11 April 2024
This chapter begins with a summary of Herod as a complex man. Ethnically Arab (Nabatean), he was born into the Idumean kingdom after Hyrcanus had forcibly converted them. He married into the Hasmonean family to seize the throne of Judea. His first language was Greek, and his politics were quite Roman. As a younger man, he was a striking figure who led troops in ten different wars. As he aged, he became quite awful, suffering many painful physical ailments and was rather obviously insane. Still, he remained quite intelligent to the end.
He killed his own family, virtually all of his own sons, at least some of his ten wives, and finally himself. No one was surprised when he ordered the execution of infants in Bethlehem. Yet, it seems almost by conspiracy that none of the Christmas celebrations mention the slaughter in Bethlehem.
Why did Matthew include that story in his Gospel? Bailey notes a popular answer is that it parallels the story of Moses, who survived a slaughter of his fellow Israeli infants under Pharaoh. The author claims that's not the only reason. I learned during military service that people in the Middle East might typically have shrapnel with their morning cereal. It's been that ugly and brutal since before Jesus was born. If redemption can happen there, it can happen anywhere.
Bailey notes that Luke does a good job of capturing a gender balance in his narrative. We have Simeon and then Anna at the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Gabriel visits Zechariah and Mary; he messes up but she gets it right. Both experience twin miracles. His blessing was an answer to his own prayers for a son, but he didn't believe. Her blessing was wholly unexpected and could have cost her life, but she gets the good news about Zechariah's blessing.
Often in Luke's account, Jesus would offer parables that bounced back and forth between male and female figures, recognizing how different their worlds would be. We've already noted how the Pharisees had twisted God's revelation regarding the importance of women in His plans. A Jewish woman was mere domestic livestock, but among the ancient Hebrews, she was a man's primary life asset.
Simeon's prophecy to Mary included a statement about how this child's life would bring about the exposure, the uncovering of much truth about the people He would encounter. Bailey offers a long list of how that came true: the disciples, the Sanhedrin, Pilate. The false cover came off them all. Then he spends some words describing how the sword did indeed pierce her soul as she watched Him die on the Cross.
It's a standard Hebrew paradox that someone offering His life risked having it taken by force from beginning to end.
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