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¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:17–18 ESV)

When we began this study of the Gospel of Matthew, we did not initially examine the many prophecies regarding the identity of the Jewish Messiah. Suffice to say, Jesus Christ fulfilled those prophecies pertaining to the Advent of the Messiah.

One prophecy which took place following Jesus’ birth, perhaps some two years after, was what is referred to as the slaughter of the innocents. This was when King Herod decided that all boys within Bethlehem, and the surrounding area, would be killed in hopes that Jesus would be included in the slaughter. Herod was known for eliminating any real, or suspected rivals or usurpers to his throne. He included Jesus in that category.

The prophecy concerning this mass killing of children is found in Jeremiah 31:15. It is the text from which Matthew quotes. Within the immediate context of the Prophet Jeremiah, the prophecy had to do with the impending Babylonian Captivity of the Jews which occurred in 586 B.C., following two others invasions occurring in 605 B.C. and 597 B.C. The wailing which occurred then of mothers weeping for their slaughtered children prefigured the wailing that occurred some 500 years later by many mothers over their slaughtered children by the orders of King Herod.

Ramah was a city located north of Jerusalem. The possible reason why Matthew mentioned it was because it was the city in which the Jewish exiles returned from the Babylonian captivity after 70 years (Ezra 2:26; Neh. 7:30; 11:33). Additionally, Ramah was another traditional site of Rachel’s burial. Rachel, the beloved wife of the Patriarch Jacob, was considered by many to be the mother of the Nation of Israel. That is why she was symbolically seen weeping over these childrens’ deaths.

“Jeremiah 31:15 refers to the figurative weeping of Rachel, who was buried in Bethlehem (Gen 35:19). Jeremiah said she mourned for her descendants carried off into captivity during the Babylonian exile. Like righteous Jeremiah, Jesus was carried off to Egypt, but Rachel had cause to mourn anew at Herod’s murder of her people,” one commentator explains.

Matthew’s use of this prophecy appears to portray Jesus as the new Moses (the one who led Joseph’s descendants out of Egypt) who fulfills the prophecy of the second Exodus. Like Moses, Jesus escapes the slaughter as an infant. Like Moses, He is sent to rescue God’s chosen ones,” writes Dr. R. C. Sproul.

God has a purpose in everything He sovereignly permits. This is true even when we human followers of Christ do not understand, or even like, what God chooses to do. God causes all things in our lives to work together for our good and for His glory.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.” (Matthew 2:16 (ESV)

“Hell, hath no fury like a woman scorned.” This proverb is adapted from a line in the play The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve, an English author of the late 17^th and early 18^th centuries. The quotation means that no one is angrier than a woman who has been rejected in love.

A parallel proverb could well be “Hell hath no fury like a king who is tricked.” Probers 19:12a says, “A king’s wrath is like the growling of a lion.”

When King Herod discovered and discerned that the Magi would not return to Jerusalemto inform him of Jesus’ whereabouts, he became furious. The word furious (λίαν; lian) means exceedingly or intensely angry. To say that Herod was upset is an understatement.

Herod’s response was in keeping with his personality. He decided to kill all the male children in Bethlehem and in the surrounding region. The text tells us that the parameter would be boys two years old or under. Why did Herod make this stipulation?  It was because of the time he had ascertained, or discovered, from the Magi. This indicates to us that Jesus could have been as old as two or younger when the Magi visited him.

“This slaughter of the male children is mentioned only here in the biblical record. Even the Jewish historian Josephus (a.d. 37-100) did not mention this dastardly deed of putting to death innocent babies and young children. But it is not surprising that he and other secular historians overlooked the death of a few Hebrew children in an insignificant village, for Herod’s infamous crimes were many. He put to death several of his own children and some of his wives whom he thought were plotting against him. Emperor Augustus reportedly said it was better to be Herod’s sow than his son, for his sow had a better chance of surviving in a Jewish community. In the Greek language, as in English, there is only one letter difference between the words “sow” (huos) and “son” (huios).” Dr. John Walvoord writes.

Even in His infancy, hatred of Jesus Christ was a common occurrence. Beginning with Herod, and continuing to the present day, Jesus’ words from John 15:18-21 which says, ¹⁸ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:18–21).

I do not like the idea, or circumstances, of people hating me for my faith in Christ. However, the Bible tells me to expect it because their hatred for me is because a deeper hatred for the Lord Jesus. Have you encountered such hatred in your own life? Pray that God will give you the strength to be faithful.

Soli deo Gloria!

^13 “Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” ¹⁴ And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt ¹⁵ and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13–15)

God not only revealed Himself and His will in a dream to the Magi but also revealed Himself by an angel of the Lord to Joseph. Perhaps this was the same angel who had appeared to Joseph to assuage his fears of marrying Mary. We have no way of knowing.

However, we do know that the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” This eliminates any doubt about Herod’s true intentions regarding Jesus and that worshiping the Lord was not one of them. It seems that Herod’s murderous intent was formed before the Magi had reached Bethlehem.

“Egypt was a Roman province independent of Herod, and much inhabited by Jews, was an easy and convenient refuge. Ah! Blessed Savior, on what a checkered career hast Thou entered here below! At Thy birth there was no room for Thee in the inn; and now all Judea is too hot for Thee. How soon has the sword begun to pierce through the Virgin’s soul (Luke 2:35)! How early does she taste the reception which this mysterious Child of hers is to meet with in the world! And whither is He sent? To “the house of bondage?” Well, it once was that. But Egypt was a house of refuge before it was a house of bondage, and now it has but returned to its first use,” Dr. John Walvoord explains.

“And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt” (Matthew 2:14). The obedience of the Magi in going back to their own country another way in order to avoid King Herod is coupled with the obedience of Joseph in leaving Bethlehem, with Mary the Jesus, and traveling to Egypt to avoid Herod. Joseph and his young family remained in Egypt until the death of Herod, which is historically verified at 4 B.C. However, Matthew is quick to point out that this was also a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Hosea 11:1: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

“It is probable that the stay in Egypt was very brief—perhaps no more than a few weeks. This quotation is from Hos. 11:1 (see note there, which speaks of God’s leading Israel out of Egypt in the exodus. Matthew suggests that Israel’s sojourn in Egypt was a pictorial prophecy rather than a specific verbal one such as Matt. 2:6; cf. 1:23. These are called “types,” and all are always fulfilled in Christ and identified clearly by the NT writers. Another example of a type is found in John 3:14,” Dr. John MacArthur writes.

God is in providential control of the circumstances of life. He is not detached from our situations but rather providentially works through and in them. May we derive great comfort from this knowledge.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.” (Matthew 2:12 ESV)

Theologians describe God’s disclosure of Himself as revelation. Revelation is defined as a disclosure, an exposure of someone or something. Webster’s Dictionary defines biblical revelation as (A) An act of revealing or communicating divine truth; (B).something that is revealed by God to humans.; (C) an act of revealing to view or making known; and (D) something that is revealed especially an enlightening or astonishing disclosure.

Attached to the definition of revelations are two distinct categories of biblical revelation. These two categories are (1) general revelation and (2) specific revelation.

General revelation is God’s disclosure of Himself in a general way such as in creation. Important portions of Scripture expressing God’s general revelation would include Psalm 8, Psalm 19 and Romans 1:18-32.

God’s special revelation is God’s disclosure of Himself in a specific way such by miracles, dreams, visions, angels and audible voices. For believers today, God reveals Himself through the specific revelation of His Word.

Hebrews 1:1-4 (ESV) says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

Within today’s passage, God revealed Himself to the Magi in a dream. It appears that each of the Magi were warned by God. The word warned (χρηματίζω; chrematizo) means to disclose a divine message from God. God divinely warned the Magi not to return to King Herod.

The Magi immediately obeyed. This obedience is evidenced by the fact that they departed from Bethlehem and began to journey back to their own country. Only this time they went back to their own country another way than how they originally came. This allowed them to not journey near Jerusalem where they might be seen by either King Herod or his assistants. This may indicate that the Magi traveled with a large caravan.

“Matthew tells us that the magi, ‘having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod…departed for their own country by another way’ (Matthew 2:12). There almost seems to be a double meaning in that statement.  They returned to their country by a different geographical route, to be sure. But they also were now followers of another way in the spiritual sense. That’s true of everyone who turns to Christ and becomes one of His worshippers in spirit and truth: ‘If any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come’ (2 Corinthians 5:17),” writes Dr. John MacArthur, from his book God with Us: The Miracle of Christmas.

Are you a new creation in Christ? If you are, you know the changes which have occurred in your life since your conversion. Take time today to thank God for making you a new creation in Christ.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!  

^“And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

Matthew’s account of the Magi’s visit is often overlooked during the Christmas season. It is not that people ignore the Magi’s visit to the Christ child or even the gifts they brought. What they fail to realize from today’s text is that the Magi did not visit Jesus while He lay in a manger. They also did not visit Him on the night when He was born as did the shepherds.

First of all, the Magi visited Jesus in a house and not a stable, cave or barn. The word house (οἰκία; oikia) means a family’s home or residence.

Second, Matthew described Jesus as a child. The word for child (παιδίον; paidion) means children under the age of puberty. This is to be distinguished from the word for baby (βρέφος; brephos) which means an infant or a very, small child. This is the word Luke used in Luke 2:12. Later on in Matthew’s account we will see how old Jesus may have been at the time of the Magi’s visit.

Matthew then recorded that the Magi fell down and worshipped Jesus. To fall down (πίπτω; pipto) means to prostrate oneself before an object. To worship (προσκυνέω; proskyneo) means to prostrate oneself in worship before an object. Matthew was emphatic in his description of the Magi’s reaction of seeing Jesus. They not only physically fell down before Him, but they prostrated themselves before Jesus in worship.

Their worship entailed the giving of gifts. There are three gifts mentioned. This is perhaps while we speculate that there were three Magi. Matthew described these gifts as treasures (θησαυρός ; thesaurus). The word literally means a treasure box. The gifts in the treasure boxes were gold, frankincense and myrrh. The word thesaurus is used in our own day when referring to a treasure book of words.

Gold (χρυσός; chrysos) was the most highly valued metal in the ancient world. Not much has changed because gold remains the most highly valued metal in today’s world.

Frankincense (λίβανος; libanos) was an aromatic resin or gum from certain trees. It is also called a sweet-smelling incense.

Myrrh (σμύρνα; smyrna) was also an aromatic resin or gum from certain bushes. Myrrh was a valuable substance in the anointing and preserving a corpse.

“These were gifts worthy of a king and this act by Gentile leaders pictures the wealth of the nations which will someday be completely given to the Messiah (Isa. 60:5, 11; 61:6; 66:20; Zeph. 3:10; Hag. 2:7–8),” one commentator notes,

In light of this wonderful scene, I wonder what I may give Jesus which would resemble the gifts given by the Magi. Pastor John Piper has some insightful thoughts.

When the psalmist cried out, “What shall I render to the Lord for all of his benefits to me?” the reply was, “I will lift the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:12-13). So, translating that into Christmas: Jesus gives us the gift of himself and we ask, “Now what can I render to Jesus for all the benefits of his fellowship?” Answer: Ask him for his help. That’s the gift he wants.

The reason Christ wants this is because he always wants to get the glory while we get the benefit. Glory comes to him when we depend on him rather than try to enrich him. If we come to him with gifts—as though he needed something—then we put him in the position of a needy person, and we’re the benefactors. He always wants to be the one who is infinitely self-sufficient. Therefore, the only gifts that we can bring Jesus are gifts of praise, thanks, longing, and neediness.

Jesus doesn’t need the food or the clothing. What he delights in is receiving the honor that his name gets when we chose to say, “It’s his brothers that I’m going to love and sacrifice for.” So as long as we talk about giving to Jesus—in terms of Matthew 25:40—we should understand that what is happening there is that Christ is being honored, glorified, and valued, because these are Christ’s brothers that we are willing to serve.

So, let it be said; so, let it be done. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

^9 “After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” (Matthew 2:9–10 ESV)

Following their audience with King Herod, the Magi began their five-mile journey to Bethlehem in order to find Jesus Christ; the recently born King of the Jews. It was when they began this last leg of their journey, that the star that they had seen and followed for many days and miles appeared again and led them exactly to the place where the child was.

“The text might imply only that the star appeared to move due to the Magi’s own movement. Even had the object been close enough to earth to calculate its relation to Bethlehem, Bethlehem was so close to Jerusalem that any distance would have been negligible unless the object was only a mile high. But the description of God’s leading of the Magi by a moving, supernatural sign may recall how God had led his own people by the fire and cloud in the wilderness (Ex 13:21–22),” The IVP Background Commentary to the New Testament says,

In other words, the star which the Magi followed may have not been a star at all. Rather, it may well have been the Shekinah glory of God. The word Shekhinah (Biblical Hebrew: שכינה‎ šekīnah; also Romanized Shekinah, Schechinah, Shechinah) is the English transliteration of a Hebrew word meaning “dwelling” or “settling” and denotes the dwelling or settling of the divine presence of God.

It was when the Magi saw the star again that they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. The Magi became convinced that they were not deceived but that this supernatural light was leading them to the king for whom they sought.

Whenever I read this text I think of a song contained in the Christmas Cantata Noel, Jesus is Born by Lanny Wolfe. It is entitled Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy.

O’er mountains and valleys, it led them each night.                                                                           A star of most radiant light.                                                                                                             The wise men rejoiced as they journeyed afar                                                                             to behold such a beautiful star.

Oh, when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy!                                                                      Oh, when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy!                                                              Oh, when they saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy!                                                         They rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

Do you rejoice when you consider the incarnation of God in time and history? Do you rejoice when you consider His purpose in coming was to die on a cross as a substitute on behalf of sinners like me and you? Are you rejoicing with exceedingly great joy when you consider your justification is by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone? Take time today to praise with all your heart.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. ⁸ And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7–8 ESV)

Herod was a methodical schemer. He was really not what he seemed to be on the surface. While superficially charming, he possessed a deep-rooted hatred for any enemy; real or imagined. This applied to even those within his immediate family. You can be sure that Herod already made his mind up that Jesus was his mortal enemy who he needed to destroy.

Herod summoned the Magi and met with them secretly. Why? Perhaps it was to hide his true intentions and to limit the Magi’s investigation to only him. Regardless, in his meeting with the Eastern visitors he discovered from them how long they had been traveling since they saw the star. Remember, Herod had a reason for everything he asked and did.

“Herod has so far succeeded in his murderous design: he has tracked the spot where lies his victim, an unconscious babe. But he has another point to fix—the date of His birth—without which he might still miss his mark. The one he had got from the Sanhedrim; the other he will have from the sages; but secretly, lest his object should be suspected and defeated. So he inquired of them diligently—rather, “precisely” what time the star appeared—presuming that this would be the best clue to the age of the child. The unsuspecting strangers tell him all. And now he thinks he is succeeding to a wish, and shall speedily clutch his victim; for at so early an age as they indicate, He would not likely have been removed from the place of His birth. Yet he is wary. He sends them as messengers from himself, and bids them come to him, that he may follow their pious example,” Dr. John Walvoord explains.

Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem to find the Christ child. This ensured safe conduct for the Magi. To search diligently meant to accurately and carefully question and ask for the precise location of the child.

Herod added that the Magi were to return to him with information of where the baby would be found. Herod’s overt reason was to worship the child as the Magi intended. However, Herod’s covert plan was to destroy the child along with anyone who stood in his way.

There are people today who profess religious loyalty to Christ, only to turn against Him and any of His followers when things do not go their way. What about you? Are you a Christ follower or just a pretender?

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ⁶ “‘and you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:4–6)

King Herod wanted to know where the newborn king of the Jews was to be born. What city, town or hamlet? He did not know the answer so he summoned all the chief priest and scribes. Following their arrival to the king’s palace in Jerusalem, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. It is interesting that Herod did not know the biblical answer.

“The chief priests belonged mainly to the wealthy aristocracy of Sadducees. “Scribes” applies to experts in the Jewish law, most of whom were also teachers of the law. Herod exercised a great deal of influence over the prominent leaders of the people, having forcibly removed most of his political opponents,^” the IVP Bible Background Commentary of the New Testament says,

However, the chief priests and scribes certainly did know the biblical answer to Herod’s question. They told Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, according to the Prophet Micah. They even quoted Micah 5:2 which says, “and you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”

“This ancient prophecy from Micah 5:2 was written in the eighth century B.C. The original prophecy, not quoted in full by Matthew, declared the deity of Israel’s Messiah: “from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” The other portion of Matthew’s quote actually seems to be a reference to God’s words to David when Israel’s kingdom was originally established (2 Sam. 5:2; 1 Chron. 11:2). The Greek word for “ruler” evokes the image of strong, even stern, leadership. “Shepherd” emphasizes tender care. Christ’s rule involves both (cf. Rev. 12:5),” one commentator writes,

It is ironic that the chief priests and scribes knew the exact answer and location of the Messiah’s birth. What they did not have was even an idle curiosity to travel the distance from Jerusalem to Bethlehem (5 miles) to see if indeed Micah’s prophecy had come true. What a shame.

“The apathy of the teachers and priests s pathetic, but all too typical. “Religious people were often the last to receive Jesus. If the pagans had seen Jesus’ signs, if they had heard His preaching, Jesus says they would have repented (Matt. 11:20-24; 12:41-42). But the religious people saw no need of repentance. It was true then and remains all too true today. Sometimes those who most know the faith in the mind know it least in the heart. They should have joined the Magi and traveled to Bethlehem,” states commentator Daniel M. Doriani.

I Corinthians 2:14 says, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” The chief priests and scribes were religious but apparently, they did not have a heart for the Lord as demonstrated by their inaction.

What about you? Do you only know Christ in your mind? What about your emotions and your will?

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria! 

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” ³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; “(Matthew 2:1–3 (ESV)

We previously examined the life of Herod the Great. He was a ruthless, paranoid king who was not above killing real, or suspected, rivals to his throne. He would stop at nothing, including eliminating members of his own family, to ensure that he kept his power.

When Herod heard about the Magi’s quest and inquiry into the new born king of the Jews, he was troubled. He quickly paid attention to what was being said and he didn’t like what he was hearing.

The word troubled (ταράσσω; tarasso) means to be disturbed and to experience great mental distress. Herod’s mind was stirred. In fact, the Greek word for troubled can mean a riot going on in one’s mind. Herod experience acute emotional distress and turbulence. In short, Herod was not happy.

The text also says that all Jerusalem was troubled along with Herod. Why? It was because the Jewish populace in Jerusalem knew what Herod was capable of when he suspected his power was threatened. They knew he would do everything and anything he could to destroy any challenger. No one was safe.

Perhaps Herod’s fear and disquieted reaction to the news of the Magi’s search is best explained by one commentator. “It is no surprise that King Herod … was disturbed when the Magi came to Jerusalem looking for the One who had been “born King” (v. 2). Herod was not the rightful king from the line of David. In fact, he was not even a descendant of Jacob, but was descended from Esau and thus was an Edomite. (He reigned over Palestine from 37 b.c. to 4 b.c.). This fact caused most of the Jews to hate him and never truly to accept him as king, even though he did much for the country. If someone had been rightfully born king, then Herod’s job was in jeopardy.”

While 2,000 years separates us from Herod, there remains to this day people of power who will do anything they can to humiliate or destroy those with whom they feel threatened. This can happen not only politically, economically, militarily but also even religiously. This occurs when people who hold sway within an organization will exert their power and influence to hire and fire anyone indiscriminately. This creates an unhealthy environment; whether it is within a business, government, or a local church.

Are there King Herod’s in your life? Are there people who you know who will do anything to justify their behavior and to keep their power and influence over you and others? Remember that their authority, whether real or imagined, is no match for the sovereign God of the universe. What was true in Herod’s day remains so in our own.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

In Matthew 2:2, we observe from the Magi a question as they searched, a reason behind their search and a purpose for their search. Let’s look at each of these items separately.

What was the Magi’s question as they searched? It was, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?” This question is what the Magi continued to ask when they arrived in Jerusalem. They must have presumed that a new born king of the Jews would be born in the Jewish capital of Jerusalem. They were mistaken.

The reason behind their search was that they “saw his star when it rose. What was the star of which the Magi referred?

“Astronomers have offered various proposals for the appearance of this star in the first decade b.c. The ancients thought comets and falling stars predicted the fall of rulers; some emperors even banished from Rome astrologers who issued such predictions. By this period many Jewish people accepted the idea that the stars could accurately predict the future. Even though these Magi were pagans, God had chosen to reveal himself to them,” explains one commentary.

“This special revelation may simply have been in the sky, as might be indicated by their title “Magi” (specialists in astronomy) and by the fact they referred to a star which they saw. Or this revelation could have come through some contact with Jewish scholars who had migrated to the East with copies of Old Testament manuscripts. Many feel the Magi’s comments reflected a knowledge of Balaam’s prophecy concerning the “star” that would “come out of ^Jacob” (Num. 24:17). Whatever the source, they came to Jerusalem to worship the newborn King of the Jews, “Dr. John Walvoored speculates.

The word star (ἀστήρ; aster) may refer not only to a physical star, but also a planet or even a supernatural light for leading. This third meaning seems to be the star to which the Magi referred and which Matthew later describes as leading the Magi to the exact location of Jesus and his human parents.

What was the ultimate purpose for the Magi’s search? The text says, “For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Their purpose was worship. Worship is defined as the action, expressed by attitude and possibly by position, of one’s allegiance to and regard for deity.

The Magi came to worship God. What a wonderful and biblical idea. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!