Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 2:4

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.

In this Perplexity the King Herod calleth a Synod or Convocation, which was made up of the chief Priests, and Scribes, the single Question which he propoundeth to them, was to resolve him. Where Christ should be born. It is most likely this was an extraordinary Convention of such of these Persons as the King thought fit, who were best skilled in the Law, and other Revelations of Holy-writ, not any orderly meeting of the Sanhedrim, for the Question propounded to them was of meer Ecclesiastical Concern: and to be resolved from the Prophecies and Writings of the Old Testament. The stating of the Question to them, not Where the King of the Iews, but where Christ should be born, makes it manifest, that altho (that we read of) the Wise Men said nothing of Christ, yet Herod presently conceived, that this King of the Iews, that was born, must be the Messiah Prophecied of Psal. 2. and in Dan. 9. he therefore desired to know of them the place, in which according to their received Tradition, and Sense of the Prophecies of Holy-writ, the Messiah whom they expected (that is Christ) should be born.