SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:4
Y convocados todos los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y los escribas del pueblo, les pregunt dnde había de nacer el Cristo.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 2:4
Verse 4. The chief priests] Not only the high priest for the time being, called arh hk cohen ha-rosh, 2 Kings xxv. 18, and his deputy, called hnm hk cohen mishneh, with those who had formerly borne the high priest's office; but also, the chiefs or heads of the twenty four sacerdotal families, which David distributed into so many courses, 1 Chronicles 24. These latter are styled ynhkh yrs sarey ha-cohanim, chief of the priests, 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14; Ezra viii. 24; and ynhkh yar roshey ha-cohanim, heads of the priests, Neh. xii. 7. Josephus calls them by the same name as the writers of the New Testament. In his Life, sect. 8, he mentions pollouv-twn arcierewn, MANY of the chief priests. The word is used in the singular in this last sense, for a chief of the priests, Acts xix. 14.
Scribes] The word grammateuv, in the Septuagint, is used for a political officer, whose business it was to assist kings and civil magistrates, and to keep an account in writing of public acts and occurrences. Such an officer is called in Hebrew lmh rpo seper hamelech, o grammateuv tou basilewv, the king's scribe, or secretary. See LXX. 2 Kings xii. 10.
The word is often used by the LXX. for a man of learning, especially for one skilled in the Mosaic law: and, in the same sense, it is used by the New Testament writers. grammateuv is therefore to be understood as always implying a man of letters, or learning, capable of instructing the people. The derivation of the names proves this to be the genuine meaning of the word gramma: a letter, or character, in writing: or grammata, letters, learning, erudition, and especially that gained from books. The Hebrew rps or rpws sopher, from saphar, to tell, count, cypher, signifies both a book, volume, roll, &c., and a notary, recorder, or historian; and always signifies a man of learning. We often term such a person a man of letters.
The word is used Acts xix. 35, for a civil magistrate at Ephesus, probably such a one as we would term recorder. It appears that Herod at this time gathered the whole Sanhedrin, in order to get the fullest information on a subject by which all his jealous fears had been alarmed.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests , etc.] Here we have an account of Herods conduct at this juncture; he calls a council, assembles the sanhedrim, gathers together the more learned persons in the city to consult with them upon this matter, the chief priests , all of which he gathered together, and which seem to be many; and were not only the then present high priest and his substitutes, but all the principal persons of the priesthood, who were chosen from the rest, into the great sanhedrim, or council: and by the scribes of the people are meant a sort of letter learned men, whose business it was to keep and write out copies of the law, and other things, for the people; they were the fathers of the traditions, and interpreters of the law to them; and therefore are called the scribes of the people: as well also, because they were chosen from among the people, from any other tribe, and not from the tribe of Levi, from whom the priests were; so that one seems to design the clergy, and the other the laity, in this assembly. The Septuagint render yrjw the officers of the people, by this same word the scribes, and scribes of the people, in ( Numbers 11:16 Deuteronomy 20:5,8,9) ( Joshua 1:10 3:2; Joshua 8:33; Joshua 23:2, Joshua 24:1). The learned Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, that the persons of note, who were present at this time, were Hillell the president of the council, Shammai the vice president, the sons of Betira, Judah and Joshua, Bava ben Buta, Jonathan ben Uzziel, the Chaldee paraphrast, and Simeon the son of Hillell. He demanded of them , or asked them with authority, as the chief captain did, ( Acts 21:33) where Christ, o cristov , the Christ, the Messiah should be born? that is, where was the place of his birth as fixed in their prophecies, where, accordingly, they believed and expected he would be born. Herods pretence, no doubt, in putting this question was, that he might be able to satisfy the wise men of the East about this matter; though the true reason within himself was, that he might know where this new born king was, in order to destroy him.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Those who live at the greatest distance from the means of grace ofte use most diligence, and learn to know the most of Christ and his salvation. But no curious arts, or mere human learning, can direct me unto him. We must learn of Christ by attending to the word of God, as light that shineth in a dark place, and by seeking the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And those in whose hearts the day-star is risen, to giv them any thing of the knowledge of Christ, make it their business to worship him. Though Herod was very old, and never had shown affectio for his family, and was not himself likely to live till a new-bor infant had grown up to manhood, he began to be troubled with the drea of a rival. He understood not the spiritual nature of the Messiah' kingdom. Let us beware of a dead faith. A man may be persuaded of man truths, and yet may hate them, because they interfere with his ambition, or sinful indulgences. Such a belief will make him uneasy and the more resolved to oppose the truth and the cause of God; and he may be foolish enough to hope for success therein.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ συναγαγων 4863 5631 V-2AAP-NSM παντας 3956 A-APM τους 3588 T-APM αρχιερεις 749 N-APM και 2532 CONJ γραμματεις 1122 N-APM του 3588 T-GSM λαου 2992 N-GSM επυνθανετο 4441 5711 V-INI-3S παρ 3844 PREP αυτων 846 P-GPM που 4226 PRT-I ο 3588 T-NSM χριστος 5547 N-NSM γενναται 1080 5743 V-PPI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
4. All the chief priests. We should expect only one chief priest to be mentioned; but the office had become a lucrative one, and frequently changed hands. A rabbit is quoted as saying that the first temple, which stood about four hundred and ten years, had only eighteen high-priests from first to last; while the second temple, which stood four hundred and twenty years, had more than three hundred high-priests. The reference here is not to a meeting of the Sanhedrim, since the elders, who are not mentioned, belonged to this; but to an extraordinary convocation of all the high-priests and learned men. Besides the high-priest in actual office, there might be others who had been this predecessors, and who continued to bear the name, and in part the dignity. It may possibly have included the heads of the twenty-four courses of priests.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
2:4 {He inquired of them where the Christ should be born} (epunqaneto par' autwn pou ho cristos gennatai). The prophetic present (gennatai) is given, the very words of Herod retained by Matthew's report. The imperfect tense (epunqaneto) suggests that Herod inquired repeatedly, probably of one and another of the leaders gathered together, both Sadducees (chief priests) and Pharisees (scribes). McNeile doubts, like Holtzmann, if Herod actually called together all the Sanhedrin and probably "he could easily ask the question of a single scribe," because he had begun his reign with a massacre of the Sanhedrin (Josephus, _Ant_. XIV. ix. 4). But that was thirty years ago and Herod was desperately in earnest to learn what the Jews really expected about the coming of "the Messiah." Still Herod probably got together not the Sanhedrin since "elders" are not mentioned, but leaders among the chief priests and scribes, not a formal meeting but a free assembly for conference. He had evidently heard of this expected king and he would swallow plenty of pride to be able to compass the defeat of these hopes.
