1he Jem (1) connected this name closely Zech. iii. 8; (2) the fulRlment consists, not with Jesus the Nazarene just before men- in carrying out a definite statement to its .ioned, and (2) saw a connexion between it logical issue in history, but in the existenoe and "the Branch" of ha. xi. 1. True that of e. strange correspondenoe which implies they rejectoo the disciple's applio11tion of Divine foresight and arrangement. Why the pMsage, but they did not reject the Joseph settled at Nazareth rather than at identity of the expressions. The application any other spot in Galilee, St. Matthew give& "·hioh was made, e'l'en acoording to the Tal- no hint. The reason is found in the fact mud, ie fully expressed by the evangelist recorded by St, Luke that Mary (i. 26) and here. Thero, e.s we may see if we read Joseph (ii. 4) had lived there before the between the lines, the disciple olaimed for Birth. It is true that St. Matthew'& aooount his Christianity that it corresponded to the taken alone gives the impression that this promise of Isaiah ; here tue evangelist more was not the ce.se, but the impression is not definitely claims e. oonespondence between so strong as to warrant even the assertion, that promise and Jesus. He is not con- that St. Matthew was ignorant of the eo.rlier cerned with deeper points of similarity, residence, much less that his account in fact though they oould not fail to suggest them- contradicts St. Luke's. The mutual inde- Belves both to him and to his readers, but pendence e.nd the general trustworthiness of merely notices that the very dwelling-place the two accounts of the Birth and Infancy ia of Jesus answers to the promise of Messia.h. is shewn by the fa.et tha.t in their less im- Netur he was to be; the Divine working portant details they ca.nnot always be re• brought it a.bout that this, though in ad- conoiled. (On our present di.fliculties in: jectival form, was his common appellation. arranging the events recorded in Matt. i. Obsen-e that (1) to nelur in Isa. xL 1 the ii. e.nd Luke i. ii., cf. Ellicott,• Leete.,' p. 70~ word tsema1t corresponds inJer. :uiii. Sand Godet, 'Luke,' tra.nsl., i. pp. 153-156.) -
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-12.-The Wise Men from the East. I. THEra CIBCUllBTANOEB. 1. TMy were Gentiles. The first chapter represents the Lord Jesus a.s a Jew, the Son of David, the long~xpected Messiah. The second chapter tells us that the Gentiles a.lso have e.n interest in the new-born Se.vionr. He came to bear the sins of the world, to- be the Saviour of the world; to be not only "the Glory of his people Israel," but a.oo " a Light to lighten the Gentiles." Ancient prophecy he.d foretold that " the Gentilea- shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." They were coming now, the fi.rstfruits of the Gentile world~oming a long journey from the far East to- seek the infant Saviour who had come from highest heaven to save their souls. They were the leaders of the long procession of Gentiles who, drawn by grace, have sought the Lord. What countless millions have followed them, not from the East only, but in mightier multitudes from the West, from the North, and from the South l Their coming, thus early, to the cradle of the Lord prefigured the gradual ingathering of that great host, that multitude which no man could number. 2. They were Magians. Like Daniel and his companions, they belonged to the learned, the sacerdotal, caste; they bad been instructed in the wisdom of the East. Especially they had been engaged in the study of astronomy. Their learning had not degenerated into the magic, the pre~ tensions to supernatural power, so common in their time. It was sanctified by a long- ing after God ; it had elevated and refined their character. They were not like the Simon of Acts viii., or the Elymas of Acts xiii. '!'he name, Md-,a,, we.a common to them all; but Simon and Elymas were impostors, seeking their own selfish ends; their learning, such as it was, was degraded by falsehood and charlatanry; the Magians of St. Matthew were sincere seekers after God. They may possibly have heard something of ancient prophecy; the prophecies of Balaam, and more especially those of Daniel~ may have been known in their country; they must have been familiar with the expc·ctations of a coming King, a Deliverer, a Messiah, so generally diffused througbout the East. They were diligent observers of the stars; in the clear atmosphere of Meso- potamia or Persia they had watched the glorious march, the marvellous order, of the heavenly bodies. Astronomy, their favourite science, was blessed to their souls' salva- tion-it pointed the way to the Saviour. Science is the handmaid of religion, if it is pursued in the humble, teachable spirit which becomes seekers after truth. Philosophy. it Le.s well been said, begins in wouder, and it ends i::i wouder. The wonders of thi» on. n. 1-23.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 39