IT SEEMS THAT IN JESUS’ TIME THERE WAS A WIDESPREAD BELIEF THAT THE MESSIAH WAS NOT TO BE SOUGHT AMONG THE POWERFUL OF THE WORLD, AMONG KINGS, BUT AMONG THE MEN OF GOD, THOSE WHO WERE ANIMATED BY THE SPIRIT OF THE PROPHETS. THIS OPINION OF AN UNBELIEVER (GUIGNEBERT), WHICH IS BASED ON CLUES PROVIDED BY THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF SAINT LUKE, IS WORTH NOTING.