The Ancient Witnesses

184 • The Ancient Witnesses: A Journey to Discover Our Sacred Roots

“But the prophets had already said that, right?” asked Joseph. “The wise men sought out and confessed the king though they had not yet seen him,” explained Mentor, “and this was a sign of the coming faith of the Gentiles.” “How so?” asked Joseph. “The wise men were blessed to become the first fruits of the faithful from all the Gentiles,” read Mentor, “and they bore the image of the Church that was coming to be.” 25 Joseph still seemed puzzled. “The wise men weren’t Jews,” explained Cesar, “but they were a sign to the Jews.” “What does the commentary say about King Herod?” asked Preacher. Mentor turned to another passage in the Incomplete Commentary and invited Preacher to read. “Taking Christ for a mortal king,” read Preacher with expression, “Herod was disturbed at the prospect of a successor. Great power always succumbs to greater fear. Indeed, as a high branch sways at the slightest breeze, so men at the top are shaken by the messenger’s word; yet, the lowly dwell peacefully in the valley. For this reason, then, Herod was disturbed, having learned of the birth of a king among the Jews in Judaea. And being himself of Idumean descent, he did not want to see a return to Jewish rule or, for that matter, himself banished from Judaea and his descendants thereafter expelled from ruling.” 26

25 Opus Imperfectum , Second Homily (PL 56, 639) my translation. For comparison see Kellerman and Oden, 31.

26 Herod was of mixed (Idumean) and not purely Jewish descent; he feared the possibility of his family’s loss of rule in Judea. Quotation, same as previous note.