The Careless Chief Priests and Scribes of the People: Matthew 2:3-6
“3) And when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4)And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5) And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 6) “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Matthew 2:3-6
We now come to the careless chief priests and scribes of the people. When the magi arrived with their question, they were also taken off guard. But notice, when Herod questioned them, they knew exactly where the Christ was to be born. They searched the Scriptures and came up with the correct answer about the birth location, but missed the full story of the Messiah.
They were derelict in their duty. There are around 300 prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament that foretell significant details about His birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Though they got the location of His birth correct, they became enemies during His public ministry and actively worked to bring about His crucifixion.
This illustrates the claims of Paul about Israel as recorded in 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:4. A veil remains over their minds when they read the old covenant. Satan actively blinds the minds of the unbelieving.
It is baffling how they answered Herod correctly but utterly missed the many other prophecies about the Messiah. A light was about to shine in Israel and this group worked hard to extinguish it from the onset. Their ignorance of the Scriptures and determined resistance of Jesus Christ were inexcusable.
Sadly, I believe a similar trend will accompany the end times and the second return of Christ. Many today are correctly reading the signs of the times, but many are devoid of spirit. As the bride is preparing to meet Jesus, the apostasy is also spreading quickly. Many religious leaders are walking the path of the careless chief priests and scribes of the people as recorded in Matthew chapter two.
Daily Bible Commentary By Terry Baxter: Cofounder of GoServ Global
