Birth of Christ Through Their Eyes- Wisemen and Herod

        Matthew 1:1-12, After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in the territory of Judea during the rule of King Herod, magi came from the east to Jerusalem. 2 They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.” 

3 When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and everyone in Jerusalem was troubled with him. 4 He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They said, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for this is what the prophet wrote: 

6 You, Bethlehem, land of Judah, 
        by no means are you least among the rulers of Judah, 
            because from you will come one who governs, 
            who will shepherd my people Israel.” 

7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and found out from them the time when the star had first appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you’ve found him, report to me so that I too may go and honor him.” 9 When they heard the king, they went; and look, the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stood over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy. 11 They entered the house and saw the child with Mary his mother. Falling to their knees, they honored him. Then they opened their treasure chests and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 Because they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. 

 

Wisemen - 

The term wise men referred to a wide range of people whose practices included astrology, dream interpretation, study of sacred writings, the pursuit of wisdom, and magic.i 

We know from reading the Old Testament that the “wise men” were advisors/counselors to the kings. During the time of Daniel, when King Belshazzar had a troubling dream, his mother, the Queen, described Daniel like this: “There is a man in your kingdom who has within him the spirit of the holy gods. During Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, this man was found to have insight, understanding, and wisdom like that of the gods. Your predecessor, the king—your predecessor King Nebuchadnezzar—made him chief over all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers of Babylon.” (Daniel 5:11) 

These particular wisemen, from Matthew’s account, came from somewhere in the region of Babylon. They would have been familiar with the Old Testament prophecies due to their interactions with the Jews in Babylon during their exile, “the forced detention of Jews in Babylonia following the latter’s conquest of the kingdom of Judah in 598/7 and 587/6 BCE.”ii 

It would appear that they were astrologers, because they were watching /studying the stars and saw the Star (His Star) when it first appeared. Matthew 1:2b, “We’ve seen his star in the east, and we’ve come to honor him.”  

We have no real knowledge as to the number or Magi or Wisemen who came to see Jesus. History has claimed it to be three based on the number of gifts listed in the Bible account. However, it is likely that these wisemen traveled with many servants as well as soldiers. They were obviously wealthy men based on their gifts to Jesus, and as such would have needed protection from bandits along the way as well as having personal attendants. In those days it was common to travel in large caravans for safety.  

Their arrival in Jerusalem would have probably drawn much attention even if they had not gone to visit King Herod. We can presume that their knowledge of the Old Testament prophecies was not a thorough one because they did not know where the Messiah was to be born. Therefore, they traveled to Jerusalem, which is only 6 miles north of Bethlehem, because it was the seat of government and the most likely place for the birth of the new King of the Jews. 

After inquiring from Herod as to the birthplace of the Messiah, they followed the star directly to the house in Bethlehem where Mary and Joseph were staying.  When they found the child, who was probably between 1 and 2 years old, they bowed down and worshiped him. They then presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

Tradition tells us that gold is a symbol of divinity. The Ark of the Covenant was covered with gold, and most false gods of the day were formed from gold. Frankincense is very fragrant when burned and is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. Myrrh was a spice used in embalming in Egypt. It might have symbolized the death Jesus would die for us. Regardless of their intended or unintended symbolism, these gifts were of great value and were probably used to finance Jospeh’s flight with his family to Egypt to save Jesus from Herod’s wrathful murder of the infant and toddler boys (more on this later). 

We also know that the wisemen were told by Herod to search for Jesus and then to report back to him when they had found him so that he, Herod, could go “worship” him too. The wisemen were warned in a dream not to return to Herod so they left secretly by a different route to their own country.  

“So, the magi were men who 1) read and believed God’s Word, 2) sought Jesus, 3) recognized the worth of Christ, 4) humbled themselves to worship Jesus, and 5) obeyed God rather than man. They were truly wise men!”iii 

 

Herod -  

History tells us that Herod was a deeply troubled man. “Paranoid about would-be usurpers to his throne, he had many of his family members and close associates executed.”iv 

“When Herod the king heard that a Baby had been born who was to be king of the Jews, he was troubled. Any such Baby was a threat to his uneasy rule. All Jerusalem was troubled with him. The city that should have received the news with joy was disturbed by anything that might upset its status quo or risk the displeasure of the hated Roman rulers.”v 

“He gathered all the chief priests and the legal experts and asked them where the Christ was to be born.” (Matthew 1:4) It is sad to note that the very ones who were supposed to understand the scriptures, the chief priests, the ones who weekly taught in the synagogues about the coming of the Messiah, were not only not looking for the Messiah to come, they did not understand or interpret the prophecies correctly, and they were also deeply disturbed by the news of the Magi. In their ignorance, pride, and fear they were unknowingly participants in the death of the innocent baby boys.  

Herod was a man of many “faces”. He was a “clever and efficient ruler and a cruel tyrant.”vi Upon hearing that the King of the Jews was born in Bethlehem, he quickly hatched a plan to protect his throne. Kill the baby boys. Herod ascertained the approximate age of Jesus through his careful questioning of the Magi.  

He was of a stern and cruel disposition. “He was brutish and a stranger to all humanity." Alarmed by the tidings of one "born King of the Jews," he sent forth and "slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under."vii 

When the magi had departed, an angel from the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod will soon search for the child in order to kill him.” 14 Joseph got up and, during the night, took the child and his mother to Egypt. 15 He stayed there until Herod died. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I have called my son out of Egypt. (Matthew 2:13-15) 

This act of cruelty fulfilled the words spoken by the prophet in Jeremiah 31:15, This is what the Lord says: “A cry is heard in Ramah— deep anguish and bitter weeping. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted— for her children are gone.” It also fulfilled the prophecy in Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt.” 

This sudden flight into Egypt may have been made possible and financed by the gifts of the Magi. God in His infinite wisdom knew what lay ahead for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus and provided both resources and the warning that kept Jesus from being massacred with the other baby boys.  

Friends, are we like the Magi, seeking the Messiah? Are we truly wise? Do we 1) read and believed God’s Word, 2) seek Jesus, 3) recognized the worth of Christ, 4) humble ourselves to worship Jesus, and 5) obeyed God rather than man? 

Wise men still seek Him!!!! 

Works Cited

i The ESV Global Study Bible®, ESV Bible® Copyright © 2012 by Crossway.

ii https://www.britannica.com/event/Babylonian-Captivity

iii https://www.gotquestions.org/three-wise-men.html

iv New International Encyclopedia of Bible Characters Copyright 2001.

v Believer's Bible Commentary Copyright © 1989, 1990, 1992, 1995, 2016 by William MacDonald.

vi https://www.biblegateway.com/blog/2017/12/who-was-herod/

vii https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/herod-the-great.html