us, it follows that the section ii. 1-12 must likewise have an
Old Testament foundation. That this foundation can, in the first
instance, be sought for only in the prophecy of Micah, becomes evident
from the circumstance, that Bethlehem is, in ver. 1, mentioned as
Christ's birth-place. If we now take into consideration the fact that
the Evangelist does not mention at all that the parents of Jesus
formerly resided at Nazareth, just because it had no reference to any
prophecy of the Old Testament (it is merely by designating, in the
account of the birth of Jesus, Bethlehem as the place of His parents,
that he intimates that that which had been previously reported had
happened in a different place),--and that, on the other hand, he
mentions the residence of the Holy Family at Nazareth, after their
return from Egypt, evidently for the sole purpose of bringing it into
connection with a prophecy,--it becomes quite evident that it is not
from any historical interest that this circumstance, which was known to
all his readers, is mentioned. To this it may be further added, that
the account given in vers. 1-6, especially the communication of the
answer of the Sanhedrim to the question of Herod, would, according to
the proved object and aim of Matthew, stand altogether without a
purpose, unless he had considered the answer of the Doctors as being in
harmony with the truth, and hence as superseding his usual formula,
[Greek: hina plerothe]. In order to show how much Matthew was guided by
a regard to the Old Testament, and how frequently, at the same time, he
contented himself with a mere allusion, supposing his readers to be
acquainted with the Old Testament--as is quite evident from vers. 20
and 23--we must further consider the second Old Testament reference
which he has in view in vers. 1-12. The passages to which he refers are
Ps. lxxii. 10: "The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts;" and Is.
lx. 6: "All they from Sheba shall come, they shall bring gold and
incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord." The
representation, in these and other similar passages, is, in the first
instance, a figurative one. Gifts are in the East a sign of allegiance.
The fundamental thought is this: "The most distant, the wealthiest, and
the most powerful nations of the earth shall do homage to the Messiah,
and consecrate to Him themselves and all that they have." But that
which is [Pg 509] prophesied by a figurative representation