Portraits of faith - Chief Priests and Scribes

This is the fourth in my series Portraits of Faith in which I look at the faith of all those folks in the Christmas story as recorded in Matthew 1 & 2  and Luke 1 & 2. I wanted to call this Dioramas of Faith but I was concerned that folks might not remember what a diorama was!

diorama of the jungle

Chief Priests and Scribes

Matthew 2:3-6
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.  
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,  
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel

This is all that is said about the chief priests and scribes. I don’t see anything about faith. And that’s the point.

We know they heard the story of the wise men – Herod was troubled and all Jerusalem with him. This could hardly not include them. They heard the wise men were looking for the king of Israel and that his birth had been announced by a star.

When Herod asked them where Christ was to be born, they were ready with the answer, Bethlehem. And it was the right answer - they knew the Scriptures and the hope of Israel.

So, they heard the report of Christ being born. They told Herod where to look. And that’s the last we read of them. The wise men go on to Bethlehem to worship Christ the King. Herod seeks to have Christ murdered. They do nothing. Absolutely nothing. They just go on like nothing has happened. What is this? Unbelief. 

They did not believe the report that Christ had been born. How sad is this? How this must have grieved the heart of the Father – His own people can tell where Christ was to be born, but the report of his birth moves them not an inch. Oh how unbelief hardens the heart!

Take heed, Jeff, lest you think this could not be you.


Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. 
But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.  
To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. Hebrews 3:12-13, 15