g.

Obj. 3: Further, a heavenly sign is more certain than a human sign.
But the Magi had come to Judea from the east, under the guidance of a
heavenly sign. Therefore it was foolish of them to seek human
guidance besides that of the star, saying: "Where is He that is born
King of the Jews?"

Obj. 4: Further, the offering of gifts and the homage of adoration
are not due save to kings already reigning. But the Magi did not find
Christ resplendent with kingly grandeur. Therefore it was unbecoming
for them to offer Him gifts and homage.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Isa. 60:3): "[The Gentiles] shall
walk in the light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising." But
those who walk in the Divine light do not err. Therefore the Magi
were right in offering homage to Christ.

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 3, ad 1), the Magi are the
"first-fruits of the Gentiles" that believed in Christ; because their
faith was a presage of the faith and devotion of the nations who were
to come to Christ from afar. And therefore, as the devotion and faith
of the nations is without any error through the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, so also we must believe that the Magi, inspired by the
Holy Ghost, did wisely in paying homage to Christ.

Reply Obj. 1: As Augustine says in a sermon on the Epiphany (cc.):
"Though many kings of the Jews had been born and died, none of them
did the Magi seek to adore. And so they who came from a distant
foreign land to a kingdom that was entirely strange to them, had no
idea of showing such great homage to such a king as the Jews were
wont to have. But they had learnt that such a King was born that by
adoring Him they might be sure of obtaining from Him the salvation
which is of God."

Reply Obj. 2: By proclaiming [Christ King] the Magi foreshadowed the
constancy of the Gentiles in confessing Christ even until death.
Whence Chrysostom says (Hom. ii in Matth.) that, while they thought
of the King who was to come, the Magi feared not the king who was
actually present. They had not yet seen Christ, and they were already
prepared to die for Him.

Reply Obj. 3: As Augustine says in a sermon on the Epiphany (cc.):
"The star which led the Magi to the place where the Divine Infant was
with His Virgin-Mother could bring them to the town of Bethlehem, in
which Christ was born. Yet it hid itself until the Jews also bore
testimony of the city in which Christ was to be born: so that, being
encouraged by a tw