live as a human being is the most significant event in human history. It is an invasive initiative of God to rescue humanity from its own madness. It is the dawning of a new way of life for a new humanity. This way of life stands in direct opposition to the common assumptions of most of society. It is counter-intuitive and counter-cultural. No wonder society is troubled and stirred as it comes.
The way of redemption is not easy and many things hang in the balance of human response. The world continuously attempts to reject the love of God yet that love perseveres in its intent and hope. The works of God have significant implications for the concrete realities of life and the systems by which we funciton. They have profound ramifications for society, governments, institutions, and individuals.
Somehow the purposes of God are woven into the fabric of everyday life. Who knows how this is accomplished. The will of God is not fatalism nor is it irrevocably predestined. It matters deeply how individuals and institutions respond to the loving intent of God.