according to the analogy of these beginnings. It was certainly not on any political grounds, that after having undertaken and performed so long and arduous a journey, and being so soon about to return home, they worshipped1 a King distant and an infant, and that too without paying the same homage to Herod : nor did Herod (in ver. 8) profess an intention of paying Him political homage. That the Magi actually did worship Him, we learn from ver. 11.
3. 'Erapa^Tj, was troubled) The king, now seventy years old, might be troubled all the more easily, because the Pharisees, a short time before, had foretold (as we learn from Josephus, Antiquities xvii. 3), that the kingdom was about to be taken from the family of Herod. The trouble of the king is a testi mony against the carelessness of the people. If Herod fears, why do not the Jews inquire ? why do they not believe ? — cacra, all) sc. •ro'X/s, the city2 — ^T auroS, with him) The people, who had been long accustomed to the king, followed his lead. Men are frequently overset by the sudden announcement of even good tidings.
4. Hdvrag, all) i.e., all who were in Jerusalem at that time. — ap^npiTs, chief priests) The writers of the New Testament seldom speak of iipsTg, priests, but generally of a.pyjipt't'^ chief priests. This word had distinct significations in the singular and plural number : the singular 5 *Af«£«f s«5g signifies the High Priest ; the plural ap^ispsTg, either with or without the definite article, signified those priests who were more nearly related to the High Priest, and had from that circumstance greater influ ence than the rest. — See Acts iv. 6. — ypa^/^anTg rov >.aoD, scribes of the people) With the LXX. ypawarus (scribe) corresponds to the Hebrew "IDK>;3 in which sense roO? ypa/^cm/j TO\J Xaov (the
1 The verb vpoaKwia signifies either religious worship, civil homage, or any other lowly manifestation of extreme respect. Cf. the various meanings of the English word " worship." — (I. B.)
2 Which had been so long standing in a posture of expectation, awaiting the Messiah's coming. — Vers. Germ.
3 i.e. ^BW a scribe (LXX. ypof^amvs, ypx/nff.oiroiKrit'yu'yev;') ; hence from the art of writing having been especially used forensically, a magistrate, pre fect of the people : specially ea^KB is used of the prefects of the people of Israel in Egypt, Ex. v. 6-19, and in the desert, Num. xi. 16 (used of the seventy elders), Deut. xx. 9, etc., etc.; magistrates in the towns of Palestine,