In earlier blogs, I’ve said that Matthew saw Jesus throughout his scriptures, the Old Testament. The story of Jesus’ birth is rich with examples. This is seen not only in direct quotations from the Old Testament, but also in echoes from and allusions to narratives and characters in the Old Testament.
In this blog, I want to trace two themes found in Matthew that merge into his one portrayal of Jesus. The two themes are:
Jesus is the son of David (Messiah)
Jesus is the Prophet like Moses
The first is obvious from the beginning of Matthew. In his carefully constructed genealogy, he traces Jesus’ line from Abraham to David and David to Jesus’ legal father, Joseph. He ends that lineage with this declaration, “… Jesus, who is called the Messiah.” In fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy (Micah 5:2, 4), Jesus was born in the city of David, Bethlehem. Unlike, all those born in a palace in Jerusalem, the true King, will be born in the small and relatively insignificant village, that was, centuries ago, the great David’s hometown.
Less obvious, but just as real, are all the connections with Moses. While Deuteronomy 18:18-19 is not quoted, the allusions are strong. Jesus, as was Moses and Israel, tested in the wilderness (40 days/40 years), and went to a mountain (think Sinai) to deliver the true meaning of the Law. It is hard to miss the parallels to Moses in this birth story, whereas Moses was spared Pharaoh’s death sentence on newborn males, Jesus was delivered from Herod’s vile murder of innocents. And, to where did Jesus’ family flee? Egypt.
The two themes merge in the story of the Magi. The writers of the New Testament expected a lot from their readers. The Magi are a case in point. These pagan astrologers were following a star from its rising (better than from the east). They were not the first of the magi to speak of a star. Here is part of the prophecy of Balaam, son of Beor:
Numbers 24:17 “I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel. (NIV)
Philo, a first century Jewish philosopher and contemporary of Matthew, called Balaam a Magos, the singular of Magi. That’s a verbal connection Matthew may very well have known. Balaam, then, a pagan Magos, looked out over the vast Israelite camp, led by Moses, and saw a star rising out of Jacob, a ruling scepter out of Israel, who will crush King Balak’s nation (not what Balak paid Balaam to hear!), and among other nations, Edom. This would not have gone unnoticed, as the Magi reported the star to the Idumean (Edomite), King Herod.
For Matthew, Jesus was the far more grace-filled fulfillment of Balaam’s prophecy, than Balaam’s original words of crushing conquest. The gifts of the Magi, spoke to Jesus’ royal, priestly, and sacrificial roles, and pointed not to crushing the nations, but bringing them salvation.
We may ask, “What? God speaks through Pagans?” Well, if He can speak through Balaam’s donkey, He can speak through Balaam, or to first century magi. Paul freely quoted pagan philosophers in Athens (Acts 17), not because he endorsed Paganism, but because truth is truth, and truth resides in God.
Matthew knew that Jesus was the true King of the Jews, but He wanted us to know that Jesus was and is King over all the earth. That truth still threatens the Balaks, Herods, and Caesars of our age. The child born in humility at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) will find that “…his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4 NIV, also Acts 1:8).
God’s people, once brought together under Moses, now include all, having been fulfilled through One greater than Moses (Hebrews 3:1-6).
What we celebrate in Advent is great David’s far greater Son, and the Prophet greater than Moses (Deuteronomy 18:18-19), who fulfills the Law. He, and He alone, is the Hope of the World!