Matthew 2 Discussion

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Have you ever wondered how to extract deeper meaning from familiar Bible stories? Pastors Plek and Holland dive into Matthew Chapter 2, revealing layers of significance through an ancient four-lens approach to scripture that transforms how we understand the Christmas narrative.

The conversation begins with Pastor Holland introducing the medieval "quadriga" method of Bible study, cleverly reframed as reading glasses (observation), microscope (allegorical/Jesus focus), mirror (moral application), and telescope (future hope). This practical framework unlocks fresh insights about Jesus as the true and greater Israel, fulfilling what the nation was always meant to be.

Through the "mirror" lens, we confront a sobering pattern: Herod's murderous rage against innocent children reflects how anti-God movements throughout history often target the vulnerable. Meanwhile, the "telescope" perspective reveals how the Magi's worship foreshadows Revelation's glorious vision of all nations bringing tribute to Christ.

Perhaps most striking is the practical wisdom about God's provision. The Magi's expensive gifts weren't just symbolic—they funded the holy family's refugee journey to Egypt. As Pastor Plek summarizes: "If it's God's will, it's God's bill." Joseph's trust in divine dreams demonstrates extraordinary faith, knowing God had already arranged resources through foreign visitors.

The episode concludes with a powerful challenge: Just as the star guided the Magi to Jesus, we too can be "stars" in our world—guides who help others find and worship the true King. Who will you lead to Jesus today?

Ready to see familiar Bible stories with fresh eyes? Join us daily as we journey through scripture one chapter at a time, uncovering treasures both ancient and new.

Episode Transcript

Pastor Plek (00:11):
And welcome back to A Chapter.
A Day Keeps the devil away.
I'm Pastor Plek, along withPastor Holland, and we are
talking Matthew, Chapter 2.
Pastor Holland, let's talkabout some observations you are
making in the text.

Pastor Holland (00:25):
Okay, so I was going to, you know, introduce
the Bible study method of thequadriga.
Oh, I can't wait.
I brought it up in the introepisode and so it's.
You know, this kind of like afourfold method of looking at
four different perspectives ofthe literal, the allegorical,

(00:46):
and then the tropological whichis a really weird word that
nobody uses, but it means likethe moral and then the
anagogical, looking ahead tolike the return of Christ and
new heavens and new earth, andso this is like a medieval
method of Bible study.

Pastor Plek (01:05):
I liked your reading glasses.

Pastor Holland (01:07):
Yeah, okay.
So I was going to say maybe asimpler way to think about this,
though, is reading glassesmicroscope, mirror and telescope
Way better.
So you know, if that sticksbetter, reading glasses is kind
of like the observation.
So you're just looking at,you're reading it.
What does it say?
So you know, this says Jesus isborn.
We see the virgin birth, we seethem flee, you know, and then

(01:31):
we see them return and kind ofsettle in Nazareth, and so
that's like an observation ofjust like here's what's
happening.
Microscope would be okay, youknow, let's zero in on what does
this say about Jesus?
And you know, the allegoricalis the microscope.
What does this teach aboutJesus and who he is?

(01:51):
And you can see, you know, forexample, verse 15, where it says
this was to fulfill what theLord had spoken by the prophet
out of Egypt.
I called my son, and so youknow Jesus being called out of
Egypt, pointing back to himbeing like the true and greater
Israel.
So he's the fulfillment.

(02:12):
This verse is saying that Jesusis the.
You know, he's the son of God,the true son of God.
He's the true Israel,everything Israel was supposed
to be.

Pastor Plek (02:21):
He is.

Pastor Holland (02:21):
He is, he's perfectly, fulfills the law.
Boom, and then you have themirror, the tropological, the
moral.
The mirror is kind of like, youknow, looking at yourself, and
you know.
So what's the moral principlehere?
You could draw out, forinstance, herod's decision to
kill all the male children twoyears and under.
Oh yeah and just go.
You know, those who hate Godalso hate children, and wherever

(02:44):
anti-God movements are, there'salso the murder of children,
the sacrifice of children,abortion.
All of that tends to go hand inhand with rejecting God,
rejecting Jesus, and so a moralprinciple is being pro-children,
pro-life, right.
That's a moral principle youcan draw out of this, looking at

(03:06):
this as a mirror for morality.
And then, finally, theanagogical looking ahead.
This is a telescope one.
So how does this point us aheadto the future?
And for me, looking at thesewise men coming from all over,
bringing gifts, foreigners,bringing gifts to worship Jesus
points us to.
You know what Revelation talksabout, with the kings of the

(03:30):
nations coming in, you know, andworshiping Jesus, people from
every tribe, tongue and nation,you know, worshiping around the
throne, and we get to see alittle glimpse of that, with
these wise men coming at thebirth of Jesus.

Pastor Plek (03:42):
Yeah, one of the things I love that, just from my
observational standpoint, Ireally appreciate how the Magi
bring these gifts, whichrepresent like this crazy, like
he's a King and like maybepretty into looking to the
future, towards his burial, butlike it's a lot of wealth.
They delivered to him, and wedon't know if there was three

(04:02):
wise men or if there's 300 wisemen.
All we know is that there arethree gifts, and I don't know if
it was like one bar of gold orlike a whole chest of gold, but
what I do know is, if you'regoing to live as a refugee in
Egypt for two years, you'regoing to have to pay a lot of
money, or for several years, youare going to need some money.
And so Jesus is provided for.

(04:26):
God knows what he needs, evenbefore he asks of it.
And so he, he, God warns Josephin a dream.
He collects all the the money,all the loot from the Magi.
He heads down to Egypt, livesthere for a season.
Not really, I don't think he'sthinking I'm fulfilling prophecy
.
I think he's just doing whatGod called him to do.

(04:48):
And so, god, if it's God's will, it's God's bill.

Pastor Holland (04:52):
That's the there you go.
Where he gods, he provides.

Pastor Plek (04:56):
Where he gods, he provides, and so if you're at a
crossroads and you're like, whatshould I do?
I think you need to go like ifGod is calling me to it, he'll
see me through it.
Bam man, that's three, three ina row right there.
So I think really those are theinterpretations, so like maybe

(05:16):
so interpretation as a reminder.

Pastor Holland (05:18):
what does this teach about God?
What does this teach aboutpeople?

Pastor Plek (05:21):
What's the teaching here?
Yeah, the teaching here wouldbe if God will see it, if God
has guided you to it, he'll seeyou through it.
And then I think the example tofollow for me would be the
Magi's seeking and worship.
Like they came seeking God,they followed God, they went all
in with their worship of howthey knew.

Pastor Holland (05:40):
Yeah, I love that.

Pastor Plek (05:40):
With the revelation that was given them and they
gave.
I mean it wasn't like a smallgift.
I mean they're traveling maybea thousand miles, really far,
treacherous terrain, likethrough, you know, they could
have gotten robbed at any point.
Yeah, they're trusting God thewhole way.
And then the trust that Josephhad to have in God that that
dream was legit and that thattaking the you know, when these

(06:05):
guys are worshiping his kid oryou know, mary's son, and it
truly was divine taking thatlike, oh, I'm going to protect
this kid, god's mission andvision and I know God's going to
provide for us and I'm notgoing to go outside of his word,
which I thought was kind ofinteresting.
He waits for his word, I thinkat some point wouldn't you think
that Joseph would have missedfamily?
How long is long enough?

(06:27):
How long do I, or maybe you're?
Why don't I just stay down herein Egypt for forever?
He probably had a lot of, hehad a probably good life down
there and he had a lot of money,and now he's going to move the
whole family back up to Nazarethso he could be a Nazarene.

Pastor Holland (06:42):
Oh wow, it's good For me example to follow.
Going a little abstract here.

Pastor Plek (06:47):
Okay, you are a little abstract.

Pastor Holland (06:49):
The star, nice.
The star led them to Jesus.
You know you're talking aboutthe magi and their commitment to
follow, but you know the staris abstract, it's not like a
person.
But what was the role of thestar was to lead people to Jesus
.
And you know an example tofollow, example to follow lead

(07:10):
people to Jesus, be like thestar and guide people to worship
Jesus.

Pastor Plek (07:15):
Yeah.
So who are you going to be astar to?
There you go, hey, thanks somuch for watching.
We'll see you tomorrow on AChapter A Day.