The wise men in the Jewish land proper – the Pharisees and scribes that is, had no news of the birth of the Saviour – whether it was imminent or if it had already taken place, despite the ever-anticipated arrival of the Messiah.
It took the wise men who came from the «Empire of the East» (E. Bock), which was steeped in mystery-traditions and the wisdom of the stars, to shake up the whole of Jerusalem. But why was the star of the wise men able to guide them to Palestine at the right time, but not directly to Bethlehem? Here the knowledge of the scribes proved itself, for they knew the Old Testament exactly and could point to the prophecy of Micah, which literally reads: «But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.»
From Walther Bühler, The Star of the Magi. Stuttgart 1982.
Translation Monika Werner
Graphic Sofia Lismont
