Miquéias 5
Matthew Henry · Citado em PreceptAustin
Miquéias 5
Henry - a prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom is added to encourage the faith of God's people. Having shown how low the house of David should be brought, and how vilely the shield of that mighty family should be cast away, as though it had not been anointed with oil, to encourage the faith of God's people, who might be tempted now to think that his covenant with David and his house was abrogated (according to the psalmist's complaint, Psalm 89:38,39), he adds an illustrious prediction of the Messiah and his kingdom, in whom that covenant should be established, and the honours of that house should be revived, advanced, and perpetuated. (Micah 5 - Matthew Henry) But (term of contrast) - Remember that "but" almost always marks a "change of direction" in the writer's flow of thought. In this case, the but introduces several contrasts - "Great" Jerusalem (daughter of troops) with "little" Bethlehem, house of bread. Judah's last king Zedekiah with Judah's greatest King, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. And finally the humiliation suffered by Judah's last Davidic king (Zedekiah from line of David) is contrasted with the prophecy of the humble beginnings of the greatest Davidic King (Mt 1:1-2ff). The last king brought bitter humiliation (defeat), while the King of kings brings a blessed hope (victory). Royal misfortune contrasts with Royal majesty. "The kings born in proud Jerusalem failed; the Messiah incarnated in lowly Bethlehem triumphs." (Wiseman) McComiskey on the "but" - Waw is adversative, contrasting the role of Bethlehem in Israel’s future salvation with Jerusalem’s present distress. As for you, Bethlehem (House of Bread) Ephrathah (fruitful) (see also Ephrathah) too little to be among the clans of Judah (NET = "seemingly insignificant") - "The primary significance of Bethlehem is its very insignificance." (Davis) Bethlehem was little… both in size and in significance (in the eyes of the non-believing world, but as Matthew says "by no means least." Mt 2:6). "As David had been the least notable of his brothers, so Bethlehem was the least honorable among the towns in Judah. The most insignificant place would bring forth the most significant person." (Constable, bolding added) “Out of seeming littleness and weakness God has perfected strength.” (Barker) Recall that even the well known Christmas carol recognizes this fact in the title "O Little Town of Bethlehem - Vienna Boys Choir." The greater David Jesus was born in David's birthplace (1Sa 16:1; 16:18-19; 17:12), "the city of David" (Lk 2:4, Jn 7:42, Ru 4:11, 17-21,22), a lowly town, a town so small that it was not even mentioned in the list of more than 100 towns in Joshua 15:21-63 (Nor was it mentioned in Neh. 11:1-36). Bethlehem was also the home of Naomi, Boaz and Ruth the Moabitess, the latter being in the Davidic line of the Messiah (see Mt 1:5,6). How did the Jewish writers interpret Micah 5:2? James Gloag observes that even "Jewish writers in general… have adopted the Messianic application of this passage. They, however, avoid the reference to Jesus by supposing that Bethlehem is mentioned here as the birth-place of the Messiah only indirectly, denoting merely that he was to be descended from David; and the eternal duration here mentioned alludes not to the person but to the name of the Messiah. According to the rabbinical fancies, there were seven things created before the world existed; and one of these is the name of the Messiah. Other Jewish writers grant that Bethlehem is to be the birth-place of the Messiah, but they regard the prophecy as still unfulfilled, and look forward to its accomplishment in the future." (The Messianic Prophecies - Paton James Gloag - Google Books)
Miquéias 5
Henry - This (Micah 5:1-6) is perhaps, the most important single prophecy in the Old Testament: it respects the personal character of the Messiah, and the discoveries of himself to the world. It distinguishes his human birth from his existing from eternity; it foretells the rejection of the Israelites and Jews for a season, their final restoration, and the universal peace to prevail through the whole earth in the latter days. (Micah 5 - Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary)