Chapter 2

Chapter 2. — On the Magi, and the Children Who Were Slain

¹ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Bethlehem is interpreted “house of bread”; and Judea, “confession.” May it come to pass, then, that we too may now, through confession, become a house of the spiritual bread.

² In the days of Herod. He makes mention of Herod, that you may learn that the rulers and kings of the tribe of Judah had failed, and of necessity Christ came. For Herod was not a Jew, but an Idumaean, the son of Antipater, of an Arabian woman. And when the rulers had failed, the expectation of the nations came, as Jacob had prophesied.

³ The king. For there was also another Herod, the tetrarch; for this reason he sets down the dignity of “the king.”

⁴ Behold, there came Magi from the east to Jerusalem. For what reason do the Magi come? For the condemnation of the Jews. For if the Magi, men who were idolaters, believed, what defense remains thereafter to the Jews? And at the same time, that the glory of Christ might shine forth the more, the Magi bearing witness—they who were especially subject to the demons, and enemies of God.

⁵ From the east. This too is for the condemnation of the Hebrews. For these came from so great a distance, while the Hebrews, having Christ in their very midst, persecuted Him.

⁶ Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? They say that these Magi were descendants of Balaam the seer; and that, finding his oracle, “There shall arise a star out of Jacob,” they understood the mystery concerning Christ, and on this account came, desiring to see the One who had been born.

⁷ For we have seen His star in the east. When you hear “star,” do not suppose that it was such a one as those which we see, but a divine and angelic power, appearing in the form of a star. For since the Magi were astrologers, the Lord drew them by what was familiar to them, just as He also astounded Peter, who was a fisherman, by the multitude of fishes which he netted in the name of Christ. And that the star was an angelic power is plain from this: that it shone exceedingly even in the day; and from this, that it moved when the Magi moved, but stood still when they rested; and moreover, that it moved from the northern region, which is that of Persia, to the southern, which is that of Jerusalem. But never does a star move from the north to the south.

⁸ And are come to worship Him. These Magi appear to have been of great virtue. For if they wished to worship Him in a foreign land, how would they not have spoken boldly and proclaimed Him in Persia?

⁹ When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Herod indeed was troubled, as one of another race, fearing for the kingdom; for he knew that he was unworthy of it. But the Jews—for what reason are they troubled? For they ought rather to have rejoiced, that there should be a king for them, worshipped by barbarian kings; but nonetheless wickedness is a senseless thing.

¹⁰ And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where Christ should be born. The scribes were the teachers of the people, like those whom we call grammarians. And God orders it that these be questioned, that they might confess the truth, and from this be condemned, themselves having crucified Him whom they had first confessed.

¹¹ And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet. By what prophet? By Micah. For he says:

¹² And you, Bethlehem, land of Juda, are by no means the least among the princes of Juda. Because it was small, they despised it; but now, on account of Christ who came forth from it, it is renowned. For all come from the ends of the earth, worshipping this holy Bethlehem.

¹³ For out of you shall come a Governor. Well did he say “shall come forth,” and not “shall abide in you.” For Christ did not abide in Bethlehem, but came forth from it after His birth, and spent most of His time in Nazareth. The Jews say that this was prophesied concerning Zorobabel. But they manifestly lie. For Zorobabel was not born in Bethlehem, but in Babylon, as his very name shows: “Zoro” signifies the sowing and the begetting; “Babel,” Babylon; that is, “he who was sown or begotten in Babylon.” But also this: His goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity; and of whom else are the goings forth both from of old, and from the days of eternity, than of Christ? Who had two goings forth, that is, generations; but the first generation was from of old, from the Father, and the second, from the days of eternity, from the Theotokos, having a beginning, and being under time. Let the Jews say, then, whether Zorobabel was from of old; but they cannot say it.

¹⁴ Who shall shepherd My people Israel. He said “shall shepherd,” and not “shall tyrannize” or “shall devour.” For the other rulers were not shepherds, but wolves; but Christ is a shepherd, as He Himself also says: I am the good shepherd. And by “people Israel” he means both those who were of the Hebrews, and those of the nations. For Israel is interpreted “one who sees God”; so that all who see God are Israelites, even if they be of the nations.

¹⁵ Then Herod, having privily called the Magi. He called them privily, because of the Jews. For he suspected that the Jews would perhaps make much of the child, and take thought to save Him, as one who should set them free. For this reason, then, he took counsel privily.

¹⁶ He inquired of them diligently the time of the star that appeared. That is, he ascertained it exactly. For the star appeared to the Magi before the Lord was born; for since they were to spend much time on the journey, on this account the star appeared long beforehand, that they might worship Him while He was yet in His swaddling clothes. But some say that the star appeared at the very birth of Christ, and that the Magi came after two years, and found the Lord not in swaddling clothes, nor in the manger, but in a house with His mother, being two years old. But you—hold the former [account] as the better.

¹⁷ And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search out diligently concerning the young child. He did not say “concerning the king,” but “concerning the young child”; for he could not even bear the name. Whence he shows that the greeting of him who was chilled [with envy] was false.

¹⁸ And when you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and worship Him. And they, when they had heard the king, departed. For being themselves guileless, they supposed that he too spoke without guile.

¹⁹ And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them. The star was hidden for a little while, by [divine] dispensation, that they themselves might question the Jews, and Herod might be troubled, and so the truth might become more manifest. But when they had gone forth from Jerusalem, it appeared again, guiding them. Whence it is plain that the star was a divine power.

²⁰ Till it came and stood over where the young child was. This too is strange. For the star came down from on high, and becoming nearer to the earth, showed them the place. For if it had appeared to them from on high, how could they have known particularly the place where Christ was? For the stars take in a great expanse of space. Whence you too see the moon, perhaps, over your own house; and I think it to be over my house only. And all men simply, each one, suppose the moon or some other star to stand over him alone. That star, then, would not have shown forth Christ, had it not come down, and all but stood over the head of the young child.

²¹ And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. As having not been led astray, but having found that which they sought, they rejoiced.

²² And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother. At the very birth, indeed, the Virgin laid the child in the manger, for they found no house then; but afterward it is likely that they found a house, where the Magi also found them. For they had gone up to Bethlehem, to be registered there, as Luke also says. And since a great multitude had run together because of the registration, they had no house for the time, but He was born in the cave; then a house was found, where the Lord was seen by the Magi.

²³ And they fell down and worshipped Him. As at an illumination of the soul. They beheld a poor child, and worshipped. For they were assured that He was God; wherefore also they offer Him gifts, as to God and as to man.

²⁴ And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. The gold they offered to Him as to a king; for to a king we who are under his hand pay gold. The frankincense, as to God; for to God we offer the incense of frankincense. And the myrrh, as to One who should taste of death. For with myrrh the Jews bury [their dead], that the body may remain undecayed; for myrrh, being dry, dries up the moisture, and does not suffer worms to be bred. You see the faith of the Magi? For from the prophecy of Balaam also they were taught that the Lord is both God and king, and one who should die for us. And hear the prophecy: He lay down, he says, and rested as a lion, and as a lion’s whelp. Behold the kingly [aspect], through the lion; and through the “he lay down,” the dying. They that bless you are blessed; behold the Godhead. For the power of blessing the divine nature alone possesses.

²⁵ And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way. Behold the sequence: first, through the star, God guided them unto faith; then, when they had come to Jerusalem, He taught them through the prophet that He is born in Bethlehem; and lastly, through the angel. And they obey the warning—that is, the divine communication. Being warned, then—that is, having received a revelation from God—they were true witnesses.

²⁶ And when they were departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and His mother. Do you see for what cause God permitted the Virgin to be betrothed? For here it is made plain to you—because of the caring for and the tending of her. And he did not say, “Take your wife,” but “the mother of the young child.” For since the suspicion had been dissolved, and the just man had been assured by the wonders at the birth that all was of the Holy Spirit, he no longer names her his wife.

²⁷ And flee into Egypt. The Lord too flees, that He might confirm that He was indeed also man. For if, coming into the hands of Herod, He had not been slain, it might have seemed that He was incarnate only in appearance. And He flees into Egypt, that He might sanctify it also. For there were two lands that were workshops of all wickedness, Babylon and Egypt. Babylon, then, He received as it worshipped, through the Magi; and Egypt He sanctified by His own presence.

²⁸ And be there until I bring you word. “Be”—instead of “remain there, until you are bidden by God.” For we ought to do nothing apart from the divine counsel.

²⁹ For Herod will seek the young child, to destroy Him. Behold the folly of man, who is eager to overcome the counsel of God. For if [the child] is not of God, why do you fear? But if He is of God, how will you destroy the young child?

³⁰ And he arose and took the young child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called My Son. The Jews say that this was spoken concerning the people who were brought up out of Egypt through Moses. We say, then, that it was indeed spoken at that time concerning the people in a figure; but it came to pass truly in Christ. Then also, who is the Son of God? The people who worshipped the idol Baal-peor and the graven images, or He who is truly the Son of God?

³¹ Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the Magi. Just as God mocked Pharaoh through Moses, so also Herod through the Magi; since both Herod and Pharaoh were child-slayers. Pharaoh slew the males of the Hebrews in Egypt, and Herod those in Bethlehem.

³² Was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem. He displays his wrath against the Magi upon those who had done no wrong. But for what reason were the children permitted to be slain? That the wickedness of Herod might be shown. But perhaps you will say to me: And what of this? Were the children wronged for this, that his wickedness might be shown? Hear, then, that they were not wronged, but were deemed worthy of crowns. For everyone who suffers any evil here suffers it either unto the dissolving of his sins, or unto the increase of his crowns; even as also these children shall be the more greatly crowned.

³³ And in all the borders thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the Magi.

³⁴ Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying. Lest anyone should suppose that the slaying of the infants came to pass against the will of God, he shows that He both foreknew it and foretold it.

³⁵ A voice was heard in Rama. Rama was a high place of Palestine. For this is what the name signifies, “high”; and it fell by lot to the tribe of Benjamin, who was the son of Rachel; and Rachel was buried in Bethlehem. The prophet, then, calls Bethlehem “Rachel,” because she was buried in it; and [says] that the weeping and the lamentation were heard in the high place. Hear, then, the prophet: Lamentation, and weeping, and much mourning; Rachel weeping for her children, that is, Bethlehem, and she would not be comforted, because they are not. In this life they are not, since the souls are immortal.

³⁶ But when Herod was dead. A bitter end did Herod have: with fever, and dysentery, and itching, and a swelling of the feet, and a putrefying of the privy member that bred worms, and shortness of breath, and trembling, and convulsion of the limbs, he burst forth his wicked soul.

³⁷ Behold, an angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise, take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel. He does not say “Flee,” but “Go.” For there was no longer any fear. For they are dead who sought the life of the young child. Where is Apollinaris, who said that the Lord did not take a human soul? For from this he is refuted.

³⁸ And he arose and took the young child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in the place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither. Herod left three sons, Philip, Antipas, and Archelaus; Archelaus, then, he commanded to be king, but the rest to be tetrarchs. And Joseph was afraid to go into the land of Israel—that is, into Judea—because Archelaus also was like his father. But Antipas, this is the second Herod, who slew the Forerunner.

³⁹ And being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee. Galilee was not the land of Israel, but was of the Gentiles; wherefore also the Jews looked upon them as an abomination.

⁴⁰ And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth. And how does Luke say that, after His birth, when He had fulfilled the forty days, and had been taken up in the arms of Symeon, the Lord went down into Nazareth; while here Matthew says that, after the return from Egypt, He came into Nazareth? Learn, then, that what Matthew passed over in silence, Luke spoke. What I mean is this: after His birth, He fulfilled the forty days; then He went down into Nazareth—this Luke says; but Matthew speaks of what came after, that He fled into Egypt, and then went up from Egypt into Nazareth. They are not, then, contrary to one another; but the one, namely Luke, speaks of the going down from Bethlehem into Nazareth, while Matthew speaks of the going up that came afterward from Egypt into Nazareth.

⁴¹ That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, that He shall be called a Nazarene. And what prophet said this? It is not now found. For through the negligence of the Hebrews many books were lost, and also through the continual captivities; but perhaps it was spoken among the Jews unwritten. Now “Nazarene” signifies “sanctified.” If, then, Christ is holy, He might fittingly be called a Nazarene. For “Holy One of Israel” is the Lord called by many of the prophets.