ACC ~ Matthew 2 v2

DISTINGUISHING A SILENT SIGN FROM A SPOKEN PROPHECY

GREGORY THE GREAT: We must ask what it means that when our Redeemer was born, an angel appeared to the shepherds in Judea, but a star and not an angel guided the magi from the east to worship him. This was the reason: It was a reasoning being, [1] an angel, who preached to the Jews as persons capable of using their reason. But a sign and not a voice guided the Gentiles, who were not prepared to make full use of reason to know the Lord. Hence Paul says that “prophecy has been given for believers not for unbelievers, but signs have been given for unbelievers and not for believers.” [2] And so prophecy has been given to the Jews as believers and not unbelievers, and signs have been given to the Gentiles as unbelievers and not believers. Note that the apostle preached our Redeemer to these same Gentiles when Jesus was already a grown man, but a star declared him to the Gentiles even when he was a small child, not yet able to perform the normal human function of speaking. It was surely reasonable both that silent elements should preach him when he was not yet speaking and that preachers should make the Lord known to us by speaking when he was already speaking. FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 10.1. [3]

[1] With this juxtaposition of rational and irrational Gregory seeks to reveal the superiority of the Jews over the pagans insofar as they knew the truth revealed to them through sacred Scripture.

[2] 1 Cor 14:22.

[3] PL 76:1110-11; CS 123:55* (Homily 8). Why was the star the guiding sign of the wise men, while the voice of an angel addressed the shepherds? Both silence and speech were employed to proclaim Jesus’ coming. The Jews, as seen in the shepherds, were the recipients of prophetic voices; the Gentiles, as seen in the magi, were recipients of silent signs.

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