Read: Matthew 2:1-12
"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, 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.’"
Matthew 2:1-2
There are some characters in Scripture that are quite mysterious: Melchizedek, Nephilim, angels, etc. One of the most mysterious individuals in all of Scripture are the wise men from the east mentioned by Matthew. Why would Matthew, a Jew, care about men from the east that may have been magicians, astrologers, philosophers, or a combination of all three?
These men were from modern day Iraq or Iran. They were probably priests or leaders of the religion in the region. My point is, these were not men that would have the same worldview as Matthew or Matthew’s readers. These were men that practiced a completely different religion and probably were not very familiar with the religion of Yahweh. Furthermore, given that these men were likely astrologers of some sort, and astrology is condemned in the Old Testament, it seems almost out of place to include them in the birth narrative. Or does it?
It would have taken several weeks to travel from Babylon or Persia to Bethlehem. They probably visited when Jesus was several months old or up to two years after the birth. We think this because Herod, the king, ordered that all boys two and under be killed in and around Bethlehem.
These men were guided to the young Christ-child by the appearance of a “star.” The star is a common piece of the birth narrative, but we aren’t totally sure what astronomical phenomenon took place. There have been many conjectures, but nothing of any real certainty. Perhaps it was a new star that appeared. Perhaps it was some unique alignment of heavenly bodies. Many of the ancient church fathers believed the star was an angel. Again, we just don’t know. Interestingly enough, Jesus is also described as a star in scripture (Numbers 24:17 & Revelation 22:16). In Revelation 22, Jesus is called the “bright morning star.”
These men who knew very little about Yahweh worship and probably were not very familiar with what the Messiah was going to do, came from far away to worship him (v. 11). It’s possible they were rulers or influential in their kingdom and were trying to develop an alliance with the one they thought would be ruler of the Jews one day. And it’s likely they too were interested in the idea of defeating the Roman army.
At first, they probably thought it was simply a diplomatic visit. They could have been familiar with the Jewish prophecy from the writings of the Diaspora (ca. 722 B.C.) or those captured during the Babylonian captivity (ca. 586 B.C.).
Much of God’s work in the pre-birth world focused on the Hebrew people. But with the appearance of the magi, we see that Jesus will be worshiped by all nations. One of the main points behind the presence of the magi is that Jesus’ birth has implications well beyond the Jewish world. The presence of an astronomical event helps us to understand that Jesus’ coming has cosmic ramifications. That is, God’s redemptive plan is cosmic in scale even though it is located in a specific geographical location. God’s saving work is no longer focused on a specific people group. Now, all who call upon the name of the Lord can be saved. All can commune with God, and know Him in an intimate, real way. Thus, the magi narrative shows us the significant theological truth that the redemptive plan is open to all peoples.
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Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you died so that all who repent and believe may be saved. Your redemptive work is cosmic in scale, yet strategic in focus. You died for the sins of all mankind. And anyone who believes in you can be saved.