WISE MEN
Where did the wise men come from?
From the east
Why was Herod troubled when he heard about the newborn King?
He saw Jesus as a threat to his position as king.
What does the title “King of the Jews” tell us about Jesus?
Jesus is the promised King/Messiah.
Why did Joseph and Mary bring Jesus to the temple?
They were obeying the Law of Moses and presenting Jesus to the Lord.
What book tells us about the wise men visiting Jesus?
The book of Matthew
What did the wise men do when they saw Jesus?
They fell down and worshiped Him
What information did Herod secretly ask the wise men about?
When the star had appeared.
How did God protect Jesus from Herod?
God warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, and He warned the wise men not to return to Herod.
What sacrifice did Mary and Joseph bring?
A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
True or False: The Bible tells us there were exactly three wise men.
False
Why didn’t the wise men return to Herod?
They were warned in a dream.
Herod told the wise men to return and tell him where Jesus was. What did Herod claim he wanted to do?
Worship Jesus
What is the main contrast between the wise men and Herod in this lesson?
The wise men recognized Jesus as King and worshipped Him; Herod viewed Jesus as a threat and rejected Him.
What had the Holy Spirit told Simeon?
He would not die until he had seen the promised Christ.
What does Matthew say about the wise men seeing Jesus?
Matthew says they entered a house and saw the child, but did not visit Jesus night He was born
Why were the wise men filled with great joy when they saw the star again?
The star led them to the place where Jesus was.
What evidence from Matthew 2 proves that Herod's words about worship were not genuine?
He later tried to destroy Jesus and ordered the killing of boys two years old and under.
What two attributes of God are especially demonstrated when God knew Herod's plan and protected Jesus?
Omniscience and sovereignty.
Compare Simeon and Anna with Herod. What was similar about Simeon and Anna's response to Jesus, and how was it different from Herod's?
Simeon and Anna responded with faith, joy, thanksgiving, and worship. Herod responded with fear, jealousy, rejection, and an attempt to destroy Jesus.
Why couldn't an ordinary star in the sky simply point the wise men to one specific house in Bethlehem?
A normal star in the sky could not identify one particular house. Matthew describes the star moving ahead of them and stopping over the place where Jesus was.
According to Matthew 2:1, during whose reign did the wise men arrive in Jerusalem?
King Herod
In Matthew 2:8 what does Herod say?
Herod told the wise men he wanted to worship Jesus, but he really wanted to destroy him
What does this lesson teach us about how people respond to Jesus?
People either accept Him and worship Him or reject Him.
What did Anna do after seeing Jesus?
She gave thanks to God and told others about Jesus.
Herod knew where the Messiah was supposed to be born. Who gave him that information?
The chief priests and scribes, who identified Bethlehem from the prophecy.