The wise men visit Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12)
Summary
Jesus was born in Bethlehem when HerodHerod was the Roman King in Judea between 37 and 4 BC. was king of JudeaA Roman province between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea, south of modern day Jerusalem.. Some men who studied the stars came from the east to Jerusalem and asked 鈥淲here is the Baby born to be the king of the Jews?鈥 They had seen his star in the east and come to worship him.
Herod was upset and called the chief priests and teachers of the law and asked them 鈥淲here will the Messiah be born?鈥 They told him Bethlehem had been predicted in prophecy. Herod asked the visitors to let him know exactly where the child was, so he too could worship him. They followed the star until it stopped over the place where the child lay. They worshipped him and brought out their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They returned home by another road as God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.
Background
Bethlehem was a small town six miles from Jerusalem. It was the hometown of DavidThe second king of the Israelite monarchy, usually dated to the 11th to 10th century BCE. He established Jerusalem as the capital city.. It is therefore significant that Jesus was born there as the Jews were expecting the MessiahThe word means 鈥榯he anointed one鈥. The Messiah is the one believed to be sent by God to be humanity鈥檚 saviour. Many Christians believe this person to be Jesus., as prophesied in the Old TestamentThe first part of the Christian Bible which corresponds to the Hebrew Bible but is arranged differently., to come from David鈥檚 birth place. Matthew always likes to remind his readers whenever these prophecies have been fulfilled.
King Herod was partly of Jewish descent. The Romans allowed him to rule for them as Judea鈥檚 king instead of a Roman governor. For many people, Herod was not an acceptable ruler because he did exactly as the Romans told him - he was a 鈥榩uppet king鈥, with Rome pulling the strings.
Herod was therefore not in a secure position and was paranoid about having his power stolen. He killed anyone suspected of plotting against him, including his favourite wife and three of his sons. The Roman Emperor Augustus said it was safer to be Herod鈥檚 pig than his son.
Understanding the text
Matthew calls the visitors 鈥淢补驳颈鈥 (wise men) and they may well have been astrologera person who uses astrology - the study and interpretation of celestial bodies, such as stars and planets - and believes it can predict the future or explain personal characteristics., following the sign of a special star in the sky. They probably came from PersiaModern day Iran, originally called Persia by Ancient Greece.. The Magi could have come to visit weeks or even months after the shepherds visited, when Mary and Joseph had found accommodation in a house (verse 11).
Some traditions refer to the Magi as kings. The Old TestamentThe first part of the Christian Bible which corresponds to the Hebrew Bible but is arranged differently. describes kings who bring their gifts to a great ruler (Psalm 72:10-11) and that kings would come to give honour to God鈥檚 light in Jerusalem (Isaiah 60:3). The idea of kings probably comes from these verses. People often assume there were three visitors because of there were three gifts, but Matthew does not say how many there were.
The Magi arrived at Herod鈥檚 palace in Jerusalem asking, 鈥淲here is the one who has been born king of the Jews?鈥. Herod immediately feared a threat to his rule and was keen to locate the baby. He did this by asking the chief priests and teachers of the law. They consulted the Old Testament prophecies and informed Herod that the prophet Micah had written about Bethlehem, 鈥淥ut of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.鈥 The conclusion therefore was that the new king would be born in Bethlehem. This is another example of Matthew referring to the Old Testament and showing how Jesus has fulfilled it.
The Magi have a symbolic role to play in this birth narrative. Coming from the east, they represent the Gentile (non-Jewish) world coming to worship this new king. Also, compared to the humble shepherds, they represent people with a different status in society worshipping Jesus.
The Magi鈥檚 gifts are also highly symbolic of Jesus鈥 future life, as they represent king, God and man:
- Gold 鈥 this is a precious metal and represents royalty. It emphasises Jesus鈥 role as ruler over the kingdom of God. Gold represents the kingship of Jesus.
- Frankincense 鈥 this is resin from a tree, burned for its smell during temple worship (and still used in some churches today). Frankincense represents Jesus being worshipped as God.
- Myrrh 鈥 this was an oil used to anoint the dead before burial. Myrrh represents Jesus鈥 humanity and death.
The Magi are warned in a dream not to return to Herod, as he intends to harm the child. Dreams and angels play an important role in the birth stories. They are the means by which God communicates with people and guides events.