The fourth year before CHAPTER II. the common date called 1 The wise men out of the east are directed to Christ by a s'ar. 11 They Anno Domini 1. 1st Year of our Lord's life. a Gen. 10. 30. & 25. 6. worship Him, and offer their presents. 14 Joseph Aeeth into Egypt, with Jesus and His mother. 16 Herod slayeth the children: 20 himself dieth. 23 Christ is brought back again into Galilee to Nazareth. OW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Ju Now in the days of Herod the king, behold, there 1 Kin. 4. 30. came wise men a from the east to Jerusalem, CHAPTER II. The Visit of the Wise Men and the Flight into Egypt. 1. "Now when Jesus was born." This event-the coming in the flesh of the eternal Son of God-being the greatest the world has ever known, rightly do Christian nations number the years, as they pass, from it, as from a new creation,-a second birthday of the world. "The "year of our Lord" is counted from that of His birth. "Bethlehem." For a fuller account of the birth of our Lord we must consult St. Luke's Gospel. We there learn how it came to pass, in the providence of God, that Jesus was born at Bethlehem. The word 'Bethlehem' means 'House of bread,' and, although it is not well to insist upon hidden meanings being intended, where we are not told so, yet it is perfectly lawful to dwell upon the thought that out of this 'House of bread' sprang He who was to be the "Bread of Life." Bethlehem was about six miles south of Jerusalem (See Map.). "Herod the king." This was Herod the Great, who had rebuilt the Temple at Jerusalem with great magnificence. Though retaining the title, and much of the power, of king, he owed his throne to the Romans, who at this time were masters of all the known world. He was noted for his cruelty and violence, having murdered several of his own family. He was now an old man, and died soon after our Lord's Birth, so that we must not confuse him with the other Herods, his descendants, of whom we read in other places. "Wise Men," or 'magi,' as the original word is, and as they are often called. From this word we have the English words 'magic' and 'magician,' but these magi were not magicians, but men of a learned class in the East, noted for their knowledge of the stars. "From the East." We do not know from what special country in the East they came. It may have been from Chaldea (Abraham's native country), or Persia, or Arabia. 1. "Now when Jesus was born." Although our years are dated by numbering from the supposed year of our Lord's birth, yet this has been found by careful research to be slightly inaccurate, our Lord having really been born four years earlier than the date from which we reckon. The practice of numbering the years from our Lord's birth was not adopted for five hundred years after that time, so that it is easy to account for the error. "There came wise men." There is great difficulty in fitting together the events related by St Matthew and St. Luke concerning the childhood of our Lord. and in deciding when the wise men came, The Purification and Presentation in the Temple took place, we know, forty days after the birth of our Lord, and, if we had only St. Luke's account, we should certainly gather that immediately after that rite was performed Mary and Joseph and the Infant Jesus returned to Nazareth. Thus some persons have supposed that the visit of the wise men did not take place so soon as is generally thought, but during a second visit to Bethlehem. Such persons argue that Mary and Joseph 2 saying, Where is He that is born King of the b Luke 2. 11. Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are Num. 24.17. come to worship Him. Isai. 60. 3. 2. "Where is He, &c. ?" It is a common idea that the star led the wise men all their journey through. This seems hardly to agree with the history. Had it been so, why should they have had to make enquiries at Jerusalem? They probably came to Jerusalem, because it was the royal city, and they thought that they would be sure to hear there about the "King of the Jews," if not actually to find Him there. It may be, however, that the star appeared each night, and also that Jerusalem would lie in the most convenient route to Bethlehem, and that the enquiries of the wise men were made there, because, by the appearance or position of the star, they knew they had nearly reached the end of their journey. "His star." What this was we cannot tell, but it seems to have been some strange and striking appearance in the sky, which God inspired them to receive as a token that the expected Deliverer was come. Pro bably these wise men knew enough of the Jewish prophecies to know that the Messiah was to come. We must not forget that some of the most striking prophecies of Christ, especially Daniel's, which names the very time of His coming, were written while the Israelites were captives in the East. The writings of so great a man as Daniel would probably be known to the people in whose land he was raised to such power, and who would (we may well suppose) have received from their forefathers the story of his wonderful deliverance from the den of lions. Perhaps also Balaam's still more ancient prophecy of the "Star" which was to come out of Jacob was known to them. "To worship Him." Plainly the wise men were enabled to see more of the "mystery of godliness, God manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. iii. 16.), than was given to many others. They came to see the "King "of the Jews," but they must have known something of the truth that His Kingdom was "not of this world," else they would not have thought of worship. Worship is, in its very nature, an adoration paid by man to God. would naturally wish to make Bethlehem their home (as indeed we may gather from verse 22 of the present chapter), or at least to be much there, after the wonderful events which had occurred there, and that therefore after their return to Nazareth, as related by St. Luke (ii. 39.), they may have again in a short time visited Bethlehem, when the visit of the wise men and the other events related by St. Matthew took place. This view may also find some little support from verse 16 (See Note). But perhaps on the whole it is more satisfactory to suppose that the visit of the wise men took place shortly after our Lord's birth, according to the tradition of the Church, which celebrates the event on the Epiphany (January 6), and that the flight into Egypt took place immediately after the Purification. The only great difficulty in this view is that so much must be put in between the performing all things according to the law, and the returning into Galilee, in St. Luke ii. 39. The order of events would thus be as follows: The wise men, following the direction of the star which they had seen in the East (that is, while they were in the East, for the star of course appeared to their Westward) travelled to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem, reaching the latter place possibly twelve days after the Nativity. If this be correct, it is probable that the star appeared first some time before our Lord's birth, since twelve days would scarcely be sufficient time to allow for the journey. If, on the other hand, we prefer to suppose that the star appeared at the actual time of the Saviour's Birth, then probably the arrival of the wise men at Bethlehem may have been later than the day on which we celebrate it. The wise men would probably 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. d2 Chr.36.14. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests 2 Chr. 34. 13. and scribes of the people together, 'he demanded of them where Christ should be born. f Mal. 2. 7. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, 3. "He was troubled." Probably with the fear of a rival to his own family in the kingdom. The same fear would disturb "all Jerusa"lem," for, however bad and hateful king Herod might be, he would be sure to have many whose interest it would be to support him, and even to others the enquiry about another "King of the Jews" would naturally cause great excitement. It seems however that the king, and others who heard the words of the wise men, understood that the "King of the "Jews" was none other than the promised Christ, as we see by Herod's question in the next verse. What they did not understand was the nature of that kingdom of which Christ was born the King. 4. "Chief priests and scribes of the people." Properly speaking, there was only one Chief- or High-Priest, but under the Romans and Herod there had been many changes in this office, and there may have been several at the same time claiming a right to it. Possibly the "chief priests" may include such as had formerly served the office, who may have acted as assistants to the lawful high priest; or the term may include the heads of the several "courses" of priests (See 1 Chron. xxiv. 6.). The "Scribes" (literally 'writers') were the copyists and teachers of the law, and probably Levites. 5. "In Bethlehem of Judea." The learned men at Jerusalem readily answered Herod's question as to "where Christ should be born." The prophecy of Micah was familiar to them, and they understood it rightly. Had they gone on to the next words, which describe the Governor, who was to come out of Bethlehem, as One "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting," they might have discerned something more of His Divine character. It is ill for those who know where to find Christ, and can tell others where to find Him, but who never seek Him or find Him themselves. 66 wait some little time at Bethlehem before returning to their own land, which they did, at God's bidding, by a different way from that by which they came, to avoid returning to Herod. On the fortieth day the Virgin and Joseph, not knowing of Herod's cruel purpose, took the child to Jerusalem (from which Bethlehem was only six miles distant) for the Purification and Presentation in the Temple, on which occasion Simeon and Anna knew and confessed the Saviour. The holy family would doubtless return to Bethlehem the same day, and then God warned Joseph to seek safety at once from Herod's wrath. It has been thought probable that the events happening in the Temple at the Purification may have reached Herod's ears, especially as we read that Anna spake of them openly, and that this led him to enquire why the wise men did not return, and to the discovery of their having (as he supposed) mocked him by returning home another way. Then, his wrath being aroused, he at once planned and executed the slaughter of the Innocents. Herod died miserably soon after this his last and most wanton act of cruelty, and then the holy family returned from Egypt and went to live at Nazareth. This return to Nazareth, in verse 22, would thus be the same as that mentioned in St. Luke ii. 39. Neither explanation is perfectly satisfactory, but then we have only certain parts of the story told us, and we may be sure these would take their places without any difficulty, if we knew the whole. 6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, & John 7. 42. art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall Rev. 2. 27. 2 Or, feed. 'rule My people Israel. Micah 5. 2. 7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young Child; and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had 7. "What time." Possibly, as supposing that the star appeared at the very time of our Lord's birth (But see Note on 1.). 10. "When they saw the star." That is, when they saw it stand still, and knew that their long and weary journey had not been in vain, but that now indeed they had found Him whom they had so longed to see. 11. "The house." Some think that from this word we may gather that, after the enrolment of names, for which the Virgin Mary and Joseph had visited Bethlehem, was over, and other strangers who came for the same purpose had left the place, they removed from the stable, in which they had first been sheltered, into some private lodging, or the house of a friend. This is the more probable if we find ourselves obliged to conclude that the visit of the wise men was later than the time at which we commemorate it in the Epiphany (See Note on 1.). "They saw the young Child." Was the scene they beheld quite what they expected? There was no royal pomp or splendour, only a poor Jewish maiden with her little Child. This was the "King" whom they had come to worship. Surely their faith and obedience to God's teaching were very marvellous. It needed the awful darkness, and the 6. The words here given differ a little from those in the book of Micah (v. 2.). The prophet says, "Thou Bethlehem "Ephratah, though thou be little among the "thousands of Judah, yet out of thee "shall He come forth unto Me that is to "be Ruler in Israel." The chief priests seem to understand it as saying that Bethlehem was "not the least among the "princes" (or chief cities) "of Judah." The difference is not great, for the prophet says that, although Bethlehem was then little, it should become very great. So that the chief priests do give the general meaning when they say Bethlehem is "not the least", meaning, among the greatest' of the cities of Judah. It was little in size; very great in honour. Ps. 72. 10. opened their treasures, they 3 presented unto Him. 3 Or, offered. gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Isai. 60. 6. k ch. 1. 20. 12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, earthquake, and the opening graves, to make the Roman captain cry out, Truly this was the Son of God." Yet these wise men saw only a little Babe and Its mother, and "fell down, and worshipped Him." "Their treasures." Probably the "gold and frankincense and "myrrh" were the best things which their land produced. The wise men teach us thus to give of our best to the Lord. Even the outward gift is accepted by Him, if offered in faith and love, and as a sign and token of the heart's offering within. Some have loved to trace a special fitness in these offerings;-the gold, as a tribute paid to a King; the frankincense, as an emblem of worship to be paid to God; and the myrrh, as a witness to the death which the Saviour came to die, myrrh being used in the embalming of the dead. "The How wonderful is the history of the wise men's journey! First of all, it is the first pledge and earnest of the call of the Gentiles (See on vi. 32.). The Jewish shepherds are the first to be brought to the Saviour; then these Gentile wise men. True, David prophecies, "I will give Thee "the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the "earth for Thy possession" (Ps. ii. 8.); and Isaiah writes, "It is "a light thing that Thou shouldest be My Servant to raise up the "tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel; I will also "give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My "salvation unto the end of the earth" (xlix. 6.); and again, "Gentiles shall come to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of Thy "rising" (lx. 3.); and in many other places is the call of the Gentiles foretold. But here we have their first-fruits. Here we see the first visible proof that God's blessings are no longer bounded by the limits of one nation, but are free to all mankind,that in place of a national religion we have a Catholic-universal-Church. Surely to us Gentiles this should be a ground of great thankfulness. Then mark God's dealings with those whom He would bring to Christ. He leads them by the sign best fitted to win their obedience. The wise men were learned in the stars. By a star they are called and led. So to each one arises some new and strange thing from time to time, which, if he would watch and follow it's guidance, would be his star in the East, leading him to the Saviour. It has too been well observed that, as the wise men were led by two things, the star without, and the teaching of God within,-so are we led by two things,-the Bible without, which is "a light unto our "paths," and the Spirit of God within, which is the promised guide and strength of all the pilgrims who are travelling onward, hoping to see their Lord face to face. Then, again, how wonderful is the faith of the wise men. It was no dim faith which could trace God's guiding in the star; which could support them through their long and toilsome journey; which could lead them to see in the little child of a humble Jewish maiden their King and their God, and to fall down and worship Him. |