THE VISIT OF THE
MAGI
1Now after Jesus
was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men
from the east came to Jerusalem, 2saying, “Where is he who has been born
king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship
him.”
3When Herod the
king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4and assembling
all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the
Christ was to be born. 5They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is
written by the prophet:
6“‘And you,
O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no
means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from
you shall come a ruler
who will
shepherd my people Israel’”
7Then Herod
summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had
appeared. 8And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently
for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come
and worship him.”
9After listening
to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen
when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the
child was.
10When they saw
the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11And going into the house,
they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.
Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense
and myrrh.
12And being
warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by
another way.
MATTHEW 2:1-12
COMMENTARY
Matthew elaborates
over the initial events in the life of Christ. The visiting of the Magi, and
the sacrifice of the children by Herod the Great are some of them, and the most
polemical.
Modern secular
Historians and some ‘Christian’ scholars attribute these two narratives to
later non-apostolical additions around the 2nd century at the
earliest. They argue this, because most secular sources give the life of Herod
between 12BC and 4BC; which falls out of the time frame of the life of Jesus.
Other minority
of historians, like W.E. Filmer and Andrew Steinman sustain the death of Herod
to be between 1BC and 1AC, which would coincide with Jesus’s birth.
But regardless, while
fallible science discus a decision, false Christians would be inclined to say
that the Gospel of Matthew is corrupted with these additions, denying the
visitation of the Magi and the killing of the innocent as legends. While true Christians
would be determined to support the divinely revealed scriptural account, and
leave History aside on this topic, as being in error.
But apostle
Matthew took the time to mention names, to settle the historical evidence of his
narrative. In this case, an undisclosed number of Magi, or Zoroastrian priests
of Iran, came to visit the announced King of the Jews, whose signs of his birth
they had noticed by watching the stars, and having a previous knowledge of
Jewish beliefs. This should not be a surprised because since the Babylonian
captivity, the knowledge of Judaism and the Tanakh had extended over all the
known world, and specially among those who were dedicated to religion.
They must have
been righteous men, according to their light of knowledge (Romans 2:15-16),
because they believed and followed the star that guided them to first Jerusalem
and then to the house where the Holy Family was living, some time after his
birth, most probably after two years (Matthew 2:16).
The Magi, did
not come to see the Son of God in his divine nature, but the human Messiah,
King of Israel; and they gave Him presents fit for a King:
Gold, as a sign
of respect.
Incense, as
perfume for royal dignity;
and Myrrh, for the
day of his Anointing as King and Messiah.
They paid homage
to Him, and gave them these presents, without knowing that prophetically they
had acknowledged Him, as King, God and Man.
Gold, for as
King.
Incense, for his
divinity;
And Myrrh for
the day of his death.
However, whoever
meets God face to face, is never the same again. If we see GOD THE FATHER, we
die; but if we see the visible human face of God, in Christ, our souls are
confronted with its Creator, and a change is always experienced by the power of
the encounter. In this case, the Magi were changed in their souls and were
spiritually born again, and only then we can appreciate God guiding them not to
return to Herod, as they had promised him, but to save the King of the
Universe, by returning through a different way across the desert.
This day, these
Magi converted to our Lord Jesus, who was a small child, and returned to their lands
to share the good news to their own people.
Omar Flores.
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