John Chrysostom, On Matthew

they were born through faith and promise. But if He did not shepherd all, this is their crime and accusation. For they ought to have worshipped with the Magi, and to have glorified God, that such a time was at hand, loosing all their sins; for they heard nothing of tribunals, nor of reckonings, but of a gentle and meek Shepherd; but they do the contrary, and are troubled, and raise a disturbance, and after this devise countless plots. Then Herod, secretly calling the Magi, inquired of them precisely the time of the star that appeared; attempting to destroy the one who was born, which was of the utmost folly, not only of madness. For both the things spoken and the things that had happened were sufficient to make him desist from every such attempt. For the events were not according to man. For the star to call the Magi from above, and for barbarian men to undertake so great a journey, so as to worship Him who lay in swaddling clothes and in a manger, and for prophets from of old to proclaim all these things beforehand, and all the other things, were greater than what is according to man; but nevertheless none of these things restrained him. 3. For such is wickedness; it falls into its own trap, and always attempts things that cannot be accomplished. Consider then the 57.76 folly. For if he believed the prophecy, and considered it unchangeable, it is clear that he was attempting impossible things; but if on the other hand he disbelieved, and did not expect the things spoken to come to pass, he ought not to have been afraid and feared, nor to plot on account of this; so that either way the treachery was superfluous. And this too is of the utmost folly, to think that the Magi would prefer him to the one who was born, for whose sake they had come on so great a journey. For if before seeing Him they were so inflamed with desire, after they had seen and been assured by the prophecy, how did he hope to persuade them to betray the child to him? But nevertheless, though there were so many things to deter him, he attempted it, And having called the Magi secretly, he inquired of them. For he thought that the Jews cared for the child; and he would not have expected them to slide into such madness, as to be willing to deliver up their protector and Savior, who had come for the freedom of the nation, to his enemies. For this reason he both calls secretly, and seeks the time, not of the child, but of the star, setting his trap with great abundance. For it seems to me that the star appeared a long time before. For since the Magi were to spend much time on the journey, in order that they might arrive immediately to the one who was born; for it was necessary for Him to be worshipped in His very swaddling clothes, so that the wonderful and paradoxical nature of the event might be revealed, the star shows itself a long time beforehand. For if at the time He was born in Palestine, it then appeared to them in the east, spending much time on the journey, they would not have seen Him in swaddling clothes when they arrived. But if he slays those of two years old and under, let us not be surprised; for his rage and fear, for the sake of greater security, added even more time, so that no one might escape. Therefore, having called them, he says: Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. Have you seen the folly? For if you say these things in truth, for what reason do you ask secretly? but if you wish to plot against him, how did you not perceive, that from being asked secretly the Magi would be able to perceive the treachery? But, as I said, a soul caught by wickedness becomes more foolish than all. And he did not say, go and learn about the king, but About the child; for he could not bear even to utter the name of his rule. But the Magi, out of great reverence, perceived none of these things; for they would not have expected that he would go to such a length of wickedness, and attempt to plot against so wonderful a dispensation; They depart, suspecting none of these things, but judging all things of others by their own. And behold, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them. For it was for this reason that it was hidden, so that having lost their guide, they might fall into the necessity 57.77 of asking the Jews, and the matter manifest to all

διὰ πίστεως καὶ ἐπαγγελίας ἐγεννήθησαν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ πάντας ἐποίμανε, τοῦτο αὐτῶν ἔγκλημα καὶ κατηγορία. ∆έον γὰρ αὐτοὺς προσκυνῆσαι μετὰ τῶν μάγων, καὶ δοξάσαι τὸν Θεὸν, ὅτι ἐπέστη καιρὸς τοιοῦτος, πάντα λύων αὐτῶν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν περὶ δικαστηρίων ἤκουσαν, οὐδὲ εὐθυνῶν, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἡμέρου καὶ πράου ποιμένος· οἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον ποιοῦσι, καὶ ταράττονται, καὶ θορυβοῦσι, καὶ μυρίας μετὰ ταῦτα κατασκευάζουσιν ἐπιβουλάς. Τότε Ἡρώδης καλέσας λάθρα τοὺς μάγους, ἠκρίβωσε παρ' αὐτῶν τὸν χρόνον τοῦ φαινομένου ἀστέρος· ἐπιχειρῶν ἀνελεῖν τὸ τεχθὲν, ὅπερ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας ἦν, οὐχὶ μανίας μόνον. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ εἰρημένα καὶ τὰ γεγενημένα ἱκανὰ ἦν ἀποστῆσαι αὐτὸν πάσης τῆς τοιαύτης ἐπιχειρήσεως. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἦν τὰ συμβάντα. Τὸ γὰρ ἀστέρα καλέσαι τοὺς μάγους ἄνωθεν, καὶ τὸ βαρβάρους ἄνδρας τοσαύτην ἀποδημίαν στείλασθαι, ὥστε προσκυνῆσαι τὸν ἐν σπαργάνοις καὶ φάτνῃ κείμενον, καὶ τὸ προφήτας δὲ ἄνωθεν ταῦτα πάντα προαναφωνεῖν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, μείζονα ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἦν· ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν αὐτὸν τούτων κατεῖχε. γʹ. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ πονηρία· ἑαυτῇ περιπίπτει, καὶ ἀνηνύτοις ἀεὶ πράγμασιν ἐπιχειρεῖ. Σκόπει δὲ τὴν 57.76 ἄνοιαν. Εἰ μὲν ἐπίστευε τῇ προφητείᾳ, καὶ ἀκίνητον αὐτὴν εἶναι ἐνόμιζεν, εὔδηλον ὅτι ἀδυνάτοις ἐπεχείρει πράγμασιν· εἰ δὲ ἠπίστει πάλιν, καὶ οὐ προσεδόκα ἐκβήσεσθαι τὰ λεγόμενα, δεδοικέναι καὶ φοβεῖσθαι οὐκ ἐχρῆν, οὐδὲ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπιβουλεύειν· ὥστε ἑκατέρωθεν περιττὸς ὁ δόλος ἦν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἀνοίας ἐσχάτης, τὸ νομίσαι τοὺς μάγους αὐτὸν προτιμήσειν τοῦ τεχθέντος, ὑπὲρ οὗ τοσαύτην ἦλθον ἀποδημίαν. Εἰ γὰρ πρὶν ἰδεῖν οὕτως ἦσαν ἐκκεκαυμένοι τῷ πόθῳ, μετὰ τὸ θεάσασθαι καὶ πιστωθῆναι παρὰ τῆς προφητείας, πῶς ἤλπιζεν αὐτοὺς πεῖσαι προδοῦναι τὸ παιδίον αὐτῷ; Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τοσούτων ὄντων τῶν ἀπαγόντων αὐτὸν, ἐπεχείρει, Καὶ καλέσας λάθρα τοὺς μάγους, ἐπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐνόμιζεν Ἰουδαίους κήδεσθαι τοῦ παιδίου· καὶ οὐκ ἂν προσεδόκησεν εἰς τοῦτο μανίας ἐξολισθαίνειν αὐτοὺς, ὡς τὸν προστάτην καὶ Σωτῆρα, καὶ ἐπ' ἐλευθερίᾳ τοῦ ἔθνους παραγενόμενον βούλεσθαι ἐκδιδόναι τοῖς ἐχθροῖς. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ λάθρα καλεῖ, καὶ ζητεῖ τὸν χρόνον, οὐ τοῦ παιδίου, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀστέρος, ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας τιθεὶς τὸ θήραμα. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸ πολλοῦ χρόνου δοκεῖ μοι ὁ ἀστὴρ φανῆναι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολὺν κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ἔμελλον ἀναλίσκειν οἱ μάγοι χρόνον, ἵνα εὐθέως ἐπιστῶσι τῷ τεχθέντι· ἔδει γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς προσκυνηθῆναι τοῖς σπαργάνοις αὐτὸν, ὥστε τὸ θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον φανῆναι τοῦ πράγματος, πρὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ χρόνου δείκνυσιν ἑαυτὸν ὁ ἀστήρ. Εἰ γὰρ ἡνίκα ἐτέχθη ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ, τότε αὐτοῖς ὤφθη ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, πολὺν κατὰ τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν διατρίβοντες χρόνον, οὐκ ἂν ἐν σπαργάνοις εἶδον αὐτὸν παραγενόμενοι. Εἰ δὲ ἀπὸ διετοῦς ἀναιρεῖ καὶ κατωτέρω, μὴ θαυμάσωμεν· ὁ γὰρ θυμὸς καὶ τὸ δέος ὑπὲρ πλείονος ἀσφαλείας καὶ πλείονα προσετίθει χρόνον, ὥστε μηδένα διαφυγεῖν. Καλέσας οὖν αὐτοὺς, φησί· Πορευθέντες ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάσατε περὶ τοῦ παιδίου· ἐπὰν δὲ εὕρητε, ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι, ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ. Εἶδες τὴν ἄνοιαν; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀληθείας ταῦτα λέγεις, τίνος ἕνεκεν λάθρα ἐρωτᾷς; εἰ δὲ ἐπιβουλεῦσαι βουλόμενος, πῶς οὐ συνεῖδες, ὡς ἐκ τοῦ λάθρα ἐρωτᾶσθαι δυνήσονται συνιδεῖν οἱ μάγοι τὸν δόλον; Ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην, ψυχὴ ὑπὸ πονηρίας ἁλοῦσα, πάντων ἀνοητοτέρα γίνεται. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀπελθόντες μάθετε περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀλλὰ Περὶ τοῦ παιδίου· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς ἀρχῆς καλέσαι ἠνέσχετο. Ἀλλ' οἱ μάγοι τούτων οὐδὲν συνιδόντες ὑπὸ πολλῆς εὐλαβείας· οὐ γὰρ ἂν προσεδόκησαν, ὅτι εἰς τοσοῦτον πονηρίας ἐξῆλθεν ἂν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ οὕτω θαυμαστῇ οἰκονομίᾳ ἐπιβουλεῦσαι ἐπεχείρησεν· Ἀπέρχονται τούτων οὐδὲν ὑφορώμενοι, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων στοχαζόμενοι ἅπαντα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ, ὃν εἶδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, προῆγεν αὐτούς. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκρύβη, ἵνα ἀπολέσαντες τὸν χειραγωγοῦντα, εἰς ἀνάγκην ἐμπέσωσιν 57.77 ἐρωτῆσαι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ πᾶσι κατάδηλον τὸ πρᾶγμα