Monday, December 21

Matthew 2:1-2

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 in the east and have come to worship him.”

When I was a kid, every year around Christmas time, my mother would have us put out the family manger scene in the family room and my favorite figures were the three “wise men”.  They were taller, they had cooler clothes, and they were more exotic looking than any of the other figures in the scene.  Each year, as we approach the Christmas season, our preparations for Christmas usually include revisiting the events surrounding the birth of our Lord. Bethlehem, the shepherds, and the angels are familiar to us all.  But not much is generally known about the mysterious "Magi" who came to worship the infant Jesus.

Most of what we associate with the "Magi" is from early church traditions.  Most of us assume there were three of them, since they brought three specific gifts (but the Biblical text doesn't number them).  They are called "Magi" from the Latinized form of the Greek word magoi, transliterated from the Persian, for a specific sect of priests. (Our English word "magic" comes from the same root.)

As the years passed, the traditions became increasingly embellished.  By the 3rd century they were viewed as kings.  By the 6th century they had names: Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar.  A 14th century Armenian tradition identifies them as Balthasar, King of Arabia; Melchior, King of Persia; and Gaspar, King of India.

So let’s take a few moments to be clear about what is myth or legend and what is Biblical regarding the Magi…

Were the Magi kings?

There is no conclusive evidence that they were kings, Isaiah 60:1-7 and favorite Christmas carols notwithstanding. However, as mentioned above, they might have been kings.

How many Magi were there?

We don't know. Matthew 2:1-16 simply uses the plural. We know there were two or more.  Christian art from the first centuries of the Church shows various numbers of Magi, ranging from 2 to 8.

Where did they come from?

The only thing we can say with certainty is "from the east" (Matthew 2:1). Our best knowledge is that they were members of the Magian priesthood in the Medo-Persian empire east of the Roman Empire.

Did the Magi visit baby Jesus while He was still in the manger?

No. Despite the fact that every manger scene comes with three “wise men” (and sometimes even their camels) the Biblical account shows us that the Magi would have arrived sometime later.

How old was Jesus when the Magi visited Him?

Several Bible passages help us make an educated guess. We know from Luke 2:21 that Jesus was circumcised at 8 days old. We also know from Luke 2:22-24 that when the 40 days of Mary's "uncleanness" had passed, [Mary and Joseph] presented Jesus, their firstborn son, in the temple in Jerusalem according to God's Law.  Herod asked the Magi when they had first seen the star (Matthew 2:7) and then later killed all of the male children in Bethlehem, age two and under (Matthew 2:16).  On this basis we can lay out the following with a fair amount of certainty: (1) Jesus was between 41 days and 2 years old when the Magi arrived.

Why are the Magi included in the story of Jesus’ birth?

The account of the Magi is told to show us that from the very beginning of Christ’s coming, God has intended His salvation to be for all people.  In other words, the main significance of this account is that God wonderfully revealed the identity of Jesus as Messiah and King of the Jews to these Gentile Magi. It is a wonderful fulfillment of Simeon's prophecy, that Jesus would be "a light of revelation to the Gentiles" (Luke 2:31).

Jeff Frazier