Matthew 2 in the early church
534 passages quote, allude to, or echo Matthew 2, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 15 · 16 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 22 · 23
Matthew 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
Matthew 2:2
asking, “Where is the One who has been born King of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:3
When King Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:3 | Protevangelium of James 20 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | ca. 150–200 |
| Matt 2:3 | Long recension, Philippians 3 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | later 4th century (probable) |
| Matt 2:3–6 | Letter 57.8 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Matt 2:3 | Letter 147.4 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Matt 2:3 | Homilies on Matthew 6.1 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:3 | Homilies on Matthew 6.3 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:3 | Sermon 200.2 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:3 | Sermon 373.3 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:3–9 | Sermon 375.1 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:3 | The Harmony of the Gospels 2.15 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–400 |
| Matt 2:3–12 | Sermon 158 · Peter Chrysologus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Matt 2:3–7 | Chapter 10 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 437-450 |
Matthew 2:4
And when he had assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:4–6 | Against Celsus 1.51 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Matt 2:4 | Commentary on Matthew 17.11 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Matt 2:4–7 | Demonstration of the Gospel 7.2.11 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Matt 2:4 | Book 1, lines 221–245 · Juvencus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 330 |
| Matt 2:4 | Catechetical Lecture 12.11 · Cyril of Jerusalem | quotation, high confidence | ca. 350 |
| Matt 2:4 | Tractates on the Psalms 53.8 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Matt 2:4 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 51.22.16 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, medium confidence | 374-377 |
| Matt 2:4 | Homilies on Matthew 7.1 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:4 | Sermon 199.2 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:4–6 | Sermon 373.4 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
Matthew 2:5
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:5 | Protevangelium of James 20 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 150–200 |
| Matt 2:5 | Dialogue with Trypho 78.1 · Justin Martyr | allusion, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Matt 2:5 | Book 1, lines 221–245 · Juvencus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 330 |
| Matt 2:5 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 51.22.16 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Matt 2:5 | Homilies on Matthew 7.1 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:5 | Sermon 199.2 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:5 | Sermon 200.3 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:5 | Sermon 201.2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:5 | Sermon 201.3 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:5 | Sermon 202.3 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 391-430 |
| Matt 2:5 | Tractates on the Gospel of John 31.2 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 406–420 |
Matthew 2:6
‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of My people Israel.’”
Matthew 2:7
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and learned from them the exact time the star had appeared.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:7 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 51.9.2 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Matt 2:7 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 51.22.13 · Epiphanius of Salamis | quotation, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Matt 2:7 | Homilies on Matthew 7.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
Matthew 2:8
And sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go and search carefully for the Child, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship Him.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:8 | Protevangelium of James 20 · Anonymous | quotation, high confidence | ca. 150–200 |
| Matt 2:8 | Commentary on Matthew 15.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Matt 2:8 | Commentary on Matthew 17.11 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Matt 2:8–10 | Demonstration of the Gospel 7.2.12 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Matt 2:8 | Book 1, lines 221–245 · Juvencus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 330 |
| Matt 2:8 | Homilies on Matthew 7.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:8 | Homilies on Matthew 7.5 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:8 | Chapter 10 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 437-450 |
Matthew 2:9
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the Child was.
Matthew 2:10
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with great delight.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:10 | Book 1, lines 246–270 · Juvencus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 330 |
| Matt 2:10 | Homilies on Matthew 7.4 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:12
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they withdrew to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:13
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.”
Matthew 2:14
So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and withdrew to Egypt,
Matthew 2:15
where he stayed until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
Matthew 2:16
When Herod saw that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi.
Matthew 2:17
Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:17 | Homilies on Matthew 9.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:17–18 | Commentary on Jeremiah 6.18 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 414-419 |
Matthew 2:18
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:18 | Dialogue with Trypho 78.8 · Justin Martyr | echo, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Matt 2:18 | Refutation of All Heresies 5.8.37 · Hippolytus of Rome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 222–235 |
| Matt 2:18 | Book 1, lines 246–270 · Juvencus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 330 |
| Matt 2:18 | Commentary on Matthew 1 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 353–355 |
| Matt 2:18 | Homilies on Matthew 9.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:18 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 37.10.2 · Ambrose | quotation, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
| Matt 2:18 | The Harmony of the Gospels 2.17 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–400 |
| Matt 2:18 | Book 2, lines 123–149 · Sedulius | echo, medium confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Matt 2:18 | Book 2, section 10 · Sedulius | echo, medium confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Matt 2:18 | Instructions 2.2 · Eucherius of Lyon | quotation, high confidence | ca. 428-434 |
Matthew 2:19
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt.
Matthew 2:20
“Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:20 | Commentary on Matthew 15.7 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Matt 2:20 | Commentary on Matthew 1 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 353–355 |
| Matt 2:20 | On the Trinity 10.57 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–360 |
| Matt 2:20 | Homilies on Matthew 9.2 · John Chrysostom | quotation, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:20 | The Harmony of the Gospels 2.20 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 399–400 |
| Matt 2:20 | The Harmony of the Gospels 2.22 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 399–400 |
| Matt 2:20 | Enchiridion (Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love) 44 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 421–423 |
Matthew 2:21
So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt 2:21 | Prophetic Extracts 1.13 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Matt 2:21 | Prophetic Extracts 3.11 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Matt 2:21 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 51.9.13 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Matt 2:21 | Homilies on Matthew 9.4 · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 390 |
| Matt 2:21 | The Harmony of the Gospels 2.19 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 399–400 |
Matthew 2:22
But when he learned that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,
Matthew 2:23
and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.”