Matthew 2:1-12

Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

in the days of King Herod, 

behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 

“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?

We saw his star at its rising

and have come to do him homage.”

When King Herod heard this,

he was greatly troubled, 

and all Jerusalem with him.

Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, 

He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, 

for thus it has been written through the prophet:

And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,

are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

since from you shall come a ruler,

who is to shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod called the magi secretly 

and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, 

“Go and search diligently for the child.

When you have found him, bring me word, 

that I too may go and do him homage.”

After their audience with the king they set out.

And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, 

until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.

They were overjoyed at seeing the star, 

and on entering the house

they saw the child with Mary his mother.

They prostrated themselves and did him homage.

Then they opened their treasures 

and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 

they departed for their country by another way.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, I am inspired by the example of the Magi. They read the Book of Nature and discerned your Son’s Coming. They listened to your revealed Word and went to Bethlehem to encounter your Son and do him homage. Open my eyes to see how the created world proclaims your glory and open my ears to hear what you have revealed about yourself.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Magi from the East: On the Solemnity of the Epiphany, we celebrate the adoration of the Christ-child by the Magi. The Magi were a group of people “from the East” who exercised some priestly functions, such as chanting over sacrifices offered to the gods. In the Book of Daniel, the Babylonian Magi were called upon to interpret dreams (Daniel 1:20; 2:2, 10, 27). The Magi in Persia were expected to interpret heavenly omens. Thus, the Magi in the Gospel of Matthew were Gentile dignitaries and astrologers, from Arabia, Babylonia, or Persia. They came to Jerusalem seeking to honor the newborn King of Israel. By introducing us to the Gentile Magi who seek Jesus at the beginning of his Gospel and by commissioning the Apostles to make disciples of all the Gentiles at the end of his Gospel, Matthew creates bookends. The Magi represent an early response to the Messiah, in contrast to King Herod, who seeks to kill Jesus, the newborn King of the Jews. This prefigures how the Jewish authorities will seek to kill Jesus, but the Gentiles will embrace Jesus and the Gospel of the Kingdom.

2. We Saw His Star: The “star” in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ birth, and the visit of the Magi, was likely the planet Jupiter. If we place Jesus’ birth in 3/2 B.C. (late 3 B.C. to early 2 B.C.), then there is good reason to suppose that the Magi were interpreting the retrograde movement of Jupiter to indicate that a new king would be born in Israel. Jupiter is one of the five planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) that “wander” the heavens and are visible to the naked eye. Babylonian astrologers attached meaning to the movements of these five planets and interpreted them as omens. In particular, when Babylonian astrologers observed the planet Jupiter triple-pass the brightest star, Regulus, in the constellation Leo, it meant that their king – the Parthian Phraates IV – would be defeated and a new king would arise in the region of Israel. When the Magi saw this omen in the stars, they set out to Judea, and initially went to Herod’s palace in Jerusalem, possibly assuming that Herod the Great or one of his sons had a baby boy who would grow up to be king. Since there was no newborn prince at Herod’s palace, a consultation had to be held with the chief priests and Jewish scribes to learn where the Magi really needed to go: to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4). When the Jewish scholars of the Law recalled the prophecy of Micah and indicated Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah, the Magi from the East likely set out southwest from Jerusalem to Bethlehem and saw Jupiter remain in the sky over Bethlehem.

3. They Opened their Treasures: When the Magi “from the East” encountered the newborn king and his Queen-mother in the house in Bethlehem, they prostrated themselves and did homage. This act was a recognition of the child’s divine nature. The gift of gold was a recognition of the child’s royalty. The gift of frankincense was a recognition of the child’s divinity. And the gift of myrrh was a recognition of the child’s mortality. The Magi were inspired by the omen of Jupiter to seek the peace offered by the newborn King. They knew from the stars that the rule of the Phraates IV over Babylon was coming to an end, and that a new ruler would come from the land of Judah. The reign of Jesus and the peace he brings far exceeded their expectations. Jesus’ Kingdom is universal and lasts forever. The peace he has brought reconciled humanity with God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my King and Savior. You guide and govern me with justice and want to lead me to true peace. I offer myself to you and all that I am. I ask that you rescue me today and help me in my affliction. Have pity on me and shower me with your mercy. 

Living the Word of God: How can I offer my gold – my time and my treasure – to my king today? How can I offer my frankincense – my prayers – to the newborn Son of God today? How can I unite my offering of myrrh – my daily sacrifices – to the offering of my Savior and Redeemer to the Father today?