The Magi

In the Gospel of Matthew, magi appear near the beginning of his narrative—they come to honor Jesus (Matt 2:1–12). According to Matthew 2:2, the magi, “wise men from the east” (Matt 2:1), were alerted to the birth of Jesus by a special star. Some translations render this verse as “we saw his star in the east.” However the Greek word translated as “east” can also be translated as “rose” or “rising.” An alternate translation would be “we saw his star when it rose.” This latter translation fits with the circumstances since if the magi followed a star in the east, they would have traveled in the opposite direction of Jerusalem.

Matthew does not specify the number of wise men who followed the star. Traditional representations depict three magi, likely based on the number of gifts they presented to Jesus (Matt 2:11). Some later accounts go so far as to assign names to the magi—Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar—but these names are based in legend and have no historical foundation. Given the dangers associated with travel in the first-century Near East, the magi probably traveled as part of a larger entourage.

The magi’s gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were well-known products of ancient Arabia (Matt 2:11; 1 Kings 9:28; 10:2; Job 28:16), suggesting they were from this region or from Babylon or Persia—all in the east. The gift-giving may be an allusion to Psalm 72:10–11 and Isaiah 60:6, which refer to foreigners bringing gifts in honor of God’s royal Son. The gifts do not necessarily characterize the magi as rich and powerful since other contexts referencing magi suggest that they were courtiers, not kings. Matthew says nothing about the quantity of each gift or the gifts’ monetary value, but the gifts were precious commodities of the time. Gold was the standard currency of the day, and frankincense and myrrh were often used in religious ceremonies because of their aromatic properties. Such gifts were reserved for important figures.

Although it is possible some of the magi were Jewish, it’s most likely they were not. They questioned Herod about the location of Jesus’ location, which seems to reveal their lack of scriptural knowledge. It was the chief priests and teachers of the law who cited Micah 5:2: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for from you will go out a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” (Matt 2:5–6).

The magi traveled a great length through dangerous country in their desire to see the new King. Despite the humble setting in which they found the Christ child, they believed they were in the presence of Israel’s greatest king and presented Him with lavish gifts befitting that office. Warned by God not to return to Herod (Matt 2:12), they obeyed by taking a different route to their homeland, thus foiling Herod’s evil intentions.

David Seal and Matthew M. Whitehead

Further Reading

Wise Men, Magi CLBD

Star in the East CLBD