THE MAGI WERE WISE MEN (Matthew 2:1-12)
INTRODUCTION:
Growing up in the church, the son of the church’s pastor I remember each Christmas my dad setting up on the church lawn a life-size nativity. It had everything: Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus in the manager. It had sheep, a donkey, and shepherds. It had wise men and camels, and they were all life size. They were only two dimensional, life-size pictures mounted on plywood but impressive looking none the less, especially the camels.
Starting last week and for the next two weeks I am looking at people who were part of the first advent or who were at least caught up in the events surrounding the birth of Christ. Looking particularly at people who are not always recognized as being a part of the first Christmas. Last week we looked at Joseph, the forgotten father, as you may have already guessed this morning, we will be looking at the magi and we will learn that they truly were wise men. The interesting thing about the magi is how little we truly know about them. Over the years much has been speculated about these men and much of that speculation is wrong because we are not given much to go on. Let’s pray and then spend some time looking at the mysterious magi.
--PRAY--
SCRIPTURE:
Turn in your Bibles again to the book of Matthew, chapter 2, verses 1-12. Please, if you are able, stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word and follow along as I read.
Matthew 2:1-12,
“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.”’ Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.’ After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” (Matthew 2:1–12, NASB95)[1]
WHO ARE THE MAGI (Matthew 2:1-12)
As we begin to look at these mysterious wise men it is good to learn as much about them as possible. Many of the older translations of Scripture use the term wise men, some of the newer translations use the term magi. The term wise men is derived from the same term where magi comes from. The Greek word is magos from which we get magi and the term wise men is really an interpretation of this Greek word. This word typically is defined as those who have wisdom through investigation and interpretation of the movements of the heavenly bodies. In other words, astronomers and astrologers. Matthew informs us in verse one that they are from the east. Some believe the magi are from Persia, modern day Iraq, this is possible and even makes sense, though all we know is that they are from the east. Many of the eastern peoples were watchers of the stars and the heavenly bodies seeking meaning and purpose from them.
It is not a far stretch to believe that they could have been from Babylon, the place where Nebuchadnezzar took the Jews into exile. The city where the prophet Daniel rose to prominence and even became Nebuchadnezzar’s chief wise man, a company that included magi, this group of wise men that Daniel was chief among were to help the kings understand their dreams and visions. Because of Daniel’s position of prominence among these wise men, and the fact that he was outspoken about his faith and his belief in the coming Messiah, it is possible that he had great influence among the wise men and that influence continued down through the generations.
How many magi were there? More than three and were they kings as the Christmas carol, We Three Kings seems to suggest. The idea that there were only three comes from the three gifts that they presented. The gifts were more likely presented as a whole by the entire group of wise men and not individual gifts. Only three would not have caused the stir in Jerusalem that Matthew records in the first few verses. For safety it was most likely a caravan of quite a few people. Even though the song indicates that they were kings, they were not, more likely they were prominent influential religious leaders from the east.
What we do know definitively about these magi is that they were sincere and serious in their desire to find the King of the Jews. They combined their knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures with a reliance on astrology to come to the belief that the King of the Jews had been born. Now the Bible is very clear that we are not to look to the stars for meaning, but here is one of those exceptions that we talked about a few weeks ago in the book of Judges. God meets these magi who were seeking for truth where they are and utilizes His sovereign power over the heavenly bodies to direct these men to His Son. This does not mean that the Bible condones astrology, but it does show us that God is willing to meet those who are truly seeking for Him. Consider how God met us. I know for myself that I did not understand or have a fully developed theology when I first met Jesus. God can and does meet seeking sinners where they are and points them toward His Son.
Just think about what God used in this bit of history to let the world know about the birth of His Son Jesus. The entire universe, all that God had created was at His disposal in announcing the birth of the Redeemer who would save His people from their sins. Luke’s gospel records that angelic messengers lit up the night sky with praise as the good news was announced to the frightened shepherds. Here in Matthew, we read of God using a star to point the magi from the east towards Bethlehem.
This event recorded in Matthew about a special star that was seen announcing the birth of the King of the Jews has a connection to the Old Testament. In the book of Numbers, chapters 22-24 record for us an event where there is a prophet by the name of Balaam that was hired to curse Israel. You might remember him by that fact that his donkey spoke to him. Three times he tried to curse Israel and three times God filled his mouth with blessing for Israel instead of cursing. His third and final blessing contained these words recorded for us in Numbers 24:16-17, “The oracle of him who hears the words of God, And knows the knowledge of the Most High, Who sees the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, yet having his eyes uncovered. I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, A scepter shall rise from Israel, And shall crush through the forehead of Moab, And tear down all the sons of Sheth.” (Numbers 24:16–17, NASB95)[2] What appeared in the heavens more than 2000 years ago was more than just a star, we are told it moved and stood over the house where Jesus was. This was something supernatural, God had appeared to Israel in their 40 years in the wilderness as a pillar of fire and a cloud, was this God again pointing the lost to Jesus? The theologian and pastor Charles Spurgeon said this about the star that led the magi to Jesus, “He was born of lowly parents, laid in a manager, and wrapped in infant clothes. But the principalities and powers in the heavenly places are in motion. First, an angel descends to proclaim the advent of the newborn king. But the activity was not confined to the spirits above, for in the heavens above the earth something began to stir. A star is sent on behalf of all the stars, as if it were the envoy of all worlds to represent them before their king. The star was put into commission to await the Lord, to be His herald to men far away, and to be God’s usher to conduct these wise men into Christ’s presence.”[3]
Imagine when that star first appeared in the sky to those seeking wise men in the east. The infant Son of God, the Creator of the universe and all that is in it, the One who holds it together, directing the stars to draw people to Himself. This is a direct demonstration of God’s love for the world. Jesus would later state this truth in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NASB95)[4]
TWO KINGS (Matthew 2:1-12)
So, these wise men are not kings as the song suggests, but there are kings in this passage. This is the point that Matthew is trying to make by including this event in his record of the birth of Jesus. In the book of Luke, the author portrays Jesus as a servant, but Matthew’s book is all about Jesus as the King. Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy that confirms that Jesus is the rightful heir to the throne of David. So right here in the beginning of the book, Matthew contrasts Jesus with another king, Herod, who is a bloodthirsty ruler of the Jews appointed by Rome. This is Herod the Great, who kept his power by attacking and often killing any who would oppose him, even those within his own family. He was also very fond of building impressive buildings in Israel. Masada was one of his projects and the temple mount was another that was not completed until some years after his death. These magi who traveled from the east did not make the trip to sit at the feet of the one who sat on the throne in Jerusalem, but to bow before the infant king in a house in Bethlehem. The star in the heavens did not lead them to Herod, but to Jesus.
Matthew’s point and what he wants us to understand is true worshipers worship the true King. While most of Israel was in a spiritual stupor and those who knew and studied the Scriptures, the chief priests and scribes, were more afraid of Herod than God, these men, these wise men had the faith to worship the One who deserved worship: Jesus.
The presence of these Gentile wise men from the east, these outsiders is a confirmation of God’s promise to send a Messiah, a Savior, who would not only be the King of the Jews, but a Savior for the nations. Jesus’ kingdom is open to anyone, whether you are a Jew or a Gentile. In fact, many Jews which we might call insiders, those closest to Jesus, they were often the ones most resistant to His message. The same is true today, often it is those who are most “churched” who are so blinded by their own self-righteousness that they cannot see the gospel. God often is drawing by His Spirit those who seem so far from Him. We must be careful not to get caught up thinking the gospel is only for people who look like us, who come from our background, who speak our language. The truth is the majority of us are outsiders, Gentiles, to whom the gospel had to be extended. We should thank God that His promise of salvation was not just for a certain ethnic group, but that in His kingdom we see every nation, tribe, and language represented. His kingdom is a global kingdom.
WORSHIPING THE TRUE KING (Matthew 2:1-12)
The magi from the east truly were wise men. Their wisdom was not in their own intelligence or from their knowledge of the stars. Their wisdom was in their willingness to know where the true source of wisdom was and still is today. They knew that it was not in their own eastern religions, it wasn’t they discovered, in Jerusalem where they thought the King of the Jews would be. It wasn’t even among the religious leaders who should have joined them in their search for Jesus. True wisdom is found, they realized, at the feet of Jesus.
Imagine the scene when they arrived at the house in Bethlehem. They had gone first to Jerusalem to search for this newborn king, but after being told that the child was to be born in Bethlehem, the magi mounted their camels and rode out of Jerusalem going south to Bethlehem and to their delight the star suddenly appeared again, leading them to the exact house where Joseph, Mary and Jesus lived. Jesus was no longer in a manger contrary to our nativity scenes, nor was He a baby when the wise men arrived. Judging by Herod’s murderous edict Jesus could have been up to two years old. Even though they missed His birth, it does not make their long journey any less significant.
These magi had examined the heavens, read and re-read ancient texts. They had plodded through deserts and made their way over mountains. These men and their entourage rode, walked, and climbed their way from their home to a place completely foreign to them. And yet the journey which they made did not even compare to the One made by the child that they worshiped. Jesus had the longer trip, leaving the throne of heaven and coming to live among His people. This is why the magi’s response was one of worship and exaltation of the Christ Child. Think about it, these were men of the world, wise, cultured, and sophisticated in every way. They came expecting to find a young king in a palace, surrounded by servants and all the trappings of royalty. Instead, what they found was a poor family in a quiet neighborhood in a village. To the average onlooker, to one unfamiliar with the ancient prophecies and unaware of the guiding star, this was all so commonplace, not what you would expect.
But to those whose hearts were open to God’s leading, who were truly seeking Jesus, they saw what the prophets predicted, what the angels had announced, and what Mary understood, there toddling in a dirty tunic was the Son of God. And so, these prominent men of the east dropped everything and offered the only right response to Jesus: worship.
This scene as I picture it in my mind is a bundle of contradictions: the young child receiving the worship of royalty. The wealthy bowing before the impoverished. Yet this is the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God. In that moment, the real power was not in the Herod’s palace or any of his massive building projects, it was in the infant God-man standing before them. They did what was only proper, they bowed in reverent, real worship.
Jesus would later speak of how difficult it is for the rich, for the well-to-do person to enter the kingdom of God. This is because money and power can become idols that blind us to our own sinfulness and need for saving faith. Jesus would go on to say concerning the salvation of the wealthy that with God all things are possible. So, in this scene in Matthew 2 we have wealthy, connected, influential, and powerful men drawn by the Spirit of God into a humility that causes them to be brought low in worship of the Almighty. They had followed the star and now they worshiped the One who hung the stars.
This spiritual journey made by the magi is a journey that is required of anyone who is to enter the kingdom of God. God resists the proud, the Bible says, but gives grace to the humble. Regardless of who you are, where you grew up, whether you are wealthy or poor to know Jesus is to bow and become low, to recognize your sinfulness and your helplessness, and to receive God’s grace.
God’s Word says that one day everyone will be a worshiper. Nathan read of it in our Scripture reading this morning. Every knee will bow, but for those who have resisted Jesus, it will be too late. For the truly wise we bow and worship while there is still time.
COSTLY WORSHIP (Matthew 2:1-12)
We should take the time this Christmas season to examine and meditate on the depth of the worship shown to us by the wise men. Matthew’s record of the magi allows us to see how true worshipers worship the King. The magi responded and worshiped Jesus in four ways. First, they sought the truth by following the star and studying the ancient prophecies. Second, they obeyed the warning of God and did not return to Herod, but went home without going to Jerusalem. Third, they bowed at the sight of the Christ child. Fourth, they gave precious gifts as an act of devotion and worship.
The magi’s worship was not cheap worship. It was not a casual event. This was costly worship seen in their time to make this difficult journey and in their gifts. Often our worship of Jesus is superficial because we have become lazy in our approach to Him. We sing on Sundays with no excitement, no hope, no anticipation. We cannot lay aside our busyness to really focus on Who it is that we are worshiping. Worship is just another thing to check off our to do list. If Jesus is the true King, if His birth, life, death, and resurrection truly are the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Israel, if He is the Light of the world who saves people from their sins, then isn’t He worthy of our whole selves, body, mind and soul when we worship? This is how the magi worshipped and our journey today is no less important and our worship no less needed. God is calling true worshipers today to gather and lift up our praise to the King of kings.
The magi offered a costly worship. They gave lavish, expensive gifts. There has been much speculation throughout church history as to the meaning of these gifts. This side of heaven we may never know exactly what they mean. I do like a more recent suggestion that the gold represents the kingship of Jesus, the frankincense His deity (being frankincense was often used as an offering to God), and the myrrh represented His humanity. It is an interesting note on this last gift, that according to Mark 15:23 Jesus was offered myrrh mixed with wine as a kind of painkiller as He suffered on the cross, He refused it. Also, John 19:38-42 tells us it was myrrh mixed with aloes that Nicodemus brought to anoint the body of Jesus for burial. Was this gift by the magi a foreshadowing of the suffering and death the Lord Jesus would endure for sinners?
We cannot know for sure the meaning of the gifts, but we can know for sure that true worship involves giving. Often in the church we are reluctant to talk about things like tithing and giving. But giving back to God a portion of what He has given you is the natural overflow of the heart that is grateful for Jesus, who gave everything for us. Nobody forced the magi to give. They did it willingly as the Spirit of God loosened their hands from their possessions. Giving does not in any way get you to Jesus, but it is a sure sign that you’ve met Him.
CONCLUSION:
As we close this morning let’s take a moment to reflect on what we have learned from the magi from the east. First, let me ask you a question: When you are confronted with Jesus this Christmas, what will your response be? We saw three different responses in this event. Adoration was the response of the wise men, they searched for Jesus at great personal sacrifice and would not give up until they could bow before Him in costly worship. Anger was the response of Herod because he felt threatened by the presence of the King of the Jews, he would stop at nothing to make sure this King would not usurp his throne. Apathy was the response of the scribes and chief priests, who knew the Scriptures and were in a place of worship, but missed Jesus due to their fear of man and their self-righteousness and spiritual apathy. What will your response be?
Reflect on your own journey to Jesus this Christmas. How did God work in the circumstances of your life to bring you to His Son? As you reflect on the magi’s costly worship, how is your worship of the Christ Child this Christmas releasing generosity in your heart this year? Are you giving out of duty, or delight because your King has come?
[1]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[2]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.
[3]CSB Spurgeon Bible. Nashville, TN : Holman Bible Publishers, 2017.
[4]New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995.