The Coming of the Magi

Ecce Magi ab Oriente, usque, Venimus adorare eum. Magi non propter magicam artem sic nominantur, sed propter aliquam philosophiam, in qua successorres Balaam esse creduntur, et propter prophetiam ejus incitati, visa nova stella natum regem quaerebant, qui confringere omnes duces alienigenarum prophetatus est ex divino eorum. Et congregans omnes principes sacerdotum, usque, in Bethelehem Judae. Quod magis tunc stella non apparuit, quia eos ante ducebat, ad Judaeorum factum est damnationem, ut exquisiti ab Herode, locum nativitatis Christi exprimerent, ne ullam excusationem haberent ignorantiae, post neglectam fidem: cum ante nativitatem ejus non solum quod nasci deberet, sed ubi nasciturus esset, demonstrarent. Mystice autem tres Magi tres partes mundi significant, Asiam, Africam, Europam, sive humanum genus, quod a tribus filiis Noe seminarium sumpsit. Et ecce stella quam viderunt in oriente antecedebat eos, usque, dum veniens staret supra ubi erat puer.  Porro haec stella prophetiam significat, quae ab initio promissae benedictionis semini Abrahae quasi praeteriens Christum venturum esse promisit, usque dum natum in plenitudine temporis ostendebat. Videntes autem stellam, gavisi sunt gaudio magno valde.  Id est, intelligentes finitam esse prophetiam inenarrabili gaudio gratulantur, qui de tribus partibus mundi ad fidem Christi conveniunt. Et intrantes domum, invenerunt puerum cum Maria matre ejus.   Id est, per fidem Ecclesiam ingredientes,  Christum cum primitiva Ecclesia invenerunt, quae ex Israelitico populo conversa est ad fidem ejus. Et procedentes adoraverunt eum.  Nequaquam adorarent, si eum Dominum non crederent. Mystice autem procedebant populi credentium, et adorabant vera fide et pura confessione. Et apertis thesauris suis, et reliqua  In auro regalis dignitas ostenditur Christi; in thure ejus verum sacerdotium, in myrrha, mortalitas carnis; aliter in auro spiritalis sensus, in thure olfactus virtutum, in myrrha mortificatio corporis designatur, quae quotidie omnia ab ista Ecclesia in tribus partibus mundi dispersa Domino offerunttur. Alii tres species philosophiae in his muneribus intelligere volunt: physicam, ethicam, logicam, quas post fidem ad laudem Dei iste mundus obtulit, cum antea inani studio impendit. Alii in auro allegoriam, in myrrha historiam, in thure anagogen, dicunt insinuari. Et responso accepto, usque per aliam viam reversi sunt in regionem suam.   Regio nostra est paradisus, ad quam per obedientiam reverti debet genus humanum, quod inde per inobedientiam expulsum est. Herodes vero significat diabolum, ad quem redire post acceptam fidem prohibemur. Ecce angelus Domini apparuit,' usque, ' et secessit in Aegyptum.' Joseph significat doctores, Maria Ecclesiam; Aegyptus vere, quae tenebrae interpretatur, significat istam gentilitatem, et haec figura Christi in Aegyptum significat transitum ejus cum Ecclesia sua de Israelitico populo per praedicatores ad gentes. Sanctus Beda, In Matthaei Evangelium Expositio, Lib I, Cap II

'Behold Magi from the East,' to ' We have come to adore Him.'1 The Magi are not named on account of some magic art but because of a philosophy in which they are thought to be successors of Balaam, and on account of his prophecy, seeing the new star, they were seeking the king who was born, he who was to crush all other leaders of foreign peoples, as it was spoken in his prophecy.2 'And gathering all the leading priests' to 'In Bethlehem of Judah.' That the star did not appear to more but to those we have just mentioned is a condemnation of the Jews from whom Herod sought  the place of the birth of Christ, nor do they have excuse in ignorance, having neglecting faith, when before his nativity  they should  have shown not only where but when he would be born. Spiritually the three Magi signify the three parts of the world, Asia, Africa, Europe, or the races of men, which took their seed from the three sons of Noah . 'And behold a star which they saw going before them, until it came to stand over the place the child was.'  This star signifies the prophecy, which from the beginning was promise of blessing to the seed of Abraham, as passing by it promised the coming of Christ until it should reveal him born in the fullness of time. 'Seeing the star they were taken by great joy'  That is, understanding the ending of the prophecy they were filled with inexpressible joy, those who had come from the three parts of the world to Christ. 'And entering the house, they found the child with Mary his mother.'  That is, by faith entering the church , with the primitive church they discovered Christ, which from the Israelite people turned to his faith. 'And falling down they adored him.'  They would not have adored if they had not believed him to be the Lord. In a spiritual sense: the people of belief shall fall down and adore him in true faith and pure confession. 'And they opened their treasures' and so on.  In gold is shown the regal dignity of Christ, in frankincense his true priesthood, by myrrh the mortal flesh. Otherwise in gold is found spiritual sense, in frankincense the aroma of the virtues, in myrrh the mortification of the body, which every day in all the church dispersed in the three parts of the world is offered to the Lord. Others would understand three types of philosophy in these gifts: physics, ethics and logic, which after faith this world directs to praise of  God, which before it had expended in vain study. Others in gold would say is found allegory, in myrrh history, and in frankincense anagoge. And receiving the message they went by another way to their land.  Our land is paradise to which through obedience the human race should return, from which they were expelled on account of disobedience . Herod signifies the devil, to whom we are prohibited to return after the reception of faith.  'Behold an angel of the Lord appeared, ' to ' And he withdrew into Egypt.' Joseph signifies the teachers, Mary the Church; Egypt, which means darkness, signifies the Gentiles, and this figure of Christ into Egypt signifies the passing of his Church from the people of Israel to the Gentiles through preaching. Saint Bede, Commentary on Matthew, Book 1, Chapter 2 1 Mt 2.1  2 Num 24.17