The Presentation in the Temple. (F. Bartolomeo di S. Marco.)

This also shows that the visit of the Magi took place after and not before Mary's visit to the Temple, for their rich gifts would have furnished means for the more costly offering.

At the same time the child was to be presented before the Lord, and if it were a first-born son he was to be redeemed from the obligations of priestly services by the payment of five shekels of silver (Exod. xiii. 2, 11-14; Luke ii. 23). The presentation of Jesus was distinguished by a very very remarkable circumstance. There was an aged man at Jerusalem of the name of Simeon, who lived in earnest expectation of the manifestation of the long promised Messiah, and it had been revealed to him that his aged eyes should behold the Lord's Christ before they closed in death. He entered the Temple at the moment of the presentation, and recognising at once the holy child he took him in his arms, and blessed God that the long-hoped-for day had dawned at last. A very aged and devout woman, called Anna, who was a constant frequenter of the Temple, was also present, and shared in the joy of Simeon. From Jerusalem the holy family did not proceed home to

Nazareth, but returned to Bethlehem. This is not said, but it is implied in the connection of the narrative (Luke ii. 38; Matt. ii. 1). Various reasons have been assigned for this step, but the most probable one seems to be that, as Jerusalem was only six miles from Bethlehem, they proceeded to the Temple on the day appointed by the law, and then returned to tarry a little longer with their friends, or to wind up their affairs before they proceeded to their distant home. It is, however, not unlikely that Mary, who, as we have seen, was familiar with the Scriptures relating to the Messiah, may have preferred Bethlehem on account of Micah v. 2, and from the fame of the angelic vision which the shepherds witnessed.

Some time after the holy family had returned to Bethlehem, a strong sensation was produced at Jerusalem by the arrival of certain Eastern sages inquiring publicly for him who was born King of the Jews, and declaring that, while in the far East, they had seen his star, and had come to offer him their homage.

The inquiries of these distinguished foreigners reached the ears of Herod, and excited in him much jealousy and alarm. He was led at once to conclude that the expected Messiah was come; and as he partook of the general mistake respecting the earthly nature of that kingdom which Christ would establish, he saw nothing in this but ruin and overthrow to himself and his family. Although he beheld in this event the accomplishment of ancient prophecies, and of the desire on which the heart of the nation was fixed, yet his own selfish ends led him to plot the destruction of so dangerous a claimant of sovereignty. To this end he assembled the ecclesiastical authorities, and required to know the place which prophecy indicated as the birth-place of Christ. Citing Micah v. 2, as their authority, they with one voice declared that Bethlehem was the appointed place; and accordingly the crafty and

unscrupulous tyrant told the wise men to seek the Messiah in that city; and commanded them, when they had found him, to return and impart the result to him, under the pretence that he also wished to go and worship him.

The Magi then repaired to Bethlehem, and, being guided by the star, which re-appeared before them, they soon discovered

the infant Jesus. The humble circumstances by which they found him surrounded made no change in their purpose: "they fell down and worshipped him," and then, according to the custom of the East for all persons admitted to an audience to offer gifts of more or less value, the strangers "opened their treasures, and presented to him gold, frankincense, and myrrh," and these gifts are supposed by many to have been typical of their allegiance and their hopes.

They then returned home, without passing through Jerusalem as Herod had required, according to a warning which they had received in a dream. Another warning, similarly conveyed to. Joseph, occasioned the holy family to withdraw into Egypt, which was then, and had long been, the general refuge for all who were oppressed, or discontented, or apprehended danger in Israel.

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