Herod paced in his chamber, impatience etched on his face.
"Are they being well entertained?"
"Yes, we've prepared a grand welcoming feast."
"Good. Make sure they lack nothing. And have you taken measures to prevent the rumor from spreading further?"
"Of course. I've already handled it."
"Well done. Why are the high priests and scribes I summoned taking so long? Are they disrespecting me as well?"
"That couldn't be. They should arrive soon."
Herod's mood soured further. He was already angry about the rumors of the Messiah, and now even the high priests and scribes weren't obeying him as he wished. He needed to act quickly. He was the only king of the Jews; he would not allow anyone to threaten his rule. Upon hearing the rumors, Herod had immediately summoned the Magi to the palace in secret and held a feast for them. He reasoned that if the wise men who had been asking questions disappeared, the rumors about a new "king of the Jews" would die down. If that failed, he would resort to other means: forcibly preventing gatherings, or spreading false rumors through his informants. If word spread that the wise men had come to congratulate a prince born in Herod's own family, the people would believe it. Soon, even rumors he hadn't started would circulate and solve the problem for him. This was the very way Herod proudly ruled according to the ways of the world.Just then, High Priest Mattathias entered with the scribes.
"You called for us?"
"Why are you so late?"
"We apologize, Your Majesty. We came as soon as we received your message."
"Silence. If this happens again, be prepared for the consequences."
"Yes, understood."
"Now, where is the Messiah said to be born?"
They said to him,
"In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is written through the prophet: 'You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come a governor who will shepherd my people Israel.'"
"Bethlehem? The small town in the south?"
"Yes, King David's hometown."
"I see. You may go."
The high priest and scribes bowed and left. Watching them, Herod felt his anger flare again. The previous high priest, Simon, had been quick to act and loyal, but Mattathias seemed lacking. Could he control the Jews with men like this? He sensed that problems would arise if things continued as they were. But now was not the time to address that. He had to extinguish the immediate threat of the Messiah rumor. If left unchecked, this small spark could set all of Judea ablaze.
Herod waited for the rumors to subside. By evening, the talk was beginning to fade from people's minds. Now it was time to meet the wise men. First, he would assess the situation, then decide on his next move. Herod summoned the Magi.
The three wise men entered and bowed respectfully.
"Welcome. I hope you've found everything satisfactory?"
"Thank you for your hospitality."
"Oh, think nothing of it," he laughed. "It's just how we do things here."
The wise men exchanged practiced smiles. Meeting powerful rulers was nothing new to them. There are many kinds of rulers: some are capable with loyal followers, some capable with treacherous retainers, some inept but surrounded by loyalty, and some neither capable nor well-served. Herod, they observed, seemed capable himself but plagued by disloyalty. From what they had heard in Parthia and seen along the way, no one who had given Herod honest advice had survived long. In such a court, only flatterers remained, so the wise men resolved to speak carefully.
"Let's get to the point. Have you come in search of the Messiah?"
At the word "Messiah," the wise men tensed. Why had Herod mentioned it? Was it goodwill or malice? They studied his expression but could not read him. Herod, who had survived more storms than the Magi could imagine, was a master at concealing his true intentions.
"Don't worry, you can speak freely."
Herod said, putting on his kindest expression.
"I've also been waiting for the Messiah's birth, and I'm grateful you've brought this news."
Deceived by his demeanor, the wise men relaxed and began to speak.
"Yes, Your Majesty. We have come from distant Parthia in search of the Messiah of Judea."
"How did you learn of the Messiah's birth?"
"To be precise, we are not certain that the Messiah has been born."
"What do you mean?"
The wise men explained about the star they had seen in Parthia: the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Pisces, the sign of Judea, and the sudden appearance of a nova in Capricorn. They omitted some details, but one of the Magi, in high spirits, ended up sharing more than intended. Herod listened intently, asking questions and inquiring about the timing of the star. The conjunction had occurred two years earlier; the nova had appeared at the start of the current year.
"So, it seems that whether the star signifies the Messiah's birth is something you must verify for yourselves."
"That's right. That's why we came to Jerusalem, seeking the one born King of the Jews. If the Messiah had already been born, surely the Jews would know?"
"Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything. If the Messiah has been born, it would be joyous news, but I wonder why no one knows."
"Perhaps he was born very recently?"
"You said the star appeared two years ago. Wouldn't it be right to assume he is already born?"
"That could be, but it might also have been a sign given in advance, like the prophecies in Scripture."
"Prophecy... That could be possible. Do you have any idea where he might have been born?"
"We intend to go to Bethlehem."
"Bethlehem?"
The mention of Bethlehem made Herod suddenly alert. Until that moment, he had been reassured by the Magi's uncertainty. They had come searching based on unconfirmed information-whether the Messiah had been born or not. But now, hearing the same place name as the scribes had mentioned, his instincts warned him that this was no ordinary matter. The survival instinct that had carried him through countless crises now screamed that this was a danger of the highest order.
"I see. Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him."
"Yes, we will."
After the wise men left, Herod's face turned bright red, the capillaries in his eyes bulging, his expression as fierce as a demon's.
If the Messiah of the Jews has truly been born, I will find him and destroy him. How dare he threaten my throne?
Herod's anger and jealousy consumed him.
* * *
Having heard that Bethlehem lay to the south, the wise men, without much thought, came down to the lower city first. Then, they went out through Jerusalem's southern gate. This road led east of Bethlehem, so they would have to turn west and climb the mountain to reach their destination-a difficult journey.
"What a relief. He seems like a decent person after all."
"People aren't always what they seem. Don't you think you said too much earlier?"
"No, what's wrong with that? Didn't King Herod say he wanted to worship the Messiah too?"
"How can you take his words at face value?"
"Come on, you're too suspicious. Why can't you trust people?"
"Because you trust too easily, I have to be skeptical for both of us."
"You know, with that attitude, you'll never die of natural causes."
Another round of banter began. Their conversations often started well but quickly veered off course. It could be amusing, but listening to it all day was exhausting. The youngest wise man, used to this routine, quickly changed the subject.
"By the way, now we can finally confirm if the Messiah has been born. Aren't you excited?"
"Indeed. The day has finally come," said one, his face full of nostalgia.
Another shook his head at his friend.
"Well, now that we're this far along, I guess I really do hope the Messiah has been born."
"But haven’t you been saying all along that you wished the Messiah wouldn’t be born?"
"Oh, I'm just joking."
"Well, that's a joke that sounds a lot like the truth."
As the wise men chatted, the sun fully set behind the western hills, revealing a clear, transparent night sky. The Milky Way stretched across the heavens, filled with countless stars. Among them were other shining lights-the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, along with the moon.
"Look, it's the king's star."
"It wasn't visible yesterday, but it's appeared tonight."
"That direction is southwest. Just a moment."
The youngest wise man took out a small travel map and aligned it with the star's direction. In the distance, small lights flickered on a mountain.
"Oh? I think we've taken the wrong path."
"Huh? Wasn't Bethlehem supposed to be south?"
"It is, but the map says we should have left through Jerusalem's western gate to go directly to Bethlehem. This road leads down the mountain; we'll end up east of Bethlehem and have to climb up from the west."
"I thought you were smart, but you're just a know-it-all."
"Still smarter than you, I'd say."
"Then you must be the least smart. I'm smarter than you, after all."
Their usual banter resumed. The youngest wise man shook his head and led his camel southwest, following the star. Behind him, as always, the endless conversation of his companions continued. The king's star shone brilliantly in the sky, illuminating their path. The star moved from east to west along the celestial sphere, guiding them as they climbed the mountain road toward Bethlehem.
The passage from Matthew 2:5-6, 8 quoted in this narrative is taken directly from the World English Bible (WEB) translation.
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