Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 2:9-12

"And they, having heard the king, went their way; and lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned [of God] in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." — Matthew 2:9-12 (ASV)

Above, the Evangelist set forth one motive of the Wise Men, namely, Herod’s persuasion. Here he gives another motive of the Wise Men for seeking Christ, namely, the star’s guidance; and concerning this, he does two things. First, he relates the star’s guidance; second, he relates the effect of joy from this guidance, where it is said, And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And note that the star first accomplishes its role by its movement, because it was leading the Wise Men directly to Christ; similarly, by its standing still, it clearly showed the location of the Child, where it is said, Until it came and stood over where the child was. Therefore, regarding the first, he said, It went before them.

From this, however, that he says, Behold the star, which they had seen in the east, went before them, it can be understood that when the Wise Men detoured to Jerusalem, the star disappeared; but when they were leaving Herod, it appeared again.

Now it disappeared for three reasons. First, this happened to shame the Jews: although they had been instructed in the Law and the Gentiles had not, nevertheless the Gentiles seek Christ and the Jews despise Him.

Thus, the saying in Isaiah 55:5 is fulfilled: The nations that knew not thee shall run to thee. Second, this happened for the instruction of the Wise Men. For the Lord wished to manifest Himself to them not only through the star but also through the Law, so that knowledge of the Law might be added to the knowledge of creatures: In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand; and To the law rather, and to the testimony (Isaiah 8:20).

Third, this happened for our instruction; and according to the Gloss, we are instructed about two things. First, we are thereby taught that those who seek human help are abandoned by divine help, for one should not seek human help while neglecting divine help: Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in horses, and putting their confidence in chariots, because they are many: and in horsemen, because they are very strong: and have not trusted in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought after the Lord (Isaiah 31:1). Second, we are instructed that we, who are the faithful, ought not to seek signs as those men did, who seeing the star rejoiced, etc.; but we ought to be content with the teachings of the Prophets, because signs are given to the infidels.

In this, there is also a twofold mystery. For the star represents Christ: I am the root of David, the bright and morning star (Revelation 12:16). Thus, we can understand this star to signify God’s grace, which we lose when we approach Herod (that is, the devil): You were previously darkness, but now light in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). Similarly, when we withdraw from Herod (that is, the devil), we find the star (that is, the grace of Christ). A similar occurrence is in Exodus 13:21, where it is said that the Lord went before Israel in the form of fire, etc., when they left Egypt. Here, however, He was going before them in the form of a star.

Until it came and stood over where the child was. Here we perceive two things. One is that this star was not very high, because otherwise they could not have distinguished the house of the Child. Another is that the star, having completed its task, was returned to its original material. Where the child was. The Evangelist frequently says, Child, so that you may know that He was the one about whom it is said in Isaiah 9:6: A child is born to us.

Afterwards, the effect of this star's guidance with respect to the Wise Men is set forth; thus, And seeing the star they rejoiced, etc. They rejoiced because of the hope they recovered, for they were fearing that, having come from far-off regions, they might lose what they were hoping to find: Rejoicing in hope (Romans 12:12).

Moreover, he adds, With joy; for some men rejoice, yet their rejoicing is not true joy, because human gladness is not perfect joy: Mourning taketh hold of the end of joy (Proverbs 14:13). But true and perfect joy is from God: I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my God (Isaiah 61:10).

Third, he adds, Great, because these men were already knowing great things about God—that God was made flesh and is very merciful: Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is he that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 12:6). Fourth, he adds, Very, because they were rejoicing intensely, for they had recovered what they had lost: There shall be joy before the angels of God (Luke 15:10).

Afterwards, the finding of the Child is discussed. Thus, And entering the house, they found the child with Mary, his mother. And he touches upon three things: The house, concerning which, if one were to ask what it was like, it is shown in Luke 2. Again, if one were to ask what the Child was like, He was in no way different from others, as the Saints say. Regarding His appearance: He was not speaking, He seemed weak, etc. Similarly, if one were to ask what His mother was like, it may be answered that she had the qualities of a carpenter’s wife.

And thus I say this: if these men had sought an earthly king, they would have been scandalized by seeing these things. But seeing common things and considering the highest things, they were moved to admiration, and so they adored Him. And this is what is written: And falling down they adored him.

But why is there no mention of Joseph? It should be said that by divine providence he was not present, lest these men, who were the first fruits of the Gentiles, be given cause for an incorrect suspicion.

Afterwards, the reverence they showed to the Child is mentioned, where it is said, And falling down. They showed reverence to the Child in three ways: by adoring, offering, and obeying Him. Therefore, he says: And falling down they adored him, as God hidden in a man: Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down (Psalms 71:9).

Similarly, they showed reverence by offering; thus, And opening their treasures. For it was the custom among the Persians that they always worshipped with a gift. And this is said: And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh; The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts (Psalms 52:10); All they from Saba shall come bringing gold and frankincense: and showing forth praise to the Lord (Isaiah 60:6).

Mystically, it should be considered that these men first opened their treasure not on the way, but only when they came to Christ. Similarly, we ought not to display our goods on our way to heaven. Thus, this fault is reproved regarding the virgins in Matthew 25; and in Matthew 13:44, it is said: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field, which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

They offered him gifts, etc. Some assign a literal reason for these gifts, saying that the Wise Men found three things: a shabby house, a weak Child, and a poor mother. Thus, they offered gold for the mother’s support, myrrh for the sustenance of the Child’s limbs, and frankincense to remove any stench.

But it should be said that here something is mystically put forward, and these three gifts rather refer to three things we ought to offer: faith, action, and contemplation. They pertain to faith in two ways. First, they pertain to those attributes that coincide in Christ: royal dignity (A king shall reign, and shall be wise,Jeremiah 23:5), and thus they offered gold in tribute; priesthood was in Christ as well, and thus they offered frankincense in sacrifice; and human mortality was in Christ, and thus they offered myrrh. Similarly, they pertain to faith in the Trinity, because the Persons of the Trinity are represented to us.

Second, they can refer to our action. Wisdom can be signified by gold: If thou shalt dig for her as for a treasure: then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 2:5). Prayer can be signified by frankincense: Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, etc. (Psalms 140:2). Mortification of the flesh can be signified by myrrh: Mortify therefore your members which are upon earth (Colossians 3:5); and My hands dropped with myrrh .

Regarding contemplation, however, these three gifts can signify either three senses of Sacred Scripture (namely, the literal sense, under which are included the allegorical, anagogical, and moral senses) or three parts of philosophy (namely, ethics, logic, and physics). For we ought to use all these things for the service of God.

Afterwards, it is related how they showed reverence in obeying. Thus, it is said, And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

But why did they, who did not ask, receive a response? It can be said that the Lord will sometimes respond to one who asks mentally, and these men were inwardly seeking what might please God regarding their return: Why criest thou to me? (Exodus 14:15).

But are revelations from God direct? Dionysius proves they are not given except through the angels. Why, therefore, does the Evangelist not name the angel? It can be answered that whenever Scripture mentions God and not an angel, this occurs because of some excellence in that manifestation: The law was ordained by an angel in the hand of a mediator (Galatians 3:19); This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel: A prophet shall God raise up to you of your own brethren, as myself: him shall you hear, etc. (Acts 7:37). Thus, what the Gloss says—that this was directly from God—refers to Scripture’s manner of speaking.

They went back another way into their own country. This shows that we arrive at paradise—our own country from which we were expelled—by obedience: For the Lord knoweth the ways that are on the right hand: but those are perverse which are on the left hand (Proverbs 4:27). Chrysostom here says that when these men returned to their own country, they led a holy life and afterwards were made helpers of Saint Thomas the Apostle; nevertheless, nothing about them is found written in Sacred Scripture after their departure.