James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
Matthew 2:9
THE GUIDING STAR
‘The Star … went before them.’
When God would make an Epiphany of His Son to the Gentiles, there were evidently two ways in which He might do it. He might send Him to them, or draw them to Him. He chose the latter.
I. The guiding star.—Many persons are waiting and expecting that God will, some day, make some very wonderful demonstration to their souls. But that is not God’s usual method. There is truth, salvation, peace. It lies at a small distance; you must go to it; there must be a rising up, and an effort, and a determination, and a following, and a patience,—but there is something to rouse you,—there is enough to guide you, if you really wish to go,—Jesus is a very little way off,—but there is a ‘star,’—a thought, a conviction, a teaching, a leading, a luring,—sent for this very purpose, quite sufficient, certain to succeed, and bring you off safe, if you use it. These Magi were interested in astronomy, and the revelation from God came to them in the time of their ordinary pursuit. Religion generally does this; it meets a man according to the habit of his daily life. We all have a great amount of truth floating in our minds;—what we want is, to have it made definite, and brought to a focus. That, the ‘star’ did for them. That, some special act of the power of God will do for you. It is a great fact—and we cannot be too thankful to God for it—that truth, as such, is fascinating. This is true of all truth,—up to Him who embodied it into Himself,—‘I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.’
II. The light suspended.—Once they set out, the ‘star’ steadily went before them, probably at such a distance as at once to lead, and yet not discourage them,—just as all teaching, and all guidance, that is like God’s, must always be. For a little while, while they were at Jerusalem, we gather that it was not seen. That short suspension was not a small part of its faithfulness to the great Ante-type. For who that has ever been a follower of truth, does not know what those intervals are, when all that was just now so plain and bright, goes quite out,—and there is no token of being loved, or led, or remembered, at all? And who has not felt the exceeding great joy of the coming back of the light, and of the becoming conscious again of a presence, and of the unchangeableness of God, and of the reality and the progress of the work which is going on, and which now occupies all our interest? Every one that has ever lost, and then recovered, a Christian’s hope, will understand well that the sight of the ‘star’ again was the ‘rejoicing with exceeding great joy.’
III. Looking upward.—Meanwhile, and all along, as they went, where did they look? Not at the road, not at their feet, but at the ‘star,’ high up above them, in the sky. And oh! how many are going doubtingly, slowly, heavily, wearily, wrongly,—simply because they look at their feet, and not at the ‘star.’
IV. The Christ at last.—And at last, the ‘star,’ which had always moved before them, now “stood” still. It rested at Christ. For that, it had gone forth;—for that, it had shed its beam;—for that it had travelled all the way;—and now, a Christ reached, is a ‘star’ at rest. And you, you have thousands of feelings, and desires, and pursuits, of which,—whether you recognise it or not,—the real centre is Christ. Believe that,—that you are being borne on to something which will at last be satisfied. Do not stop, do not expect any end, till that end is a found, felt Saviour.
The Rev. James Vaughan.
Illustrations
(1) ‘When Christ was born, He was revealed,—first to the Jews, and afterwards to the Gentiles,—to “the shepherds,” and then to “the wise men.” And observe that, as the Jews had the priority of time, so also they had a superiority in the manner of the declaration. It was animate life,—“an angel”—to the one; inanimate life,—“a star,”—to the other. And to the shepherds, it was done much more feelingly than to the Magi,—it was loving, joyous, confidential, minute,—“Fear not, for behold, etc. To the Gentile, the intimation was distinct, sufficient; but it was a silent finger,—they had one “star.” But to the shepherds,—“Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host.” So, in every way, the Jew had the advantage, and will when He comes again in His Epiphany of glory.’
(2) ‘What trouble it must have cost these wise men to travel from their homes to the house where Jesus was born: how many weary miles they must have journeyed! The fatigues of an Eastern traveller are far greater than we in England can at all understand: the time that such a journey would occupy must necessarily have been very great; the dangers to be encountered were neither few nor small.—But none of these things moved them: they had set their hearts on seeing Him “that was born King of the Jews”; and they never rested till they saw Him. They prove to us the truth of the old saying, “Where there is a will there is a way.” ’