Matthew 2:1, commentary and pictures

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, and wise men from the east came to Jerusalem seeking the child born King of the Jews to worship him. The wise men were Gentile philosophers and students of the heavens who watched the stars nightly, lived uprightly according to the light they had, and had learned from Scripture and prophecy that the Messiah was due. God met them in a way suited to them by a bright unusual light in the sky, which was a distant company of shining angels, and by His Spirit moved them to seek Christ. Their coming exposed the darkness of the Jewish leaders, who had the prophecies yet expected an earthly conqueror and did not recognize His birth, while these strangers from a heathen land were more faithful to their light and more ready to receive heavenly light. Though He came with divine glory veiled as a frail infant in a manger, He was recognized as exalted and worthy of homage, and the costly gifts of the wise men provided for His poor parents in their flight to Egypt and preservation from Herod's wrath.

Birthplace, Time, Arrival

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, and after His birth wise men from the east came to Jerusalem seeking the child born King of the Jews to worship Him. They had studied prophecy and believed the time of the promised Messiah was near, watching for a sign so they could welcome and worship Him, and having seen His star they followed a heavenly sign in search of Jesus. That sign was a bright, unusual star that appeared after angels announced Christ's birth to the shepherds, and the Spirit of God moved them on their journey to seek Him. The star guided them toward Jerusalem but was hidden as they approached, so they made inquiries of the people there asking where the Messiah had been born. Though regarded as heathen and not Jews, they had also studied God's works in nature and lived according to the light they had received, and they were purer before God and more ready to receive heavenly light than people with greater religious light who did not live by it.

God used them to carry news of the infant Redeemer because the Jews had turned so far from Him and become so separated from God that angels could not communicate the news to them. Their arrival quickly became known, stirred Jerusalem, and troubled Herod, whose apparent courtesy concealed envy and hostility toward the infant king. Christ's birth thus brought joy to heaven but was met by indifference among the Jews and fear among worldly rulers. Their visit begins the account of Herod's effort to kill Jesus, in which Satan stirred people against Him to take His life.

Bethlehem as Jesus' birthplace connects Him with David, who was born there more than a thousand years earlier. Being born in Bethlehem also places His birth within His earthly human life, and His experience as a man fitted Him to represent and intercede for humanity after ascending to heaven.

Who the Wise Men Were

The wise men belonged to a large and influential class of philosophers that included people of noble birth and accounted for much of their nation's wealth and learning. They were learned observers of nature who studied the stars, knew their movements, watched them nightly, studied God's providence in nature, and were respected for integrity and wisdom. Though some in that wider class deceived the credulous people, those who came to Jesus were upright.

Though regarded by the Jews as heathen from a heathen land, they were upright, sincere seekers of truth who wanted to do God's will, lived according to the light they had, and were trusted by God who knew their hearts. They were Gentile, non-Jewish scholars, and though the Jews called them heathen they were not idolaters. They were more faithful to the light they had received than people who professed piety and had greater religious light but did not live by it, and were purer before God and more ready to receive heavenly light than the selfish, proud Jewish priests whose selfishness and pride hindered them. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem they heeded the light they had received, in contrast to those who through pride and unbelief failed to recognize the time of their visitation, while the Jewish people were so absorbed in their own ambitions that they did not know He had come.

They had studied prophecy and the Hebrew Scriptures, recognized that the promised Messiah was due and the time for His coming was near, and were watching for a sign so they could welcome and worship Him as the infant King and King of the Jews. They learned of the coming Saviour more clearly from the Old Testament, from Balaam's prophecy of a star preserved by tradition, and specifically from the prophecy of a Star coming out of Jacob and a Scepter rising out of Israel. That prophecy taught that knowledge of the Lord's glory would fill the world and that the Messiah would bring light and salvation to Gentiles as well as to Israel, and they eagerly awaited Him. They are described as neither Jews nor Gentiles who had lived according to the light they had and by searching Scripture and tracing prophecy had learned about the time Christ would come.

Star That Guided Them

God met the seekers in the way they could understand, for they were students of the heavens, and He drew their attention by a remarkable, bright, unusual light in the sky. That light was not a common star but a distant company of angels appearing like a star, though they did not know this, and the Spirit of God moved them to seek Christ.

It appeared after the birth had been announced to the shepherds, for on the night of Jesus' birth they first saw the glory surrounding those angels, and when that light faded they saw the star and took it as a possible sign that the Messiah had come. Dreams also instructed them to seek the newborn Prince, and signs and wonders in the heavens were given in connection with their search.

The star guided them toward Judea and Jerusalem but grew dim, was hidden, and disappeared from view as they drew near, so they made inquiries of the people, thinking the chief priests and scribes would know of His birth. Following it to Jerusalem, they came to the temple, where it rested above it before fading from view.

Expecting joyful knowledge of the Messiah's birth, they were astonished to meet surprise, fear, and contempt and to find no one who seemed to know of the newborn King and no unusual interest or preparations to welcome Him. At His birth the star recognized Jesus and bore witness to His divinity and mission, guiding the seers to the manger where He lay and marking His advent and coming.

Jewish Unbelief and Opposition

God entrusted the news of the infant Redeemer to Gentile wise men from the East because the Jews had turned so far from Him and become so separated from God that angels could not communicate the news to them. Their arrival in Jerusalem after Jesus' birth in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king quickly became known, stirred the city, and reached Herod's palace. Herod was troubled because he saw the child born to be king as a rival with a higher claim to the throne than his own. His apparent courtesy concealed envy and hostility, he expected Christ to rule an earthly kingdom and resisted the idea of a Jewish king, and he sought to destroy Christ.

Their arrival and inquiries made the whole nation aware of the search, drew attention to the events surrounding Jesus' birth and to what prophecy had foretold for that time, and brought the priests and rabbis to consider the prophecies about the Messiah and the event that had just taken place. Though the Son of God appeared outwardly as a frail, helpless infant with divine glory veiled by humanity and laid in a manger among animals, the great people of the earth did not know of His birth or recognize the manner of His coming. Even the learned Jewish leaders who studied the law and prophecies did not recognize Him.

Those leaders remained in spiritual darkness and were spiritually blind. They expected a mighty earthly prince and temporal deliverer who would rule from David's throne, overthrow other powers by force, restore Jewish liberty, and rule the nations. They misread prophecies of Christ's second appearing in power and glory as describing His first coming, while pride, desire to support their own status, and Satan's leading darkened their understanding of Scripture toward ruin, so that priests and rulers had lost the true sense of the Old Testament prophecies and the news of His birth was given to humble shepherds rather than to them. Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, the Eastern magi heeded the light they had received and God revealed truth to them, in contrast to those who through pride, unbelief, selfish ambition, and absorption in their own plans and ambitions failed to recognize the time of their visitation and did not know He had come. Christ's birth brought joy to heaven but was met by indifference among the Jews and fear among worldly rulers.

Christ's Humility and Divinity

His birth in Bethlehem in the days of Herod the king came when the appointed time for His advent was fulfilled. He came in humble circumstances, with divine glory veiled in the frail appearance of an infant laid in a manger among animals. Though the law and the prophecies foretold this humble first coming, the great people of the earth, including the learned religious leaders, did not know of His birth or recognize the manner of His coming, for they were spiritually blind and expected a mighty earthly prince to rule from David's throne. Though He was the Son of God He chose a lowly life without wealth or outward grandeur and was regarded as having poor parentage, so that the poorest would not feel shut out from His company and every believer could know that He understood the strain of poverty and trials, making heavenly truth available to all. For this reason the news of His birth was given to humble shepherds rather than to priests and rulers, who had lost the true sense of the Old Testament prophecies.

His birth in a humble place was part of the plan of redemption, for He entered human life with its necessities and temptations, sanctifying every stage of it and showing that people need not continue in sin. Even as a babe in a manger He was recognized as exalted and due honor, receiving homage and precious, costly gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The wise men from the east bowed before Him in this way, while His own disciples later failed to appreciate His worth.

His birth took place in a moment of intense heavenly attention, when the created worlds watched how He would be received, though His nation had made no preparation for Him. Angels proclaimed the Redeemer's arrival on Bethlehem's plains.

Providence, Conflict, and Example

God directed the wise men from the east to seek Jesus by guiding them with a star, and their arrival and inquiries made the nation aware of the search and drew attention to the events surrounding His birth. Their gifts and offerings met the needs of the poor family during the flight to Egypt and the stay there, so that God provided for the journey and helped preserve the child from Herod's wrath.

From the time He appeared in Bethlehem as a babe, Satan kept watch over Him and set out to destroy Him, working through Herod at the first and then striving throughout His faultless childhood, holy ministry, and saving sacrifice to prevent His work, lead Him into sin, discourage Him, and turn Him aside. He was upheld by His Father and could not be turned from His work, so that Satan's plans failed. The continued attacks only revealed His spotless character more clearly.

As the star guided the wise men who came from the east to find Jesus, it represents God's guidance for those who follow Him, seek Him, and seek His help. Guided by a star from a distant country, they came to find Jesus and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, offering frankincense and myrrh in pure, uncorrupted faith. Their coming provides the example for Christmas giving, that gifts should honor and remember Jesus as the great Giver of blessings rather than be spent selfishly on indulgence.