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| Chapter LI
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Chapter LI.
Now the Scripture speaks, respecting the place of
the Saviour’s birth—that the Ruler was to come forth from
Bethlehem—in the following manner: “And thou
Bethlehem, house of Ephrata, art not the least among the thousands of
Judah: for out of thee shall He come forth unto Me who is to be
Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth have been of old, from
everlasting.”3163
Now this
prophecy could not suit any one of those who, as Celsus’ Jew
says, were fanatics and mob-leaders, and who gave out that they had
come from heaven, unless it were clearly shown that He had been born in
Bethlehem, or, as another might say, had come forth from Bethlehem to
be the leader of the people. With respect to the birth of Jesus
in Bethlehem, if any one desires, after the prophecy of Micah and after
the history recorded in the Gospels by the disciples of Jesus, to have
additional evidence from other sources, let him know that, in
conformity with the narrative in the Gospel regarding His birth, there
is shown at Bethlehem the cave3164
| 3164 [See Dr.
Spencer’s The East: Sketches of Travel in Egypt and the
Holy Land, pp. 362–365, London, Murray, 1850, an interesting
work by my esteemed collaborator.] | where He was born,
and the manger in the cave where He was wrapped in
swaddling-clothes. And this sight is greatly talked of in
surrounding places, even among the enemies of the faith, it being said
that in this cave was born that Jesus who is worshipped and reverenced
by the Christians.3165
| 3165 [Concerning
this, besides Dr. Robinson (ii. 159), consult Dean Stanley, Sinai
and Palestine, p. 433. But compare Van Lennep, Bible
Lands, p. 804; Roberts’ Holy Land, capp. 85, 87, vol.
ii., London.] | Moreover, I
am of opinion that, before the advent of Christ, the chief priests and
scribes of the people, on account of the distinctness and clearness of
this prophecy, taught that in Bethlehem the Christ was to be
born. And this opinion had prevailed also extensively among the
Jews; for which reason it is related that Herod, on inquiring at the
chief priests and scribes of the people, heard from them that the
Christ was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, “whence David was.” It
is stated also in the Gospel according to John, that the Jews declared
that the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, “whence David
was.”3166
But after our
Lord’s coming, those who busied themselves with overthrowing the
belief that the place of His birth had been the subject of prophecy
from the beginning, withheld such teaching from the people; acting in a
similar manner to those individuals who won over those soldiers of the
guard stationed around the tomb who had seen Him arise from the dead,
and who instructed these eye-witnesses to report as follows:
“Say that His disciples, while we slept, came and stole Him
away. And if this come to the governor’s ears, we shall
persuade him, and secure you.”3167
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