Matthew 2

I hope that those who are taking the challenge have read chapter 1.  For anyone coming to this later these posts will be on our website or my blog so that you can catch up at any time.
Chapter 2 of Matthew
Think about your nativity set that you have or see.  Notice in the gospel there is no manger, no shepherds, the only angels that are present come in dreams to warn of danger.  It is easy to take the birth stories of Jesus and combine them into one story.  Here the birth of Jesus is matter of fact as to place and the political situation in which he was born.
The author tells the story of the magi and the interaction with King Herod.  Following the star to find their way, reflected the belief that when extraordinary events happen there is often signs in the heaven portending the event.   Reflect on how King Herod responds to the information of a new king being born.  The magi go to the political capital of Judea seeking this new king.  Yet the King of Kings is not in the political capital but in a small village outside of Jerusalem.  What do you make of this fact?
Notice that throughout this chapter how many times the author says about this is what the prophet said or this was to fulfill what the prophets had said.  Why do you think that the author would continue to speak about the prophets regarding the birth of Jesus?
The magi find Jesus in a house.  They are overjoyed and present their gifts to the mother and child.  Notice how messy the birth of Jesus becomes.  The quiet peaceful birth is reacted to by those in power through fear and death of innocents.  The child is rescued by dreams that Joseph has to go to Egypt again to fulfill prophecy.  This also foreshadows the future conflicts that will occur with Jesus and those in power both religious leaders and political leaders.
When the family returns from Egypt, they return to Nazareth rather than Bethlehem.  There was no mention about why they were in Bethlehem in the first place.