Note 1 at Mt. 2:16: This massacre by Herod was consistent with his extremely jealous and insecure nature. He also slew his wife and son because he was fearful they would take the throne.

Note 2 at Mt. 2:16: Herod's order to murder the children from two years of age and under was a direct result of his inquiry of the wise men as to when the star appeared. This would imply that the wise men had seen the star sometime between one and two years before they came to Herod. Tradition has taught us that the wise men visited Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem, but close examination of the scriptures reveals that it was some time later.

First, Matthew 2:11 shows the wise men coming into the house, not the stable, where Jesus and his mother Mary were. This shows that the wise men's visit was not in the same time frame as the shepherds who found Jesus in the manger.

Secondly, Matthew 2:13 shows Joseph taking Mary and Jesus and fleeing into Egypt after the wise men had departed. Although not clearly stated, it is suggested that the flight into Egypt happened the same night or shortly after the wise men departed. This would mean that the wise men visited Jesus in Nazareth because Luke 2:39 shows that after the presentation of Jesus in the temple (which took place when Jesus was 40 days old--see note 1 at Lk. 2:22, p. 20), Joseph and Mary returned to Galilee and their hometown of Nazareth. Then sometime later came the visit of the wise men, and Joseph's and Mary's immediate departure into Egypt.

So, it can definitely be said that the visit of the wise men was in Nazareth more than forty days after the birth of Jesus. Taking into consideration the fact that Herod killed the infants up to two years old, it is possible that they visited Jesus when he was approaching two years of age. This appears to be in conflict with historians who say that Herod died in 4 B.C. This would not allow the two-year lapse before he had the infants killed.