And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed, х anechooreesan (G402)] - or 'withdrew' --
To their own country another way. What a surprise would this vision be to the sages, just as they were preparing to carry the glad news of what they had seen to the pious king! But the Lord knew the bloody old tyrant better than to let him see their face again.
Remarks:
(1) As in the first chapter of this Gospel Christ's genealogy and His birth of the Virgin show that salvation is of the Jews, so the visit of these eastern Magi, in the second chapter, exhibits the interest of the Gentile world in Christ. And as the genealogical tree of the first chapter is bright on the Jewish side, while the Gentile side is pitch-dark, so in the second chapter the picture is reversed-the Gentile world presenting the bright, while unbelieving Israel presents the dark side, as Lange well observes.
(2) How differently was the birth of Christ regarded by different parties! While the shepherds, Simeon and Anna, with as many as waited for the consolation of Israel, hailed it with joy, and these eastern sages, attracted from afar, hied them to Jerusalem to do homage to the newborn King, the cruel tyrant that sat upon the throne of Israel, the temporizing and turbulent priesthood, and the fickle, frivolous multitude, were only startled and troubled at the announcement. Thus is it in every age, as old Simeon said, that "the thoughts of many hearts might be revealed" (Luke 2:35).
(3) We have here a striking illustration of the important distinction between the civil and the ecclesiastical functions, and of the signal services which each may render to the other. While the religions liberties of the Church are under the protection of the civil power, it will be the wisdom of the State instead of intermeddling with ecclesiastical functions, to refer questions affecting religion to those who are its proper representatives, as Herod did in this case.
(4) What a commentary is furnished by this narrative on such sayings as these: "Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out;" "The last shall be first, and the first last;" "I am found of them that sought me not;" but "I have stretched out my hands all day long to a disobedient and gainsaying people" (Matthew 8:11-12; Matthew 20:16; Romans 11:20-21). Here, in the city of divine solemnities, the seat of a divinely instituted worship, we see unbelief and religions indifference reigning not only among the chosen people, but among the consecrated ecclesiastics; while from distant paganism come devout and eager inquirers after the newborn King of Israel. Yea, here we see persons directing others to Christ who show no readiness to inquire after Him themselves.
(5) How gloriously does God serve Himself, not only of those who themselves have no such intention, but of those whose only intention is to thwart His purposes! The Word had been made flesh, but in poverty rather than riches-meanness than majesty. It was fitting, then, that some public seal should be set upon Him. Accordingly, as His birthplace had been explicitly foretold by the ancient prophets, He will have this proclaimed by lips all unconscious of what they were attesting, lips beyond all suspicion-by the greatest and most august assembly of the Church's rulers-that His Son, in being born at Bethlehem, had come into the world at the right place. And whereas Herod's purpose in convening this grave synod and despatching the sages to Bethlehem, was dark and murderous-only to scent out his victim-he was herein but God's puny instrument for obtaining a glorious testimony in behalf of His Son, and procuring Him the homage of these honourable representatives of the pagan world.
(6) See here the importance of the written Word, and of an intelligent acquaintance and familiarity with it; but yet how compatible this is with a total absence of the spirit and life of it; or, as Lange quaintly expresses it, 'the value of lifeless Bible learning, and the worthlessness of the lifeless Bible-learned.'
(7) How glorious is that faith which triumphs over all visible appearances! To the expectations of these eastern visitors "the house" at Bethlehem would be not a little disappointing. Yet "when they saw the child" - differing in nothing to the outward eye from any other babe - "they fell down and worshipped Him." That Babe was reverend and majestic in their eyes. 'This baseness (as Dr. Hall says) hath bred wonder, not contempt: they well knew the star could not lie' Even so in every age, the more unaided by visible probabilities, and the more it triumphs over all that to sense would seem irrational, the nobler faith is.
(8) How beautiful is natural knowledge when it leads, as in these sages, to Christ! But what sadder spectacle is there than towering attainments in science and philosophy, accumulating, as we have seen in our own day, to extreme old age, and attracting the homage of the world, yet conjoined with blank irreligion, and going out at length in atheistic silence as to all that is supernatural!
(9) How grand is the providence which concealed both from the sages and from the parents of our Lord all suspicion of Herod's designs, until the divine purposes in this visit were all attained! The Magi, on reaching the capital, are allowed to visit the king in his palace; and on a religious mission from the king himself they hie them to Bethlehem. Haunted by no suspicions of foul play, they have free scope for their joy at the star, and for their rapture at the sight of the child. And they are about to return to Herod before they get the warning to return by another way. Thus, on their part, and to the very last, all is unalloyed satisfaction. Joseph and Mary, too, left in the same blessed ignorance, are free to wonder and exult at the visit of the Magi-possibly also to anticipate an introduction to Herod, and honour at his court. But this stage reached, the veil is lifted, and the king is revealed to both parties as a murderer in disguise. Both are warned off without delay, and not a moment is lost. While the wise men withdraw to their own country by another way, the same "night" Joseph and Mary, with the blessed Babe, are off to Egypt. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to Whom be glory forever. Amen." (Romans 11:33; Romans 11:36.)