Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him’ (Matt. 2:1,2).
Matthew establishes the birth of Jesus in a historical setting of time and place: in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of King Herod. Then mysterious visitors enter the story — Magi. Magi first appear in the 7th century BC in the region today known as Iran. They were a tribe within the people group known as the Medes and denote a class of men who were skilled in astronomy, mathematics, astrology and general science. They were priests and probably monotheists — believers in one God.
Remember that many years before, after Babylon conquered Judah, Jews were deported to the east. Daniel had been promoted to a position of high office under the Babylonian and Medo-Persian Empires and during his long life had enormous influence over the Chaldeans who may have been ancestors of the Magi. There was still a sizable Jewish population in that region which would have given the Magi access to the Old Testament prophets.
However, there is much we do not know about them. We don’t know exactly where they were from, only from the East. We don't know their ages nor their names. We sing “We Three Kings” but Scripture does not say they were kings nor does it say there were three. We do not know what kind of lives they had led before we meet them or where their lives led after this. They simply ride into the story and ride out and we never hear of them again.
There is much we do not know about these visitors. But one thing we do know — they were wise. Over and over we see demonstrations of their wisdom.
1. Their discernment reveals wisdom:
Based on their study of the stars, they believed that somewhere a great King had been born. God does not work in secret, The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). Genesis 1:14 talks of lights in the heavens for signs and seasons. Romans 1:18-20 informs us that God’s eternal power and divine nature are clearly revealed through His creation. God’s works are visible for all to see but not all see because not all are looking. Only discerning people look for the things of God.
2. They reveal wisdom in humbly searching for this King.
It’s commendable to believe that God is doing something somewhere. It is far greater to go and search for it, find it, participate in it. These Magi left the familiar safety of home and family, enduring a long, difficult and potentially dangerous journey.
God wants to be found by all but not all find God because not all seek. Not all seek because there is a cost: we must let go of lesser kings and lesser gods if we would find the greater. We must let go of our comfort zones, our safe answers and familiar traditions. We may have to let go of our reputation, there may be those who will ridicule our journey. Being a seeker after God does not mean we always must leave our home, jobs, traditions and treasures. But we do need to let go of them. There is a difference.
3. The Magi show wisdom in seeking the King with the light they had.
They were not Jews and though they may have had access to the Old Testament Scriptures, which are a light unto our feet and a lamp to our pathway (Ps. 119:105), they did not have the advantage of worshipping in the Jerusalem Temple or hearing the priests and rabbis teach daily. Further, there was only one Scripture that referred to the birthplace of the coming Messiah (Micah 5:2). And there was only one star leading them. They had a limited amount of light. The point is this: whatever light God provides will be enough for our journey.
Not everyone has the same light, the same advantages of learning and experience. But God is not expecting us to walk by someone else’s light. He is expecting us to walk with what we have and that will lead us to our destination. These wise men did not have all the light that some possessed but as they followed the light they did have, they found the King, they arrived at their journey's end.
4. They reveal wisdom in the purity of their motive:
We have come to worship Him (Matt. 2:2). The word worship — proskuneo — refers to kneeling, bowing, showing reverence. These men were not seeking political leverage, not lobbying for access to money or position, not trying to pull a power play with this new born King. They came to worship the King. Wisdom is revealed in purity of motive.
5. Wisdom is revealed in asking for direction:
They stopped in Jerusalem and inquired, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him’ (2:2). Wise people seek guidance and direction. One trademark of wise people is that they are teachable. God never anoints a teacher who is not teachable. God will never call anyone wise who does not seek wisdom. They followed the light they knew but admitted what they did not know, asking direction. This reveals wisdom.
They said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel (Matt. 2:5,6).
The holy Scriptures provide the exact location of the Messiah’s birth — Bethlehem, a tiny village about seven miles south of Jerusalem. We wonder, though, was this really wise? Did the Magi act wisely when they left their guiding light and asked directions from people who were neither led by God nor seeking God. They opened their journey to the religious and political powers of that region and in doing this, they exposed themselves and the people of Bethlehem to those powers:
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born (Matt 2:3,4).
It was wise to ask direction but it was also dangerous to pause in their journey and seek lesser light from men of mixed motives. Further, they aroused the jealous rage of a wicked King Herod. Later in their story we see just how dangerous this was. Yes, it’s a good thing to be teachable but we must be very careful who we open our lives to, who we share our visions with, who we listen to. Not everyone has a Godly word for us, not everyone is walking in enough light to share light.
It might have been wiser to continue to follow the light that had led them such a long way. How sad when we stop short of journey’s end. Trust that the God who led us yesterday will lead us today and tomorrow.
6. Having obtained directions, though, we see wisdom in the Magi’s willingness to follow those directions. They went to Bethlehem. Wise folks not only seek directions but also follow what they have learned. God is able to speak His guiding word to each and every Christian. If we will listen for that guidance and follow His direction we also will arrive at those destinations, those Bethlehems which God has planned for us.
7. They reveal wisdom in their perseverance:
“After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was (2:9).
They went their way — the Magi were committed seekers. Notice that the star went on before them but only after they went their way. God provided light as they committed to go, to follow.
The word star is aster which refers in general to any radiant celestial body. But because it was moving, this may refer to the Shekinah glory of God or a shining angelic being. It may be that only the Magi could see it.
Notice that the star went before them. Light shines in front of us, not behind us. Forget those things which are behind you. Press on toward the upward call of God in Christ.
The light continued before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was (2:9). This provides further evidence that this heavenly light was a special manifestation of the glory of God or an angelic being.
Consider how far these Magi had traveled — hundreds of miles — yet God’s light brought them precisely to their journey’s end. The journey’s end is Jesus. The Holy Spirit, the light of God, seeks to glorify Jesus and will always reveal Him to all who seek, as Jesus promised: He will glorify Me (Jn. 16:14).
We are awed by the precision of God’s direction in the lives of the Magi. There was no reason to ask directions from the disinterested, spiritually complacent, politically compromised priests and scribes of Jerusalem. Those were learned religious people who knew the Scriptures but not the season; who knew facts about God, but not the truth; who knew religion but did not know God; who lived in proximity to the dawning of the Light of the world yet remained in darkness.
Are we being unfair in calling those priests and scribes complacent and compromised? No! Jerusalem is only seven miles from Bethlehem and though the religious community knew the prophecy of Micah that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, they would not make that short journey to investigate the report of the Magi. They had enough information to recognize the Messiah but chose not to believe. Unbelief is a choice.
When people know the truth but will not act on it, something essential has been erased from their souls. In fact, To him who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin (James 4:17). They were nothing more than religious sinners.
What did the Magi accomplish in stopping at the side of the road to ask directions? They momentarily broke their focus, interrupted their journey and tragically endangered the innocent children of Bethlehem. Yes it is wise to seek wisdom from wise teachers but not all are wise.
In Psalm 32:8, the Lord said, I will instruct and you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and lead you with My eye upon you. Jesus will shepherd His children and yes, He uses people and yes, we should always be teachable but not everybody we meet is qualified to speak into our lives. Be careful not to break your focus by listening to spiritually compromised fools or endanger your journey by associating with evil in its various disguises.
8. Wisdom is revealed in their joy:
Resuming their journey, When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy (Matt. 2:10). They had been in the company of visionless religious folk and a demonically driven king Herod. How refreshing and joyful to find again the pure and peaceful light of God. Wise people rejoice in God’s guidance.
9. Wisdom is revealed at the end of the journey:
After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him (Matt. 2:11).
Realizing they have arrived at the end of their journey, they recognize the King and bow in His presence. God has placed in all of our hearts a desire to know Him and life is a restless searching until we do. As all the false loves fall away and we arrive at journey's end, the wise heart bows in the presence of the true Beloved whom we had sought.
(By the way, notice the word house — the family is no longer in the stable, indicating that some time has passed since the visit of the shepherds.
10. Wisdom is revealed in the way they honored the King.
Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matt. 2:11). They had gone out expecting to meet royalty, carrying gifts to share when they did find Him. How foolish it would be to seek God and not expect to find Him. How foolish to find God and not be prepared to honor Him.
Through Jeremiah the Lord said, You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart (Jeremiah. 29:13). Wisdom seeks the Lord expecting to meet Him, prepared to give the worshipful gifts which our God is due. These were not fools. They were wise men.
The old hymn says it so beautifully:
“What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man, I would do my part;
Yet what can I give Him? Give Him my heart.”
11. The wisdom of these travelers is revealed most profoundly in the particular gifts they gave.
Here we see the wisdom of God working through the Magi. They had no way of knowing what kind of King they would meet, yet God prepared them (2:11).
They brought gold, gift for royalty. In the ancient world, when an ambassador came into the presence of a king, he brought gold, thereby recognizing the king's majesty. With this gift, the wise men proclaimed the Kingship of Jesus. In fact, hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus this was prophesied:
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
and the government will rest on His shoulders;
and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
There will be no end to the increase of His government
or of peace, on the throne of David and over His Kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it with justice
and righteousness, from then on and forevermore (Isa. 9:6,7).
The wise men brought gold for the little Baby in the manger. Yes, for Mary’s Child is King of kings and He shall reign forever and ever.
The next gift was quite unusual — they brought frankincense. This was a sweet smelling incense used in the Temple. As the sacrifices were offered up, as the people worshipped, frankincense was burned and its sweet smoke mingled with the prayers and praise of the people and priests. In bringing this gift to Jesus, the Magi could not possibly have known that they were recognizing and proclaiming the Deity, the Lordship, of this child.
The gift of frankincense announces, “This is more than an earthly king. This is God in flesh.” None should have been surprised. Hundreds of years before, the prophet Isaiah had said, Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Emmanuel, which means God with us (Isa. 7:14).
Least of all should Mary have been surprised, for the angel had said to her, The holy Child shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35b). Nor should Joseph have been surprised, for the angel had revealed to him that, The Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit (Matt. 1:20).
The magi brought frankincense because the little Baby in the manger, Mary's Child, was born the Son of God, Lord of lords.
The third gift seems strangely out of place, might even appear to be a mistake. But God makes no mistakes and perfectly prepared the Magi to greet Jesus. The gift is myrrh, which was used as a burial ointment and proclaimed the climax of divine purpose for the child’s life. He would be the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world.
As these wise men knelt before the holy Child, worshipped Him and laid their gifts before Him, they proclaimed far more than they understood. They reveal the wisdom of God in preparing them to meet and worship this King, Lord and Lamb.
We too proclaim Jesus to be King as we lay before Him the gold of our time, our treasure, our talents, our very being. As we surrender to His rule, we proclaim Him King.
We proclaim Him Lord with the incense of our worship and our prayers.
We proclaim Him the Lamb of God as we allow His sacrifice to be applied to our lives. When we place our faith in the shed blood of Jesus, trusting in His atoning sacrifice on our behalf, we by faith proclaim Him Lamb of God.
For nearly two thousand years wise people have, with the gold of our being, the incense of our worship, the myrrh of our faith in His blood, proclaimed Jesus to be King, Lord and Lamb.
The Magi were wise enough to discern the time of Jesus’ birth, they were humble enough to follow to the place of His birth, and they were willing to seek Him despite a long, dangerous and taxing journey. When they arrived, they worshipped the King.
Earlier, King Herod had said, Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him (2:8). But Herod was an insanely jealous, murderous psychopath. He had no intention of worshipping this new born king. Rather, his intention was to murder a baby whom he considered to be a rival.
God mercifully warned the Magi of Herod’s plan and they returned to their own country by another way (2:12). We find two truths in this:
1. Though it would have been wonderful to remain in the presence of this King, Lamb and Lord, the wise men had a story to tell. They had to to return to their own country. So it is for us — we have precious times of worship and prayer in the presence of our Lord. But we cannot stay, we are called to leave the holy altar and go, share the Good News of our dear Savior’s birth.
2. God led them by another way. The way we came may not be the way we leave. In such a dangerous world, it is good to know, The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps (Prov. 18:9). The Lord has made promises to shepherd us through time and into eternity. He promises, My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me (Jn. 120:27).
The Magi, warned by the Lord, returned home. For the innocent babies asleep in the cradles of Bethlehem, there would be no escape from the violent reality of this evil world.
Into such a world as this, Jesus the Messiah was born, and we also were born. The Good News is that in the midst of this grievous violence and tragedy, God is with us and someday His peace will be established across the earth.
The star of Bethlehem reveals wise folk who seek God, fools who ignore God and evil folk who hate God. But we also see a God who beckons to us, calls us to Himself and to that day when the kingdom of this world will have become the kingdom of our God and of His Messiah.