The wise men departed alone from Jerusalem. The shadows of night were falling as they left the gates, but to their great joy they again saw the star, and were directed to Bethlehem. They had received no such intimation of the lowly estate of Jesus as was given to the shepherds. After the long journey they had been disappointed by the indifference of the Jewish leaders, and had left Jerusalem less confident than when they entered the city. At Bethlehem they found no royal guard stationed to protect the newborn King. None of the world's honored men were in attendance. Jesus was cradled in a manger. His parents, uneducated peasants, were His only guardians. Could this be He of whom it was written, that He should "raise up the tribes of Jacob," and "restore the preserved of Israel;" that He should be "a light to the Gentiles," and for "salvation unto the end of the earth"? Isa. 49:6.

Nu lukkedes døren i for lyset på grund af stolthed og skinsyge. Hvis man skulle tro på de beretninger, som hyrderne og vismændene kom med, så ville det bringe præsterne og rabbinerne i en meget pinlig situation og modbevise deres krav på at være fortolkere af Guds sandhed. Disse lærde mænd ville ikke nedlade sig til at lade sig belære af dem, som de kaldte hedninger. De sagde, at det var en umulighed, at Gud skulle have forbigået dem for at meddele sig til uvidende hyrder eller uomskårne hedninger. De besluttede at vise deres foragt for de rygter, der virkede så ophidsende på kong Herodes og hele Jerusalem. De ville ikke engang drage til Betlehem for at se, om alt dette havde sin rigtighed. Og de fik folket til at betragte denne interesse for Jesus som et udtryk for fanatisk ophidselse. Her begyndte præsternes og rabbinernes forkastelse af Kristus. Fra dette tidspunkt voksede deres hovmod og stivsindethed til at blive et indgroet had til Frelseren. Medens Gud åbnede døren for hedningerne, lukkede de jødiske ledere døren til for sig selv.