The Wise Men Led by the Star

Matthew 2
Matthew does not tell us much of the infancy of
Jesus. There is something very beautiful, however, in
the little we have in this first Gospel. It gives us a
glimpse of the way the world, outside of His own
country, received Him. There was no room for Him
in the inn, and He was born in a stable; but Matthew
shows the Far East waiting for Him and honoring
Him. A little later, too, it shows Egypt sheltering
Him. Jerusalem was the place where naturally the
Messiah should have been first and most highly
honoredbut Jerusalem heard of the great event of
His coming, from the Eastern Magi.
The coming of the wise men to the cradle of Jesus is
an intensely interesting incident. The time was
probably soon after the presentation in the temple.
Paintings often wrongly represent the wise men and
the shepherds together in the cave-stable, adoring
the Christ-child. As the flight into Egypt came
immediately after the visit of the wise men, and the
Holy Child probably kept for many months away
from the country, it is evident that their appearance

was not at the beginning of the life of Jesus, and that

they could not have been present with the
shepherds.
Who the wise men werewe do not know with
certainty. The historian speaks of the Magi as a
priestly caste of the Medes. They were known as
interpreters of dreams. They were also reputed to be
observers of the heavens, students of the secret
things of nature. Whatever the place of these Magi
or wise men was, they were highly honored of God in
this reception of Jesus Christ.
The birth of Jesus took place at Bethlehem. This was
the most wonderful event of human historythe
coming of the Son of God in human flesh into the
world. Love was born that night. True, there was love
in the world before. Mothers loved their children.
Friend loved friend. Natural affection was common.
But the love which we know as Christian love had its
beginning in the birth of Jesus Christ. It is well for us
to note, however, that the historical fact of Christs
birth, is not that which saves us. He must be born
again in us.
The wise men came many hundreds of miles to find
the newborn King. The journey was long, difficult,

perilous, and very costly. If these men endured so

much toil and danger in seeking Jesus we should
count no obstacle too great to overcome in our quest
of Him. We should be ready to go thousands of
miles, if need be, in seeking for Him. No search for
Christ, however costly, will be without avail. He is
the pearl of great price (see Mat_13:46), and we
shall be well paid for our search, though it costs us
the sacrifice of all other things, and though we even
have to lay down our life to find Him.
Surprisingly, this greatest event of historymade
little stir in the world. A few humble shepherds came
to look with wonder on the newborn Babe that lay in
the young mothers armsbut that was all. The Jews
had been looking for their Messiahbut did not
recognize Him when He came. Their books foretold
His coming; but when He came it was not known by
His people that He had appeared. His advent was
quiet. There was no blare of trumpets. Noise and
show are not necessary accompaniments of true
power. The mightiest energies in this worldare
often the quietest. The grace of God always comes
without observation. Angels minister noiselessly.
The most useful Christians are not those who make
the most ado at their workbut those who in

humility and simplicity, unconscious of any splendor

shining in their faces, go daily about their work for
their Master.
For another thing, we do not always know when
Christ actually comes to us. He had been born many
months, had been welcomed by angels, had been
presented in the temple and received with joy there;
but Jerusalem had not known that He was there. He
was in the world, and the world was made by Him
but the world knew Him not. We speak severely of
the treatment accorded to Him by His own people,
who were so indifferent to the coming of their
Messiah. Yet, why should we complain so of the
Jews? Our King is in our midst these very daysdo
we recognize Him?
We cannot understand just how the wise men were
led to Palestine. They said they saw a star in the east,
the star of the newborn King, and were led by it.
There had been a great deal of speculation as to the
nature of the star, whether it was a natural or
supernatural appearance. But it does not matter;
whatever it wasit led these men unmistakably to
the feet of the Christ. Even the faintest glimmerings
of spiritual light should be welcomed by us and their

guidance accepted. We should not wait to know all

about Christ, and to see Him in all His glorybefore
we set out to seek Him. We should follow the first
faint gleams, and then, as we go onthe light will
become brighter and we shall see more and more of
Him, see Him more and more clearly, until at length
we behold Him in all His blessed beauty, face to face.
Certainly there is no one in Christian lands in these
days that does not have a great deal more light to
guide him to the Christ, than these wise men had.
The Herods have an unenviable record in New
Testament history. Their hands are stained with
crime. When this Herod, Herod the Great, heard the
inquiries of the wise men, he was much troubled. He
thought that he himself was king of the Jews, and it
terrified him to hear of another King of the Jews,
whom these strangers from the East had come so far
to see. Hearing of Christ does not always bring joy. It
brought gladness to the humble shepherds and to
the wise menbut to Herod it brought great distress.
His name makes bad men think of their sinsand
then of the judgment. It is only when we love Christ
and want to have Him for our friendthat the
thought of Him is sweet and pleasant. Unto you
therefore who believeHe is precious! Those whose

faith is fixed upon Him are never terrified by

thoughts of Him. There is nothing to fearbut
everything to give joy and confidence to those whose
trust is in Him.
Herod, himself unable to answer the question of the
wise men, turned to the scribes. The wise men
wanted to know where they could find the King who
had been born in Judea. We have seen His star,
they said. Whatever it was that led them, we know
that there was no illusion, and they were not
deceived. They had been led, and they had come to
the right place.
Herod could not answer their questionbut he could
easily learn what the Jewish books said about where
the Christ would be born, so he called the priests and
scribes and asked them where their Messiah should
be born. It did not take them long to give the answer.
They knew their Bible well. They could even give
chapter and verse, and could tell the name of the
town in which the Messiah was to be born. These
facts were all down in their books.
Yet we do not see that they had made any use of their
knowledge. They could tell the wise men where the
Christ was to be bornbut they had not themselves

taken one step toward Bethlehem to seek for Him,

nor did they become eager to see their King, when
they were so close to Him. We must be careful not to
repeat the mistake of these ancient teachers. Most of
us know our Bible fairly well, and can tell others
glibly enough where and how to find the Christ. But
have we gone to the place where He is, to search for
Him and to worship Him?
The scene when the wise men found the Child-king,
was very beautiful. They were very glad. They saw
now the child-king they had journeyed so far to find.
They did not doubt for a moment that this was the
object of their quest. When they saw Him, they fell
down and worshiped Him. They saw only a baby
lying in a young mothers arms. There was no crown
on His head. No glory gleamed from His face. His
surroundings were most unkingly, without pomp or
brilliance. The child did nothing before them to show
His royaltyspoke no word, wrought no kingly act of
power. Yet the wise men believed and worshiped
Him. Think of how much more we know about the
Christ, than they did. We see Him in all his glory of
His life, death, resurrection, and ascension. We see
Him sitting at the right hand of God as King of kings,
wearing many crowns. It is easy for us to find kingly

marks in Him. Shall we be behind the wise men in

our adoration?
The wise men did more than adore they opened
their treasures and offered the gifts of gold,
frankincense, and myrrh, which they had brought all
the way from their own home. The sincerity of their
worship was thus attested, by the costliness of their
gifts. The treasures they had brought were of great
valuethe most costly things they could find, the
best they had to give. It is not enough to sing praise
to Christ and give Him an homage that costs
nothing. He asks for our gifts the offerings of our
love, our service, the consecration of our lives. We
need to guard against the worship that is only mere
sentiment. Love that will not give and sacrifice, is
neither deep or true. Giving is the test of loving. The
measure of our love is what we are willing to give
and sacrifice. Some people sing missionary hymns
with great zest, and when the collection plate is
passedthey have nothing for it. The wise men not
only gave giftsbut gifts that were rich and costly.
Some people givebut with such a pitiful attitude
that it must pain the Master to receive their
offerings. These Magi gave with gladness.

There are many ways of laying our offerings at the

feet of Jesus Christ. He Himself does not need our
moneybut His cause needs it. The extension of His
Kingdom in this world, at home and abroad, requires
money; and this must be brought by His followers.
Those who have no interest in the saving of others,
in the sending of the gospel to those who have it not
have not themselves really tasted the love of
Christ. Then we may give to Christ also in
ministering to His needy ones. The latter part of the
twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew reveals to us this
wonderful truth that those who serve the needy, the
suffering, the troubled, in Christs nameare serving
Him .