Chapter 2
In this chapter we leave act 1 of the infancy narrative and enter into act 2. In act 2, we are carried into an event that happened around two years later when Jesus was a small child. Men from the Far East came to Jerusalem looking for “he who was born King of the Jews.” This alarmed Herod, the so-called king of the Jews and all Israel. Ultimately the wise men from the east are sent to Bethlehem, where they find Jesus and bow in worship and present him with gifts. These men are Gentiles. They have traveled possibly 1000 miles to get to Jesus. Herod and Israel were troubled over the news. Again we see unlikely people responding rightly and the Jewish leaders responding wrongly.
In the third act the Magi return by another route. Herod is enraged and decides to do away with the all the boys up to two years of age. The false king Herod shows that instead of being a shepherd to his people he is a wolf. The so-called protector becomes persecutor. The sword designed to defend the innocent is used to destroy. Ultimately, the angel of the Lord appears to Joseph and he takes Mary and Jesus to Egypt, so that the scripture would be fulfilled “out of Egypt I called my son.” This is very powerful it is the first in a series of steps that reveal that Jesus the True Israel is leading a new exodus. This chapter concludes with Jesus returning to Nazareth.