And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
What does Matthew 2:11 mean?
What joy these wise men felt upon this sight of the star, none know so well as those who, after a long and melancholy night of temptation and desertion, under the power of a spirit of bondage, at length receive the Spirit of adoption, witnessing with their spirits that they are the children of God.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside Matthew 2:11-15 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Matthew 2:11
The house - The place where he was born, or the place where they lived at that time. Fell down - This was the usual way of showing respect or homage among the Jews, Esther 8:3 ; Job 1:20 ; Daniel 3:7 ; Psalm 72:11 ; Isaiah 46:6 . Worshipped him - Did him homage as King of the Jews. See the notes at Matthew 2:2 . Had opened their treasures - The treasures which they had brought, or the boxes, etc., in which they had brought their gold, etc. They presented unto him gifts - These were presented to him as King of the Jews, because they supposed he was to be a distinguished prince and conqueror.
Key words
- house
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And when they were come into the house,.
Context in Matthew 2
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Matthew 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as birth and preparation. Matthew presents Jesus as Davidic Messiah, new Moses, teacher of the kingdom, suffering Son of Man, and risen Lord who commissions the nations. Read this chapter with the wider themes of fulfillment, kingdom of heaven, and discipleship in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Glossary
- Mary Person
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Hebrew Miriam. (1. ) The wife of Joseph, the mother of Jesus, called the “Virgin Mary,” though never so designated in Scripture ( Matt. 2:11 ; Acts 1:14 ). Little is known of her personal history.