“We three kings of Orient are . . .” is the opening line of a beloved Epiphany carol from the mid-nineteenth century. The problem is, we aren’t sure how many wise men there were, nor do we know if they had royal status, nor that they were present at Jesus’ manger. We do know that they were from the east. I’m not just bursting bubbles here. We know it is important in matters of faith to separate fact from fiction, and even fact from speculation. We are told the accounts recorded in Scriptures are for our learning and understanding (Romans 15:4). So we ask the Holy Spirit to guide us through the journey of the wise men.
Who were these men who journeyed hundreds, if not thousands of miles to worship our Savior and deliver priceless gifts? The account of the wise men is recorded only in the Gospel of Matthew, but we need to go further back than this to find their origins. The earliest Greek translations of Daniel use the same term to describe Daniel as is used of our gentlemen from the east—the term magi. Daniel was made chief of the magi, or wise men, during the Babylonian captivity, due to his God-given ability to interpret dreams. Others among the magi were astrologers, soothsayers, and masters of various arts.
We also know that Daniel and his friends were not shy about proclaiming their faith in the true God of Israel. The kings Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius–as well as the other wise men–heard from Daniel that it was the Lord Who gave the abilities he possessed. It is even possible that our “wise men” from Matthew are the heirs of Daniel’s faithfulness to God and His Word several generations later. These men knew that the star they had observed would lead them to their Savior.
We don’t know what planning was required to undertake such a trip. How many beasts of burden, servants, and/or guards were required is unknown. What is known is that the wise men created a great stir when they arrived in the capital city of Jerusalem. “All Jerusalem” was troubled along with King Herod when the Magi stated they had come to worship the king of the Jews Who had recently been born. The Bible scholars were able to point the Gentile visitors in the right direction, to Bethlehem.
There has been much speculation about the three gifts of the wise men. Gold is thought of as a gift fit for a king. A very fitting gift to Jesus, the King of Kings! Frankincense was prescribed by God to be burned in the temple. The rising aroma represented the people’s prayers to God. It is felt that this gift points to Jesus’ deity. Myrrh was used in the burial process. This gift appears to look ahead to Jesus’ suffering and death to pay for the sins of all mankind. These were gifts of great value, very helpful for a family soon to be on the run in a foreign land.
However, the first and most important gift of the wise men should not be overlooked. “And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.” (Matthew 2:11 ESV) What an act of faith! To fall to their knees and worship this young child! This was not simply a famous individual or future leader; this was their Lord God and Savior. The planning, the traveling, the expense, all became worthwhile as they met their Savior face to face.
What gift does God desire from you? Your heart is the gift that Christ requires. The broken and contrite heart will never be despised by the Savior (Psalm 51:17). The trinkets which we give as offerings are mere expressions of our love and appreciation of all that He has done for us.
Seek Him while He may be found and spare no expense to keep Him the center of your heart.
is a retired teacher. He lives in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.