Bible Study - verse by verse - 4

Matthew 2:1 Bethlehem is a small town five miles south of Jerusalem. It sits on a high ridge over 2,000 feet about sea level. It is mentioned in more detail in the Gospel of Luke. Luke also explains why Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem when Jesus was born,rather than in Nezareth, their hometown.
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Matthew 2:1 The land of Israel was divided into four political districts and several lesser territories. Judea was to the south, Samaria in the middle, Galilee to the north and Idumea to the southeast. Bethlehem of Judea (also called Judah) had been prophesied as the Messiah's birthplace (Micah 5:2). Jerusalem was also in Judea and was the seat of government for Herod the Great, king over all four political districts. After Herod's death, the districts were divided among three separate rulers. Although he was a ruthless, evil man who murdered many in his own family, Herod the Great supervised the renovation of the temple, making it much larger and more beautiful. This made him popular with many Jews. Jesus would visit Jerusalem many times because the great Jewish festivals were held there.
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Matthew 2:1, 2 Not much is known about these wise men. We don't know where they came from or how many there were. Tradition says they were men of high position from Parthia, near the site of ancient Babylon. How did they know that the star represented the Messiah? They could have been Jews who remained in Babylon after the exile and knew the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah's coming. Because of the Jewish exile centuries earlier, they would have had copies of the Old Testament in their land. Or, they may have had a special message from God directing them to the Messiah. Some scholars say these wise men were each from a different land, representing the entire world bowing before Jesus. These men from faraway lands recognized Jesus as the Messiah when most of God's chosen people in Israel did not. Matthew pictures Jesus as King over the whole world, not just Judea.
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Matthew 2:1, 2 The wise men traveled thousands of miles to see the King of the Jews. When they finally found Him, they responded with joy, worship, and gifts. This is so different from the approach people often take today. We expect God to come looking for us, to explain Himself, prove who He is, and give us gifts. But those who are wise still seek and worship Jesus today, not for what they can get, but for who He is.
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Matthew 2:3 Herod the Great was quite disturbed when the wise men asked about a newborn king of the Jews because: Herod was not the rightful heir to the throne of David; therefore many Jews hated him as a usurper. If Jesus really was an heir, trouble would arise. Herod was ruthless and, because of his many enemies, he was suspicious that someone would try to overthrow him. Herod didn't want the Jews to unite around a religious figure. If these wise men were of Jewish descent and from Parthia (the most powerful region next to Rome), they would have welcomed a Jewish king who could swing the balance of power away from Rome. The land of Israel, far from Rome, would have been easy prey for a nation trying to gain more control.