Study of the Wise Men

[Jesus Freak]

Now if you look at most nativity scenes what do you see? Shepherds, donkeys, a girl angel (btw there is no such thing as girl angels), sheep, Mary, baby Jesus, and Joseph.

Now what does the Bible say about these Wise men.

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. The word wise men is incorrect, the word should be Magi, see Greek word if you have a Key Word Study Bible.Not much is knows of these Magi we dont know how many came or where they came from, tradition says they were high partiriarchs from the site of anciet Babylon. Now How did they know the Star represented the Messiah. 1. They were Jews who remained in Babylon afther the exile and knew the OT prophecies, 2. They may have been eastern astrologers who studied ancient manuscripts from around the world. B/c of Jewish exile centuries later they would have had copies of OT. 3. They may have had a special message from God, proably each from a diff. land symbolozing the whole World bowing down to Worship Him.
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. The Magi said they saw Jesus Star, Balaam refereed to a coming star out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17) Their are multiple explanations of what the Star actually was some say it was a comet, conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, or God created a special Star for this moment. What ever the star is the Magi traveled thousand of miles to see it
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
Herod the Great was greatly disturbed by this b/c he just heard about a newborn Kingof the Jews b/c Herod was not the rightfull heir to Jerusalmen (Throne of David) therefore many Jews hated him. Heord was extremely paranoid and thought many were trying to overthrow Him, and He didnt want the Jews surrounding themselves with a religious figure. Now all of Jersualemn wsa troubles also b/c it startled them, and when Jesus came they didnt immediately react Jesus word disturbed them.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. The cheif priest knew of the porphecy Micah 5:2, and other prophecies about the Messiah. The Messiahs comeing greatly troubled Herod b/c the Jewish people believed the Messiah would be like Alexander the Great.
11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
Jesus was proably close to 2 or 2 years old when the Magi found Him. By this time Joseph and Mary were alredy living in a house and married in Bethlehem. The Magi gave these expensive gifts as worth acknowledgement for the Future King. Many have seen these gifts as symbolism as Christ's attributes Gold-royalty, incense-deity, myrhh-a spice for someone who is about to die, these gifts proably financed the flight to Egypt.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
The Magi were asked to go another way due to Herods cruel, inhumane plan.

So there you go a little history of the Magi! When I heard that the Maig wernt at the nativity I was shocked and had to go read and study.

[micah719]

Personally, I understand that they would be Jews (nobody else was so eagerly awaiting The Messiah, and Daniel the Chief Governor of the Chaldeans (Daniel 2:48) prophesied to the very day when Messiah would come (Daniel 9:25-27)), from Babylon. The whole world did not and has not accepted Him, indeed it hates Him and anyone belonging to Him; and as for priests of a foreign, pagan, religion coming before The Lord to acknowledge and worship Him, well that is just unusual don't you think?

[Jesus Freak]

Personally, I understand that they would be Jews (nobody else was so eagerly awaiting The Messiah, and Daniel the Chief Governor of the Chaldeans (Daniel 2:48) prophesied to the very day when Messiah would come (Daniel 9:25-27)), from Babylon. The whole world did not and has not accepted Him, indeed it hates Him and anyone belonging to Him; and as for priests of a foreign, pagan, religion coming before The Lord to acknowledge and worship Him, well that is just unusual don't you think?

I dont find it unusual at all, since Daniel was put in charge of the wisemen, majority of them still worshipped the Babylonian gods. Besides Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abenego. King Nebuchadenzzar shouted to Glory to God, but then returned to his ways.

Were you saying the Messiah would come from babylon? Sry if I misread.

[micah719]

Sorry for my poorly typed post above.....Scripture is clear that Messiah would come from Bethlehem, not Babylon. Further, remember these wise men came and worshiped Jesus as King, meaning they gave Him divine honours....ie, they recognised and praised Him as God. They may have been Jews, or they may have been proselytes, but surely the definition of someone that worships Jesus The Christ as He is, God; well those are "Christians" as sure as Adam and Eve, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, etc....

[Jesus Freak]

I agree.

[mattfivefour]

Sorry for my poorly typed post above.....Scripture is clear that Messiah would come from Bethlehem, not Babylon. Further, remember these wise men came and worshiped Jesus as King, meaning they gave Him divine honours....ie, they recognised and praised Him as God. They may have been Jews, or they may have been proselytes, but surely the definition of someone that worships Jesus The Christ as He is, God; well those are "Christians" as sure as Adam and Eve, Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Job, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptist, Peter, Paul, etc....

Respectfully, I think you are reading into the text here, Micah. They indeed worshiped Jesus as King: the text says that. But where does one find they also worshiped him as God. According to Scripture hey were looking for a ruler ... and found him as a babe. (Matthew 2:6; Micah 5:2). But in finding the one "that is to be ruler in Israel" did they indeed recognize him also as divine and worship him?

[micah719]

The word "worship" means to pay divine honours does it not?

Herod sent the astrologers (wise men....compare the word used in Daniel and in Matthew) to Bethlehem after the priests told him the prophecy of Micah 5:2, in order that he too might worship Him. And after they had worshiped Him, they received a divine answer in a dream:....not to go back to Herod;....so what was the question they asked The Lord?.....perhaps: "we didn't like the cut of Herod's jib, should we tell him where the Child is?".

I just think it is most unusual that heathen would be watching prophecies and the signs of the times, come and worship Jesus The Christ at His birth, show concern that an Edomite usurper of the throne of Israel might have ulterior motives against Him, ask and receive guidance from the Lord, and then take a huge risk by blatantly defying the reigning monarch Herod in disobeying him. And what is the purpose of these astrologers being included in the Bible anyway? Could it be that they are to prove that it was possible to know that Messiah had been born and that the hierarchy of Israel have no excuse? Perhaps they were fulfilling prophecy too, I'd like to search the OT and see if they are mentioned. Balaam's prophecy (Numbers 24) points to the Star, but that's in reference to Jesus The Christ...for now, unless and until some hard Scriptural proof of the contrary is found, I'll stick to my understanding that these astrologers are from Babylon, following instructions passed down from Daniel and his contemporaries, and that they knew exactly Whom it was they were worshiping: The Messiah, The Anointed One.

It's an interesting subject and just one example of how rich and alive the Scriptures are. Also; I am fully aware of the danger of reading something into Scripture that isn't there, I've had a stern lesson about that..so I welcome correction and warning, I'd rather hear it from brothers and sisters than get taken behind the woodshed again.


Matthew 2:7-12
1 NOW WHEN Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men [astrologers] from the east came to Jerusalem, asking,
2 Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east at its rising and have come to worship Him.
3 When Herod the king heard this, he was disturbed and troubled, and the whole of Jerusalem with him.
4 So he called together all the chief priests and learned men (scribes) of the people and anxiously asked them where the Christ was to be born.
5They replied to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6And you Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are not in any way least or insignificant among the chief cities of Judah; for from you shall come a Ruler (Leader) Who will govern and shepherd My people Israel.
7 Then Herod sent for the wise men [astrologers] secretly, and accurately to the last point ascertained from them the time of the appearing of the star [that is, how long the star had made itself visible since its rising in the east].
8 Thenhe sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search for the Child carefully and diligently, and when you have found Him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship Him.
9 When they had listened to the king, they went their way, and behold, the star which had been seen in the east in its rising went before them until it came and stood over the place where the young Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they were thrilled with ecstatic joy.
11 And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they presented to Him gifts--gold and frankincense and myrrh.
12 And receiving an answer to their asking, they were divinely instructed and warned in a dream not to go back to Herod; so they departed to their own country by a different way.

[mattfivefour]

There are three verbs for "worship" in the NT. The one used here is προσκυνέω (proskuneo=pross-coon-EH-oh) which is a compound of the preposition πρὸς ("toward") and the verb κυνέω (to kiss). Kυνέω on its own was an obsolete word by the time the NT was written, having been replaced by φιλήσω (fee-LAY-so) meaning "to have affection for" which itself comes from φίλος (FEE-loss) which means "loved one" or "that which is loved".

The word proskuneo, which literally means "to kiss toward" or "to kiss to", was used in literature to denote the idea "to make obeiesance to someone." Scholars have given the following connotations: to crouch, crawl, or fawn, like a dog at his master’s feet; hence, to prostrate one’s self, after the eastern custom, to do reverence or homage to any one, by kneeling or prostrating one’s self before him, to express in attitude or gesture one’s complete dependence on or submission to. Another scholar has written: The usage of proskuneo primarily describes the attitude of a person as he approaches a superior being, with emphasis on mentally or verbally showing submission.

You will doubtless note that this does not have to be toward God. Now the fact of the NT is that it is nearly always used of worship toward God. But not quite always. For example, in Matthew 18:26 it is used of a servant to his king.

My point in all of this is this— we need to be very careful that, when developing doctrine or presenting ideas to others, we are drawing out of the internal meaning of the text (exegesis) and not perhaps reading some external idea into it (eisegesis). Now in this case the word proskuneo which all reputable NT translators render as "worship" does not denote the object of that worship. It could be God, man, or idol.

On the face of the text itself, it would appear that the Magi (however many of them there were, whatever their profession, and whenever they showed up) came to worship the "one born King of the Jews." Does this mean they recognized Him as Messiah? I don't know. I cannot read it out of the text. I can assume it. I can read it into the text, but I cannot find it IN the text. They may have come simply thinking He was going to be a great King, or even THE Great King foretold by Scripture. And if they had studied Hebrew Scriptures then perhaps they discerned that this great king would also be the promised messiah and, perhaps, they may even have discerned that He was God in the flesh. (But had they discerned the latter, would they then have left to go back to their own land? Again, I don't know.) The shepherds certainly recognized the baby as the promised Messiah. But only because the angel said to them plainly: "unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (literally 'which is the Messiah the Lord')." Yet the shepherds are not recorded as having worshipped the baby. No, Luke tells us that having seen the child they left and first "made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child." (Luke 2:17) Then "the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them." (Luke 2:20)

Having said all of this, my brother, we ourselves know for a fact that Jesus is Messiah and that He is indeed the Lord God. Therefore we worship Him as God. And as true followers we should be worshiping Him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24) And in that matter the word proskuneo offers us a beautiful lesson.

As the beginning of this reply has shown, the word refers to the expressing of one’s complete dependence on or submission to someone. In our case, God. It describes approaching Him with emphasis on mentally or verbally showing submission. I suggest the idea of "mentally showing submission" is the key we should focus on. Submission from the heart.

Most Christians will pray "Lord". Many will say "He is my Lord and Savior." But I fear to many of them He is just the latter— Savior. He is not Lord. And therein lies the lesson that the idea of worship (proskuneo ) can teach us. If He is truly Lord, then He control every aspect of my daily life. I go to Him as soon as I awake and ask what He wants, how I may serve Him that day. When He tells me I then faithfully go and do it, without shirking. I stay in continual communication with Him, allowing Him to guide me as He will. I use the talent, the education, the intelligence,—and the authority He has given me as His personal bond-slave—to carry out His will. When I fail (note I did not say "if") then I go to Him and confess my failure and ask His forgiveness ... which He freely gives. When the day is done and He allows me to rest, I then review what has transpired since I first awoke and determine to learn from my mistakes. And since I cannot do ANYTHING worthwhile for Him in my own strength, I ask Him to imbue me with the wisdom and the strength I need for the next day ... something I repeat the next morning for my benefit that I might be a little more faithful in the new day than I was in the old.

You will notice that in none of this is there time or place for my own wants, my own needs, my own dreams, my own hopes, my own desires. I am totally at His beck and call. And my sole goal is to please Him, my Master, My Lord, My God.

If all of this sounds to someone like abject slavery and a miserable existence, then that person does not know my Jesus. Serving Him is a joy. I was drowning in the cesspool of sin. I was being sucked down in the quicksand of my own making, doomed to eternal death in the miry clay. And then He came by and reached out His nail-pierced hand and lifted me up to a higher realm than I ever dreamed of. He placed my feet firmly on the Rock that shall never be moved. He gave to me with no thought whatsoever of the cost to Himself. And, friend, it cost Him more than we can ever imagine. That's why I chose the sig that I did: "We are not our own, we are bought with a price." Oh, what a price! How can I therefore live to myself any longer? How then can I selfishly return to my own wants and ways and ignore His?

Do I walk as closely, as faithfully, as a servant as I have written above that we should? To my shame, no. I fail so often. So often I feel the tug of the flesh to head off and enjoy some passing pleasure of this world. Too often my emotions, my ego, my self-interest become my focus. I am still in this flesh. As are we all. The process of sanctification is a life-long, progressive one as we seek to walk ever closer to the One whom we love. And oh the pain when we fail Him! But I can see now where I am and look back to see that it is ever much closer than where I was. But there is still so far to go! Yet, I do not strive to try and make it happen—simply because I have learned that I cannot. I have after too many years of struggling finally learned that I can leave it ALL entirely in His hands, for His Word tells me that "HE that began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6) Indeed He tells me that HE "shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:8-9) I didn't begin the3 work in me, He did. So I am saved and by the same means by which He saved me (grace through faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross) so too is He sanctifying me. By grace. Through faith. In the finished work of the Cross.

But the awesome thing—beyond even my salvation—is that one day I will go to live with Him ... free from stress, free from sorrow, free from sickness, free from selfishness, free from sin! FOREVER! I am now a son— "Beloved, now are we the sons of God." (1 John 3:2) But for the time being I differ nothing from a servant— "if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all." (Galatians 3:29-Galatians 4:1) And thus as a dutiful son who one day will be a joint-heir with Christ—then in position, not as now just in promise—I seek to please Him who has loved me and called me into His family.

I pray that, every day, Christians would consider the meaning of the word proskuneo and be thereby challenged to daily submit themselves to God. THAT is the true meaning of the phrase "picking up your cross": dying to self. It is a work of the Holy Spirit as we daily yield ourselves in obedience to Him. In Roman days when you saw a man carrying his cross, you knew he was (to use a modern day vernacular) a "dead man walking". His life was over. His wants, his desires, his dreams, his hopes, his future no longer existed. He was on his way to die. And that is what are doing. At least, what we should be doing. But God will not force our death to self. WE have to supply the willingness. He will supply the work ... and the power. And He never fails.

I pray this help someone.

Matt