No telling of the Christmas story would be complete without Magi crossing the desert between Babylon and Israel. Riding single file on camelback, the caravan is silhouetted against the moonlit sky as they follow a star and ancient prophecies to the birthplace of a new king. There is much mythical folklore that surrounds these royal visitors, but there are a few things about them we can know for certain.
The biblical text refers to the wise men as Magi (Matthew 2:1). The Medo-Persian word magus is connected to an Iranian root word meaning “powerful” or “rich.” The Magi were a distinguished caste of priests or astrologers serving in the highest levels of the kingdom where they lived. Like the advisers who consulted with Pharoah during the time of Moses (Exodus 7:11, 22) or Nebuchadnezzar during the time of Daniel (Daniel 2:2), they were likely practiced in the magical arts, revered as mediums of their gods.
Matthew notes that they were “from the east,” probably from the region of ancient Babylon in northern Arabia. Perhaps stories about a coming Messiah had been passed down from the Jews held in captivity in that region hundreds of years before. Depending on where they started, they could have travelled from 100 to 300 miles to reach Jesus, a journey that would have taken anywhere from three days to several weeks.
Tradition has three wise men coming to meet Jesus. In fact, they are named and described: Gaspar, from Sheba, wears a green cloak and a gold crown with jewels; Melchior, from Arabia, has a long white beard that flows down his golden robe; and Balthazar, from Egypt, has dark skin and a purple tunic. Truth is, the Bible only mentions three gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh—and the rest has become legend.
While our nativity pictures the wise men standing or kneeling at the manger while animals lounge in the shadows of the stable, the visitors likely didn’t arrive until one to two years after Jesus’ birth. When Matthew records, “they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was” (Matthew 2:9-10), he doesn’t use the familiar word for “infant.” Jesus is older now. Moreover, he writes that the Magi arrive at “the house,” not the manger (v. 11). And, when Herod learns that these foreigners had come to meet a new king, he launches his murderous attack against the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old and younger, an unnecessary plan if Jesus had just been born just a few days earlier.
Having established a little background, what do we make of these foreigners? What place do they take in the Christmas story? The answer is found in their journey; not a geographical one, but a spiritual one. The wonder of the Magi is the road they travel to meet Jesus—a way each person is invited to take.
THE JOURNEY TO JESUS
The journey to Jesus can be described in four steps. It begins with REVELATION. God put a star—a beacon of light in the sky—to lead faraway people to a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. Today, God reveals Himself generally to all people in all places through creation, human conscience and unexpected blessings to everyone, no matter what their spiritual condition. God also reveals Himself specially through Scripture, signs and miracles, and the words and works of Jesus. God’s revelation is because God wishes to be known. If the wise men had ignored the signs, they would have missed meeting Jesus Christ. No one comes to God without God revealing Himself and the way.
The next step on the spiritual journey requires SUBMISSION. The Magi weren't nobodies. They enjoyed significant standing in their culture. Yet Matthew writes, “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” (v. 11). They were great, but Jesus was greater. They humbled themselves and bowed down to Jesus as Lord and King. What a stark contrast the wise men were to Herod and the citizens of Jerusalem who were disturbed when they read the headlines of Jesus’ birth (v. 3) because they feared that their quiet lives were about to be turned upside down.
All of us are kings and queens, presiding over our little kingdoms and queendoms, deciding each day who will sit on the throne of our life. No one comes to Jesus with their chest puffed out, arms folded, and nose held high: “Look how great I am! I don't really need you! I'm smart, strong and sufficient!” We must stoop in submission.
In the Church of the Nativity, in Bethlehem, a queue line inches toward a little doorway, just to the right of the Greek Orthodox altar. As they descend the narrow steps through the doorway, each visitor must bend down. And when they come to the little inset, traditionally thought to be the spot where Jesus was born, each must get on their knees to peer inside. This is the humble posture of everyone who comes to Jesus. Submission.
The third step in our spiritual journey is EXPRESSION. The Magi were not passive spectators to the Christmas miracle. They responded in very active ways. Their initial response was gladness: “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (v. 10). Like Mary and the angelic chorus before them, they expressed great joy in having discovered the rich treasure of Jesus! Christians are the happiest people because they have encountered Him who is the source of their greatest gladness.
Their gladness was accompanied by glory: They bowed down and worshipped Jesus (v. 11). The word “worship” means “to kiss” or “adore.” Those who meet Jesus fall in love with Him and their heart affections are turned toward Him. They don’t merely think Jesus is great but believe that nothing else compares to Him.
And their glory was accompanied by giving: “Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh” (v. 11). These gifts were a tangible expression of their love for Jesus. God's people open their hands and surrender everything to Jesus Christ.
This brings us to the final step in the spiritual journey: TRANSFORMATION. This is not so much a “step” as a new, ongoing reality. Matthew writes about the wise men, “And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route” (v. 12). After a person encounters Jesus Christ, their life takes a different route. Their allegiances, opinions, values and priorities are reformed. It's not so much a decision we make as it is a complete revision of our life.
Where is the pin dropped on the map of your spiritual journey? Are you on the way to meet the Savior? If you have encountered Him, are your hands open in surrender? Is your heart opened with ecstatic gladness, glory and giving? Are you walking in a new way? Take the next step. Follow the wise men.