The Wise Men
Every year at Christmastime, our thoughts turn toward the wise men. Sadly, it is only at this time of the year that we think of them. We should think of them more often. They were important witnesses to the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Here are some interesting facts revealed about these important witnesses.
1. They were not Jews. They came from “the east.” No one knows for certain who they were. In Greek, Matthew calls them “magi” (Matt. 2:1), a name used for Zoroastrian priests from Parthia. They were not kings. Zoroastrians looked to the sky for signs. This does not legitimize astrology or Zoroastrianism. Just as God spoke to Joseph in his dreams, he spoke to these men through the stars. He gets our attention sometimes by communicating through those things that capture our attention.
2. We don't know how many of them there were. They're usually depicted as three men because they bore three gifts, but the Bible never tells us a specific number.
3. They did not visit Jesus at the time of his birth but rather “after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea” (Matt. 2:1). The distance from Parthia to Jerusalem is about 500 miles, a trip that would have taken them 50-60 days, then it was only a few hours from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. Their visit probably followed the family’s trip to the temple (Luke 2:22-38), which according to the law fell 40 days after the birth of a male child (Lev. 12). If the magi had come prior to this, their valuable gifts would have allowed Joseph and Mary to sacrifice more than “a pair of young turtledoves or two young pigeons” (Luke 2:23-24). We do not know how old Jesus was when they arrived, but he could not have been a newborn.
4. They did not visit him in a stable. Matthew tells us they went “into the house” and saw the child with Mary his mother (Matt. 2:10). It is Luke who tells us that at the time of his birth, Mary “wrapped her first born son in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). After having seen a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and learning from the angel about the birth of the Savior, the shepherds did go to Bethlehem and find the newborn baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph, lying in a manger (Luke 2:16). There is no mention of the wise man at that time.
5. They brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh as gifts to honor Jesus. Gold, of course, is a precious metal, very valuable. Frankincense and myrrh were expensive oils used for anointing. These were very costly gifts and expressed the devotion of the wise men.
6. They were brave. Diplomatic relations between Parthia and Rome were cold at best, as the two empires had just fought over the control of Judea. Rome had won, but Herod was clearly disturbed by the sudden appearance of the men from the east. They wanted to know, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” (Matt. 2:2). Herod was king of the Jews! They, no doubt, had heard of Herod’s reputation as a murderous tyrant and knew the risks they were taking, but their desire to worship the king overpowered any fears they may have had toward Herod.
7. They were clever. When they were warned in a dream about Herod’s nefarious schemes, they “departed to their own country by another way” (Matt. 2:12).
8. They knew that Jesus was the true king. They called him “king of the Jews,” but they said they were seeking him so that they could worship him (Matt. 2:2). Typically, priests from the east did not visit Jerusalem to worship foreign kings. They knew this king was special, a king who came from the Jews but who would rule both heaven and earth. That is why when they found the infant with Mary his mother, they “fell down and worshiped him” (Matt. 2:11). The wise men knew who Jesus was. That is why the Bible tells their story.
Drew Kizer