{He inquired of them where the Christ should be born}
(epunthaneto par' aut(936e) pou ho Christos genn(8374)ai).  The
prophetic present (genn(8374)ai) is given, the very words of Herod
retained by Matthew's report. The imperfect tense (epunthaneto)
suggests that Herod inquired repeatedly, probably of one and
another of the leaders gathered together, both Sadducees (chief
priests) and Pharisees (scribes). McNeile doubts, like Holtzmann,
if Herod actually called together all the Sanhedrin and probably
"he could easily ask the question of a single scribe," because he
had begun his reign with a massacre of the Sanhedrin (Josephus,
_Ant_. XIV. ix. 4). But that was thirty years ago and Herod was
desperately in earnest to learn what the Jews really expected
about the coming of "the Messiah." Still Herod probably got
together not the Sanhedrin since "elders" are not mentioned, but
leaders among the chief priests and scribes, not a formal meeting
but a free assembly for conference. He had evidently heard of
this expected king and he would swallow plenty of pride to be
able to compass the defeat of these hopes.