• Pagan stargazers! Persia? Babylon? In Ezra 7:8-9, Ezra came from Babylon (modern Iraq) to Jerusalem, taking four months to arrive!
  • The irony of this passage is that outsiders—foreigners (the Magi)—recognize the kingship of Jesus, while his own people do not.
  • This is a major theme in Matthew—that outsiders to the covenant are not only included in God's plan, but often get the "big picture" before the insiders do!
  • Micah 5: Don’t despise small things. This citation of Micah 5:2 was taken by these religious leaders and argued in the Targums to be a messianic prophecy, probably because it goes on to say, "whose origins are from days of eternity.”
  • Jesus is the second David.
  • The Magi bring gifts of gold (pointing to Jesus' royal position, as King of Kings), frankincense (pointing to his priesthood—incense was burned along with sacrifices in the O.T. system), and myrrh (pointing to his burial and resurrection).

Next message: Israel, or Christ? Herod, or Jesus? (Matt 2:13-23)