After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of Herod the king,
Magi came from the east to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the one who is born King
of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to pay Him homage.”
(Matthew 2:1, 2)
Stories like this are the stuff from which legends are made. We will endeavor to look at the legends and do our best to separate scripture from myth.
Myth #1: They were kings. Matthew says they were Magi, which tradition tells us means wise men.
Myth #2: There were three of them. Some legends even give them names–Melchior, Balthasar, and Gaspar. Matthew doesn’t tell us how many of them there were. The idea that there were three probably arose because they presented Jesus with three gifts.
Myth #3: Scenes of the nativity usually show the wise men worshipping along with the shepherds in the stable the night Jesus was born. Note that Matthew begins the chapter with the words: After Jesus was born. The visit could have occurred a week, a month, a year–up to two years later, since that was the amount of time Herod estimated might have gone by (Matthew 2:16).
Matthew doesn’t call Jesus a baby but a child. Jesus, by now, no longer is in the manger, but in a house. Further, if the star first rose at the hour of Jesus’ birth, it would have taken the Magi a length of time to travel from their home to where Jesus was. Depending on the distance, it could have been weeks or months.
Now that you have the myths, let us examine the story. Bethlehem was a small village located about five miles south of Jerusalem. Its chief distinction was that it was the birthplace of King David. Further, the prophet, Micah, had predicted that the promised Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
Who were these Magi–these wise men? Matthew tells us that they came from the east. Most likely, they came from Babylon or Persia. This means that they were Gentiles, significant in that Matthew demonstrates that Jesus would reach across religious and national borders to draw people to Him.
The term Magi or magoi in earlier times referred to priests of Medes (a province of the Persian Empire) who were able to interpret dreams. They engaged themselves in the interpretation of dreams, in magic, and in astrology. It would have been astrologers who would have noticed not only the star, but the celestial phenomenon described below, and would have known what it meant. Babylon was the birthplace of astrology, and astrology greatly influenced Persia as well.
Over the centuries, there has been much speculation by scientists about the star that the wise men followed. Some have suggested it was Halley’s Comet, while others suggest it was a supernova. Of course, we know that God could easily have supernaturally placed a bright star in the heavens for the wise men, but there is scriptural evidence that God often allows natural occurrences to work out God’s plans.
Recent scholarship suggests that instead of looking to astronomy to solve the mystery of the star, perhaps astrology should be studied instead. It is generally believed that since the wise men came from the area around Persia where the study of astrology was prevalent, most likely they were astrologers. Astrology had been an earlier source of study to determine the cause of the appearance of the star, but at that time, it had been assumed that Jesus was born in One, C.E. The date had been established by a sixth century monk named Dennis the Little, based on certain mathematical calculations, but Dennis had made an error in his calculations. It is now believed that Jesus’ birth date was actually in 6 B.C.E. There were no particular astrological omens evident in One, C.E., but 6 B.C.E, was very active astrologically.
To the astrologers of that period, the constellation Aries was the sign of Judea, and on April 17 of 6 B.C.E. the planet, Jupiter, considered to be a powerful omen, moved into Aries. This was considered a sign of a tremendous event looming. Astrological conjunctions usually portend significant events–the more conjunctions, the greater the event. That Jupiter was in Aries was significant enough, but then Saturn also moved into Aries, followed by the sun. The moon, appearing in Aries, eclipsed and revealed Jupiter as the morning star, indicating the birth of a super-king. Was there a prophesy of a morning star? Isaiah 60:3 reads, Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn. If the Magi were astrologers, these astrological events would have informed them of a noble birth.
Note that the Magi do not ask, where is the one who will grow up to be king of the Jews. They acknowledge that Jesus’ royal station is established at birth: “Where is the one who is … King of the Jews?” Matthew doesn’t tell us how the Magi made the connection with the star and “….the King of the Jews…” Perhaps they might have been familiar with Jewish writings and knew of the coming Messiah, as there was a large Jewish community in Babylon, and made the assumption that Messiah’s time had come.
When King Herod heard about it he got upset, and all of Jerusalem with him. He called together all the chief priests and teachers of the law and asked them where precisely was the Messiah to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; as it was written through the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come forth a Ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.’” (Micah5:2)
Herod sent for the wise men and spoke to them in secret, asking them the exact
time the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go, and
search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring word back to
me, so that I, too, may come and pay him homage.”
(Matthew 2:3-8)
Herod the Great had been made king of Judea around 37 B.C.E. He was known as a master builder and contributed much in the way of architecture. But he was afflicted with paranoia, fits of jealousy and rage. He killed not only close associates, but also his wife and at least two of his sons. Understandably, paranoid Herod was upset, and it would stand to reason that if Herod were upset, the rest of Jerusalem would have been upset too, wondering what hellish thing might Herod be provoked to undertake. Herod might have been paranoid, and he might have been cruel, but he was cunning, too. After determining from his advisors the prophesies concerning the Messiah, he informed the Magi, then sent them to Bethlehem to find the child and bring word back to him. He would destroy this usurper of his throne before he had a chance to grow up and challenge him for it.
After they had listened to the king they went on their way, and the star, which
they had seen in the east, went ahead of them, till it came and stood over the
place where the young child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with
joy.
(Matthew 2:9, 10)
According to Matthew, there were actually two different sightings of the star, under two different circumstances. Verse 2:2 tells us that the Magi “…saw His star in the east…” Babylon and Persia were located east of Judea. Jupiter, as the morning star, would have appeared even further east, in the eastern sky. However, Judea was to the WEST of both Babylon and Persia, but there is no mention of the star moving west at all–no mention that there was a star which the Magi followed all the way to Judea. They knew to go to Judea because the astrological conjunctions that occurred in the constellation Aries informed the Magi that the king was to be born in Judea. And so they went.
We know they didn’t follow the star all the way because they had to stop and ask for directions. They went to Jerusalem simply because it was the capital city where they would have expected to find the king. It was Herod who directed them to Bethlehem, on advice from his subordinates. However, when they left Herod’s palace, then the star appeared and led them in the correct direction to the child.
I believe it is important to note that Matthew does not say that the Magi found Jesus in Bethlehem, or that they went to Bethlehem at all. Herod may have directed them to Bethlehem, but that doesn’t mean they went. Matthew says only that when they left the king and started on their way, they saw the star again and followed it until it led them to Jesus. Matthew also said that when they saw the star they were filled with joy. Could it be that they had not expected to see it when they did?
It is reasonable to think that Herod’s reputation had preceded him–he was, after all, a famous–or infamous–man. He was famous for the great works of architecture throughout the area. He was also known to be crafty and vicious. Would they not have found Herod’s words of humility rather strange? Certainly, they would have become suspicious of his intentions, even towards an innocent baby. Perhaps they had become apprehensive about continuing the journey, because of Herod’s strange demeanor. But now the star appeared, and they knew God was leading them.
It is possible that instead of heading south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, they turned north where the star led them to Nazareth instead. It is reasonable to presume that Herod would not have relied simply on the Magi’s return to tell him where Jesus was located, but would have had spies go on ahead of the Magi to Bethlehem, there to wait for the Magi and secretly follow them to Jesus, where He would have been done away with immediately. Remember that Luke 2:39 informed us that Mary and Joseph returned to Nazareth as soon as they had fulfilled all the legal requirements that had kept them in Bethlehem, so by the time the Magi arrived it is very possible that they had by now returned to Nazareth.
When they entered the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and
fell down and worshipped him. They opened their treasures and presented him with
gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, having been warned in a dream not
to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another way.
(Matt. 2:11-12)
The Magi finally arrive at the home where Jesus and his mother are–not a stable, but a house. Did you notice that there is no mention that the Magi fell down and paid homage to Herod when they came before him? The gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh bring to mind Isaiah 60:6b: And all of Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of God. The gifts couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time. Soon the little family would need money to enable them to flee to Egypt. Frankincense and myrrh were expensive, and could have been sold to finance the trip.
So ends our study for today.
Points to Ponder