太二2　 那生为犹太人之王的在哪里？因为祂的星出现的时候，我们看见了，就前来拜祂。

　　民二四17 我看祂，却不在现时；我望祂，却不在近日。必有一星从雅各而出，必有一杖从以色列兴起，祂必打碎摩押的四角，毁坏舍特所有的子孙。

　　民数记二十四章十七节……这星是指基督。基督这预表的应验，见于马太二章二节所记载星象家（来自东方的博学者）的话。……星象家不是说，他们看见了“一个星”，或他们看见了“那星”，乃是说，他们看见了“祂的星”。……这节所说到的星向这些博学者显现；这星没有向任何以色列人显现。犹太人有论到基督的圣经，并知道祂要生在何处（太二4~6），但星象家看见了基督的星。犹太人有关于基督字句的知识，但这些来自东方的博学者接受了关于祂活的异象。至终那星引他们到基督所在的地方（9~10）。

　　虽然基督是真日头（玛四2），但祂在这黑夜的世代并没有出现如日头。祂乃是发光如星。星是在黑夜里发光，但这指明白昼将到。基督第一次来时，公开出现如星。但祂第二次来时，对儆醒等候祂来的得胜者将是晨星（启二28，二二16）。对所有其余的人，基督后来要出现如日头（新约总论第二册，二八一至二八二页）。

　　Matt. 2:2 …Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him.

　　Num. 24:17 I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and He shall crush the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.

　　This Star [in Numbers 24:17] refers to Christ. The fulfillment of this type of Christ is found in the word of the magi, learned men from the east, recorded in Matthew 2:2…The magi did not say, “We have seen a star,” or “We have seen the star,” but, “We have seen His star.”…The star spoken of in this verse was shown to these learned men; it did not appear to any of the people of Israel. Whereas the Jews had the Scriptures concerning Christ and knew where He would be born (Matt. 2:4-6), the magi saw the star of Christ. The Jews had the knowledge in letters concerning Christ, but these learned men from the east received a living vision concerning Him. Eventually the star led them to the place where Christ was (Matt. 2:9-10).

　　Although Christ is the real Sun (Mal. 4:2), He does not appear as the Sun during this age of night. Rather, He shines as a star. A star shines at night, but it indicates that day is coming. When Christ came the first time, He appeared openly as a star. But when He comes the second time, He will be the morning star (Rev. 2:28; 22:16) to His overcomers, who watch for His coming. To all others Christ will later appear as the sun. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 465-466)

　　马太二章二节……似乎指主耶稣只为着犹太人，但是首先来寻找主的，却是外邦人；是从外邦人口中说出犹太人的王。这一节又可见主的工作是为着外邦人和犹太人的。……东方星象家之所以知

　　 主降生，圣经未给我们证据，但可得着一点端倪（“光”—赛六十3，“祂”—诗七二4）。外邦人也有先知，巴兰就是一个；四个讲主耶稣事情最多的先知，巴兰是其中之一（民二四17）。也许这些预言流传在东方；也许东方星象家读了但以理书的预言，但以理被掳在巴比伦讲七十个七，曾讲主耶稣的事（但九24~25）。“拜祂”……并非拜神之拜，乃以最高对人敬礼拜主而已（倪柝声文集第一辑第十五册，五至六页）。

　　耶稣出生的时候，……圣经记载有些外邦人，星象家，来寻找祂（太二1~12）。当然，这是由神发起，不是由他们发起的。……神给星象家一颗发亮的星引导他们（2）。这星没有出现在圣地。这星向远离圣地、圣城、圣殿、圣宗教、圣经、圣民、圣祭司的人显现出来。这发亮的星远离这一切神圣的事物，向外邦地的一些外邦人显现。那星的照耀激起这些外邦星象家，想到犹太人的王。我不知道这些星象家怎样受到激动，想起犹太人的王，我不想猜测。……无论如何，他们是从东方来的，并且领悟这星指明犹太人的王。

　　星象家有活的异象—天上的星，犹太宗教徒有圣经。你喜欢哪一样？圣经还是星？最好两者都有。我喜欢手中有圣经，也喜欢看见天上的星。最好我是犹太人，又是外邦人（马太福音生命读经，九六至九七页）。

　　参读：倪柝声文集第一辑第十五册，第二章；马太福音生命读经，第七篇；真理课程四级卷一，第三课。

　　Matthew 2:2…seems to indicate that the Lord Jesus was only for the Jews; however, those who first came to seek for the Lord were Gentiles. It was declared from the mouths of Gentiles that the Lord was the King of the Jews. From this verse we can see that the Lord’s work was for both the Gentiles and the Jews…The Bible does not give us proof of how the magi from the east learned of the Lord’s birth, but we have some hint. (“Light”—Isa. 60:3; “He”—Psa. 72:4). The Gentiles also had prophets, Balaam being one of them. He was one of four prophets who prophesied the most concerning the Lord Jesus (Num. 24:17). Perhaps these prophecies had spread in the east. Perhaps the magi from the east read the prophecy in Daniel. In his captivity in Babylon, when Daniel prophesied concerning the seventy weeks, he spoke the things concerning the Lord Jesus (Dan. 9:24-25). “To worship Him” was not to worship as one would worship God but to worship the Lord with the highest honor given to a human being. (CWWN, vol. 15, pp. 5-6)

　　At the time of Jesus’ birth…there is a record that some pagan men, magi, came to find Him (Matt. 2:1-12). Of course, this was initiated by God, not by them. God gave the magi a shining star to guide them (v. 2). This star did not appear in the Holy Land. It appeared to men far away—far away from the Holy Land; far away from the holy city; far away from the holy temple and the holy religion; far away from the Holy Bible, the holy people, and the holy priests. Far away from all these holy things, the shining star appeared to some pagan men in a pagan land. The shining of that star stirred up these pagan wise men regarding the King of the Jews. I do not know how these wise men were stirred up regarding the King of the Jews, and I do not want to guess…At any rate, they came from the east, the Orient, and realized that the star indicated the King of the Jews.

　　The wise men had the living vision, the heavenly star, and the Jewish religionists had the Bible. Which do you prefer to have—the Bible or the star? It is best to have both. I like to have the Bible in my hand, and I like to see the star in the heavens. It is best to be both a “pagan” and a “Jew” as well. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 74-75)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 15, ch. 2; Life-study of Matthew, msg. 7; Truth Lessons—Level Four, vol. 1, lsn. 3