Star from Jacob; magi led to Bethlehem
Moses says again: ‘A star shall come forth from Jacob, and a ruler shall arise from Israel.’ (Num 24:17) This proves clearly that the economy of this event according to the flesh unfolds among the Jews, but also that the one who must be born will descend from heaven to serve this purpose. For a star appears in the heaven.
And if the prophet speaks of a ruler, a king, it is because the Christ is king of all who are saved. Now at his birth the star appeared to the magi who lived in the East. By that appearance they learned that the Christ was born, and they came into Judea, guided by that star; they followed it until it arrived at Bethlehem, where the Christ was born, and it entered the house where the child lay wrapped in swaddling clothes. (Mt 2:1-11) The star came to rest over his head, to show the magi the Son of God, the Christ.
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About this text
Irenaeus’s short handbook of the apostolic preaching (Epideixis), preserved in Armenian. English here is a densified reading translation for study. Prior English exists (Robinson / Wilson) — this is not an Original English Translation.
English follows the Armenian of Patrologia Orientalis XII.5. Barthoulot’s French was used as a sense-check only. Robinson (1920) and Wilson’s prior English exist and were checked for independence — this page is densified English, not Original English Translation / no-previous-English.
Witnesses
- Copy-text PO XII.5 Epideixis (Armenian, Matenadaran M3710) (Armenian · §§1–10)
- Checked print Barthoulot French (PD) (French · §§1–10)
- Prior English Check Robinson 1920 / Wilson English (English · full work (prior complete English exists))
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.