It can seem as though preaching on John the Baptist’s preparatory message in Matthew 3 has parallels with a lame duck presidency. The new thing has already happened, so what is the benefit of giving space to the old? Of course, that line of thinking could be applied universally to the Old Testament—and that would be wrong—but it seems more pressing with John the Baptist because of the proximity of his ministry to Jesus’ ministry. Why not just skip John’s message of preparation and go straight...

Besides the fulfillment of Scripture, a secondary theme that weaves throughout Matthew 2:13-23 is the ordinary way in which the early life of Jesus unfolds. Especially when Luke’s birth narrative is considered alongside Matthew’s telling, we have no doubt that this child of Mary is expected to be someone great. But when the page is turned from the visit of the magi to the events in Matt 2:13-23, one may wonder why things seem to fall out in such an ordinary way. To be sure, there is nothing...

In his commentary on the New Testament, J. H. Bavinck argues that the wise men from the East had five guides who led them to the one who was born King of the Jews (Matt 2:2).[1] His exposition is instructive for developing the background of Matthew 2, so this reflection is a summary of his comments. The first guide for the magi that Bavinck notes is attentiveness. It is almost too obvious to note, but these wise men had to have their attention simultaneously directed toward the heavenly...