Stop 3. Prediction

A prediction names something specific before it happens.

The scribes answer Herod from Micah: "As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, seemingly insignificant among the clans of Judah" and, after the dash, "from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf" (Micah 5:2). Matthew gives their answer as "And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah" (Matthew 2:6).

Record check (judgment). Put the two side by side and the words differ: "seemingly insignificant" in Micah, "in no way least" in Matthew. The town, the tribe and the ruler are the same. New Testament writers often quote the sense, or the Greek translation, rather than the Hebrew word for word. Matthew's answer also folds in the shepherd line from 2 Samuel 5:2. The link does not depend on the wording matching.

Zechariah says, "Look! Your king is coming to you: He is legitimate and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9). On Palm Sunday Matthew writes, "This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet" (Matthew 21:4).

A prediction like these is checked by history: Bethlehem, a donkey, a king. That is why every view on this chart agrees about them.

Picture: Micah to Matthew and Zechariah to Matthew. Layer: band 2.