Foundations Week 31, Day 3

Scripture Read: Matthew 1 - 2
Title: The Magi and King Jesus

H.E.A.R. 
(H) Highlight verse: "And 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"  Matthew 2:11

(E) Explain:  
Who were the Magi?  Why were they following a star?  Why were they seeking this King of Kings?  “Originally they (the Magi) were a class of priests among the Persians and Medes, who acted as the king’s advisors, and cultivated astrology, medicine, and occult natural science. They are frequently referred to by ancient authors.”[1] These New Testament Magi were non-Jewish religious astrologers who, from astronomical observations, inferred the birth of a great Jewish king. After inquiring of Jewish authorities, they came to do homage to this child king. Whether ‘the East’ from which they came is Arabia, Babylon or elsewhere is uncertain.[2]  The Magi came to Jerusalem to seek a king who was prophesied to be born.  They were familiar with the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah (even though they were pagan priests) because the prophet Daniel was a prince and the chief among this very class of wise men. His prophecies were made known to them; and the calculations by which he pointed to the very time when Christ should be born became, through the book of Daniel, a part of their ancient literature.--Ed.) [3]  A quick reading of Daniel 4 gives insight as to how Daniel was in fact the “chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon…”

The Magi came to Jerusalem following a star.  They went to King Herod to inquire of this child’s whereabouts.  This concerned Herod because this so called "King" who was to be born had the potential to put his job in jeopardy.  Many people in Jerusalem didn’t think he deserved to be the King since he was not from the lineage of David.

After hearing about this child king Herod inquired of the Chief Priests and they came to the conclusion that this King they sought was to be born in Bethlehem (according to Micah 5:2).  So Herod met with the Magi secretly to commission them to find this child and return to tell him where he was. The magi never did return because they were warned in a dream not to go back.The Magi followed this star in the sky, being star gazers this came natural to them.  As they followed the star it rested over the house Mary, Joseph and Jesus were in.  Upon their arrival they “rejoiced with exceeding joy”. These pagan star gazers came seeking the Messiah and they found him.     Then we see the very first response of the Magi upon seeing the child… They fell down and worshiped him. They worshiped him and then gave their gifts.  Warren Weirsbe describes this moment like this, "The magi were seeking the King; Herod was opposing the King; and the Jewish priests were ignoring the King." [4]
Contrary to what most believe and have been taught the Magi did not come to visit a baby in a manger on the night he was born.  Matthew tells us they visited the child in a home. The way the story is told certainly sounds like everything happens one event right after the other in one night.  The truth is the Magi had to travel from a far distance, they went to Jerusalem first to find out where the King was supposed to be born and we are told Herod had all children from the ages of one to two years old murdered.  So this would suggest the Magi visited a child who was possibly 1 to 2 years old (probably 2 years).

(A) Application:  I think there is something important in this story… before we can truly give our gifts and talents to the King He desires that we do it as an act of worship.  The offering gold, frankincense and myrrh have a symbolic meaning to them. Gold signifies Jesus’ purity and deity, frankincense signifies his priestly attributes and myrrh signifies his death.  All three of these gifts were ordinary gifts given to a king and this  signifies Jesus is the King, the Deity, The Priest and the Savior. It’s probable they didn’t bring these gifts with these thoughts in mind, but it is suggested that they were costly gifts and would have been sufficient to fund the upcoming trip Mary and Joseph had to make to Egypt.  Either way they, along with some shepherd’s all understood that a King had been born and this King would truly be the savior of the entire world.        
How does all of this apply to us today?  The Magi knew they were in the presence of a King and we see this simply by the way they inquired about and responded to him.  They said "We come seeking the King of the Jews".  When they approached him, "they fell down and worshiped him" like a king.  They responded in worship by giving him costly.  

Unlike the Magi, we do not need to come to the king and offer kingly and expensive gifts to the Lord or lords; instead we need to bring our ourselves as living sacrifices (offerings) to him and seek His presence in our lives. We can understand that by giving ourselves to Jesus fully we are offering the greatest gift God desires from us.  In return his presence or Spirit in us is, which is indeed the greatest gift any of us can receive from God. We are confirmed that Jesus is not an exclusive Messiah who is only to be worshiped by the Jewish people, the privileged, the powerful or the pious. He is the King of all nations, both Jew and Gentile have the honor and privilege of worshiping the humble Son of God who came to take away the sins of the world.  He is the Savior of all who come to worship him and put their complete faith in him. We see that if God accepts the worship of Pagan Priests who offer themselves fully to him He will accept the worship of anyone of us who comes to the manger to worship him.

(R) Respond: Lord, I offering myself as a living sacrifice to you.  May my gift of me be an acceptable offering and the ultimate worship that I can give to you.

[1]Smith, W. (1997). Smith's Bible dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[2]Wood, D. R. W. (1996, c1982, c1962). New Bible Dictionary (713). InterVarsity Press.
[3]Smith, W. (1997). Smith's Bible dictionary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[4]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1989). The Bible exposition commentary. "An exposition of the New Testament comprising the entire 'BE' series"--Jkt. (Mt 2:1). Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.