the visit of the magi story

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The Visit of the Magi - Epiphany Sunday - Matthew 2

A service for Epiphany Sunday based on Matthew 2 and focused on the double-sided story of the visit of the Magi.

The Visit of the Magi Epiphany Sunday Matthew 2:1-18

Theme of the Service

The visit of the Magi is the narrative that forms the worship service for this day. This story of the visit by these three "wise men" is a double-sided story. On the one hand, it is a story of adoration, welcome, and a proclamation that Christ is born to be the king of the Jews. On the other hand, it is a story of rejection by a threatened king and a massacre that speaks of the spiritual conflict that Christ's arrival stirs up.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

WE GATHER IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

Prelude: "As with Gladness Men of Old" [see music notes ] or "Bright and Glorious Is the Sky" or "We Three Kings"

Introit: "See the Glowing Star," Kemp [see music notes ] or "Los magos que llegaron a Belén/The Magi Went to Bethl'hem Long Ago" SNC 118

*The Call to Worship O come, let us worship the Lord and consider what wondrous things God has done: The Magi who study the heavens follow a guiding star! O come, let us worship the Lord and consider what wondrous things God has done: The peoples who live in the shadows see a glorious light! O come, let us worship the Lord and consider what wondrous things God has done: The Christ who embodies the Word unveils the hidden plan, making us joint heirs of the promise of salvation through the gospel! O come, let us worship the Lord, for God has done wondrous things!

* Our Declaration of Trust and God's Greeting Congregation of Jesus Christ, in whom are you trusting? Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Grace, mercy, and peace to you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

*Song: "As with Gladness, Men of Old" (st. 1-4) PH 63, PsH 358, RL 228, SFL 143, TH 226, TWC 181

WE ARE RENEWED IN GOD'S GRACE

The Call to Confession

Our Corporate Confession

Generous in love-God, give grace! Huge in mercy-wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.

Response: "God, Be Merciful to Me" (st. 1) PsH 255, TH 486

You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born.

Response: "God, Be Merciful to Me" (st. 2)

Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life.

Response: "God, Be Merciful to Me" (st. 3)

Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise. (selections from Psalm 51, The Message)

Response: "God, Be Merciful to Me" (st. 4)

The Assurance of Pardon

Let us receive our assurance from the testimony of David who said that when he acknowledged his sin to God and did not cover up his iniquity, when he said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," he found that God forgave the guilt of his sin! May his testimony assure you of God's forgiveness to you this day. (from Psalm 32:5)

Song of Praise: "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" (st. 1, 4, 7) PH 466, PsH 501, RL 362/363, RN 32, SFL 19, TH 164, TWC 130, UMH 57

Hearing God's Will for Grateful Living: Romans 12:1-2

The Children's Moment

GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD

Anthem: "How Far Is It to Bethlehem," Ferguson [see music notes ]

*Song: "O Little Town of Bethlehem" (st. 1, 4) PH 43, 44, RL 193, 194, TH 201, 202, TWC 154, 155, UMH 230

The Prayer for Illumination Our Lord and our God, now as we hear your Word, fill us with your Spirit. Soften our hearts that we may see your ways. Fill us with your light. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

The Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God!

The New Testament Reading: Matthew 2:1-18 The Word of the Lord, Thanks be to God!

Sermon: "The Visit of the Magi"

Anthem: "The Coventry Carol," Pitcher [see music notes ] or Responsorial: "Lord of the Universe" PsH 362

WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD

The Prayers of the People

The Offertory: "Coventry Carol," Dobrinski [see music notes ] or "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing"

The Offering

*Song: "Angels from the Realms of Glory" (st. 1, 3, 4) PH 22, PsH 354, RL 229, TH 218, TWC 174, UMH 220 [see music notes ]

*The Benediction with Congregational Amen!

*Song: "Angels from the Realms of Glory" (st. 5)

Postlude: "Angels from the Realms of Glory" [see music notes ] or "Trumpet Tune," Purcell

* you are invited to stand

Sermon Notes:

• This message, though focusing on the three Magi, is a much larger story and will be understood well only when it is seen in its total context. The Magi were following what they believed to be God's leading (a star). Herod was frightened and angry by what he considered to be a serious problem (another king). Joseph and Mary, with their child, were caught in the middle. Another set of people, also caught in the middle, paid a high price for the conflict that erupted here-the parents in Bethlehem, thrown into grief at the murder of their children. You may choose to expand on the internal process in the Magi that led them to come seeking and to worship (v. 2), or the internal process in Herod that made him "furious" (v. 16), or the grief in heart of Bethlehem's parents that made them weep (v. 18), but in the final analysis the focus must be on the manifestation of the identity and calling of Jesus and that this world could not accept that.
• Therefore, a full proclamation of this event will happen only when it is considered in the light of Revelation 12:1-6 and what John is told about the "conflict behind the scenes." The woman, the dragon and the son all play critical roles in that drama. They represent the war that has been going on ever since the fall into sin in the spirit world, prior to Genesis 3. This conflict continued throughout the Old Testament and attempted to stop the birth of Christ. Having failed, efforts now continue to destroy him or divert him from the task to which he is called. Not only can the story of the Magi be understood only in this light, but events in our world will make sense to us only in the same light. The manifestation of Christ always causes a conflict to break out because he is king in the midst of a history-long conflict between two spiritual kingdoms.
• We must ask ourselves whether we have really come to grips with the reality that thorough discipleship involves a counter-cultural commitment!

Music Notes:

Glossary of Hymnal Abbreviations: PH The Presbyterian Hymnal (Presbyterian Church USA; Westminster/John Knox Press) PsH The Psalter Hymnal (Christian Reformed Church; Faith Alive Christian Resources) RL Rejoice in the Lord (Reformed Church in America; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company) RN Renew! (Hope Publishing Company) SFL Songs for LiFE (children's songbook; Faith Alive Christian Resources) SNC Sing! A New Creation (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Christian Reformed Church, Reformed Church in America; Faith Alive Christian Resources) TH Trinity Hymnal (Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church in America; Great Commission Publications) TWC The Worshiping Church (Hope Publishing Company) UMH The United Methodist Hymnal (United Methodist Publishing House) WOV With One Voice (Augsburg Fortress)

1. The music suggestions for the prelude, based on "As with Gladness Men of Old" [DIX], "Bright and Glorious Is the Sky [DEJLIG ER DEN HIMMEL BLAA/CELESTIA], and "We Three Kings" [KINGS OF ORIENT] can be found in the following sources:

• Held, Wilbur. 6 Hymn Settings for Epiphany. Morningstar MSM-10-206 [1999] (E-M).
• Krapf, Gerhard. Sing and Rejoice, vol. 5. SMP KK323 [1984] (E-M, can be adapted for piano).
• Leavitt, John. Christmas Suite. Augsburg 11-10857 [1998] (E-M).
• Manz, Paul. Three for Epiphany. Morningstar MSM-10-203 [1992] (E-M).
• Pelz, Walter L. As with Gladness Men of Old. Concordia 97-5873 [1985] (M).
• Wold, Wayne L. God with Us. Augsburg 11-10975 [1999] (E-M).

DEJLIG ER DEN HIMMEL BLAA/CELESTIA Organ:

• Manz, Paul. Ten Chorale Improvisations, set 7. Concordia 97-5308 [1975] (E-M).
• Wold, Wayne L. Suite on Bright and Glorious Is the Sky. Augsburg 11-11041 [2000] (M).
• Wood, Dale. Seven Folk Tune Sketches. H.W. Grey GB 357 [1966] (E-M).

KINGS OF ORIENT Organ:

• Linker, Janet. Augsburg Organ Library - Epiphany. Augsburg 11-11073 [2001] (E-M).
• Manz, Paul. Three for Epiphany. Morningstar MSM-10-203 [1992] (E-M, very engaging).
• Dobrinski, Cynthia. We Three Kings. Agape 1390 [1989] (3-5 octaves, M).
• Page, Anna Laura. We Three Kings. Concordia 97-7009 [2003] (3-5 octaves, level 2+).

2. The Introit "See the Glowing Star" ("Song of the Wisemen") arranged for unison voices by Helen Kemp is published by Choristers Guild CGA-629 [1993] (E-M). The alternate suggestion "Los magos que llegaron a Belén/The Magi Went to Bethl'hem Long Ago," which is based on the same Puerto Rican carol [ISLA DEL ENCANTO], can be found in SNC 118.

3. Alternative organ harmonizations for the opening hymn "As with Gladness Men of Old" can be found in

• Burkhardt, Michael. As Though the Whole Creation Cried. Morningstar MSM-10-555 [2001].
• Busarow, Donald. All Praise to You, Eternal God. Augsburg 11-9076 [1980].
• Thiman, Eric. Varied Accompaniments to Thirty-Four Well-Known Hymn Tunes. Oxford ISBN 0 19 323210 3 [1937].

4. The anthem "How Far Is It to Bethlehem" arranged for SSA voices by John Ferguson is published by Augsburg 11-10756 [1997] (M).

5. The anthem following the sermon is an arrangement of "The Coventry Carol" for SSA voices by Gladys Pitcher in the collection Thirty Old and New Christmas Carols, published by G. Schirmer HL50308820 [1961] (E-M). The alternate suggestion is a hymn-"Lord of the Universe" (PsH 362). An ensemble could sing each verse, with the congregation responding with the refrain.

6. The offertory suggestions are based on "The Coventry Carol" and "Oh, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing" [AZMON].

COVENTRY CAROL Handbells:

• Dobrinski, Cynthia. Coventry Carol. Agape 1537 [1991] (3-5 octaves, M).

AZMON Organ:

• Bouman, Paul. Partita on Azmon. CPH 97-6506 [1995] (M).
• Cherwien, David. Groundings. Augsburg 11-11119 [2001] (E-M).
• Hobby, Robert A. Three Hymns of Praise, set 6. Morningstar MSM-10-542 [2000] (E-M).
• Jordan, Alice. Worship Service Music for the Organist. Broadman 4570-27 [1975] (E-M).
• Manz, Paul. God of Grace. Morningstar MSM-10-599 [2004] (E-M).
• Manz, Paul. Ten Chorale Improvisations, set 9. Concordia 97-5556 [1980] (E-M).
• Smith, Mark Brampton. Partita on Azmon. Morningstar MSM-10-718 [1996] (M).
• Sherman, Arnold B. Acclamation on “Azmon." Agape 1363 [1989] (3-5 octaves, M).
• Sherman, Arnold B. Our Great Redeemer's Praise. Red River HB0018 [1997] (3-5 octaves, level 3).

7. An introduction to the closing hymn can be found in Michael Burkhardt's organ collection Five Christmas Hymn Improvisations, Morningstar MSM-10-111 [1991] [E-M]. Alternative harmonizations for "Angels from the Realms of Glory" [REGENT SQUARE] can be found in the following organ collections:

• Burkhardt, Michael. Festival Hymn Settings for the Christmas Season, set 1. Morningstar MSM-10-126 [1995].
• Ferguson, John. Hymn Harmonizations for Organ, bk. 1. Ludwig O-05 [1975].
• Goode, Jack C. Thirty-four Changes on Hymn Tunes. H.W. Grey GB 644 [1978].

8. The postlude "Angels from the Realms of Glory" [REGENT SQUARE] can be found in the following sources: Organ:

• Kerr, J. Wayne. Christ Is Born! Augsburg 11-11037 [2000] [E-M].
• Krapf, Gerhard. Sing and Rejoice, vol. 5. SMP KK323 [1984] [E-M, can be adapted for piano].

Another suggestion for organ or organ and trumpet is "Trumpet Tune" by Henry Purcell in the collection Album of Trumpet Tunes, published by Boosey and Hawkes E.A.36412 (E-M).

Liturgy Notes:

• Two of the readings in this service are taken from The Worship Sourcebook, recently published by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Faith Alive Christian Resources, and Baker Books. The Call to Worship is found on page 496; the Prayer for Illumination on page 504.
• The Corporate Confession of sin suggests that the congregation participate in this confession responsively. The words of confession are from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase of Psalm 51 in The Message . If your congregation would not be comfortable with its use, we suggest that the words of the NIV or NRSV be used. The congregation responds with verses of the familiar hymn of penitence "God, Be Merciful to Me." Making this confession responsively, utilizing both spoken and sung words, will readily engage the heart of the worship.
• The statement used for the Assurance of Pardon suggests that we remain with the experience of David and use his words from Psalm 32. When David testifies to his receipt of pardon we are welcomed to do the same.
• The Children's Moment could be located in a variety of places depending on the subject to be treated. We placed it so that it could be an explanation of the service of confession-why we have just made confession to God, what it means to have our sins forgiven, and how Jesus' ministry provided that on the cross.
• You will find many suggestions and ideas for "Prayers of the People" in The Worship Sourcebook, pages 173-234.

Who Were the Magi, and Why Did They Worship Jesus? (Matthew 2)

This article is part of the Tough Passages series.

Listen to the Passage

Read the passage.

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

6 “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,       are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler       who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

God’s Plans Prevail

Skeptics doubt that a star with supernatural origin could have led anyone to Jesus. They dismiss the story as legend, citing parallels to pagan myths in which stars guided heroes to their destination. 1 In ancient literature, astrological phenomena also accompanied the birth or death of notable kings, including both Julius Caesar (death) and Augustus Caesar (birth). 2 Skeptics therefore propose that Matthew fabricated this episode or perhaps adapted a legend. If Matthew’s sources misled him, he was deceived. If he invented this episode, he was a deceiver. But why would Matthew concoct a story of worshiping astrologers for a predominantly Jewish audience? Roughly like gambling today, astrology was a plague, denounced by prophets and ethicists alike. But if God chose to summon Gentiles by speaking their language, then Matthew could put that fact to use, since it matched his themes.

ESV Expository Commentary

Three New Testament scholars offer passage-by-passage commentary through the narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, explaining difficult doctrines, shedding light on overlooked sections, and making applications to life and ministry today. Part of the ESV Expository Commentary.

Magi, or “wise men,” were royal counselors. At best, they were learned and prudent. At worst, they were charlatans, sycophants, and brutes (cf. Dan. 2:1–10; Acts 8:9–24). 3 Whatever their character, the line between astrology and astronomy was thin, if only because stargazing was respectable. Scripture both prohibits and mocks astrology (Jer. 8:2; 19:13; Isa. 47:13–15), yet God reversed expectations and spoke to stargazers in language they understood, thereby calling Gentiles to Jesus. Popular Christian images of the magi clash with Matthew’s account. The magi were counselors, not kings, and while they bore three gifts, their number (unstated) was large enough to cause a stir in Jerusalem (Matt. 2:3). Contrary to nativity scenes, they found Jesus in a house, not a manger (v. 11).

The Birth of the King

Matthew stresses God’s mission to the Gentiles (1:5–6; 4:15; 8:10–12; 15:21–27; 28:18–20), beginning with the men who travel so far, at great risk and cost, to pay homage to the one “born king of the Jews” (2:2). They expect to find the future king in a palace. But no son has been born to Herod, so he takes the announcement of a new king as a threat and thus is “troubled” (v. 3). This fits Herod’s character. As a ruler, Herod was talented and vigorous, but also violent and paranoid enough to kill several of his sons as well as his favorite wife. His desire to kill Jesus coheres with his pattern of eliminating all threats. If Herod, cruel and violent, is “troubled,” it is no surprise that Jerusalem is too, although one might have hoped for more of a populace awaiting its Messiah.

Herod consults rival groups of experts and inquires closely as he asks “where the Christ was to be born” (v. 4). “Inquired” is in the imperfect tense in Greek, implying that Herod questions them repeatedly. 4 Given that the “scribes” were conservative teachers and (typically) Pharisees, while the “chief priests” who rested atop the temple hierarchy were Sadducees who collaborated with Rome, we see that Herod chooses to consult antagonistic groups regarding the birth of Messiah. When they agree, Herod knows he can trust their answer. Citing Micah 5:2, they reply, “In Bethlehem of Judea.” They also add the essential line, “From you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel,” as well as a perfect citation formula, “for so it is written by the prophet.” “It is written” signifies that this is God’s abiding word. “By the prophet” acknowledges the prophet as God’s agent. So they know the answer and face no more than a 5 mile (8 km) journey, yet, reading Matthew, we see none of them traveling to see Jesus.

Once Herod knows where the child is, he plans his murder. He questions the wise men, gains their confidence, and feigns a desire to join them in worship after they identify and locate the child. The magi believe him, but God’s plans supersede Herod’s.

More Than Respect

One can understand Herod’s fear. The belief in astrological signs is widespread, so he reacts to the magi. Besides, Herod is an Idumean, not a proper Jew, and because he is both a tyrant and a usurper (having taken the kingship by force and intrigue), he knows he has few friends. Yet, like many fears, his is also irrational. If Jesus is indeed the God-ordained ruler of Israel, why would he dream that he could kill him? And if the wise men were wrong, why would he try to kill a harmless child? Herod is cunning, but his sin makes him a fool. 5

Meanwhile, as the Jews stay home, the Gentiles head to Bethlehem, and the star eventually “came to rest over the place where the child was” (Matt. 2:9). They find the house, “saw the child with Mary his mother, and . . . fell down and worshiped him” (v. 11). We observe that the magi worship him, not them—that is, not Jesus and the holy family or Jesus and Mary. Mary is not, as some say, a member of the “Christian pantheon.” But do the magi fully comprehend Jesus’ identity? Do they fall in worship before the one they know to be God incarnate?

There is no indisputable case of Jesus’ receiving worship in the fullest sense prior to his resurrection. 6 We should not leap to conclusions when reading that someone calls Jesus “Lord” or falls, bows, or even worships. “Worship” in verse 11, and elsewhere in the ESV, translates proskyneō , which the standard Greek lexicon defines this way: “To express in attitude or gesture one’s complete dependence on or submission to a high authority figure, ( fall down and) worship, do obeisance to, prostrate oneself before, do reverence to, welcome respectfully ” (BDAG, italics theirs). Thus, bowing can signify respect, homage, or worship, depending on the context.

The Gospels suggest that people pay Jesus homage that transcends respect. The needy and the demon possessed often fall ( proskyneō or piptō ) before Jesus, and he never tells them to get up (Matt. 8:2; 9:18; Mark 5:33). We cannot, however, call each instance an act of worship. Demons fall before Jesus (Mark 3:11; 5:6), but they do not worship him. Neither does the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17) or the mocking soldiers (Mark 15:19). We cannot be certain that the Syrophoenician woman falls in worship more than in need (Matt. 15:25). Falling to one’s knees or face is certainly worship in Revelation (1:17; 5:8, 14; 19:10; 22:8). In Matthew, falling is an act of worship at the transfiguration (17:6), after the resurrection (28:9; cf. Luke 24:52), and perhaps with the magi (Matt. 2:11).

It may not be worship every time supplicants fall before Jesus, but surely some come in something akin to a spirit of worship. The case of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11–19 illustrates this truth. Just one of the ten, a Samaritan, returns to thank Jesus, and he “turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.” Instead of telling the man to get up, Jesus asks, “Where are the nine?” So the leper prostrates himself before Christ, taking the position and using the terms of a worshiper. A moment later Jesus says, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:15–19). In the NT neither men nor angels can bear to see a fellow creature bowing to them in homage (Acts 14:8–15; Rev. 22:8–9). But Jesus allows the leper— and others on other occasions—to remain at his feet while they praise God. So Jesus implicitly claims deity, and they implicitly worship, or come close to it. That is, in the NT no one successfully falls ( piptō) or bows ( proskyneō) to anyone but Jesus. 7 If the magi do not know enough to worship in the fullest sense, they at least move in that direction, as the statement of their homage suggests (Matt. 2:2, 11).

In that spirit, the wise men joyfully offer heady gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 8 It is too much to think that they infuse each gift with symbolic weight (such as myrrh for burial). Rather, gift giving was essential in that culture, especially when approaching a leader. Frankincense, gold, and myrrh were costly, the sort of precious thing found in one royal court and given in another. (Joseph and Mary possibly sold them to finance their journey to Egypt.) If there is symbolism in the gifts, it lies in the allusion to Psalm 72 and its prophecy that the nations would come to a king greater than Solomon, bringing gifts and falling before him as “all nations serve him” (Ps. 72:10–11). 9

Cultural norms required reciprocal gifts. The magi, as representatives of the nations, go home empty handed, but Jesus more than repays them in the end. As they leave, God warns them by a dream “not to return to Herod, [and] they departed to their own country by another way” (Matt. 2:12). Once Herod realizes he has been duped, he seeks to kill Jesus another way (v. 16).

• Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1999), 99.
• Suetonius, The Deified Julius 88; The Deified Augustus 94.
• Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1977), 167–178, 197–200.
• Nigel Turner, Grammatical Insights into the New Testament (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1965), 27.
• Herod ordered hundreds of Jewish leaders to be slain when he died so that there would be mourning at his death. The command was ignored, but its cruelty increases his infamy.
• R. T. France, “The Worship of Jesus: A Neglected Factor in Christological Debate?,” in Christ the Lord: Studies in Christology Presented to Donald Guthrie , ed. Harold H. Rowdon (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1982), 26.
• Unless one counts the parable of the unforgiving servant, in which two servants fall down in homage (Matt. 18:26, 29).
• Joy is the right response to the king and his kingdom; cf. Matthew 5:12; 13:44; 28:8.
• Cf. Isaiah 60:1–5, in which the nations stream to Israel’s light. The hope for glory, the NT shows, is concentrated upon and fulfilled in Jesus.

This article is by Dan Doriani and is adapted from ESV Expository Commentary: Matthew-Luke (Volume 10) .

Dan Doriani (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) serves as the vice president of strategic academic projects and professor of theology at Covenant Seminary. He previously served as the senior pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri, and has been involved in several planning and study committees at the presbytery level in both the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC). Dan lives with his wife, Debbie, in Chesterfield, Missouri, and has three grown daughters.

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Epiphany of Our Lord

Matthew 2:1-12, the visit of the magi, is the gospel reading for Epiphany.

January 6, 2015

• First Reading
• Second Reading
• Revised Common Lectionary

Commentary on Matthew 2:1-12

Stephen Hultgren

Some congregations choose to use the Epiphany readings on the second Sunday after Christmas. In the Western Church, the visit of the magi seems to have been associated with Epiphany from the beginnings of the festival. 1 The origins of the Epiphany festival are obscure. As the name suggests ( epiphaneia ), however, the festival seems to have focused from the beginnings on the “revelation” of God in Jesus (originally including celebration of the birth of Jesus, before the Christmas festival was instituted).

Popular interest in the story may focus on such things as the names of the magi (or “three kings”), 2 the giving of gifts, the star of Bethlehem, and King Herod’s machinations. However, the historical details of the story are difficult to substantiate. 3 It should be observed that the story has an important narrative function in Matthew. The visit of the magi to “worship” (or “pay homage to”) Jesus alarms Herod, who, after he has been fooled by the magi (2:16), will resolve to kill all the (male) children in Bethlehem and environs two years and younger. Herod’s plot constitutes the reason for the holy family’s flight to Egypt and return. The flight to and return from Egypt together with the slaughter of the innocents serve to make Jesus into a type of both Moses (who was also delivered from a cruel tyrant; Exodus 1-2) and the nation of Israel as a whole (God’s “Son” whom he called out of Egypt; Matthew 2:15; Hosea 11:1). As such Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecy and of the (hi)story of Israel. Later in Matthew Jesus will play the role of a new Moses (5:1) and of a new “Israel” in the wilderness who remains faithful to God in temptation (4:1-11). So also the story of the magi shows Jesus to be the fulfillment of prophecy (see below). The interpreter and preacher must keep the story’s narrative function and theological emphases in mind.

The story in Matthew can be divided into five scenes: the arrival of the magi (2:1-2); Herod’s alarm and consultation of the priests and scribes (2:3-6); Herod’s request of the magi (2:7-8); the magi’s visit and adoration of the Christ child (2:9-11); and the departure of the magi (2:12). The first, third, and fourth scenes are punctuated by the verb “worship” or “pay homage” ( proskynein ), which highlights a main feature of the narrative: the magi take the role of the Gentiles who will come paying homage and bringing gifts to the Messiah according to Psalm 72:10-11. The sincerity of the magi’s worship of Jesus is contrasted with Herod’s insincere pledge to worship Jesus. In reality, King Herod will try to eliminate this newborn, rival “king of the Jews,” who threatens to usurp his title! Matthew probably has Jesus’ death already in view when he has the magi refer to Jesus as “the king of the Jews” (2:2) rather than as Christ (cf. 2:4), in anticipation of the charge under which Jesus will eventually be crucified (27:11, 29, 37) (Matthew uses the title only in these places).

The magi, who are said to come from the “East,” give the story an exotic flavor. Ancient magi were persons reputed to be adept at astronomy as well as various occult arts, such as astrology, interpretation of dreams, fortune telling, and magic. Here they are clearly thought of as astronomers or astrologers, who have found the rising of a star to be of world-historical significance. It was a common idea in antiquity that the birth or death of great men was accompanied by heavenly signs. 4

But there is more than meets the eye in the identification of these magi as from the “East”. The word used for the “East” in the story, anatolai (plural)/ anatole (singular), really means “the rising,” that is, the rising of the sun (our word “orient” comes from a Latin word with the same meaning: oriens ). The word anatole would have had a number of resonances for the first Greek-speaking, Jewish-Christian hearers of Matthew’s story. First, the rising of the sun in the East readily suggests the imagery of light, which is often associated with salvation in the Bible. The Old Testament reading for the day (Isaiah 60:1-6), to which the magi story clearly alludes (see especially verses 5-6), begins with the words, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” The verb for “has risen” here, in the Septuagint translation, is anatetalken , from the same root as anatole . Isaiah’s vision of salvation includes a pilgrimage of the nations, who will come to Israel’s light, to worship the God of Israel. The Gentile magi are to be understood as enacting the fulfillment of this prophecy.

The verb anatellein appears with equal significance in other texts. We may mention first Numbers 24:17 (Septuagint), which speaks of a star that will rise out of Jacob. This verse was interpreted messianically in Judaism, and it is easy to see how a star could become a symbol for the Messiah. The star of Bethlehem is to be understood against the background of that text. The star indicates that the Messiah has arrived. Anatellein appears again in Matthew 4:16. Matthew comments on Jesus’ appearance in Capernaum with a citation of Isaiah 8:23-9:1, which speaks of light shining on those who dwell in darkness. Matthew chooses the verb anatellein (not in the Septuagint). His usage is very similar to Luke 1:78-79, which speaks of the “dawn ( anatole ) from on high” that “will break upon us” (NRSV), to give light ( epiphanai ) to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, also an allusion to Isaiah 9:1; 60:1-2.

Finally, the word anatole is used in Jeremiah 23:5 with a different, but related meaning. Here the word refers to the righteous branch of David, that is, the Messiah. The branch that shoots up from a tree is a “rising” of a different kind (cf. Isaiah 11:1).

These (and perhaps other) Old Testament texts have undoubtedly lent their emphases on the coming of light, of the Messiah, and of salvation to the story of the magi. While Matthew’s gospel ends with the risen Jesus’ command to the disciples to go out from Galilee to make disciples of all nations (28:19), the gospel begins with an anticipatory visit of the Gentiles to Judea to worship the newborn Messiah. The magi stand for all the nations, including us, who would come to worship Jesus, the Messiah of Israel (Psalm 72:10-11), and see the manifestation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus (Isaiah 60:1-2; cf. John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

1 Hans Förster, “Epiphany (V),” Religion Past & Present (ed. H.D. Betz et al.; 13 volumes; Leiden: Brill 2008), 4.506.

2 That the magi were kings is only a later Christian tradition developed under the influence of Ps 72:10-11. That there were three magi/kings is not stated by Matthew but was deduced from the three gifts in Matt 2:11.

3 Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of the Messiah (New York: Doubleday, 1993), 188–89.

4 Brown, Messiah , 170.

A Summary and Analysis of the Epiphany and the Wise Men

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

The story of the Three Wise Men visiting the infant Jesus shortly after his birth in Bethlehem is a well-known feature of the Nativity story. And yet the only account of the visit of the Wise Men or ‘Magi’ is found in the Gospel of Matthew: the other Gospel which treats the birth of Jesus doesn’t mention the Magi.

Let’s take a closer look at what the Gospel of Matthew says about the Epiphany, or visit of the Wise Men to see Jesus Christ. Before we offer an analysis of the story as Matthew recounts it, let’s briefly summarise what the Gospel says. This is based upon the account found in the King James Version, Matthew 2:1-13.

Summary of the Wise Men visiting Jesus

The word Epiphany means ‘showing’, ‘manifestation’, or ‘appearance’ in ancient Greek. And the word is principally used in Christianity to refer to the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles (i.e., non-Jews): namely, when the ‘wise men’ visited, and paid homage to, the infant Jesus.

Matthew tells us that ‘wise men from the east’ came to Jerusalem, asking the king of Judea, Herod, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews?’ Word had already spread that the Messiah, whose coming fulfilled the old prophecy, had been born. The wise men claimed that they had seen ‘his star in the east’ and have come to worship him.

Herod was not at all pleased to hear that the prophecy had supposedly been fulfilled, and that the King of the Jews had arrived. Herod knew of the prophecy which stated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so he called the wise men to him, and asked when they had seen the star.

He then sent the wise men to Bethlehem, telling them to find the child, and then to report back to him so that he could go and worship the child as well. Of course, in reality, Herod wants to find the boy so he can have him killed.

The star guided the wise men to the place in Bethlehem where the child was found, and they went inside the house and saw Mary with the young child. They immediately fell to their knees and worshipped him. They presented the baby boy with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

God then warned the wise men not to return to Herod, so they went home to their own country without returning to tell him where the boy could be found.

Analysis of the Epiphany story

Although it is commonly said that there were three wise men, Matthew doesn’t actually mention their number. It’s just assumed that there were three because they brought Jesus three gifts: the famous trio of gold, frankincense (an aromatic resin used in perfumes and incense: the word is French and literally means ‘high-quality incense’), and myrrh (a gum resin used in incense and perfume, as well as for medicinal reasons).

But like many of the things people think they know for definite about the Bible, such as the number of each animal Noah took onto the Ark and the number of Commandments , the number commonly assumed as correct is not biblical fact. Nor are the names later attached to them – Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar – mentioned at any point in the Bible.

Of course, ‘wise men’ is the English translation of the original Greek. The word used in the original Gospel is magoi , which is known to us as Magi , from the Latin. This is where we get the word magic , because the Magi or ‘wise men’ were known for their arcane learning and knowledge of astrology.

But who were these ‘wise men’ or Magi? They are often assumed to have been Zoroastrian priests: Persians who followed Zoroaster. The Greek word magos comes from the Old Persian magus , which is in turn derived from the Avestan magâunô which refers to the religious caste into which Zoroaster was born.

Zoroastrian priests were astrologers, then, who were used to looking at the stars and reading significance into them. And euhemerism – the branch of study which seeks to provide scientific or historical origins for myths and religious phenomena – offers one explanation for this ‘star’ which Matthew tells us the wise men saw in the east.

Modern astronomers have been able to work out, with some precision, that in around 7 BC there was a super-conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn, which involved these two large planets being visible close together in the night sky.

Such a large, bright ‘star’ would have been out of the ordinary and thus would doubtless have piqued the interest of star-gazers and professional astrologers like the Zoroastrians. Although the two planets would not have appeared to form one large star, their conjunction would have been sufficiently unusual to suggest that some important, rare event was occurring.

However, we also know that Halley’s Comet, which is visible from Earth every 76 years, would have been seen in the night sky in 11 BC. This means, though, that the Magi would have been kept waiting for perhaps as long as seven years until the Messiah arrived (the birth of the historical Jesus is generally thought to have occurred in around 4 BC).

The interval between both Halley’s Comet and the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction doesn’t matter too much when we view the story for what it is: namely, an account written much later, which was perhaps based upon older recollections of something mysterious being seen in the night sky ‘around the time’ of Jesus’ birth. By the time the Gospel of Matthew was composed (probably in the final quarter of the first century AD), memories were hazy and several generations had been and gone since the events that Matthew describes.

Of course, the Nativity story in the Gospel of Luke, which tells of the shepherds who were alerted to the birth of Jesus on the night it happened and who went to visit the newborn child, is often conflated with the account of the Epiphany in the Gospel of Matthew, so that the wise men and the shepherds become confused in the popular imagination. Both are often depicted as a trio, so three shepherds in the Nativity scene and three kings or ‘wise men’ present at the Epiphany.

And when did the Epiphany, or the Adoration of the Magi, take place? Certainly not as soon after Jesus’ birth as the Adoration of the Shepherds.

And although the Feast of the Epiphany is 6 January, twelve days after the date fixed as the birth of Jesus in the Christian calendar, it is thought that they may have turned up to visit Jesus up to two years after he was born (based on the fact that the Gospel of Matthew tells us Herod ordered the killing of all children up to two years of age, in his efforts to eradicate the Messiah).

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Who Were the Magi That Visited Christ? Their Names and Gifts

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ( Matthew 2:1-2 )

Who were the three Magi from the east that followed a star to find the newborn King and present gifts of adoration?

Who were the Three Wise Men?

The Three Wise Men, also known as the Magi or the Three Kings, are figures mentioned in the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew. They are said to have visited the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh . The Bible does not specify the number of Wise Men; the idea of three Wise Men likely comes from the fact that three gifts are mentioned.

The Gospel of Matthew describes the Wise Men as following a star that led them to the location of Jesus' birth. The Bible doesn't provide detailed information about their identities, except that they were "Magi from the East." Tradition and folklore have added various details about them, such as their names (Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar), their countries of origin, and their roles as representatives of different races or ages.

Caspar: Often depicted as a young man and sometimes as representing the continent of Europe.

Melchior: Traditionally portrayed as an older man, sometimes with a white beard, and representing Asia.

Balthazar: Frequently depicted as a middle-aged man of African descent, symbolizing Africa.

The visit of the Wise Men is an important part of the Nativity story, and their gifts are often interpreted symbolically. Gold is associated with kingship, frankincense with divinity or worship, and myrrh with the future death of Jesus. The account of the Wise Men is celebrated in Christian tradition as the feast of Epiphany on January 6th, marking the manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles.

The Magi Visit the Messiah: Matthew 2

"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route." ( Matthew 2:1-12 )

Bible Meaning of the Magi

Concerning the group of magi who came to find the King of the Jews, Matthew 2 says only that they arrived from the East by following "His star." According to other classical writers, the term magi meant either those who practiced magical arts (as in Acts 8:9 and Acts 13:6 ) or Eastern priest-sages usually associated with the area near Babylon and said to look into the mysteries of the universe through astronomy, astrology, and natural sciences. The latter makes the most sense here.

Matthew's account does not even list the number of magi, but their knowledge of the expected Messiah (Christ) should be no surprise. During this time, many Jews lived in dispersion, scattered throughout the Roman Empire and the East. With them, they carried the hope of the Messiah as promised in what we call the Old Testament. As evidence, we need look no further than Yemen, whose kings professed the Jewish faith from around 120 B.C. to the sixth century of our era.

However, their understanding of prophecy proved somewhat limited since they did not know where Christ would be born. Instead, they followed a particular "star" to Judea and then headed for Jerusalem, the capital city and the place where one might expect to find a king.

The authorities of Israel directed the magi to Bethlehem, according to the prophecy in Micah 5:2 . Guided again by the star, though they likely only regarded this as confirmation of the location, the magi found and paid homage to Christ.

While some have claimed the account of the magi is nothing more than a myth designed to show how Jesus met the expectations of the Jewish Messiah, the account actually undermines this claim. The Jews of the time expected a Messiah the whole world would submit to and honor. The appearance of only a few magi seems almost a caricature of those expectations.

Adapted from  The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah  by Alfred Edersheim (Book II, Chapter VIII).

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What Can We Learn from the Wise Men?

It is not known who these wise men were. Their names and dwelling places are alike kept back from us. We are only told that they came "from the East."

Matthew 2:1-12 shows us that there may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many "hidden ones" like these wise men. The grace of God is not tied to places and families. The Holy Spirit can lead souls to Christ without the help of many outward means. Men may be born in dark places of the earth, like these wise men, and yet like them be made "wise unto salvation."

These verses teach us that it is not always those who have the most religious privileges who give Christ the most honor. We might have thought that the Scribes and Pharisees would have been the first to hasten to Bethlehem on the lightest rumor that the Savior was born. But it was not so. A few unknown strangers from a distant land were the first, except the shepherds mentioned by Luke, to rejoice at His birth.

These verses teach us that there may be knowledge of Scripture in the head, while there is no grace in the heart. Notice how King Herod sends to inquire of the priests and elders "where the Christ would be born." Notice also what a ready answer they return him and what an acquaintance with the letter of Scripture they show. But they never went to Bethlehem to seek for the coming Savior.

The conduct of the wise men described in this chapter is a splendid example of spiritual diligence. What trouble it must have cost them to travel from their homes to the place where Jesus was born! How many weary miles they must have journeyed!

It would be well for all professing Christians if they were more ready to follow the wise men's example. Where is our self-denial? What pains do we take about our souls? What diligence do we show about following Christ? What does our religion cost us? These are serious questions. They deserve serious consideration.

Last but not least, the conduct of the wise men is a striking example of faith. They believed in Christ when they had never seen Him - but that was not all. They believed in Him when the Scribes and Pharisees were unbelieving - but that, again, was not all. They believed in Him when they saw Him as a little infant on Mary's knee and worshiped Him as a king.

Adapted from The Gospel of Matthew by J.C. Ryle (Chapter 2).

Why Don't the Other Gospels Mention the Magi?

In Matthew 1:1-23 , there’s an incident recorded that is entirely passed over by the other Evangelists but is peculiarly appropriate in this first Gospel. This incident is the visit of the wise men (magi) who came from the East to honor and worship the Christ Child. The details which the Holy Spirit gives us of this visit strikingly illustrate the distinctive character and scope of Matthew’s Gospel.

This chapter opens as follows, "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, 'Where is He that is born King of the Jews? We have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him.'" Notice, these wise men came not inquiring, "Where is He that is born the Savior of the world?" nor, "Where is the Word now incarnate?" but instead, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?"

The fact that Mark, Luke, and John are entirely silent about this, and the fact that Matthew’s Gospel does record it, is surely proof positive that this first Gospel presents Christ in a distinctively Jewish relationship. The evidence for this is cumulative: there is first the peculiar expression with which Matthew opens — "the book of the generation of," which is an Old Testament expression and met with nowhere else in the New Testament; there is the first title, which is given to Christ in this Gospel — "Son of David"; there is the Royal Genealogy which immediately follows; and now there is the record of the visit of the wise men, saying, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?"

Adapted from Why Four Gospels? 1. The Gospel of Matthew, by A.W. Pink.

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Here’s What History Can Tell Us About the Magi

C hristmas Day may be Dec. 25, but it’s not the end of Christmas story. In many Western Christian traditions, there are 12 days of Christmas, culminating around Jan. 6, known as the feast of the Epiphany. That’s when many believe the “Magi” or “wise men” or “three kings” arrive to see the newborn baby Jesus.

But were these men inspired by any real historical figures? While it’s difficult to tie their depictions to any specific people, the very brief descriptions of them in the Gospel of Matthew do track with understandings of the world at the time the Gospel was written, thought to be sometime between 70 CE and 85 CE.

The only reference to these men in the Bible is in Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew, and they’re not called “wise men,” or “kings.” There’s also no mention of how many men were there. It only describes “some men from the East” and “visitors from the East.” Matthew’s Gospel says soon after Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, ruled by the Roman King Herod, “some men who studied the stars came from the East to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the baby born to be the king of the Jews? We saw his star when it came up in the East, and we have come to worship him.'” According to the Gospel, the men had followed a star to the house where Jesus and Mary were and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Then, like now, gold represented wealth and power. Frankincense was a type of incense and perfume. Myrrh is the “outlier,” according to Kristin Swenson, an Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University and author of the forthcoming A Most Peculiar Book: The Inherent Strangeness of the Bible . It’s been used as a perfume and in ancient Egypt, in embalming processes, and which Christians have interpreted as foreshadowing Jesus’s death. In Mark 15:23, Jesus is offered wine with myrrh before his crucifixion, because to be a painkiller, Swenson says. Myrrh would also be used in oil used for anointing kings, which is significant given that the Magi had come looking for the king of the Jews.

These luxurious gifts indicate that these visitors from the East “are people of great wealth and power, that’s kind of obvious based on the things they bring,” says Swenson. “They are called Magi in the Greek, which was a term that referred to a kind of subclass of Persian priests. But they have come to be known as wise men… Their orientation was much more in what we might today identify with science.” Looking to a star is “very much in keeping with the religious tradition of this place in time of looking to the heavens, the stars, and the planets for information about the gods’ wishes and doings, and some stars or planets were identified with God.”

Swenson also points out that the Gospel of Matthew reimagines a prophecy from hundreds of years earlier, found in the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament, which describes nations of the world recognizing Israel as the light of the world and celebrating that with gifts of gold and frankincense and other gifts of value.

TIME described the centuries of efforts to make sense of the Magi in the Dec. 13, 2004, cover story “Secrets of the Nativity,” and the many unsuccessful searches for physical evidence of the nativity scene:

Well, from where exactly in the Orient (which means simply “East”) were they, anyway? Matthew’s word Magi is a vague clue, since it can mean astronomers, wise men or magicians and was applied to people from all over. The gifts they bore–gold, frankincense and myrrh–hint at Arabia, since unrelated Bible stories describe camel trains of similar tribute emanating from Sheba and Midian, both on that peninsula. Their interest in stars suggests Babylon, famous for its astrologers. The happiest guess of all turned out to be the one made in the 4th century by the decorators of the Church of the Nativity in Palestine, whose golden entry mosaic featured the Magi dressed as Persians, also renowned stargazers. When actual Persians came marauding in 614, it was the only place of worship they didn’t torch… The Magi had a lively postbiblical career. As early as the 2nd century, they were promoted to kings, probably because frankincense is associated with royalty in one of the Psalms. Their number, which varied in different accounts from two to 12, eventually settled on three, most likely because of their three gifts. By the 700s they had achieved their current names–Melchior, Gaspar and Balthasar–and multiculti composition. “The first is said to have been … an old man with white hair and a long beard,” reads a medieval Irish description. “The second … beardless and ruddy-complexioned … the third, black-skinned and heavily bearded.” Scholars have suggested that the mix either was intended to underscore Christianity’s world-wide ambitions or referred back to an earlier diverse threesome, Noah’s sons Shem, Ham and Japheth. The wise men seem to have kept busy well into their golden years, at least according to a calendar of saints at the great cathedral in Cologne, Germany, where their alleged remains are housed: “Having undergone many trials and fatigues for the Gospel,” it reads, they met one last time in Armenia. “Thereupon, after the celebration of Mass, they died. St. Melchior on Jan. 1, age 116; St. Balthasar on Jan. 6th, age 112; and St. Gaspar on Jan. 11, age 109.”

Medieval art played a key role in how many current Christmas traditions visualize these men. The Magi as a multiracial set of three figurines, made sometime before 1489, reflects the increased trade between Europe and Africa during the Medieval Period more than anything that was happening when the Gospel of Matthew was written, according to the art historians at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Paintings by artists like Botticelli, Peter Paul Rubens and Hieronymus Bosch (featured above) helped cement the image of the Magi as a diverse group of men in popular imagination.

Perhaps the most famous musical depiction of the three men dates back to 1857, when Pennsylvania Episcopal clergyman John Henry Hopkins, Jr. wrote the song often called “We Three Kings of Orient Are,” which quickly became a popular American Christmas carol.

And just as interpretations of the Magi developed over time based on what was going on in the world, so too will what’s going on today affect how people find meaning in the Bible to make sense of their lives.

As Swenson sums up that dynamic, “We’re in good company when we reinterpret for our own particular lives and purposes these ancient texts as they’ve come down to us. At the same time, it’s important to remember and recognize that we’re doing that — reimagining for our times texts that in some cases buck our expectations; sometimes baffle with contradiction; and unless we read them in their ancient Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, depend on translations that are themselves interpretations.”

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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at [email protected]

EARLY CHURCH HISTORY

Visit of the magi.

Many famous paintings and most people for the last 2,000 years imagine the Wise Men, the Magi, coming to the stable to offer their adoration and gifts to the newborn Jesus. But the Bible does not say that. In the Greek, Matthew 2:11 specifies: “And having come into the house, (the Magi) found the little child with Mary, his mother, and having fallen down did homage to him.”  The Greek uses the word  oikos  meaning  “house, building” to denote the location of Jesus and Mary and uses the word for “young child” ( paidion ) to denote the approximate age of Jesus.  Two of the four paintings of Jesus and Mary in the catacombs show Jesus as a toddler (16-24 months) or as a young child. 

The Greek uses the word  brephos  meaning an “unborn or newborn” baby to denote the infancy of Jesus in the manger passage (Luke 2:15, 16). In contrast, when the wise men arrived, Jesus was a  paidion , a “young child” and the family was living in a house not in a stable.  

The Magi were the first Gentiles to acknowledge and to worship Jesus,  but they did not arrive until Jesus, Mary and Joseph had found lodging in a  house in Bethlehem.  The only beings at the birth of Jesus were Mary, Joseph and the animals, if any, that shared the stable/cave with the family. On the night Jesus was born, however, an angel announced the birth of the Messiah to a group of shepherds:

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger’….So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in a manger.” Luke 2:8-12,16

Sheep were only tended at that time of year and near a town if the sheep were destined for sacrifice at the Temple services. The Temple-appointed shepherds who left their doomed flock and hurried through the dark to the cave/barn to see the heaven-announced baby found Him lying in a manger, a feed trough for animals made of clay and straw. 

The only people who came to see the Good Shepherd on the night He was born were shepherds who tended sheep intended for sacrifice. The symbolism reverberates.— Sandra Sweeny Silver

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Strange visitors - the significance of the magi

One of the strangest aspects of the beginning of the life of Jesus is found in the account of the visit of the magi. But, first, a reminder of what is in the New Testament...

"O little town of Bethlehem..." – the Gospels and Christmas

The Gospel of Luke contains the main traditions now associated with Christmas: a Roman census; the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem; no room for them to stay; Jesus placed in a manger; angels appearing to the shepherds, who hurry to Bethlehem.

There are no birth narratives in Mark's Gospel or in the Gospel of John. In Mark, Jesus bursts onto the scene as a man – sometime, we assume from other evidence, around the year 30 AD. In John there is the famous Prologue which reflects on the divine nature of Jesus.

Matthew, on the other hand, contains no birth traditions, but provides us with an extraordinary account of strange visitors who appear when Jesus is a toddler.

Today (though traditionally celebrated at Epiphany on 6 January) it has become very much part of the Christmas story. We see the 'Three Wise Men' on Christmas cards and in nativity plays, along with Mary and Joseph in the stable, the angels and the shepherds.

What does Matthew actually tell us?

In Matthew chapter 1:18-25 we hear of: Mary's pregnancy by divine power; Joseph's plan to set her aside, due to her pregnancy; an angelic messenger who reassures him in a dream that "the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20); instruction that the child should be called Jesus "for he will save his people from their sins" (v.21); a statement that this fulfils a prophecy in the Old Testament book of the prophet Isaiah; Joseph's rescinding of his original divorce plans, and his subsequent marriage to Mary, but having no sexual relations with her until after Jesus is born.

Then, in chapter 2, Matthew recounts the visit of the – unnumbered – 'magi' (the 'We Three Kings' of the carol and of nativity plays) to Jesus in Bethlehem, guided by a star. This clearly is not a birth tradition as such, since there are indications within this account which suggest that Jesus may have been as old as two years when this event occurred. However, as we have seen, it is now very much part of the 'Christmas story.'

The importance of 'mental maps'

It seems that Luke and Matthew had contrasting 'mental maps' in mind. For Luke it started in Galilee, then moved to Bethlehem in Judea, and then back to Galilee. For Matthew it is all Judean focused (Jerusalem/Bethlehem), then to Egypt as refugees, and finally to Galilee due to specific threats still being located in Judea.

Both clearly knew that Galilee was the epicentre of the later 'Jesus movement,' while understanding that Jerusalem was both the spiritual heartland of Judaism and the crucial location of the dramatic conclusion of Jesus' life and ministry. For Luke, the story started in Galilee. For Matthew it started in Jerusalem. They simply focused on different places as the starting points of their accounts; both places played major parts in the life of Jesus.

Which brings us back to the 'Three Wise Men.'

The role of the 'magi' in the Gospel of Matthew

For Matthew, the dramatic arrival of these strange visitors is the way by which he begins his exploration of the life of Jesus. These are the famous 'magi' and the significance of this description we will explore shortly.

The account starts with a visit by them to Herod in Jerusalem; it is followed by their arrival at a "house" in Bethlehem, to see Jesus; then giving the famous gifts; finally dream-warnings occur, to the magi and to Joseph, concerning Herod's murderous intentions; consequently, the magi leave without returning to Herod. It is after this that the family flee to Egypt and Herod massacres the children in Bethlehem.

After Herod's death, another angelic messenger tells Joseph it is safe to return, but Joseph fears the intentions of Herod's son, Herod Archelaus, and so the family move from Egypt to Nazareth, in Galilee. Throughout his account, Matthew anchors events in what he describes as prophecies fulfilled (virgin birth, messiah born in Bethlehem, the flight to Egypt, the massacre of the children, Jesus being "a Nazorean").

For Matthew, it is significant that the story of Jesus begins in Judea under the rule of King Herod. Here, Herod is presented as a new pharaoh set on the murder of children (as pharaoh did in the book of Exodus); but failing to kill the targeted one (Jesus), just as pharaoh failed to kill the one appointed to God's special task (Moses). However, one greater than Moses is targeted here. The parallel with Moses (and, implicitly, with the Old Testament Exodus from Egypt) seems clear. The whole episode with the magi is used by Matthew to imply that a new Exodus (with its liberation from slavery and establishment of a covenant relationship with God) has been achieved through the coming of Jesus (the new and superior 'Moses').

The account of Jesus' birth is also implicitly linked to King David by the explicit reference to "Bethlehem of Judea" (David's hometown), to avoid any confusion with another Bethlehem, in Zebulun (at the southern end of the Galilee region). This further emphasises Jesus' kingly and messianic status.

The arrival of the people described as 'magoi,' with their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh was clearly meant to underscore the message that God's relationship with the Jewish people has broken out of ethnic boundaries, since these travellers are representatives of pagan culture ('magoi' is related to the modern word 'magician,' though we often sanitise it as 'wise men') who have been brought to recognise God's Messiah through direct revelation from God (via the star).

The term 'magoi' is derived from a Persian word ('magush') referring to a class of astrologer. So, they probably originated in what is today Iran. They may have been Zoroastrians. It is clearly such star-studying experts that Matthew is asserting travelled in search of the new-born king. We have no idea how many of them there were. We simply know that there were three gifts or types of gift. From the sixth century onwards, the magi are given names and ethnicities, but not before this.

The gifts are often interpreted as having specific symbolic meanings: gold (royalty), frankincense (worship), and myrrh (anointing for burial). However, the Old Testament suggests that all were gifts fit for a king: gold (Psalm 72:15), frankincense (Song of Solomon 3:6), and myrrh (Psalm 45:8). Matthew does not interpret their meaning.

The magi's journey and worship stand in stark contrast to Herod and the people of Jerusalem and it is significant that Matthew presents this as: "When King Herod heard this [a child born king of the Jews], he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matthew 2:3). One must remember that, by the time Matthew wrote his gospel, Judaism and the emerging Christian community were parting ways. For Matthew, the arrival of the magi points towards this, and the explosion of the gospel into Gentile communities.

The star...

No image of the magi is complete without the 'star.' There are no parallels to the star/magi in the other gospels and the Greek contains expressions highly characteristic of Matthew's Gospel, which suggests that this was a tradition unique to Matthew and his source(s).

A number of suggestions have been made regarding the astronomical phenomenon described by Matthew: in 6 BC Jupiter had a 'heliacal rising' (appearing as the morning star); it has been suggested that Jupiter crossed the paths of both Venus and Saturn in 7 BC; an eclipse of Jupiter by the moon in 6 BC may have represented a regal portent; or it may refer to a comet which (according to Chinese sources) appeared for seventy days in 5 BC.

Any and all of these phenomena may have been regarded as highly significant by astrologers. And it should be remembered that there are errors in our BC/AD dating system and that Jesus was, most likely, born in about 6 BC.

On the other hand, Matthew clearly states that the star went "ahead of them" and "stopped over the place where the child was" (Matthew 2:9) which does not seem to describe the kind of phenomena that we have just suggested. In which case, Matthew had something in mind either more miraculous (that cannot be tested by astronomical analysis) or theologically symbolic.

In the Old Testament, in Numbers 24:17, we hear that "a star shall come out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel". The second-century AD Jewish nationalist (messianic?) leader, Simon bar Kokhba, appears to have adopted this name, meaning "Son of the Star", as a result of its messianic connection.

So, it has been suggested, Matthew may have had something more symbolic in mind than literal astronomical phenomena. On the other hand, he may have known that a celestial event had indeed occurred about the time of the birth of Jesus and understood it as a sign of cosmic significance.

Intriguingly, the Greek writer Ptolemy (died c. 170 AD) explained that heliacally-rising planets can appear "stationary." And Geminus of Rhodes (possibly died c. 60 AD) used the same verb that lies behind Matthew's "ahead of them" to describe what is called 'planetary retrograde motion'. Consequently, this suggests that Matthew's account is more astronomically accurate than is sometimes given credence, and that it used contemporary terms to describe a historical phenomenon, albeit one then presented in a messianic way.

Why the magi are so important to us

The magi were clearly very important to Matthew. They are also very important to us. They remind us that the message of Jesus cannot be constrained within ethnic, national, or cultural boundaries. It is universal in its impact. It reaches out to all, including those who might seem far from 'acceptable' according to our expectations. They are also a reminder of how God can reveal himself to people through their own cultural experiences and practices.

Finally, they declare a radical new kind of kingship. The gifts speak of messianic royalty – but refer to a child who becomes a political refugee, homeless and hunted by a tyrannical ruler. This confronts and challenges earthly power, comfortable expectations, and the status quo. As always, the magi make an unexpected, disturbing, and unsettling contribution to the nativity play.

Martyn Whittock is an evangelical and a Licensed Lay Minister in the Church of England. As an historian and author, or co-author, of fifty-four books, his work covers a wide range of historical and theological themes. In addition, as a commentator and columnist, he has written for a number of print and online news platforms; has been interviewed on radio shows exploring the interaction of faith and politics; and appeared on Sky News discussing political events in the USA. His most recent books include: Trump and the Puritans (2020), The Secret History of Soviet Russia's Police State (2020), Daughters of Eve (2021), The End Times, Again? (2021) and The Story of the Cross (2021). The role and the significance of the magi is explored (alongside other New Testament evidence) in: Jesus the Unauthorized Biography (2021), co-written with his youngest daughter.

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The Visit of the Magi: Fact or Fiction?

by Dr. Paul L. Maier

For years, biblical critics have questioned many details in the Christmas Gospels, such as the Annunciation, the Roman census, the Virgin Birth, the angelic announcement to the shepherds, and the infant massacre at Bethlehem. While secular evidence from the ancient world actually supports many aspects of the Nativity, one objection is quite formidable.

It involves the Magi of Epiphany and runs like this: “How could the (presumably) wise men, who were never in touch with Hebrew prophecies regarding the star as a Messianic symbol, traipse across the desert following a ‘star’ and then arrive in Jerusalem asking that too-perfect question in Matt. 2:2: ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews, for we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him?’ It sounds as if they were in a Christmas pageant, being coached by a Sunday-school teacher behind the curtain!” Ouch!

Was the visit of the Magi just a pious tale after all, a device used by Matthew to make of the Nativity a cosmic event, using a great star as the prime prop—a first-century version of Hollywood arc lights? This needling challenge used to bother me—until I found that the entire argument is based on a false premise. To see if we are dealing with fact or fiction here, we should set Matthew’s claims into their historical context.

Who were the Magi?

“We Three Kings of Orient are. …” So the familiar Christmas carol begins. But already it has made three mistakes in the first line! We don’t know that the Magi were three in number, they were not kings, and they did not come from as far away as the Orient, that is, the Far East. The Greek of the New Testament calls them simply magoi apo anatolon, “magi from the East,” and the term magoi is usually translated as magicians (hence the derivation of that term), wise men, or astrologers.

And “the East” has variously been identified as any country from Arabia and Babylonia to Media and Persia (both in modern Iran), but no farther east. The magi were an ancient priestly caste among the Babylonians and Medo-Persians. These priest-sages, extremely well educated for their day, were experts in religion, history, medicine, astronomy, astrology, divination, and magic. Their caste eventually spread across much of the East.

As in any other profession, there were both good and bad magi, depending on whether they did research in the sciences or practiced augury, magic, and necromancy (reading the future, or changing the course of events, by conjuring up and consulting with the spirits of the dead). The safest conclusion is that the Magi of the Nativity were either Persian or Babylonian, perhaps both, since Persia controlled Babylon for many years. And if the astronomical aspects of the Nativity are emphasized—the great star and its significance—a case could be made that the Magi were late Babylonians, since astronomy reached its highest development in ancient Mesopotamia.

Whatever the origin of these eastern sages, their visit was of great significance for later Christianity: The Wise Men were pagans, not Hebrews, and the fact that Gentile magi performed the same adoration as Jewish shepherds symbolized the universal outreach for future Christianity. “Nations [Gentiles] shall come to your light,” the prophet Isaiah had foretold, “and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (60:3). And so they have. Since Gentiles comprise the overwhelming majority of Christians today, the Magi were our representatives at the Nativity, and the light they saw in the baby at Bethlehem pierced the darkness of their paganism, just as the Light of the World can illuminate the darkness of sin, ignorance, fanaticism, and terrorism surrounding us today.

Running with the wrong assumption

The Wise Men could never have been in touch with Hebrew prophecies regarding the star as a Messianic symbol, the skeptics argue. But this premise, which is the foundation of most challenges to Matthew’s reliability, happens to be false! The critics seem to have forgotten Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon who conquered Jerusalem in 586 B.C., destroying the city and burning the temple. Many assume that in the notorious “Babylonian Captivity of the Jews” that followed, all Jews were deported to Babylon until most of them returned to their homeland under Ezra.

Wrong on both counts! Nebuchadnezzar took as Jewish captives not the common people, laborers, or farmers, but the professional leaders in the land, including priests and rabbinical scholars. Nor did they all return with Ezra. Many of the Jews fared so well during their captivity that a large Jewish colony remained in Babylon for at least the next 1,000 years.

What is the greatest collection of Jewish writings? The Babylonian Talmud, of course, which was edited at Babylon in A.D. 400. Here, then, is the point: Four centuries earlier, magi scholars—especially the religious historians among them—would certainly have had regular contact with their Jewish counterparts in the scholarly community at Babylon. Accordingly, they, too, would have had access to Hebrew Scriptures involving Messianic prophecies and the star, including rabbinical traditions explaining Balaam’s oracle that “a star shall come forth out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Num. 24:17), Isaiah’s prophecies cited earlier, and others. The Magi’s question to Herod in Jerusalem, then, was not asked out of a vacuum.

Too far-fetched?

In responding to this evidence, critics sometimes object, “You’re really reaching here, Maier! The surrounding Gentile cultures of the time wouldn’t have been interested in the Hebrew Scriptures or Jewish traditions.” Oh, but they would indeed! One familiar example should suffice. Ptolemy II “Philadelphus”), the Hellenistic king of neighboring Egypt, was establishing the greatest collection of scrolls in the world: the great library at Alexandria. In 283 B.C., he wrote the high priest in Jerusalem, asking him to send Jewish scholars to Alexandria in order to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek.

Eleazar, the high priest at the time, gladly complied, sending 70 scholars, who were accorded a warm and colorful reception in Alexandria. They were given a beautiful island retreat in the harbor of Alexandria in which to do their translation. The result was the famous Septuagint that rendered Hebrew Scriptures into Greek—the very version of the Old Testament used so often by the earliest church. Yes, pagans were interested in Hebrew writings and Jewish culture.

An invented star?

Finally, skeptics argue that Matthew “created” the Star of Bethlehem for literary purposes. Of all the Gospel writers, so they claim, Matthew is the one who loves the sensational effect: the earthquake on Good Friday, the tearing of the temple curtain, saints walking out of opened tombs (27:51 ff.), another earthquake at the Resurrection (28:2), and, earlier, the Nativity star. Matthew, then, goes for the extraordinary, the supernatural, the cosmic.

The star motif, however, twinkles throughout Hebrew history and makes no sudden debut at Bethlehem. The six-pointed Star of David has symbolized the Chosen People from Old Testament times to today’s Israeli flag. The five-pointed Star of Solomon shows up in stone at the archaeological excavations at Capernaum, as does its six-pointed counterpart.

Finally, 130 years after the first Christmas, Rabbi Akiba, the greatest sage of his day, put a Jewish rebel on the back of a white horse and led him through the streets of Jerusalem, crying, “Bow down! The  Messiah has come! The Messiah has come!” And the people did.

The name of the rebel? Simeon Bar-Cosiba. Yet the rabbi, on the basis of Num. 24:17, had changed his name to Bar-Kokhbah, which means “Son of the Star.” (The rebel, however, proved to be a falling star, since the Bar-Kokhbah revolt of A.D. 132 was put down by the Romans with utter devastation, after which Jews were excluded from Jerusalem, which was renamed for the emperor Hadrian’s family, Aelia Capitolina.)

Here again, the star symbol was linked directly to the Messiah in Jewish tradition. No, Matthew did not invent the star of Bethlehem. Whether or not the star was a supernatural phenomenon or a natural astral event is discussed in the side-bar story. So often, skeptical critics are prone to shoot from the hip rather than evaluate all the surviving evidence.

And there may have been more evidence. If he had had the time, incentive, and opportunity, Matthew might have written an entire book on how the Magi were alerted to the Nativity. But he had a far more important story to tell: the great good news of how God revealed His Son not just to Jewish people, but to all of humanity everywhere. What began as the light from a single star has now illuminated the entire globe through the One who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

About the Author: Dr. Paul L. Maier is professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University and fourth vice president of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.

The Star: What might it have been?

by Dr. Dale Trapp

Scientists and Bible scholars have offered explanations for the “Star of Bethlehem.” The “Star” could have been a miracle sign, a miracle star, Jesus Himself, an angel, a supernova, a comet, or a conjunction of planets. In order to use science to test these possibilities, they must be testable. Astronomical records were kept 2,000 years ago, so we can look back for sightings of a supernova, comet, or conjunction of planets. But the appearance of a miracle sign, a miracle star, Jesus, or an angel cannot be tested—or discounted, for that matter.

Where does this leave us? The Magi probably came from Persia (modern-day Iran) all the way to Bethlehem. Why would they do this? One possibility is that God used the Magi’s fascination with the heavens to draw them to Jesus. Jupiter, which ancient Jewish astrologers called the “King’s Star” (God), and Saturn, which they called the “Star of the Messiah,” came together in the constellation Pisces three times between 7 and 6 B.C.

Those same astrologers assigned a country to each of the Zodiac constellations, with Pisces, the sign of the fish, representing Judea, or the “House of the Hebrews.” It was certainly noteworthy when the “God” and “Messiah” planets rose in the eastern sky (the east signifying birth) and settled in Pisces, the “House of the Hebrews.” The Jewish astrologers, whose thinking may have been known to the gentile Magi (see main story), had predicted that the Messiah would arrive when Jupiter and Saturn conjoined in Pisces.

This prediction would have been highly significant to the Magi—it would have alerted them to the birth of Jesus. Even though this possibility can be tested with computer programs and has a certain logic to it, it remains only an interesting idea. How the Star of Bethlehem, the Star of Epiphany actually happened remains a mystery. That it did happen remains a blessing.

About the Author: Dr. Dale Trapp is chairman of the Department of Natural Sciences at Concordia University, St. Paul, Minn.

December 2010

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Who Were the Magi in the Christmas Story?

On a dark night, a bright light shone in the Judean sky. A star, brighter than any other, illuminated the night sky. It shone so brightly, Magi in the east observed its brilliance. This extraordinary star was unlike any they had seen before. They wondered if it could be the star foretold by the prophet.

“A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” ( Numbers 24:17 ).

Filled with anticipation and guided by the heavenly light, the Magi embarked on a journey that would alter the course of their lives.

The Magi’s History

The story of the Magi began centuries before Christ’s birth. Since the beginning of kingdoms, kings have sought advice from their advisors and prophets. Babylon, however, perfected a council of advisors. It included well-trained “magicians, enchanters, sorcerers, and astrologers” ( Daniel 2:2 ). This council became known as the Magi.

As the Babylonian Empire grew in power, they laid siege to Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 25 ). The Lord delivered Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Among the first group of Israelites deported to Babylon included “young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace” ( Daniel 1:4 ). These men were trained for three years in the language and literature of the Babylonians. Daniel, Shadrach , Meshach , and Abednego were among the young men chosen.

In the mighty city of Babylon, the young Israelites found themselves thrust into a world far removed from the familiar hills of their homeland. Babylon was steeped in mysticism and the occult. In contrast, Daniel and his friends were men of profound faith and unwavering devotion to God.

Daniel and his friends remained obedient to their faith. God blessed them and they excelled in their studies. “In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom” ( Daniel 1:20 ).

As a result, “the king placed Daniel in a high position and lavished many gifts on him. He made him ruler over the entire province of Babylon and placed him in charge of all its wise men. Moreover, at Daniel’s request the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego administrators over the province of Babylon, while Daniel himself remained at the royal court” ( Daniel 2:48-49 ).

While serving as chief of the Magi, Daniel received prophecies from God concerning the coming Messiah. Daniel wrote about his activities and the prophecies he received, including the time frame the Messiah would arrive in Daniel chapter 9.

These writings, along with the prophecies of Isaiah and other Scriptures, would be added to the Magi’s library of ancient writings. Under Daniel’s guidance, the Magi were more than mere practitioners of the occult. They became devoted seekers of truth. Daniel, firmly rooted in his faith, taught the Magi to recognize the God of Israel as the one true God.

Years passed, and the mantle of leadership passed down through the generations of Magi. These wise men included three groups of men:

• Scholars who sought truth from the ancient writings, including the prophets of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
• Astrologers who studied the heavens seeking signs of things to be.
• Sorcerers who studied science and occult practices.

Together, their knowledge and understanding provided wise counsel and guidance to kings and leaders across the land.

The Magi’s Journey

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him’” ( Matthew 2:1-2 ).

Matthew does not tell us how many Magi came. The tradition of the three Magi comes from the three gifts they brought, rather than the actual number. Matthew referencing them in the plural indicates at least two, and there could have been as many as ten or twelve Magi.

While camels would have been used to carry their supplies and gifts, the Magi most likely rode on stallions, indicative of their royal status. Servants, to care for their needs, and guards, to ensure their safety, would have accompanied the Magi.

The sudden appearance of this large delegation arriving in Jerusalem from a foreign country would create quite a spectacle in the city. No wonder Matthew wrote that King Herod was disturbed, “and all Jerusalem with him” ( Matthew 2:3 ).

Learning from the chief priests and teachers of the law that Jesus was to be born in Bethlehem, the Magi continued their journey. Leaving Jerusalem, “the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” ( Matthew 2:9-10 ).

This was no ordinary star. First, it shone so brightly the Magi saw it in a far-away land. Now the star travels ahead of the Magi and stops over the house where Jesus was. God uniquely created this extraordinary star for this miraculous event.

The Magi’s Worship

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” ( Matthew 2:11 ).

Matthew saying that they saw Jesus with His mother is significant. People typically mention a mother before her child, but this unique Child deserves to be mentioned first. The Magi worshiped Jesus, not Mary or Joseph. Jesus alone deserves our praise and worship.

Overwhelmed with awe and reverence, they presented their precious gifts. The Magi “opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” ( Matthew 2:11 ). The treasures they brought, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 60:6 , were significant.

• Gold is a symbol of royalty and nobility. Many men had been born a prince and later became a king. But never in history has anyone been born a king. Jesus, born King of the Jews, was undeniably deserving of a gift of gold.
• Frankincense is a fragrant ointment or perfume. Burning frankincense as incense creates a strong and beautiful aroma, and people sometimes used it for healing. The gift of frankincense is symbolic of the beautiful fragrance of Jesus’ sinless life, and only He can heal us from our sins.
• Myrrh  is a bitter herb used in embalming bodies for burial. It symbolizes Jesus’ purpose in coming and reminds us of His suffering and death in bearing the sins of the world.

All three gifts have immense monetary value. The Magi’s generous gifts provided the finances needed for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to stay safe in Egypt during King Herod’s Massacre ( Matthew 2:13-18 ).

Having worshipped the newborn King, the Magi heeded a divine warning to return by a different route, avoiding Herod’s deception. Meeting the Christ child profoundly changed them, and they left as messengers of the miraculous birth, forever transformed by the encounter with the promised Savior.

The Magi’s Example

Beyond the historical narrative, the story of the Magi serves as a call to seek and worship the Savior with unwavering determination. The Magi’s willingness to embark on a challenging journey, and their humble adoration of the Christ Child, provides a shining example for us to follow.

The Magi’s eagerness to worship Jesus stands in stark contrast to the apathy of the Jewish leaders and the hostility of Herod’s court. Their story challenges us to undertake the journey of faith with persistence and determination.

The Magi inspire us to prioritize our worship of Christ above all else, and recognize His profound significance in our lives. Their act of presenting costly gifts reminds us to offer our best to the Lord, not just material possessions, but also the gifts of our hearts, time, and talents.

Just as the Magi returned to their lands transformed, Christians today are called to carry the message of Christ’s birth into the world, proclaiming the good news with joy and conviction. May we, like the Magi, be willing to embark on journeys of faith, guided by the light of God’s Word, and bow before the Savior in humble adoration.

Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Rawpixel

Brad Simon has shared God’s Word for over forty-five years, with a unique blend of storytelling and Bible exposition. He is a retired Master Jeweler and relies on the God-given creativity that won him several national and international jewelry design awards to craft Biblical Narratives and Life Stories that are engaging and thought-provoking. Once a speaker, author, and publisher for the jewelry industry, now he is putting those skills to work to promote the beauty and appeal of God’s Word. Download a free copy of his devotional on prayer .

Meloni stops Albania cops roughing up Magi

(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 5 - Premier Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday got out of her car and stopped Albanian police who were roughing up an opposition politicians who had raised a placard in front of the vehicle saying her visit to a new Italian-run migrant processing centre in the port of Shengjin was an electoral stunt ahead of this weekend's European elections. Riccardo Magi, leader of the More Europe party, stopped the car carrying Meloni and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama by stepping out in front of it raising the placard saying "a billion (euro), electoral hotspot". Albanian police officers pulled him out of the way and roughed him up, so much so that he later showed blood on his shirt near his armpits. "If this is the way they treat me, just think o the poor devils who are going to be hosted in these centres," said Magi. Meloni denied this conjecture and said she had "full solidarity" with the opposition party leader. (ANSA).