Traditional Views on the Wise Men

The magi who travelled from the east to worship Jesus were respected scholars and were greatly admired in their day. As astrologers, they studied the stars and had great wisdom. The assumption that there were three wise men may have been based on the fact that they brought three kinds of gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. The wise men likely travelled in a large entourage because the journey from Babylon or Persia to Jerusalem would have taken many months. Also, their arrival made a great impact on the people of Jerusalem, which indicates that it was not simply three men riding into town on camels.

While the manger scenes with the wise men are endearing and fun to look at, their depictions may not be entirely accurate. For example, our concept of the wise men riding across the desert, watching the star and being guided by it is a little deceiving. The wise men saw the star in the east, which indicated that the King of the Jews had been born. Since Jerusalems the capital of Israel, they travelled to Jerusalem to find out about this Jewish king. The star did not guide them on the way. Seeing the star in the east was an indication to them, either by special revelation from God or in some other way, that the Messiah had been born.

When the wise men arrived in Jerusalem, they asked: "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" (Matt. 2:2). They came with confidence that the King of the Jews had been born, and expected everyone in Jerusalem to be aware of what had happened. They came to worship the One who had been born the King of the Jews, but the Jews already had a king - Herod! However, the magi did not come to worship him. There was something unique about the One who had been born that made Him worthy of worship. They knew something of the special character of the Christ and had come to honor Him. You have to appreciate the persistence of the magi. They were convinced that they must find this new King. What would you think if, after journeying for months across desert and rough terrain, you arrived at the capital city and found that no one had any idea what you were talking about? Regardless of the attitude of the Jews, the magi continued their journey.

"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" (Matt. 2:9,10). For the star to reappear as they headed toward Bethlehem was a tremendous encouragement to the magi after their experience in Jerusalem. It was a sign from God that they were on the right track and it was used to guide and direct them to Jesus.

The star had appeared in the east, perhaps a year earlier. Then this supernatural star stood over a specific house. Joseph and Mary could have moved into the house the day after Jesus was born as there is no reason to think they stayed in the stable any longer than one night. Then, when Jesus was 40 days old, His parents presented Him along with two small pigeons - the gifts allowed for those who were poor. In light of Old Testament law, Joseph and Mary would not have offered two small pigeons at the presentation of their son if they had anything better to offer. Thus, we assume that the magi had not yet presented their gifts to Christ until after He was presented in the temple. "After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother" (v. 11). The wise men arrived at the home in which Jesus was living, which evidently was a humble dwelling. There were no trappings of royalty, and there was no great fanfare. They left Herod's royalty, and upon coming to the humble home of this baby, they "fell down and worshipped Him" (v. 11). They were unshaken in their conviction that this was indeed the King. "Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh" (v. 11).

Besides financing Joseph and Mary's trip to Egypt, there may be some symbolism in the gifts the wise men presented. Throughout the Scriptures, gold is associated with deity and royalty. The emphasis of this gift was on the deity and royalty of Jesus Christ. Frankincense was associated with the service of Jehovah. It represented the fragrance of Christ, as the One who serves His Father. Myrrh was associated with sacrifice and death. It was one of the fragrances used to prepare Jesus' body for burial after His death. The gifts given to Jesus emphasized His deity, the faithfulness or fragrance of His life in serving Jehovah and the sacrifice of His life for our sins. Not only had the magi offered Jesus their gifts - they offered their worship.

Note the identity of these wise men who worshipped Jesus. They were Gentiles! Sadly, the attitude of the Jews toward Jesus was one of apathy and indifference. The leadership's attitude was filled with hatred and hostility. However, the Gentile wisemen came to adore and worship Christ.

In Which Group Do You Fit?

Are you one who is apathetic or indifferent to Jesus Christ and what His coming means? The Scripture is clear that Jesus Christ is God's Son and that He came to be King. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin and was raised from the dead. Is your response to those great facts one of apathy and indifference?

Or is your response like that of the magi? Do you believe in Him who is the Son of God, the Savior of the world? Do you recognize Him as the One who is the King - God's Son? The beginning point of our worship is to recognize our own sinfulness and then to recognize who Jesus is and what He has done. Jesus is God's Son - the Savior. He died for you. The moment you place your faith in Him you are cleansed of your sins and brought into a personal relationship with Him. Then you are privileged to worship God, to offer adoration to Him as the One to whom all worship belongs.