At the time of Jesus Christ's birth, we have a series of incidents and most unusual visitors to witness the event. Among one of those visitors, we have Magis from the east. Who were most probably the astronomers and were probably the chief also.
No facts recorded either in St. Matthew or St. Luke throw much light on the season of the birth of Christ. The flocks and shepherds in the open field indicate spring rather than winter. The received day, December 25th was not kept as a festival in the East till the time of Chrysostom and was then received as resting on the tradition of the Roman Church. It has been conjectured, with some probability, that the time was chosen to substitute the purified joy of a Christian festival for the license of the Saturnalia which was kept at that season.
However, let us see what these Magis mean and what can we learn from their visit.
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ” Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Matthew 2:1?-?12
Wise men from the east.—The Greek word is Magi. That name appears in Jeremiah 39:3; Jeremiah 39:13, in the name Rab-Mag, “The chief of the Magi.” Herodotus speaks of them as a priestly caste of the Medes, known as interpreters of dreams (I. 101, 120). Among the Greeks the word was commonly applied with a tone of scorn to the impostors who claimed supernatural knowledge, and magic was the art of the Magi, and so the word was commonly used throughout the Roman world when the New Testament was written, Simon Magus is Simon the sorcerer. There was, however, as side by side with this, a recognition of the higher ideas of which the word was capable, and we can hardly think that the writer of the Gospel would have used it in its lower sense.
The original word here is µa´??? magi, from which comes our word magician, now used in a bad sense, but not so in the original. The persons here denoted were philosophers, priests, or astronomers. They lived chiefly in Persia and Arabia. They were the learned men of the Eastern nations. devoted to astronomy, to religion, and medicine. They were held in high esteem by the Persian court, were admitted as counsellors, and followed the camps in war to give advice.
saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:2
1) They came to Worship
Worship is a very essential part of believers. You cannot separate yourself from it. And it's not about singing songs for one hour in a Sunday service rather it's a lifestyle.
The heavens declare the glory of God, And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Psalms 19:1
It is vain to study the sky if it is not leading you to the Lord. Do not go to the people who do not lead you through their astronomy to the Lord Jesus Christ. The sky sing praises to God, the sun, moon and stars witness the wondrous of the Lord. Even though they do not have a mouth to speak at they sing for the Lord. We have been designed in the image of God to worship him to talk to him.
But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Luke 19:40 This verse shows that Jesus expects worship and adoration. Should we keep quiet this Christmas, shouldn't our purpose of celebrating Christmas be worshipping him
This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
Isaiah 43:21. The very reason we have been created is to worship him. If we don't do for what we have been created, then the stones will cry out to God. Make worship the centre of this Christmas. It's not about what we wear, what we eat, where we attend our Christmas service. But it's all about for what we are attending the service. It's should not be anything else but to worship.
2) The unchanged spirit of worship
Straight away they had gone to worship the king in the king's palace. When they came to know that the King is not born in King's Palace, they were not surprised, neither discouraged for not finding him. Still, they continued their search. It's not just their search but God helps us when we diligently seek him, he sends the helper or draws near to them. 'When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy'.
Matthew 2:10. The star guided them to their destination. From palace to the manger, from King's bosom to the Carpenter's bosom, their quench and thirst were not reduced. 'And when they had 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 gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh'.
Matthew 2:11.
Place of worship should not change the way we worship, be it a mega Church or the small Church, be it a big organisation or denominations or the independent church our worship to the Lord Jesus Christ should not change, he is God in the big Church and he's the same in the small Church. They were not discouraged by seeing the king in a manger, they travelled miles to see him. They forgot their dignity, prestige, importance. They fell to the ground and worshipped and gave whatever they had brought as a gift to the king who supposed to be born in the King's Palace. Let us also worship him in spirit and truth, not in Church buildings, hypocritical way but in truth in reality with all honesty for God is in search of such worshippers. 'But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him'.
John 4:23
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