SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:2
diciendo: ¿Dnde est el Rey de los Judíos, que ha nacido? Porque su estrella hemos visto en el oriente, y venimos a adorarle.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:2
Verse 2. We have seen his star] Having discovered an unusual luminous appearance or meteor in the heavens, supposing these persons to have been Jews, and knowing the prophecies relative to the redemption of Israel, they probably considered this to be the star mentioned by Balaam, Num. xxiv. 17. See the note there. In the east] en th anatolh, At its rise. anatolh and dushn are used in the New Testament for east and west.
To worship him.] Or, To do him homage; proskunhsai autw. The word proskunew, which is compounded of prov, to, and kuwn, a dog, signifies to crouch and fawn like a dog at his master's feet. It means, to prostrate oneself to another, according to the eastern custom, which is still in use. In this act, the person kneels, and puts his head between his knees, his forehead at the same time touching the ground. It was used to express both civil and religious reverence. In Hindostan, religious homage is paid by prostrating the body at full length, so that the two knees, the two hands, forehead, nose, and cheeks all touch the earth at the same time. This kind of homage is paid also to great men. AYEEN AKBERY, vol. iii. p. 227.
As to what is here called a star, some make it a meteor, others a luminous appearance like an Aurora Borealis; others a comet! There is no doubt, the appearance was very striking: but it seems to have been a simple meteor provided for the occasion. See on "ver. 9".
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. Saying, where is he that is born king of the Jews? etc.] These words were spoken to the Jews, or rather to Herod the king, or his ministers and courtiers, or to each of them, as the wise men had the opportunity of speaking to them; who make no scruple of his being born, of this they were fully assured; nor did they in the least hesitate about his being king of the Jews, who was born; but only inquire where he was, in what city, town, village, house, or family. The reason of their asking this question is, for we have seen his star in the east . By the star they saw, some understand an angel, which is not likely. The learned Lightfoot is of opinion that it was the light or glory of the Lord, which shone about the shepherds, when the angel brought them the news of Christs birth, and which at so great a distance appeared as a star to these wise men; others, that it was a comet, such as has been thought to portend the birth or death of some illustrious person: but it seems to be properly a star, a new and an unusual one, such as had never been seen, nor observed before; and is called his star, the star of the king born, because it appeared on his account, and was the sign of his birth, who is the root and offspring of David, and the bright and morning star, ( Revelation 22:16). This they saw in the east; not in the eastern part of the heavens, but they saw it when they were in the east, that is, in their own country; and according to the best observations they were able to make, it was in that part of the heavens right over the land of Judea; from whence they concluded that the king of the Jews was born; but the question is how they should hereby know and be assured that such a person was born? To this it maybe replied, that there is a prophecy of Balaams which is thus expressed, there shall come a star out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, ( Numbers 24:17) which is owned by some Jewish writers to be a prophecy of the Messiah; though the star there mentioned is considered by them as one of the Messiahs titles; hence one who set up himself, and for a while was by some received as the Messiah, was called by them abkwk rb the son of a star; but when he was discovered to be an impostor, they called him abyzwk rb the son of a lie: but I rather take it to be a sign of the Messiahs coming, and the meaning is, when a star shall rd walk or steer its course from Jacob, or above, or over the land of Israel, then a sceptre, or sceptre bearer, that is, a king, shall rise out of Israel. Now this prophecy of Balaam, who lived in the east, might be traditionally handed down to this time, and be well known by these men; and who, observing such a star appear over the land of Judea, might conclude that now the sceptre bearer or king was born f83 . Besides, Zerdusht or Zoroastres, the author of the sect of the Magi or wise men, and who appears to be a Jew by birth, and to be acquainted with the writings of the Old Testament, and with this prophecy, spoke of the birth of Christ to his followers; and told them when he should be born, a star would appear, and shine in the day, and ordered them to go where that directed, and offer gifts, and worship him. An Eastern writer, who affirms what I have now mentioned, relates the following speech as spoke by the wise men to Herod, when in conversation with him, about this matter: A certain person, say they, of great note with us, in a book which he composed, warned us in it, mentioning these things; a child that shall descend from heaven, will be born in Palestine, whom the greatest part of the world shall serve, and the sign of his appearance shall be this; ye shall see a strange star, which shall direct you where he is; when ye shall see this, take gold, myrrh and frankincense, and go and offer them to him, and worship him, and then return, lest a great calamity befall you. Now the star has appeared unto us, and we are come to perform what was commanded us.
If this be true, we are not at a loss how they come by their knowledge, nor for a reason of their conduct. That the Jews have expected that a star should appear at the time of the Messiahs coming, is certain, from some passages in a book of theirs of great value and esteem among them, in which are the following things: in one place it is said f86 The king Messiah shall be revealed in the land of Galilee, and lo a star in the east shall swallow up seven stars in the north, and a flame of red fire shall be in the firmament six days; and in another place, f87 When the Messiah shall be revealed, there shall rise up in the east a certain Star, flaming with all sorts of colours and all men shall see it: once more it is affirmed as a tradition that The holy blessed God hath determined to build Jerusalem, and to make a certain (fixed) star appear sparkling with seven blazing tails shining from it in the midst of the firmament and then shall the king Messiah be revealed in all the world.
Now this expectation of the appearing of such a star at the coming of the Messiah takes its rise from and is founded upon the above mentioned prophecy. It is said that Seth the son of Adam gave out a prophecy, that a star should appear at the birth of the Messiah; and that a star did appear at the birth of Christ is certain from the testimony of the Evangelist, and seems to have some confirmation from the writings of the Heathens themselves. Some have thought that the star which Virgil speaks of, and calls Caesaris Astrum, Caesars star, is this very star, which he in complaisance to that monarch ascribes to him. Pliny makes mention of a bright comet with a silver beard, which was so refulgent that it could scarce be looked upon, showing in itself the effigies of God in human form.
If the testimony of Chalcidius, a Platonic philosopher, taken notice of by many learned men, is genuine, and he not a Christian, it is much to the purpose, and is as follows: There is also a more venerable and sacred history, which speaks of the rising of a certain unusual star; not foretelling diseases and deaths, but the descent of a venerable God, born for the sake of human conversation, and the affairs of mortals; which star truly, when the wise men of the Chaldeans saw in their journey by night, and being very expert in the consideration of celestial things, are said to inquire after the birth of the new Deity, and having found the infant majesty, to worship him, and pay their vows worthy of such a God.
The end proposed by them in taking such a journey is expressed, and are come to worship him ; that is, either to pay adoration to him as God, of which they might be convinced by the extraordinary appearance of the star, or be assured of by divine revelation or rather to give him civil homage and respect, as an illustrious person, as being king of the Jews.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Those who live at the greatest distance from the means of grace ofte use most diligence, and learn to know the most of Christ and his salvation. But no curious arts, or mere human learning, can direct me unto him. We must learn of Christ by attending to the word of God, as light that shineth in a dark place, and by seeking the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And those in whose hearts the day-star is risen, to giv them any thing of the knowledge of Christ, make it their business to worship him. Though Herod was very old, and never had shown affectio for his family, and was not himself likely to live till a new-bor infant had grown up to manhood, he began to be troubled with the drea of a rival. He understood not the spiritual nature of the Messiah' kingdom. Let us beware of a dead faith. A man may be persuaded of man truths, and yet may hate them, because they interfere with his ambition, or sinful indulgences. Such a belief will make him uneasy and the more resolved to oppose the truth and the cause of God; and he may be foolish enough to hope for success therein.
Greek Textus Receptus
λεγοντες 3004 5723 V-PAP-NPM που 4226 PRT-I εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM τεχθεις 5088 5685 V-APP-NSM βασιλευς 935 N-NSM των 3588 T-GPM ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM ειδομεν 1492 5627 V-2AAI-1P γαρ 1063 CONJ αυτου 846 P-GSM τον 3588 T-ASM αστερα 792 N-ASM εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF ανατολη 395 N-DSF και 2532 CONJ ηλθομεν 2064 5627 V-2AAI-1P προσκυνησαι 4352 5658 V-AAN αυτω 846 P-DSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. The east (anatolh). Literally, the rising. Some commentators prefer to render at its rising, or when it rose. In Luke i. 78, the word is translated dayspring, or dawn. The kindred verb occurs in Matt. iv. 16, "light did spring up" (aneteilen).
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:2 {For we saw his star in the east} (eidomen gar autou ton astera en tei anatolei). this does not mean that they saw the star which was in the east. That would make them go east to follow it instead of west from the east. The words "in the east" are probably to be taken with "we saw" i.e. we were in the east when we saw it, or still more probably "we saw his star at its rising" or "when it rose" as Moffatt puts it. The singular form here (tei anatolei) does sometimes mean "east" (#Re 21:13), though the plural is more common as in #Mt 2:1. In #Lu 1:78 the singular means dawn as the verb (aneteilen) does in #Mt 4:16 (Septuagint). The Magi ask where is the one born king of the Jews. They claim that they had seen his star, either a miracle or a combination of bright stars or a comet. These men may have been Jewish convert and may have known of the Messianic hope, for even Vergil had caught a vision of it. The whole world was on tiptoe of expectancy for something. Moulton (_Journal of Theological Studies_, 1902, p. 524) "refers to the Magian belief that a star could be the _fravashi_, the counterpart or angel (cf. #Mt 18:10) of a great man" (McNeile). They came to worship the newly born king of the Jews. Seneca (_Epistle_ 58) tells of Magians who came to Athens with sacrifices to Plato after his death. They had their own way of concluding that the star which they had seen pointed to the birth of this Messianic king. Cicero (_De Divin_. i. 47) "refers to the constellation from which, on the birthnight of Alexander, Magians foretold that the destroyer of Asia was born" (McNeile). Alford is positive that no miracle is intended by the report of the Magi or by Matthew in his narrative. But one must be allowed to say that the birth of Jesus, if really God's only Son who has become Incarnate, is the greatest of all miracles. Even the methods of astrologers need not disturb those who are sure of this fact.
