The Visit of the Wise Men

GOLDEN TEXT: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” —Isaiah 60:1,3

MATTHEW 2:1-12

TRADITIONALLY, the wise men arrived in Bethlehem on the same day that Jesus was born. Many illustrations, such as those on Christmas cards show the wise men and the shepherds together worshiping the babe Jesus in the manger. But this view does not agree with the Scriptures. The record shows that the wise men went to Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. They inquired, “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 learned of their presence in Jerusalem “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.” Here is an undertaking which denotes a lapse of time, which in itself would indicate that the wise men did not reach Jesus on the night he was born, as the shepherds did.

Learning that according to the prophecies Christ was to be born in Bethlehem, Herod inquired of the wise men when it was that they saw the star which they believed indicated that a king was born to the Jews. Then he sent them to Bethlehem to seek the child and inform him of his whereabouts so that he might also worship this new king. The shepherds were guided to the babe Jesus, but in this instance of the wise men he no longer is called a babe, and they do not find him in a manger, but in a house. (vs. 11) And they did not return to Herod, as instructed by him, for God had warned them in a dream to return to their country by another route.

Then Herod, realizing that he had been “mocked,” and did not learn the whereabouts of Jesus, nor his identity, gave instructions that all the male children of the district, two years of age and younger, be destroyed. The record states that this age had been determined on the basis of what the wise men told him concerning the time that the star appeared. Apparently they had informed Herod that they had seen this star two years before their arrival in Jerusalem, indicating that at that time Jesus could be two years old.

When Jesus was eight days old ha was circumcised, “and when the days of her [Mary’s] purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.” (Luke 21:22) Following the ceremony, which took place in the temple, “they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.” (Luke 2:39) Let us remember that after the visit of the wise men Joseph and Mary and the young child fled to Egypt.

Back in Nazareth “the child grew, and waxed strong, … filled with wisdom.” We are told also told that “his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover.” (Luke 2:40,41) It would seem, then, that the wise men found Jesus in Jerusalem perhaps the next year, or even when his parents had taken him there the second year at the time of the passover.

These details may not be too important, but it is well to obtain a correct understanding of the chronology of these events, even as it is important to understand other details of the Bible correctly. We are not to suppose that the wise men were involved in the plot to destroy Jesus. They were no doubt sincere in their desire to worship the King of the Jews. The record of the incident is recorded in the Bible to point out the great effort that was made by Satan, through Herod, to destroy the “Seed” of promise.

The Golden Text refers to Jesus as the “Light” of Israel, and indeed of the whole world. Through Jesus the glory of the Lord had arisen upon Israel at that time; but as a nation they rejected that light, and became a scattered people. But it will not be so when Jesus appears in power and great glory as a divine King to rule over them.

Then, as the work of the messianic kingdom continues, the Gentiles also will come to Jesus, the great light of Israel and of the world. What a glorious light that will be! Malachi foretold that Jesus will then he as the “Sun of Righteousness” which shall “arise with healing in his wings.” (Mal. 4:2) All mankind, Jews and Gentiles, will rejoice in the healing powers of this wonderful Savior and Deliverer. Ultimately there shall be no more pain and death, for the former things shall have passed away.—Rev. 21:4

QUESTIONS

How do we know that the wise men did not arrive in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born? Trace the scriptural evidence.

When will Jesus, the light of Israel and the whole world, “arise with healing in his wings”?

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