For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
—Isaiah 9:6
The so-called wise men that Matthew wrote about in his gospel have always intrigued me. Who were they? Where did they come from? How did they know that a star would lead them to a Jewish king? What were they hoping to accomplish?
A number of sources claim these men were legendary rather than historical. If that were true, I don’t believe Matthew would have documented their story. More so than the other three gospel writers, Matthew strives to demonstrate that through his birth, life, teachings, death, and resurrection, Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. A legendary tale would diminish the credibility of Matthew’s gospel.
So, what are we to believe?
Matthew begins the second chapter like this: “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him’” (Matthew 2:1-2).
The term Matthew uses for the wise men is Magi, which comes from a Greek word meaning “Persian priest or sorcerer.” This would indicate that the Magi were men of intelligence and power, but not kings. Because Persians worshiped a plethora of gods associated with the planets and constellations, their priests had to be experts in astronomy and astrology. That said, what did these wise men see in the sky that made them think a Jewish king had been born during a time of Roman rule?
The Persians were familiar with the Jews and their customs. After all, it was King Cyrus of Persia who put an end to the Jews captivity in Babylon and helped them rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that the Magi were also familiar with Old Testament readings.
There is a prophecy in the Book of Numbers that states, “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth. Edom will be conquered; Seir, his enemy, will be conquered, but Israel will grow strong” (24:17-18). Given their fascination with the stars and planets, it’s possible the Persian priests had been looking for the fulfillment of this prophecy for centuries. “The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor” (1 Corinthians15:41). We’ll never know for sure what the Magi saw, but something prompted them to pack up gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh and head west.
While the symbolic significance of these gifts is commonly understood to be gold for kingship, frankincense for worship, and myrrh for impending death, the intention may have been diplomatic in nature rather than spiritual. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh could just as easily be viewed as a peace offering to represent a nation’s wealth, spiritual strength, and medicinal wisdom. And there is reason to believe that Persia hoped the Jews might rise in power.
The Persians and the Jews shared a mutual disdain for the Romans, who continually waged war in their pursuit to control the entire Middle East. In contrast, relations between the Jews and Persians were positive. Many Jews who did not return to Jerusalem under King Cyrus remained in Persia where they continued to practice their religion without persecution. If a new king was going to rise up, surely Persia wanted to be on the winning side.
One would think, however, that these pagan Persians priests and their diplomatic journey don’t belong in a Jewish gospel, but Matthew carefully documents their encounter with King Herod. Why?
I think the answer lies in what the Magi tell Herod. “We have come to worship him.”
Before Jesus ever performed a miracle, wise men recognized him as the Messiah, the star of Jacob. Though the distance between Persia (modern-day Iran) and Bethlehem is more than 1000 miles, these wise men willingly made the long journey in the hopes of finding the prophesied king. And they didn’t come empty-handed. They brought gold, a rare commodity reserved for the elite. They brought frankincense, an expensive aromatic that took months to produce. And they brought myrrh, another labor-intensive resin that possessed medicinal qualities.
Over the years, the Magi have been given names, counted as three, and referred to as kings, but Matthew never claimed any of this. I believe the story as Matthew wrote it is true, but even if it’s not, it doesn’t matter. The message is clear: If you consider yourself to be wise, you’ll recognize Jesus as the Messiah, you’ll realize that he is worth seeking no matter how long it takes, and you’ll bring him the best of whatever you have to offer.
Merry Christmas!
THE SONG THAT COMES TO MIND is an oldie but goodie:
The Magi by Peter, Paul and Mary.
Favorite lyric: “Each man is a pilgrim. Yes, we all must make the journey.”
Yorumlar