Page:The four Gospels - translated from the Latin Vulgate, and diligently compared with the original Greek text, being a revision of the Rhemish translation (IA TheFourGospelsTranslated).pdf/48

40 THE FOUR GOSPELS. in the days of king Herod, behold there came Magi from the east to Jerusalem.

2. Saying: Where is He that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and we are come to adore Him.

3. And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4. And assembling together all the chief priests, and

¹The birth of our Lord took place towards the close of the reign of Herod, surnamed the Great, an Idumean by birth, who obtained the sov- ereignty of Judea from the Romans. The vulgar Christian era dates from the year of Rome 754, and Herod died in November of 750, or certainly before the passover of 752, so that the calculation is erroneous. The birth of Christ took place four years previously, one or two years before the death of Herod. superstition. I have retained the original term, as specially designating that class of men. The evangelist did not deem it necessary to specify the place, as the pub- lic fact of their arrival was sufficient for his purpose. and are called such in scripture. This star is called His, because accord- ing to ancient tradition it was to appear at His birth. We cannot say whether this popular belief took its origin from the prophecy of Balaam: "A star shall arise out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall spring up from Israel." Numb. xxiv. 17. It may have been connected with the gene- ral persuasion then prevailing, that about that time there would arise in Judea, one who would rule over the world. Tacitus and Suetonius, al- though pagans, testify to the existence of this belief. This may mean to give Him homage as to a prince, or as a Divine Being. If we take into account the secret illustration of the Holy Spirit, we need not hesitate to believe that they were divinely onlightened to acknowledge and adore Him as the Saviour and Lord of men. Why should they be eager to pay their court to an infant prince of a strange country! Would Herod-himself a king-profess the intention of going to pay civil homage to an infant prince? himself and his family. The people were excited at the extraordinary announcement: their feelings were, however, different from those of Herod. of the high priesthood, which was no longer enjoyed for life, and the heads of sacerdotal courses were called to council. Digitized by Google 1
 * In Peraia the Magi professed the science of the stars, and practised
 * Probably from Arabia Deserta, which lay in a southeastern direction.
 * Meteors, that is, luminous vapors in the atmosphere, appear like stars,
 * With jealous apprehension lest the sceptre should be wrested from
 * Besides the actual high priest, those who had exercised the function