not by description, but by silently joining in the silent homage and the silent offerings of
'the wise men from the East.'
24. Not necessarily by night, as most writers suppose.
25. So correctly, and not 'in the East,' as in A.V.
26. Proof of this is abundantly furnished by Wetstein, Nov. Test. t. i. pp. 247 and 248.
27. v. 11.
28. 2 Cor. v 16
29. In this seems to lie the strongest condemnation of Romish and Romanising
tendencies, that they ever seek to present - or, perhaps, rather obtrude - the external
circumstances. It is not thus that the Gospel most fully presents to us the spiritual, nor yet
thus that the deepest and holiest impressions are made. True religion is ever objectivistic,
sensuous subjectivistic.
Before proceeding further, we must ask ourselves two questions: What relationship does
this narrative bear to Jewish expectancy? and , Is there any astronomical confirmation of
this account? Besides their intrinsic interest, the answer to the first question will
determine, whether any legendary basis could be assigned to the narrative; while on the
second will depend, whether the account can be truthfully charged with an
accommodation on the part of God to the superstitions and errors of astrology. For, if the
whole was extranatural, and the sidereal appearance specially produced in order to meet
the astrological views of the Magi, it wo uld not be a sufficient answer to the difficulty,
'that great catastrophes and unusual phenomena in nature have synchronised in a
remarkable manner with great events in human history.'30 On the other hand, if the
sidereal appearance was not of supernatural origin, and would equally have taken place
whether or not there had been Magi to direct to Bethlehem, the difficulty is not only
entirely removed, but the narrative affords another instance, alike of the condescension of
God to the lower standpoint of the Magi, and of His wisdom and goodness in the
combination of circumstances.
30. Archdeacon Farrar.
As regards the question of Jewish expectancy, sufficient has been said in the preceding
pages, to show that Rabbinism looked for a very different kind and ma nner of the world's
homage to the Messiah than that of a few Magi, guided by a star to His Infant-Home.
Indeed, so far from serving as historical basis for the origin of such a 'legend' a more
gross caricature of Jewish Messianic anticipation could scarcely be imagined. Similarly
futile would it be to seek a background for this narrative in Balaam's prediction, 31 since it
is incredible that any one could have understood it as referring to a brief sidereal
apparition to a few Magi, in order to bring them to look for the Messiah.32 Nor can it be
represented as intended to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah, 33 34 that 'they shall bring gold and
incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord.' For, supposing this figurative
language to have been grossly literalised,35 what would become of the other part of that
prophecy,36 which must, of course, have been treated in the same manner; not to speak of
the fact, that the whole evidently refers not to the Messiah (least of all in His Infancy),