New And Strange

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ ἀστὴρ ὄν εἴδον ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς... Ἀκίνητος ἧν ὁ ἀστὴρ καὶ ἐστηκὼς, ἀλλ' οὐ τὸν οὐρανὸν καταλιπὼν πλησίον τῆς γῆς ἐπορεύετο· οὔτ' ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἐστήρικτο· οὐ γὰρ τὴν αὐτὴν κίνησιν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἄστροις ἐποιεῖτο, ἀλλὰ ξένην τινὰ καὶ ἀλλόκοτον. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.368a

And behold the star which they saw in the east, going before them... 1 The star was immovable and fixed, for it did not leave the heavens and come nearer to the earth, 2 nor was it set in some house. 3 For this had not the same motion as rest of the stars, but it was something new and strange. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 2.9 2 As a shooting star would 3 An astrological house

The Magi's Guide

Ecce, inquit, magi ab Oriente venerunt Hierosolymam dicentes: Ubi est qui natus est rex Judaeorum? In magis ergo istis jam fides gentium, velut primitiae, Domino consecrantur; qui per fidem in Oriente sidus cernentes, matutinam stellam, quae Christus est, feliciter sunt secuti. Nisi enim lucifer matutinus primum eorum cordibus oriretur, nequaquam, stella praevia, regem Judaeorum tam constanter inquirerent. Fuerunt autem, ut aiunt, de genere Balaam, successoresque doctrinarum ejus, et ideo ex prophetia illius evidentius cognoverunt, quod etiam in doctrina studiose recolentes, experiri secundum disciplinam ipsius artis meditabantur. Nam magi idem sunt qui postea mathematici sunt vocati, quorum est in stellis nascentium ortus inspicere, et ex mathesi rerum probare eventus. Sed de istis magis fatendum potius quod ex prophetia, vel certe Spiritu scanto eos excitante, crediderint, quam aliqua inimici fraude substitutos ad fidem esse, praesertim cum praeceptoris eorum vaticinium cunctis in signum esset futurae promissionis. Orietur, inquit, stella ex Jacob, et consurget homo vel virga de Israel, et percutiet duces Moab, vastabitque omnes filios Seth, eritque Idumaea possessio ejus. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib II Cap II Source: Migne PL 120.126b-c

Behold, he says, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem saying, 'Where is he who is born the king of the Jews?' 1 In these Magi there is already the faith of the Gentiles, as the first ones who are consecrated to the Lord, who happily followed through faith, seeing the star in the east, the morning star which is Christ. For unless the morning light bearer had first arose in their hearts, they would not, with the star leading, have so insistantly sought out the king of the Jews. They were, as they say, the descendants of Balaam, and successors to his teachings, and therefore they obviously knew about his prophecy, whence studiously cultivating his teaching, they would meditate on proving it according to his art. For the Magi are the same as those who were later called astrologers, who study stars and birthdays, from which learning they make recommendations of things to come. But regarding these Magi one must rather say that they believed by prophecy, or indeed the stirring of the Holy Spirit, which, replacing any deceit of the enemy, brought them to faith, certainly when in the prophecy of their teacher there was the sign of the future promise for all. He said: 'A star shall arise from Jacob, and a man from the shoot of Israel, and he shall strike the princes of Moab, and lay waste all the sons of Seth, and Idumaea shall be his possession.' 2 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 2, Chap 2 1 Mt 2.2 2 Num 24.17-18

The Magi And Astrology

Τοῦ δὲ Ἰησοῦ γεννηθέντος ἐν Βηθλέεμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἐν ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου τοῦ βασιλέως, ἰδοὺ μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν παρεγένοντο εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα λέγοντες, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. Πολλῆς ἡμῖν δεῖ τῆς ἀγρυπνίας, πολλῶν τῶν εὐχῶν, ὥστε δυνηθῆναι ἐπεξελθεῖν τῷ παρόντι χωρίῳ, καὶ μαθεῖν, τίνες οἱ μάγοι οὗτοι, καὶ πόθεν ἦλθον, καὶ πῶς, καὶ τίνος αὐτοὺς πείσαντος, καὶ τίς ὁ ἀστήρ. Μᾶλλον δὲ, εἰ βούλεσθε, πρότερον ἅ φασιν οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροὶ, ταῦτα εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν. Καὶ γὰρ τοσοῦτον κατ' αὐτῶν ἔπνευσεν ὁ διάβολος, ὥστε καὶ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτοὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν ὁπλίζειν κατὰ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγων. Τί οὖν φασιν; Ἰδοὺ, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γεννηθέντος ἀστὴρ ἐφάνη, ὅπερ ἐστὶ σημεῖον τοῦ τὴν ἀστρολογίαν εἶναι βεβαίαν. Πῶς οὖν εἰ κατ' ἐκεῖνον ἐτέχθη τὸν νόμον, ἀστρολογίαν ἔλυσε, καὶ εἱμαρμένην ἀνεῖλε, καὶ δαίμονας ἐπεστόμισε, καὶ πλάνην; ἐξέβαλε, καὶ πᾶσαν; τοιαύτην μαγγανείαν ἀνέτρεψε; Τί δὲ καὶ οἱ μάγοι παρὰ τοῦ ἀστέρος αὐτοῦ μανθάνουσιν; ὅτι βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἦν; Καὶ μὴν οὐ ταύτης ἦν τῆς βασιλείας βασιλεὺς, καθὼς καὶ τῷ Πιλάτῳ ἔλεγεν· Ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Οὐδὲν γοῦν ἐπεδείξατο τοιοῦτον· οὐδὲ γὰρ δορυφόρους, οὔτε ὑπασπιστὰς, οὔτε ἵππους, οὔτε ἡμιόνων ζεῦγος, οὔτε ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον ἔσχε περὶ ἑαυτόν· ἀλλὰ τὸν εὐτελῆ τοῦτον βίον καὶ πτωχὸν μετῄει, δώδεκα εὐτελεῖς ἀνθρώπους μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ περιφέρων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ βασιλέα ᾔδεσαν ὄντα, τίνος ἕνεκεν παραγίνονται; Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο ἀστρονομίας ἔργον ἐστὶν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἄστρων εἰδέναι τοὺς τικτομένους, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας τῶν τικτομένων προαναφωνεῖν τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι, ὥς φασιν. Οὗτοι δὲ οὔτε ὠδινούσῃ τῇ μητρὶ παρῆσαν, οὔτε τὸν καιρὸν ἔγνωσαν, καθ' ὃν ἐτέχθη, οὔτε ἐντεῦθεν λαβόντες τὴν ἀρχὴν, συνέθηκαν ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων κινήσεως τὰ μέλλοντα ἔσεσθαι· ἀλλ' ἀντιστρόφως, ἀστέρα πρὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ χρόνου θεασάμενοι φανέντα ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτῶν χώρας, ἔρχονται ὀψόμενοι τὸν τεχθέντα· ὅπερ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦ προτέρου σφόδρα ἀπορώτερον ἂν εἴη. Τίς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἔπεισε λόγος, ποίων ἀγαθῶν ἐλπὶς, τὸν ἐκ τοσούτου διαστήματος προσκυνῆσαι βασιλέα; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἔμελλε βασιλεύειν, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ οὕτω λόγον εἶχε τὸ γινόμενον. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὲν ἐν βασιλικαῖς αὐλαῖς ἐτίκτετο, καὶ πατρὸς αὐτῷ βασιλέως παρόντος, εἰκότως ἄν τις ἔφη τούτους, βουλομένους τὸν πατέρα θεραπεῦσαι, προσκυνῆσαι τὸ τεχθὲν παιδίον, καὶ ταύτῃ πολλὴν ἑαυτοῖς ὑπόθεσιν προαποθέσθαι εὐνοίας. Νυνὶ δὲ οὐδὲ αὐτῶν προσδοκῶντες ἔσεσθαι βασιλέα, ἀλλὰ ἔθνους ἀλλοκότου καὶ πολὺ τῆς αὐτῶν ἀφεστηκότος χώρας, οὔτε ἄνδρα ὁρῶντες ἤδη γενόμενον, τίνος ἕνεκεν τοσαύτην στέλλονται ἀποδημίαν, καὶ δῶρα προσφέρουσι, καὶ ταῦτα μέλλοντες μετὰ κινδύνων ἅπαντα πράττειν; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Ἡρώδης ἀκούσας διεταράχθη, καὶ ὁ δῆμος ἅπας ἐθορυβεῖτο, ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες παρ' αὐτῶν. Ἀλλ' οὐ προῄδεσαν οὗτοι ταῦτα. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι λόγον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ σφόδρα ἦσαν ἀνόητοι, τοῦτο οὐκ ἂν ἠγνόησαν, ὅτι εἰς πόλιν βασιλευομένην ἐλθόντες, καὶ τοιαῦτα κηρύξαντες, καὶ βασιλέα ἕτερον παρὰ τὸν τότε ὄντα δείξαντες, οὐχὶ; μυρίους καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἂν ἐπεσπάσαντο θανάτους. Τί δὲ ὅλως καὶ προσεκύνουν ἐν σπαργάνοις; ὄντα; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνὴρ; ἦν, εἶχεν ἄν τις εἰπεῖν, ὅτι προσδοκῶντες τὴν παρ' αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν εἰς προὖπτον ἑαυτοὺς ἔῤῥιψαν κίνδυνον, ὅπερ καὶ αὐτὸ τῆς ἐσχάτης ἀλογίας ἦν, τὸν Πέρσην, τὸν βάρβαρον, καὶ οὐδὲν κοινὸν ἔχοντα πρὸς τὸ Ἰουδαίων ἔθνος, βούλεσθαι μὲν τῆς οἰκίας ἀφίστασθαι, καὶ πατρίδα καὶ συγγενεῖς καὶ οἰκείους ἀφιέναι, ἑτέρᾳ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ὑποβάλλειν βασιλείᾳ. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο ἀνόητον, τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο ἀνοητότερον πολλῷ; πλέον. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Τὸ μακρὰν οὕτως ἀποδημίαν ἐλθόντας, καὶ προσκυνήσαντας, καὶ ταράξαντας πάντας, ἀπελθεῖν εὐθέως. Τί δὲ ὅλως καὶ βασιλείας σύμβολον εἶδον, καλύβην καὶ φάτνην, καὶ παιδίον ἐν σπαργάνοις, καὶ μητέρα πτωχὴν ἰδόντες; Τίνι δὲ καὶ τὰ δῶρα προσέφερον, καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν; Ἆρα νόμος ἦν καὶ ἔθος, τοὺς πανταχοῦ τικτομένους βασιλέας οὕτω θεραπεύειν; καὶ πᾶσαν περιῄεσαν ἀεὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην, οὓς ᾔδεσαν ἐσομένους βασιλέας ἀπὸ μικρῶν καὶ εὐτελῶν, πρὶν ἐπὶ τὸν θρόνον τὸν βασιλικὸν ἀναβῆναι, προσκυνοῦντες; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι τις τοῦτο εἰπεῖν. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν καὶ προσεκύνουν; Εἰ μὲν τῶν παρόντων ἕνεκεν, καὶ τί προσεδόκων παρὰ παιδίου καὶ μητρὸς εὐτελοῦς λήψεσθαι; εἰ δὲ τῶν μελλόντων ἕνεκεν, καὶ πόθεν ᾔδεσαν ὅτι ἀπομνημονεύσει τῶν τότε γινομένων ὁ παῖς ἐν σπαργάνοις προσκυνηθείς; Εἰ δὲ ἡ μήτηρ ἔμελλεν ἀναμιμνήσκειν αὐτὸν, οὐδὲ οὕτω τιμῆς, ἀλλὰ κολάσεως ἦσαν ἄξιοι, εἰς προὖπτον ἐμβάλλοντες αὐτὸν κίνδυνον. Ἐντεῦθεν γοῦν ὁ Ἡρώδης ταραχθεὶς, καὶ ἐζήτει, καὶ περιειργάζετο, καὶ ἀνελεῖν ἐπεχείρει. Καὶ πανταχοῦ δὲ ὁ τὸν μέλλοντα βασιλεύειν κατάδηλον ποιῶν, ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ἰδιώτην ὄντα, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ σφαγῇ παραδίδωσι, καὶ μυρίους ἀνάπτει πολέμους αὐτῷ. Εἶδες ὅσα τὰ ἄτοπα φαίνεται, εἰ κατὰ ἀνθρωπίνην ἀκολουθίαν καὶ κοινὴν συνήθειαν ταῦτα ἐξετάσαιμεν; Οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείονα τούτων ἐνῆν εἰπεῖν, ζήτησιν ἔχοντα πλείω τῶν εἰρημένων.   Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος, Ὑπομηνμα Εἰς ᾍγιον Ματθαιον Τον Εὐαγγελιστην, Ὁμιλια Ϛ' Source: Migne PG 57 13-15

'Jesus was born at Bethlehem, in Juda, in the days of king Herod. And behold Magi came from the east to Jerusalem, asking: 'Where is he that has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east and we have come to worship him.' 1 We have need of much vigilance, and many prayers, that we be able to discuss what is before us, and that we learn who these wise men were, and whence they came, and how, and by what persuasion, and what was the star. Or rather, if you will, first the things the enemies of the truth say we shall bring into our midst. Because the devil has blown on them with so greatly, even from this they try to arm themselves against the words of truth. What then do they say? 'Behold,' they say, 'even when Christ was born a star appeared; which is a sign that astrology may be trusted.' How then, if He had His birth according to that law, did He destroy astrology, and take away fate, and gag demons, and cast out deception, and overthrow all such sorcery? And indeed what do the wise men learn from the star itself? That He was King of the Jews? And yet He was not king of this kingdom; as He said to Pilate, 'My kingdom is not of this world.' 2 Truly He made no display of this kind, for He had no guards armed with spear or shields, no horses, nor chariots of mules, nor any other such thing around Him, but He followed this paltry and poor life, carrying about with Him twelve paltry men. And even if they knew Him to be a king, why did they come? For surely this is not the business of astrology, to know from the stars who are born, but from the hour of birth to predict what shall be; so it is said. But these were neither present with the mother in her pangs, nor did they know the time when He was born, nor did they, beginning at that moment, from the motion of the stars calculate what was to be, but rather, having a long time before seen a star appear in their own country, they came to see Him who was born. Which presents a greater difficulty even than the former. For what reason persuaded them, or the hope of what benefits, to worship a king one who was so far off? For if He had been set to reign over them, most assuredly not even so would it be capable of a reasonable account. For if He had been born in royal courts, and with His father, himself a king, present by Him, naturally one could say that they, wishing to please the father, had worshipped the child that was born, and in this way were storing up for themselves beforehand much good will. But now when they did not so much as expect Him to be their own king, but one of a foreign nation, far distant from their country, and not seeing Him yet grown to manhood, why do they set off on so long a journey, and offer gifts, and this when perils were sure to beset their whole venture? For both Herod hearing of it, was exceedingly troubled, and the whole people was disturbed hearing of these things from them. 'But they did not foresee this.' But that is not reasonable. For even if they had been extremely foolish, of this they could not be ignorant, that coming to a city ruled by a king, and proclaiming such things, and setting forth another king beside him, they must be bringing down on themselves a thousand deaths. And why did they worship one who was yet in swaddling cloth? For if He had been a grown man, one might say, that in expectation of the aid they would receive from Him, they cast themselves into a danger which they foresaw. Yet this would have been utterly unreasonable, that the Persian, the barbarian, having nothing in common with the nation of the Jews, should wish to depart from his home, to give up country, and kindred, and friends, and that they should subject themselves to another kingdom. But if this is foolish, what comes after is much more foolish. And what would it be? That after they had proceeded on so long a journey, and worshipped, and thrown all into confusion, they went away immediately. And what sign at all of royalty did they behold when they saw a hut and a manger and a child in swaddling clothes and a poor mother? And to whom, moreover, did they offer their gifts, and for what reason? Was it then the law and custom thus to honour the kings that were born in every place? And did they always keep going about the whole world, worshipping those who they knew should become kings from a low and mean beginning before they rose to the royal throne? But no one would claim this. And for what reason did they worship Him? If for the sake of things present, then what did they expect to receive from an infant and a poor mother? If for things in the future, how did they know that the child whom they had worshipped in swaddling clothes would remember what they did? But if His mother were to remind Him, they were not thus worthy of honor, but of punishment, as bringing Him into foreseeable danger. Because of that, at any rate, Herod was troubled, and sought, and pried, and prepared to slay Him. And indeed everywhere, he who makes known the future king, supposing him in his earliest age to be in private condition, does nothing else but hand him over to slaughter and inflame against him endless warfare. Do you see how manifold the absurdities appear, if we examine these things according to human ways and ordinary custom? And not these things only, but even more than these might be said, containing more questions than we have told. Saint John Chrysostom, from the Sixth Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 1 Mt 2.1-2 2 Jn 18.36

The Astrologers

Porro in Chaldeis γενεθλιαλόγους significari puto quos vulgus mathematicos vocat. Consuetudo autem et sermo communis magos pro maleficis accipit: qui aliter habentur apud gentem suam, eo quod sint philosophi Chaldaeorum, et ad artis hujus scientiam reges quoque et principes ejusdem gentis omnia faciunt. Unde et in nativitate Domini Salvatoris ipsi primum ortum ejus intellexerunt et venientes in sanctam Bethleem, adoraverunt puerum, stella desuper ostendente. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentaria in Daniel, Caput II Source:  Migne PL 25.498d-449a

However among the Chaldeans 'genethialogoi' I think signifies those whom the many name astrologers. 1 For it is a custom in common speech to refer to magi as magicians, but they are considered differently among their own people, because they are the philosophers of the Chaldeans, and the knowledge of this art even the kings and princes of that people take to entirely. Whence in the nativity of our Lord and Saviour they first understood his coming and came to holy Bethlehem, and adored the child, the star guiding them from above. Saint Jerome, Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 2 1 Dan 2.2

Against Astrology

Sed quolibet modo superstitionis haec ab hominibus nuncupentur, sunt tamen sidera quae Deus in mundi principio condidit, ac certo motu distinguere tempora ordinavit. Horum igitur signorum observationes, vel geneses, vel cetera superstitiosa, quae se ad cognitionem siderum coniungunt, id est ad notitiam fatorum, et fidei nostrae sine dubitatione contraria sunt, sic ignorari debent a Christianis, ut nec scripta esse videantur. Sed nonnulli siderum pulcritudine et claritate perlecti in lapsus stellarum caecatis mentibus conruerunt, ita ut per subputationes noxias, quae mathesis dicitur, eventus rerum praescire posse conentur: quos non solum Christianae religionis doctores, sed etiam gentilium Plato, Aristoteles, atque alii rerum veritate conmoti concordi sententia damnaverunt, dicentes confusionem rerum potius de tali persuasione generari. Nam sicut genus humanum ad varios actus nascendi necessitate premerentur, cur aut laudem mereantur boni aut mali legum percipiant ultionem? Et quamvis ipsi non fuerint caelesti sapientiae dediti, veritatis tamen testimonio errores eorum merito perculerunt. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Etymologiae, Liber III, Caput LXXI Source: Migne PL 82.182c-184a

But by whatever type of superstition the stars were named by men, they were established by God in the beginning of the world, and He ordained that their particular motion distinguish the seasons. Therefore observation of the constellations, or horoscopes, or other superstitions that are attached to the study of the stars, that is, for the knowledge of fate, are without doubt contrary to our faith and should be ignored by Christians, indeed as if it were that they had never been written about. Yet some lured by the beauty and brightness of the constellations, with minds so blinded, have raced into error about the stars, so that through noxious computations, which is called astrology, they try to foresee events. And not only those learned in the Christian religion but even the pagan Plato and Aristotle and others, in harmony of thought, were moved by the truth of things to condemn this, saying that such an idea caused a confusion of things. For if the human species is compelled to various acts by the necessities of birth, then why should the good merit praise and why should the wicked receive the punishment of the laws? Thus though those pagan wise men were not devoted to heavenly matters, they rightly threw down these errors by their testimony of truth. Saint Isidore of Seville, The Etymologies, Book 3, Chapter 71