Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1903-12-18
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR DECEMBER 20.

/. Guided by the star Tvs. l, p. l.
"When Jesus was born" The date of the
birth of Christ is uncertain, but the gen
orally accepted date is December %, b. G..
5. He was born four years before the time
from which we count his birth in our
common reckoning. In Bethlehem of
Judea." To distinguish it from Bethlehem
in Galilee, mentioned in Joshua 1915. I'm
the days of Herod." Herod the Great.
He was an Edomite, and, although prose-
lyte to the Jewish religion, was notorious
for his wickedness and cruelty. He reigned
thirty-seven years in Judea and died a few
months after the birth of Christ. He was
the father of Herod Antipas who put to
death John the Baptist, and to whom
Piliate sent our Lord at the time of His
cruci6xion. At this time the sceptre had
literally departed from Judah, and for.
egner was on the throne. ''Wise men,"
Or magi. Much learned and interesting
discussion has arisen with respect to the
"wise men" and the 'star." Augustine
and Chrysostom say there were twelve
magi, but the common belief is that there
were but three. From the east" Per-
haps from Media, or Persia, or, possibly,
from Arabia. Lew Wallace supposes there
were three men-an Egyptian, Hindu
and Greek-who were brought together
in the desert by the Spirit of God, and
who thence journeyed in company, being
directed by the star, until they found the
Christ. "To Jerusalem" They seemed
to suppose that when they reached the
capital of the Jewish nation they would
have no trouble in finding the object OF
their search.
2. king of the Jews" "There was at
this time general expectation throughout
the East that one would be born in Judea
who should possess universal dominion.
This was a title unknown to the earlier
history of Israel and applied to no one
except the Messiah. 1t reappears in the
inscription over the cross, His star,."
Many interpreters, especially those who
seek to eliminate the supernatural, explain
the star" or "sidereal appearance" by a
conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which
occurred in May, B. G. 7, and again IN De-
cember with Mars added. 1t is, however,
much more in harmony with all the facts
to believe that the star which attracted
the attention of the magi was supernatural
A simple meteor provided for the occa-
sion. ''In the east" In the country east
of Palestine from whence they came. 10
worship Him" God had influenced these
wise men to take this journey to find and
pay their homage to the Saviour. They
were bold to confess the object of their
coming.
II. Searching the Scriptures Tvs. 3-6):
8. Had heard these things" The magi
had created no small stir by their inquiries
which Immediately attracted the attention
of the king. "I'roubled." Herod, now
sunk into the jealous decreptitude of his
savage old age, was residing in his new
palace on Zion, when, half maddened as
he was already by the crimes of his past
career, he was thrown into fresh par
oXysm of alarm and anxiety by the visit
Of IL
gence that they had come to worship new
born king. Herod feared a rival. "All
Jerusalem with him." Fearing that he
would make this an occasion of renewing
his acts of bloodshed.
4. "The chief priests" This expression
probably comprehends the acting high
priest and his deputy. Demanded of
them" Because they would be most like
ly to know. "Where the Christ should be
born" The wise men had said nothing
about the Christ, or the Messiah, but only
saw that this king must be the expected
Messiah.
5, 6. "By the prophet" Micah So.
Matthew does not quote the exact words
found in Micah, but the sense is given.
They did not need to take long time
to search out the answer to Herod's
question, for it was accepted truth that
the Messiah must come from Bethlehem.
"Thou Bethlehem" Bethlehem signifies
the house of bread, the fittest place for
Him to be born in whom is the true bread
no wise least" Micah says, Though thou
be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of these shall He come forth unto
me that is TO be ruler in Israel" The
princes" "The thousands" Micah 5:2).
The tribe had been subdivided into thou
sands, and over each subdivision there
was a chieftain or prince. "a governor"
To control and rule. (Which shall be
shepherd" To feed and care for, as a
shepherd his flock. This governor who
controls is also tender shepherd. Christ
is both Shepherd and King.
III; The child Jesus found Tvs. 7-l2).
7. 'Privily called" Herod desired to
keep the time of Christ's birth as secret
as possible lest the Jews who hated him
should take occasion to rebel. A short
time before this 5000 Pharisees had refused
to take the oath of allegiance to him.
Inquired Of them diligently. Learned
OF them carefulv."-R. Y.
8. "He sent them" He assumed con-
troll. but they followed the directiQpSGs
the Lord "Search diligentlsy !" to them; he
honest in makingot receive definite word
greatlv,rlfg. the new King. "And worship
HIN Also. w IldC hypocrisy! lie only
wished to find the child in order to MUIR
der it Tvs. 10, l6); he was crafty and
subtle, saying one thing and meaning an
other. But God did not permit him to
carry out. his purpose. The wise men.
warned of God in a dream, returned an
other way. and Joseph, warned in the same
manner, took the young child and its
mother and fled to Egypt.
9. "The star went before them"
The same star which thew had seen in their
own country now again appears. The star
had disappeared for a time, and this led
them to inquire in Jerusalem for the young
King whom they sought.
10. "They rejoiced." The Greek is very
emphatic. They rejoiced exceedingly be-
cause they saw they were about to find the
child and because they had such unmis-
taxable proof of being in divine order
That alone is enough to cause rejoicing.
IL. Unto the house." They had left
the stable that they were forced to tenn
porarily occupy at the time of Christ's
birth luke 2:O, and were living in
house. EEL down" They Frustrated
themselves before Him according to the
eastern custom. "Gifts." The people of
the East did not approach into the pres
ence of kings without bringing them pres.
ents. The custom still prevails in many
places. Gold" etc. Gold would always
be useful, while frankincense and myrrh
were priced for their delicious fragrance.