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Matthew Chapter 2

Chapter II.

1. And when jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east to Jerusalem,
2. Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him.
3. When Herod the king had heard, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he enquired of them where christ should be born.
5. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet,
6. And you Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are by no means the least amongst the rulers of Judah, for out of you shall come a Ruler, who shall feed my people Israel.
7. Then Herod, privately calling the Magi, enquired of them earnestly at what time the star appeared.
8. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, Go and search earnestly for the young child: and when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and worship Him.
9. And when they had heard the king they departed; and lo, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came and stood over where the young-child was.
10. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11. And when they were come into the house, they found the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented to Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12. And being warned by a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13. And when they were departed, lo, the angel of the Lord appears by a dream to Joseph, saying, Arise and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be you there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the young child to destroy Him.
14. And when he arose, he took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15. And was there until the decease of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was declared of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my Son.
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi, was exceedingly angry, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had earnestly enquired of the Magi.
17. Then was fulfilled what was declared by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18. A voice was heard in Rama, mourning, and weeping, and much lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; and was not willing to be comforted, because they are not.
19. But when Herod was deceased, lo, the angel of the Lord, by a dream, appears to Joseph in Egypt,
20. Saying, Arise, take the young child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the soul of the young child.
21. And he arose, and took the young child and His mother, and came to the land of Israel.
22. And hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: but being warned by a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee.
23. And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was declared by the prophets, that He should be called a Nazarene.

EXPOSITION.

Chapter II.

verses 1, 2. We have seen His star in the east, &c. - Inasmuch as the Lord is the cast, therefore a star was seen by those from the east; and whereas they were in knowledge concerning the coming of the Lord, by virtue of the representatives which appertained to them, therefore a star wag seen and went before them, first to Jerusalem, by which the church itself was represented as to doctrine and us to the Word, and thence to the place where the infant Lord was: a star also signifies the knowledges of good and of truth, and, in the supreme sense, knowledge concerning the Lord; and whereas the orientals were in those knowledges, therefore, also, they were called the sons of the east; that they of Arabia were so called, is manifest from Jeremiah 49:28; by sons of the east in the Word, also, are signified the knowledges of good and of truth; in like manner by Kedar or Arabia; that Job was of the sons of the east, is evident from Job 1:3 of the book of Job. AE 422. See also SS 23.

That amongst the sons of the east, who were of Syria, such a prophetic (knowledge) had existed from ancient time, is manifest from Balaam's prophecy concerning the Lord's coming, as it is written: "I see Him, and not now; I behold Him, and not near: a Star shall arise out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise up out of Israel." Numbers 24:17. That Balaam was from the land of the sons of the east, or from Syria, is plain from these words: "Balaam uttered his enunciation and said, Balak has brought me from Syria out of the mountains of the East." Numbers 23:7. Those wise men who came to Jesus at His birth are called Magi, but so were wise men called at that time, as is evident from several passages, as Gen 41:8, Exod 7:11, Dan 2:27, 4:7, 9, and from the prophets throughout. AC 3762.

Verse 5. They said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea.- The Lord alone was born spiritual-celestial, and in consequence thereof was horn in Bethlehem, where is the boundary of the land of Benjamin; for by Bethlehem is signified the spiritual of the celestial, and by Benjamin is represented the spiritual of the celestial: the reason why He alone was born spiritual-celestial is because the Divine was in Him. AC 4592. See also AC 4594.

The spiritual-celestial principle is truth conjoined to good; for truth viewed in itself is spiritual, and good is celestial; hence, by Benjamin and his tribe is signified the conjunction of truth and good in the natural man, and hence the conjunction of those who are in the ultimate heaven with the Lord. Inasmuch as Benjamin signifies truth conjoined to good in the natural man, therefore he was also the last born to Jacob, and was called by him the son of the right hand; for Benjamin, in the original tongue, signifies a son of the right hand; and he was likewise born in Bethlehem, by which city is also signified truth conjoined to good in the natural man. Benjamin was called the son of the right hand, because by son is signified truth, and by the right hand is signified the power of truth from good, and all power in the spiritual world appertains to truth which is from good in the natural man: the reason why all the power belonging to the spiritual man is in this principle is, because the efficient cause is in the spiritual man, and the effect is in the natural, and all the power of the efficient cause exerts itself by means of the effect. And inasmuch as the like is signified by Bethlehem, therefore, David also was born there, and also anointed king; 1 Sam 16:1-14, 17:12. for David as a king represented the Lord as to truth from good, and this is also signified by a king; the Lord was on this account also born in Bethlehem; Matt 2:1, 5, 6. because He was born a King, and truth conjoined to good was in Him from His nativity: for every infant is born natural, and the natural principle, being next to the external senses and the world, is first opened, and this principle with all men is ignorant of truth and prone to evil; but in the Lord alone there was the inclination to good and the desire of truth as to this principle, inasmuch as the ruling affection in man is from the father, for the ruling affection is his soul, and, with the Lord, the affection or soul from the Father was the Essential Divine, which is the Divine good of the Divine love. AE 449.

Verse 6. You Bethlehem, the land of Judah, &c. - They who like the Jews abide merely in the literal sense of this passage, learn, indeed, from that sense, that the Lord should be born in Bethlehem; but inasmuch as they expect a leader and a king, who shall bring them back into the land of Canaan, therefore they explain all the expressions according to the letter, namely: the land of Judah they interpret as signifying the land of Canaan; Israel as signifying Israel, although they know not where Israel is; and leader (ruler) as signifying their Messiah, when nevertheless by Judah and Israel other things are meant, namely, by Judah the celestial, and by Israel the spiritual, both in heaven and on earth; and by leader (ruler) the Lord. AC 2135.

Verse 11. They presented to Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.-By gold, frankincense, and myrrh, are signified all things which relate to the good of love and faith in the Lord; by gold, the things which are of the good of love; by frankincense, the things which are of the good of faith; and by myrrh, the things which are of each in externals: the reason why the wise ones from the east offered those things was, because amongst some of the orientals from ancient times there remained the science and wisdom of the ancients, which consisted in understanding and seeing celestial and Divine things in those things which are in the world and upon the earth; for it was a thing known to the ancients, that all things corresponded and were representative, and thence significative, as is also evident from the most ancient books and monuments of the Gentiles; hence it was, that they knew that gold, frankincense, and myrrh signified the goods which were to be offered to God. AC 9293.

Gold, in the above verse, denotes good, frankincense denotes internal truth, and myrrh external truth, each derived from good: the reason why gold is named in the first place is, because gold signifies the good which is inmost; frankincense is named in the second place, because it signifies internal truth derived from good; and myrrh is named in the third and last place, because it signifies external truth from good. The reason why the wise ones from the east offered those; things to the Lord then born was, that they might signify His Divine in the Human; for they knew what gold signified, what frankincense, and what myrrh, inasmuch as they were in the science of correspondences and representations: this science was the principal science of those times amongst the Arabians, the Ethiopians, and others in the east; wherefore also, in the Word, by Arabia, Ethiopia, and the sons of the east, in the internal sense, are meant they who are in the knowledges of heavenly things: but this science in time perished, inasmuch as when the good of life ceased, it was turned into magic: it was first obliterated amongst the Israelitish nation, and afterwards amongst the rest; and at this day it is obliterated to such a degree that it is not even known that any such science exists; insomuch that in the Christian world, if it be said that all and singular things of the Word, in the sense of the letter from correspondence, signify celestial things, and that hence is its internal sense, it is not known what this means. AC 10252. See also AE 277, and AE 242, 324, 491.

Gold signifies celestial love; frankincense, spiritual love; myrrh, those loves in the natural principle. AC 4262.

The wise men from the East who came to Jesus when he was born, and fell down and worshiped Him, opened their treasures and offered Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh; Matt 2:1-11. where gold signifies good, frankincense and myrrh the things which are grateful or pleasant, as proceeding from love and faith, which are therefore called the praises of the Lord. AC 113.

Verse 12. Being warned by a dream, &c. - There are three sorts of dreams: the first sort come mediately through heaven from the Lord; such were the prophetical dreams recorded in the Word: the second sort come by angelic spirits, particularly by those who are in front above to the right, where there are things paradisiacal; hence the men of the most ancient church had their dreams, which were instructive; the third sort come by spirits, who are near when man is asleep, which are also significative; but fantastic dreams have another origin. AC 1976.

Verses 13, 14, 15. Flee into Egypt, &c. - By what is said in these verses was signified the first instruction of the Lord: for the Lord was instructed as another man, but from His own Divine principle imbibed all things more intelligently and wisely than all other [men]: but this retirement into Egypt only represented instruction; for as all the representatives of the Israelitish and Jewish church respected Him, therefore, also, in Himself He represented and perfected them for thus He fulfilled all things of the Law: hence it was that the whole life of the Lord in the world was representative, even as to all those things which are mentioned in the Evangelists concerning His passion, which things represented what was the quality of the church at that time in its opposition to the Divine, and to the goods and truths of heaven and of the church. AE 654.

That the scientific principle was the first plane for the Lord when He made His Humanity Divine Truth, or the Divine Law, is signified by the Lord, when an infant, being brought into Egypt: for by Egypt are signified scientifics; but by scientifics are not meant philosophical scientifics, but scientifics of the church. AC 6750.

Verse 15. Out of Egypt have I called my Son. - In the prophet from whence this passage is quoted are these words: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt have I called my Son; they called them, so they went from their faces, and I made Ephraim to go." Hosea 11:1, 2, 3. They who know not that there is an internal sense in every part of the Word must needs conceive that Jacob is here meant when he went down into Egypt, and his posterity when they came forth from there, and that by Ephraim is meant the tribe of Ephraim, and thus that this passage contains the same things as are recorded in the historical parts of the Word; nevertheless it is plain from the Evangelists that what is here said by the prophet has respect to the Lord; but what is signified by each particular expression can only be known by unfolding the internal sense.. AC 2135. See also AC 1402.

Verses 17, 18. In Rama, was a mice heard, &c. - The whole passage in the prophet Jeremiah, here referred to, runs thus: " Rachel weeping for her sons, refused to receive consolation over her sons, because there was not any; thus says Jehovah, Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, because your labour has reward, for they shall return from the land of the enemy, and your extremity has hope, for sons shall return to their own border." Jer 31:15, 16, 17. That by these words are meant the infant boys in Bethlehem, who were slain at the command of Herod, is manifest from the relation in Matthew; but what was signified thereby, has not as yet been known: the thing signified is, that when the Lord came into the world, there was not any, spiritual truth remaining: for by Rachel was represented the internal spiritual church; and by Leah, the external natural church ; by Bethlehem, what is spiritual; and by the boys who were slain, truth from that origin: that there was not any longer any spiritual truth remaining, is signified by Rachel weeping for her sons, and refusing to receive consolation over her sons, because there was not any: that hereafter there will not be grief on this account, because the Lord was born, from whom is a now church, which will be principled in truths from spiritual affection, is signified by "restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, because your labour has reward;" by her reward is signified heaven belonging to those who shall be of that church from the spiritual affection of truth; and by labour is signified the Lord's combat against the hells and their subjugation, that a new church may be established; that a new church will be established in the place of that which had perished, is signified by their returning from the land of the enemy, and by extremity having hope, also by sons returning to their own border: to return from the land of the enemy, signifies to be brought forth out of hell: extremity having hope, signifies the end of a former church and the beginning of a new one: sons returning to their own border, signifies that spiritual truths shall exist with those who shall be of that new church. AE 695.

Verse 23. He should be called a Nazarene.-By a Nazarene [or Nazarite] was represented the celestial man. AC 2342.

TRANSLATOR'S NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS.

Chapter II.

verse 6. Who shall feed my people Israel.-The original term, here rendered feed, is poimaino, which literally means, to feed and keep a flock like a shepherd.

Verse 12. And being warned by a dream.-In the common English version it is rendered, being warned of god in a dream; but the name of God is not mentioned in the original Greek, where it is only said chrematisthentes kat onar, denoting supernatural admonition by a dream, whether immediately from God, or from some inferior agents.

Verse 18. A voice was heard in Rama, mourning, and weeping, and much lamentation.-This is one of those passages, amongst many others of a similar kind, which demonstrate the Divinity and spirituality of the word, by proving it to contain a spiritual sense, and meaning distinct from that of the letter, and also to be written with a view to the heavenly marriage of good and truth. For if this was not the case, the three terms, mourning, weeping, and lamentation,must be regarded merely as repetitions, and as having no use but to heighten the sense of the letter, which is a mode of expression utterly unworthy of the Divine Author: whereas, according to the explications of the internal sense, the three several terms are applied to express ideas perfectly distinct from each other; the first having reference to the deprivation of good in the will; the second, to the deprivation of truth in the understanding; and the third, to the deprivation of both in the natural principle. To the same purpose, and according to the same distinctness of idea, the lord says to His disciples, "You shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice, and you shall be sorrowful," &c., John 16:20; where weeping, lamenting, and being sorrowful, it is manifest, are applied according to the above spiritual signification. Let the reader take that view of the subject which is most in agreement with his own sentiments; but surely it must be confessed, that to regard the above terms merely as repetitions of the same idea, is to charge the Deity with useless and unmeaning tautology.

Verse 22. Being warned by a dream.-See note at verse 12.