The Gospel of Matthew
Chapter 2: Overview
The evangelist provides a break at verses 12 and 13 by refering to the departure of the Magi in both verses.
Thus we have the main division into the chapter into two parts:
- Mt 2,1-12: the visit of the Magi, centered on Bethlehem
- Mt 2,13-25: the flight to Egypt with the massacre of the children.
The whole chapter is dominated by Herod. This is Herod the Great who ruled as a client king for the Romans until his death in 4BC. He was ruthless and cruel, as we shall see.
The places involved give us our different steps in the unfolding of the story with acts and scenes as I have suggested. All but one is linked with a quotation from the OT:
| 2,1-6 | Jerusalem | Micah 5,2 | Act 1,scene 1 |
| 2,7-12 | Bethlehem | Act 1, scene 2 | 2,13-15 | Egypt | Hosea 11,1 | Act 2, scene 1 |
| 2,16-18 | Bethlehem | Jeremiah 31,15 | Act 2, scene 2 |
| 2,19-23 | Egypt to Nazareth | "the prophets" | Act 2, scene 3 |
Return now to the main page for our reading of the chapter.