Wise Men from the East (Matthew 2:1)

2022-12-05

When the Lord was born in Bethlehem, “wise men from the east” sought him. The phrase “wise men” implies they were sorcerers of some manner, as the term is translated that way in Acts 13:6, 8. Pagan kings had “wise men” that performed magic and interpreted dreams in the Old Testament. Considering this, this is a rather curious thing that God did here: He revealed the Son to pagan foreigners rather than His own people.

King Herod did not dismiss them as insane people. He understood who these men were asking about when they said “King of the Jews.” He went straightway to the chief priests and scribes to ask about the Christ, the anointed King from God. They promptly referred to Micah 5:2 where it says the Christ would be born in Bethlehem, but they do not seem so interested to even investigate the matter.

Herod sent these men to Bethlehem according to the Scriptures. He also told those astrologers to tell him about the infant king’s precise whereabouts once they discovered Him. We read later that this was so he could eliminate his competition, knowing that Christ is a king and all the prophecies that this entails. After all, Herod was the king of the Jews at the time!

But these pagans, who would have been condemned for their practices under the Law, were chosen of God to be among the first to see the newborn Christ. God chose neither Herod the king nor the scribes and Pharisees. “But many that are first shall be last; and the last first” (Mark 10:31).

This star that led the wise men was not something we can understand from astronomy. They saw it from their homes in the east, and then followed it. People have used stars for navigation throughout the ages, but not like this. The curious part is here: “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:9-10). This thing moved, and it stopped exactly over where the Lord was. This was God’s miracle for these men.

They came from far away, and they did not come emptyhanded. Expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were presented to Him. And they worshipped Him. Worshipping a baby likely would have been difficult for the people of Israel to accept, but these men knew better than those of Israel. They knew He was the Son of God and worthy of worship.

They did not worship the wicked king Herod, the political leader of the area. They did not seek the Jewish scribes. They did not worship Jesus’ mother or Joseph. All their worship was for the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

When they left, they were obedient to the heavenly vision, disobeying the wicked Herod by returning home another way.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)