Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? From this it would seem they were not themselves Jews. (Compare the language of the Roman governor, John 18:33, and of the Roman soldiers, Matthew 27:29, with the very different language of the Jews themselves, Matthew 27:42, etc.) The Roman historians, Suetonius and Tacitus, bear witness to an expectation, prevalent in the East, that out of Judea should arise a sovereign of the world.
For we have seen his star in the east. Much has been written on the subject of this star; but from all that is here said it is perhaps safest to regard it as simply a luminous meteor, which appeared under special laws and for a special purpose.
And are come to worship him - `to do Him homage,' as the word х proskuneesai (G4352)] signifies; the nature of that homage depending on the circumstances of the case. That not civil but religious homage is meant here is plain from the whole strain of the narrative, and particularly Matthew 2:11. Doubtless these simple strangers expected all Jerusalem to be full of its newborn King, and the time, place, and circumstances of His birth to be familiar to everyone. Little would they think that the first announcement of His birth would come from themselves, and still less could they anticipate the startling, instead of transporting, effect which it would produce-else they would probably have sought their information regarding His birthplace in some other quarter. But God overruled it to draw forth a noble testimony to the predicted birthplace of Messiah from the highest ecclesiastical authority in the nation.