Herod

The arrival of the magi was quickly noised throughout Jerusalem.  Their strange errand created excitement among the people, which penetrated to the palace of King Herod.

Being of alien blood, he was hated by the people over whom he ruled. His only security was the favor of Rome. But this new Prince had a higher claim. He was born to the kingdom.

Herod suspected the priests of plotting with the strangers to excite a popular tumult and unseat him from the throne. He concealed his mistrust, however, determined to thwart their schemes by superior cunning. Summoning the chief priests and the scribes, he questioned them as to the teaching of their sacred books regarding the place of the Messiah’s birth.

This inquiry from the usurper of the throne, and made at the request of strangers, stung the pride of the Jewish teachers. The indifference with which they turned to the rolls of prophecy enraged the jealous tyrant. He thought them trying to conceal their knowledge of the matter. With authority they dared not disregard, he commanded them to make a close search and to declare the birthplace of their expected King.

 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Matthew 2: 5-6

Herod now invited the magi to a private interview. A tempest of wrath and fear raged in his heart, but he preserved a calm exterior and received the strangers courteously. He inquired at what time the star had appeared and professed to hail with joy the intimation of the birth of Christ. He bade his visitors,

“Search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found Him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship Him also.”

Matthew 2:8

So saying, he dismissed them to go on their way to Bethlehem.

Priests and Elders

The priests and elders of Jerusalem were not as ignorant concerning the birth of Christ as they pretended. The report of the angels’ visit to the shepherds had been brought to Jerusalem, but the rabbis had treated it as unworthy of their notice. They, themselves, might have found Jesus and might have been ready to lead the magi to His birthplace, but instead of this, the wise men came to call their attention to the birth of the Messiah. “

Where is He that is born King of the Jews?” they said, “for we have seen His star in the East and are come to worship Him.”

Matthew 2:2

Now pride and envy closed the door against the light. If the reports brought by the shepherds and the wise men were credited, they would place the priests and rabbis in a most unenviable position, disproving their claim to be the exponents of the truth of God. These learned teachers would not stoop to be instructed by those whom they termed heathen. It could not be, they said, that God had passed them by to communicate with ignorant shepherds or uncircumcised Gentiles.

They determined to show their contempt for the reports that were exciting King Herod and all of Jerusalem. They would not even go to Bethlehem to see whether these things were so. And they led the people to regard the interest in Jesus as a fanatical excitement. Here began the rejection of Christ by the priests and rabbis. From this point, their pride and stubbornness grew into a settled hatred of the Saviour. While God was opening the door to the Gentiles, the Jewish leaders closed it to themselves.

Desire of Ages, p. 61-63