Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 2]
(\ton chronon tou phainomenou asteros\) is not "the time when the
star appeared," but the age of the star's appearance.
2:8 {Sent them to Bethlehem and said} (\pempsas autous eis
B•thleem eipen\). Simultaneous aorist participle, "sending said."
They were to "search out accurately" (\exetasate akrib•s\)
concerning the child. Then "bring me word, that I also may come
and worship him." The deceit of Herod seemed plausible enough and
might have succeeded but for God's intervention to protect His
Son from the jealous rage of Herod.
2:9 {Went before them} (\pro•gen autous\). Imperfect tense, kept
on in front of them, not as a guide to the town since they now
knew that, but to the place where the child was, the inn
according to Lu 2:7. Justin Martyr says that it was in a cave.
The stall where the cattle and donkeys stayed may have been
beneath the inn in the side of the hill.
2:10 {They rejoiced with exceeding great joy} (\echar•san charan
megal•n sphodra\). Second aorist passive indicative with cognate
accusative. Their joy was due to the success of the search.
2:11 {Opening their treasures} (\anoixantes tous th•saurous
aut•n\). Here "treasures" means "caskets" from the verb
(\tith•mi\), receptacle for valuables. In the ancient writers it
meant "treasury" as in 1Macc. 3:29. So a "storehouse" as in Mt
13:52. Then it means the things laid up in store, treasure in
heaven (Mt 6:20), in Christ (Col 2:3). In their "caskets" the
Magi had gold, frankincense, and myrrh, all found at that time in
Arabia, though gold was found in Babylon and elsewhere.
2:12 {Warned in a dream} (\chr•matisthentes kat' onar\). The verb
means to transact business (\chr•matiz•\) from \chr•ma\, and that
from \chraomai\, to use. Then to consult, to deliberate, to make
answer as of magistrates or an oracle, to instruct, to admonish.
In the Septuagint and the New Testament it occurs with the idea
of being warned by God and also in the papyri (Deissmann, _Bible
Studies_, p. 122). Wycliff puts it here: "An answer taken in
sleep."
2:15 {Until the death of Herod} (\he•s t•s teleut•s H•r•idou\).
The Magi had been warned in a dream not to report to Herod and
now Joseph was warned in a dream to take Mary and the child along
(\mellei z•tein tou apolesai\ gives a vivid picture of the
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