John Chrysostom, On Matthew

may be. For since they had asked and had their enemies as teachers, it appears to them again. And consider the excellent sequence of events that took place. For from the star, the people of the Jews and the king receive them, and they bring in the prophet teaching about the phenomenon. And from the prophet, an angel in turn received them and taught them everything; meanwhile, they travel from Jerusalem to Bethlehem by means of the star; for the star again accompanied them from there; so that you may learn from this also, that this was not one of the many; for not a single star has this nature. And it did not simply move, but it led them on, drawing and guiding them by the hand in the middle of the day. 4. And what need was there, he says, of this star, now that the place was known? So that the child might also be seen. For there was nothing to point him out; since neither was the house conspicuous, nor the mother illustrious and distinguished. There was need, therefore, of the star to bring them to the place. For this reason it appears to them as they go out from Jerusalem, and does not stop before, until it reached the manger. And wonder was joined to wonder; for both were marvelous, both for the magi to worship, and for the star to lead the way, and sufficient to draw even the most stone-hearted. For if the magi had said that they heard prophets saying these things, or that angels spoke to them privately, they might have been disbelieved; but now with the sight of the star appearing from above, even the most shameless were silenced. Then when it stood over the child, the star stood still again; which itself was a sign of a greater power than that of a star, now to be hidden, now to appear, and having appeared, to stand still. From this they too received an increase of faith. For this reason they also rejoiced, because they had found what they were seeking, because they had become messengers of truth, because they had not come so great a journey in vain; so great a longing they had for the Christ. For it came and stood over his very head, showing that the birth was divine; and having stood still, it leads to the act of worship, not simply barbarians, but the wisest among them. Do you see that it was fitting for a star to appear? For even after the prophecy, and after the explanation of the chief priests and scribes, they still paid attention to this. Let Marcion be ashamed, let Paul of Samosata be ashamed, for not being willing to see what the magi saw, the ancestors of the Church; for I am not ashamed to call them so. Let Marcion be ashamed, seeing God worshiped in the flesh. Let Paul be ashamed, seeing him worshiped not as a mere man. But that he was in the flesh, the swaddling clothes and the manger show; but that they did not worship him as a mere man, they show by bringing at so early an age such gifts as were fitting to bring to God. Let the Jews also be ashamed with them 57.78, seeing barbarians and magi arriving before them, and not enduring to come even after them. For what was then happening was a type of things to come, and from the very beginnings it was made clear that the Gentiles would anticipate their people. And how, he says, did he not from the beginning, but after these things, say: Go and make disciples of all nations? Because what was happening was a type, as I said, of what was to come, and a certain proclamation in advance. For it was consistent that the Jews should come first; but since they willingly betrayed their own benefit, things happened in reverse. For not even here should the magi have come before the Jews; nor should those from so great a distance have anticipated those who sat by the very city; nor should those who had heard nothing have come before those who were brought up with so many prophecies. But since they with excess ignored their own blessings, those from Persia anticipate those in Jerusalem; which is what Paul also says: It was necessary that the word of the Lord should first have been spoken to you; but since you judged yourselves unworthy, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For even if they were not persuaded before this, they should at least have run after hearing from the magi; but they were not willing; for this reason, while those were sleeping, these run ahead. 5. Let us then also follow the magi, and of the barbarian custom

γένηται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἠρώτησαν καὶ διδασκάλους ἔσχον τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, φαίνεται πάλιν αὐτοῖς. Καὶ σκόπει ἀκολουθίαν ἀρίστην γινομένην. Ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ ἀστέρος δέχεται αὐτοὺς ὁ τῶν Ἰουδαίων δῆμος καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς, καὶ τὸν προφήτην εἰσάγουσι διδάσκοντα τὸ φαινόμενον. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ προφήτου πάλιν ἄγγελος αὐτοὺς παραλαβὼν πάντα ἐδίδαξε· τέως δὲ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων εἰς Βηθλεὲμ διὰ τοῦ ἀστέρος βαδίζουσιν· ὁ γὰρ ἀστὴρ πάλιν κἀκεῖθεν συνώδευσεν· ἵνα μάθῃς κἀντεῦθεν, ὅτι οὐ τῶν πολλῶν εἷς ἦν οὗτος· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔχει ταύτην τὴν φύσιν ἀστὴρ οὐδὲ εἷς. Καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐβάδιζεν, ἀλλὰ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἕλκων καὶ χειραγωγῶν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μέσῃ. δʹ. Καὶ τί τοῦ ἀστέρος τούτου ἔδει, φησὶ, λοιπὸν τοῦ χωρίου γνωρισθέντος; Ἵνα καὶ τὸ παιδίον ὀφθῇ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν τι τὸ δηλοῦν αὐτό· ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ἡ οἰκία περιφανὴς ἦν, οὔτε ἡ μήτηρ λαμπρὰ καὶ ἐπίσημος. Ἔδει τοίνυν τοῦ ἀστέρος τοῦ ἐπιστήσοντος αὐτοὺς τῷ τόπῳ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων ἐξελθοῦσι φαίνεται, καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἵσταται, ἕως τὴν φάτνην κατέλαβε. Καὶ θαῦμα συνήπτετο θαύματι· καὶ γὰρ ἀμφότερα παράδοξα ἦν, καὶ τὸ τοὺς μάγους προσκυνεῖν, καὶ τὸ τὸν ἀστέρα προάγειν, καὶ ἱκανὰ καὶ τοὺς σφόδρα λιθίνους ἐπισπάσασθαι. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἶπον οἱ μάγοι, ὅτι προφητῶν ἤκουσαν ταῦτα λεγόντων, ἢ ὅτι ἄγγελοι κατ' ἰδίαν αὐτοῖς διελέχθησαν, κἂν ἠπιστήθησαν· νῦν δὲ τῆς ὄψεως τοῦ ἀστέρος ἄνωθεν φαινομένης, καὶ οἱ σφόδρα ἀναισχυντοῦντες ἐπεστομίζοντο. Εἶτα ἐπειδὴ ἐπέστη τῷ παιδίῳ, ἔστη πάλιν ὁ ἀστήρ· ὅπερ καὶ αὐτὸ μείζονος δυνάμεως ἣ κατὰ ἀστέρα ἦν, τὸ νῦν μὲν κρύπτεσθαι, νῦν δὲ φαίνεσθαι, καὶ φανέντα ἵστασθαι. Ἐντεῦθεν κἀκεῖνοι προσθήκην πίστεως ἐλάμβανον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐχάρησαν, ὅτι τὸ ζητούμενον εὗρον, ὅτι ἄγγελοι ἀληθείας γεγόνασιν, ὅτι οὐκ εἰκῆ τοσαύτην ἦλθον ὁδόν· οὕτω πολύν τινα πόθον περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εἶχον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐλθὼν κατ' αὐτῆς ἔστη τῆς κεφαλῆς, δεικνὺς ὅτι θεῖόν ἐστι τὸ γέννημα· καὶ σταθεὶς, ἐπὶ τὴν προσκύνησιν ἄγει, οὐχ ἁπλῶς βαρβάρους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς σοφωτέρους παρ' ἐκείνοις. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι εἰκότως ἀστὴρ ἐφάνη; Καὶ γὰρ μετὰ τὴν προφητείαν, καὶ μετὰ τὴν τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ γραμματέων ἐξήγησιν, ἔτι τούτῳ προσεῖχον. Αἰσχυνέσθω Μαρκίων, αἰσχυνέσθω Παῦλος ὁ Σαμοσατεὺς, μὴ βουληθέντες ἰδεῖν ἅπερ οἱ μάγοι εἶδον, οἱ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πρόγονοι· οὐδὲ γὰρ αἰσχύνομαι οὕτως αὐτοὺς καλῶν. Αἰσχυνέσθω Μαρκίων, ὁρῶν Θεὸν ἐν σαρκὶ προσκυνούμενον. Αἰσχυνέσθω Παῦλος. ὁρῶν οὐχ ὡς ἄνθρωπον προσκυνούμενον ἁπλῶς. Ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν ἐν σαρκὶ, τὰ σπάργανα δείκνυσι καὶ ἡ φάτνη· ὅτι δὲ οὐχ ὡς ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον προσεκύνουν, δηλοῦσιν ἐν ἀώρῳ τῆς ἡλικίας τοιαῦτα δῶρα προσάγοντες, ἃ Θεῷ προσάγειν εἰκὸς ἦν. Αἰσχυνέσθωσαν μετ' αὐτῶν 57.78 καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, βαρβάρους καὶ μάγους ὁρῶντες αὐτοὺς φθάνοντας, καὶ οὐδὲ μετ' ἐκείνους ἐλθεῖν ἀνεχόμενοι. Καὶ γὰρ τύπος ἦν τῶν μελλόντων τὰ τότε γινόμενα καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν προοιμίων ἐδηλοῦτο, ὅτι φθάσει τὸν δῆμον τὸν ἐκείνων τὰ ἔθνη. Καὶ πῶς, φησὶν, οὐκ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔλεγε· Πορευθέντες μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη; Ὅτι τοῦ μέλλοντος, ὅπερ ἔφην, γίνεσθαι τύπος ἦν τὸ συμβαῖνον, καὶ προαναφώνησίς τις. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀκόλουθον ἦν, Ἰουδαίους προσελθεῖν πρώτους· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἑκόντες προὔδωκαν τὴν οἰκείαν εὐεργεσίαν, ἀντιστρόφως τὰ πράγματα γέγονεν. Ἐπεὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα πρὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔδει τοὺς μάγους ἐλθεῖν· οὐδὲ τοὺς ἐκ τοσούτου διαστήματος προλαβεῖν τοὺς παρ' αὐτὴν τὴν πόλιν καθημένους· οὐδὲ τοὺς οὐδὲν ἀκηκοότας φθάσαι τοὺς προφητείαις συντραφέντας τοσαύταις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἠγνόησαν καλὰ, οἱ ἀπὸ Περσίδος τοὺς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις προλαμβάνουσιν· ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλός φησιν· Ὑμῖν ἀναγκαῖον ἦν πρῶτον λαληθῆναι τὸν λόγον τοῦ Κυρίου· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀναξίους ἑαυτοὺς ἐκρίνατε, ἰδοὺ στρεφόμεθα εἰς τὰ ἔθνη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ πρὸ τούτου ἐπείθοντο, παρὰ γοῦν τῶν μάγων ἀκούσαντας ἔδει δραμεῖν· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠθέλησαν· διὰ τοῦτο, καθευδόντων ἐκείνων, οὗτοι προτρέχουσιν. εʹ. Ἀκολουθήσωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἡμεῖς τοῖς μάγοις, καὶ τῆς βαρβάρου συνηθείας