Patristic Wisdom: Looking to Epiphany

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matt 2:9–11)

Shall we see what sort of glorious thing they rejoiced to see in the lad, since they had undertaken the hard work of such a long journey in order to see a king? They did not see a palace resplendent with marble, did they? They did not see His mother crowned with a diadem and lying on a golden bed, did they? They did not see a child clad in gold and purple, did they? They did not see a royal courtyard echoing with all sorts of people, did they? But what did they see?… If, then, they had come to seek an earthly king, they would have been more confused than glad, because they would have undertaken the hard work of such a journey for no reason. But because they were seeking a heavenly king, even though they saw nothing royal in Him, nonetheless they rejoiced, being content with the testimony of the star alone. Their eyes could not notice that the boy appeared contemptible because the spirit in their hearts showed Him to be one to be revered. Moreover, if they had sought Him out as an earthly king, they would have remained with Him once they had found Him, as often happens in this age, as people leave behind their own king and hasten to another. But they worshiped this king and returned to their own, so that they had a heavenly king over their souls but an earthly king over their bodies.

They fulfilled the confession of the Gentiles in Christ, and they indicated that the prophecy of Isaiah had been fulfilled, who says, “All those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on my altar.” [Is 60:7] When at once they recognized Him and opened their treasure chests, they showed their offering through the very gifts that were fitting for the Gentiles in Christ. Because they recognize Him to be a king and a pure first-fruits and one precious to the saints, they offered the gold that had been stored away for themselves. Because they understood His divine and heavenly origin, they brought Him the fragrance of incense, a type of the pure prayer offered in the sweet fragrance of the Holy Spirit. Because they understood His human and temporal death, they gave Him myrrh.

Incomplete Commentary on Matthew, 2