This time of year, many Christians all over the world remember the birth of Jesus Christ. The story is retold in a variety of ways.  There are sermons, nativity scenes, plays, songs, etc.  One of the elements associated with this story is the record of the “wise men” from the Gospel of Matthew.  

Some of what you read in this article does not agree with some traditions. I invite you to take the time to consider this exciting information. The Scriptures rightly understood give us the truth and traditions must always take a back seat to the Word of God.

Where Did They Come From?

The only account of the “wise men” coming to Bethlehem in the Bible is recorded in the gospel of Matthew. (That record is printed in full at the end of this article.)

The Bible says that they came from the “East.”  This would indicate the area of Persia. The “wise men” are also referred to in some circles as, “The Three Kings.” In this article I am using the word “Magi” instead of “wise men.”  

In the gospel of Matthew, the words “wise men” are from one Greek word, “magos.”  This is the name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.”

There are many who regard this word as having its origins in Babylon.  That is very interesting because in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, this word, “magos,” is found in the book of Daniel, where it is translated “magicians.”

Some scholars have concluded from studying ancient records that the earliest Magi lived in the Persia area.  They were a religious sect predating Zoroaster, who founded the Zoroastrian religion.  The Magi then adopted the Zoroastrian religion and became the priesthood for that religion.

Among the teachings of Zoroaster was that there was only one God Who was supreme, and that God would someday send a redeemer that would save mankind.  

Two Groups Of Magi

After the death of Zoroaster, there is evidence that the Magi splintered into two major groups.  One group abandoned much of the teachings of Zoroaster. The other group chose to continue to follow the Zoroastrian religion and remained primarily in the east.

The first century saw more and more of the first group moving west into the Roman Empire.  They continued developing pagan worship, magical arts, sorcery and astrology.  It is from this group of the Western Magi that we have derived terms like magic and magician.

It is very important to point out there is a big difference between astrology and astronomy.  Astrology is defined as, “a study of the positions and relationships of the sun, moon, stars, and planets in order to judge their influence on human actions.”  Astrology, unlike astronomy, is not a scientific study and has been much criticized by scientists.

It is beyond the scope of this article to present adequate information concerning true biblical astronomy versus astrology.  Astrology is really a perversion and corruption of true biblical astronomy.  By the time of Christ’s birth, the Magi in the “east” were well reputed for their knowledge in astronomy.

Written In The Stars

The Bible tells us a number of things about what we observe in the sky.  In Genesis it says that the stars were “to be for signs, and for seasons.” In Psalms it says God “calls them all by their names,” and, “The heavens declare the glory of God; day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.”

Long before the written Word of God, it was the heavens, the celestial bodies, that declared, or made known the glory of God, including His plan of redemption for mankind.

How Did The Magi Know?

The Bible says that the reason the Magi came to Jerusalem was that they were looking for the king of the Jews because they had seen his star in the east, and were coming to worship him.  In other words, because of their study of the heavens, they knew that the king of the Jews was born!

What they learned from their observations was not only had a king been born, but this king was so very important that they undertook a very long journey to come and worship him.  

How did they know that this king was to be born in Israel? The answer to that is perhaps best explained by remembering the position that Daniel had in Babylon, hundreds of years before.  Because of Daniel’s confidence in God, and his personal relationship with God, he had been made ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and made chief of the governors over all the wise men (magos) of Babylon.  Daniel was in a position to teach them what he knew.

God’s plan of redemption had been written in the stars.  This knowledge had been passed down from generation to generation.  Obviously by the time Christ was born, God’s people had lost that knowledge.  No one in observing the heavens even had a clue that the long awaited Messiah had been born.

Yet, hundreds of miles away, the Magi, who were Gentiles, while observing the heavens over a period of time, were convinced that THE king of the Jews had been born.  They made the necessary preparations for the long journey and traveled to Jerusalem.

Why Did They Go To Jerusalem?

Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  Why did the Magi arrive in Jerusalem looking for him? It’s rather obvious.  The capital city of Israel was Jerusalem.  They expected to find the new king there.  They also expected everyone else knew about it as well.

The Bible does not specifically say the Magi knew and understood a great king of the Jews had been born because the knowledge had been passed down to them for generations.  In fact, the Bible does not specifically say Daniel taught the Magi hundreds of years before about the details in the heavens that declared God’s plans.

However, with the biblical information that we do know, as well as historical information, it is a very solid conclusion.  There is, of course, another possibility.  God could have revealed it to the Magi in another way. But, if God did reveal it to them directly, I doubt God would have sent them to Jerusalem.  God would have sent them to Bethlehem. 

We do know from the Scriptures that these Magi, from their observations in the heavens over a period of time, knew a great king of the Jews had been born in Israel. They were so convinced they embarked on a very long journey to come and worship the new king.   

What Did They Observe?

Countless pictures, stories, plays, and even songs depict the Magi “following” a star.  It’s as if this star was guiding them to go left, then right, and then finally right to Jesus.  If that were the case, then what in the world were they doing in Jerusalem saying, “Where is he?”

The Scriptures say they said, “We have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”  First of all, if they saw the star in the east, why did they travel west?  Something doesn’t seem to make sense, so let’s look a little closer.

The words “in the east,” would be better translated as “in the rising.”  It literally means the rising of a star shortly before sunrise, referred to in astronomy as the heliacal rising of a star.  The Magi had been observing a star, over a period of time, before sunrise, until the star would have been obscured by the brightness of the morning sun.

Since they came to Jerusalem looking for the king, “his star” has to be referring to the king’s star.  So, what star were they observing?  Keep in mind that in ancient times, except for our sun and our moon, the lights in heavens were called “stars,” and that included planets as well.

Was It a Giant Searchlight?

Tradition promotes this was a brilliant light in the sky.  But there is no indication that anyone, including the Magi, saw a bright light. Even the shepherds who were out at night didn’t notice it.  The Gospel of Luke tells us It was the message from the angel that guided the shepherds to Jesus in the manger.  The Bible never ever mentions the brilliance of this star; the focus is on its significance.

It is obvious that the Magi studied the heavens and because of what they observed they traveled to Jerusalem to worship this king.  Most scholars today put the birth of Jesus somewhere between 7 B.C. and 1 B.C.  So, one could take the time to study what took place in the heavens during that time to try and figure out what the Magi had observed.

There are of course astronomical occurrences that happen all the time.  There are solar eclipses, lunar eclipses, conjunctions, massing of planets, etc.  It is certainly beyond the scope of this article to examine even the major astronomical occurrences during the above mentioned time frame.

But keep in mind, to the uneducated and untrained eye, all they see are stars in the sky.  Some casual observers can point out the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper.  But for those who study and observe the heavens and know what to look for, there is a wealth of information they can see.

Perhaps that is what fascinates me the most about the account in the Gospel of Matthew. Far, far away, some men observing the heavens, over a period of time, knew that the long awaited king of the Jews had been born!  They must have known how important and significant he was because they made a very long journey with one purpose in mind.  They came with gifts to see him and worship him.

The Planet Jupiter?

Many scholars agree that “his star,” the one that the Magi had observed over a period of time, was, in fact, the planet Jupiter.  Jupiter has long been called “the king planet.”  But it was not just seeing Jupiter in the sky, but rather where in the sky they had observed it.

During the above mentioned time frame, over a one year period, from August 3BC to August 2BC, Jupiter was in conjunction with other planets in the constellation of Leo, on seven different occasions!  Leo, “the lion,” commonly references the tribe of Judah.

The Magi could not help but to carefully document these seven heavenly orchestrations of Jupiter.  It is recorded that on August 27, 2 B.C., visible in the Persia sky, was a massing of four planets, including Jupiter and Venus in the constellation of Leo.

Many scholars believe that was the event that completely convinced the Magi and they decided to make the journey.  There has been and continues to be lots of debate about the Magi and “his star.”  There are a number of books and articles written that you can read and study, and I’ve included some links at the end of this article.

No one can dispute the reason for their journey.  They studied the heavens.  They had knowledge of a promised king to Israel.  He was to be THE king of the Jews.  From what they observed they knew that he had been born.  And, they were right!

The Magi Arrive In Jerusalem

Obviously, knowing THE king had been born in Israel, the Magi traveled to the capital, Jerusalem.  How excited they must have been.  How they must have expected everyone to know all about it.

The fact that they got an audience with King Herod is proof that these men were well respected.  They weren’t just some strangers wandering into town talking about a king.  If that were the case, they never would have had a meeting with King Herod.

It is amazing when you read the account given in the Gospel of Matthew that no one else was aware of this great event.  Herod called the religious leaders together to find out where Christ was to be born.  That he inquired of them about “Christ” is further indication of who the Magi believed had been born.

Herod, once he knew the location that had been prophesied of where Christ should be born, had a private conversation with the Magi.  He asked them, “diligently,” the Bible says, about the time they had observed “his star.”

Later we find out that Herod decided to murder all male children aged two and under, “according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.”  This is further proof that the Magi had been observing the stars over a period of time.  It is also an indication that by the time the Magi arrived, Jesus was no longer a newborn.

A Confusing Verse

King Herod sent the Magi to Bethlehem, telling them when they found the “young child,” to return and give him details so he himself could go and worship him.  Liar!

When the Magi left Jerusalem headed to Bethlehem, there is a verse that has caused some confusion.  Verse 9 of Matthew 2 says, “…they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east (in the rising), went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.”  This verse has led some to think that a star actually came down, unnoticed by anyone except the Magi, and hovered over the manger.

It is really easy to understand.  They were leaving Jerusalem and heading south to Bethlehem.  It had to have been very early in the morning, because when the sun comes up, we cannot usually see stars.

We can observe the sun and moon during the daytime travel from east to west from our vantage point.  We cannot observe a star traveling from east to west in one night.  As we observe the movement of stars, we see their position change from night to night.

Depending on the position of a particular star, we may observe it one night in the east.  Other nights we may observe it in the southern sky.  On other occasions, we may see it in the western sky.

As the Magi left Jerusalem early in the morning, before sunrise, Jupiter, “his star,” the star they had been observing for so long, was visible in the southern sky.  What an added blessing for them to again observe this star in the direction that they were headed!  No wonder verse 10 says, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

What About Tradition?

Tradition has these men “following” yonder star.”  Tradition tells us the star guided them right to the manger.  And, somehow, no one else could see it.

But if that is true, and they had been following a guiding star for 200 to 500 miles, as scholars estimate, why go to Jerusalem?  If the star was “guiding” them, why stop following it and go to Jerusalem?

Everyone has free will to decide what they believe.  You can follow tradition and believe that one night, far, far away, three wise men in the east saw a brilliant star in the sky and began to follow it as it guided them.  Somehow or other they knew this announced the birth of the king of the Jews, and somehow, no one else saw it, not even the shepherds.

Then, after letting this star guide their every step, for what some estimate four or five months, on the way to the manger, they arrived in Jerusalem thinking that their journey was over.  But, alas, the next morning, there the star was, once again, and it led them right to Jesus, as it hovered over the manger.  And of course no one else saw it there either.

That is basically what tradition says.  But tradition must always take a back seat to the Scriptures.  And there is more to this story that clashes head-on with tradition.

The Magi Arrive in Bethlehem

The Bible says that when the Magi arrived in Bethlehem, they came “into the house.”  The only account of the Magi coming to Bethlehem is recorded in the gospel of Matthew.  The only account of the birth of Christ is recorded in the Gospel of Luke.  They are two entirely different records.

In the Gospel of Luke, there is no mention of a house, Magi, or gifts.  In the Gospel of Matthew, there is no mention of an inn, a manger, swaddling clothes, or shepherds.  Many times different Bible accounts complement each other by adding details to an identical event.  But these two records cannot be talking about an identical event.

In the Gospel Luke, Jesus is a newborn baby laid in a manger.  The shepherds come to the manger and find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. But In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus is in a house, and referred to not once, but nine times, as a, “young child.”

Yikes!  This is not at all what tradition teaches.  We’ve all seen the movies, the plays and the nativity scenes.  When I was little I even sang the song, “We Three Kings.”  But the Bible does not indicate the Magi saw the baby in a manger.  They found the young child in a house. 

What About The Gifts?

Speaking of “three kings,” consider the gifts they presented to Jesus.  No one knows the value of the gifts to Magi presented to the young child, Jesus,, except that all three were costly.  

If I were to tell you that as a boy, one year for Christmas I received clothing, toys, and some cash from my relatives, would you say that I received gifts from just three relatives?  Maybe, but could I have received some clothing from two or three aunts, and maybe toys from a couple of uncles?  Why do we then assume there were only three Magi?

In biblical times, they traveled long distances in caravans, mainly for their safety and protection from robbers. The Scriptures never indicate how many Magi there were, it only talks about three kinds of gifts. And therefore we should not guess.

Isn’t it remarkable how God provided such abundance?   Because of Herod’s murderous plan, Joseph, informed by an angel of the danger,  needed to quickly move the family to another country.  The gifts from the Magi provided more than enough to take care of all that they needed.

And God, by way of a dream, also warned the Magi to not return to Herod. So they returned to their land a different way.

Another point to consider is what is found in the Gospel of Luke after the shepherds left.  Eight days after Jesus was born he was circumcised.  Forty days after he was born, Joseph and Mary brought him to Jerusalem, to the Temple, to present him before the Lord according the the Law.

Would King Herod, with a murderous plot in mind, have waited forty days to hear back from the Magi? Of course not.  The record in the Gospel of Matthew tells us that when the Magi did not return Herod sent soldiers to murder all boys age two and under.  From what the Magi told him about when they had observe the star, he knew this “king” could be at least two years old, and he was not taking any chances.

The Bible tells us after the Magi presented their gifts to the young child, the angel of the Lord told Joseph to leave quickly and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt. They left in the middle of the night.  God also warned the Magi to not return to Herod.  The Magi were not at the manger. 

Finally…

Whatever you believe about the Magi does not affect your salvation.  But if we are sloppy in handling the Scriptures on matters that do not directly affect salvation and all God has given to us a born again ones, how can we be sure that we won’t be sloppy when they do?

And do consider that if we’re going to reach people with the Good News of what Jesus Christ accomplished for all of mankind, how can we do that by promoting myths and fairy tales?

I sincerely hope this information has been helpful.  Much has been written about the birth of Jesus Christ, biblically, historically and astronomically, as well as many viewpoints and opinions.  I have included some links below if you are interested in looking into this further.

It’s always a great question to ask ourselves, “Why do I believe what I believe?  Is it because of what someone else said, or, or tradition?  We can choose to believe what God has said in His Word by rightly understanding the Scriptures. 

Mike A Verdicchio
2022

 Matthew 2:1-16

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

Jesus Christ, Our Promised Seed

The Birth of Christ Recalculated (Scientific & Historical Series)

The Stars Declare God’s Handiwork

The Witness of the Stars