Who Were the Wise Men from the East in the Bible?

While thinking about the nativity story, I couldn’t get the three wise men out of my mind. After baby Jesus was born, they came looking for the King of the Jews. Who were the wise men from the east; also called Magi? We see them consistently in nativity scenes worshipping Jesus. Let’s explore the Bible story of the three wise men and separate truth from fiction!

 I started by reading the account of the wise men in the Bible. I was a bit surprised that only the Gospel of Matthew tells their story in Matthew 2:1-12.

 Luke has the other birth story, but omits the wise men. 

Who Were the Wise Men?

Bible scholars tell us they were originally a religious caste among the Persians. They devoted their studies to interpretating dreams, astrology/astronomy (the same in ancient times), and studied ancient manuscripts. Others considered them the wisest men of their time. 

The Greek word Magi (magos) means wise men, priests, astrologers, and other titles. They were not kings themselves (dispelling the common misconception in the Christmas carol, “We Three Kings“), but often served as trusted advisors to kings. 

King Nebuchadnezzar knew Daniel had “wisdom like that of the gods” (Daniel 5:14) and appointed him “chief Magi” over his astrologers, magicians, etc. (Daniel 2:8)

When God dispersed the Jewish people during the exile, many stayed behind in foreign lands even after their captivity ended. It is quite possible these exiles influenced their neighbors with Jewish Scripture and prophecy to believe the newborn King of the Jews was the Messiah to come. 

The Old Testament gives us a prophecy of the coming of the Magi: 

“The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising… All those from Sheba [now Yemen] shall come; they shall bring gold and incense and they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.” Isaiah 60:3-6 KJV.

And Psalm 72:10- “The kings of Tarshish and of the isles will bring presents; the kings of Sheba and Seba will offer gifts.”

(Isn’t it interesting that these Gentile astrologers were some of the first to recognize Jesus as the Messiah and worship Him!?)

The Birth of Jesus Christ

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the time of King Herod, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, ‘Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 ESV.

How did the Magi know to follow the star of Bethlehem and that it would lead to Jesus?

These men religiously studied astronomy, astrological signs, magical arts, and philosophy. They believed stars were a sign of the birth of a king.

 Also, remember the dispersed Jews? They would have spoken of their hope and promise of the Messiah as prophesied in Scripture.

The Magi might have also heard of the prophecies of Danie,l which give a timeline for the Messiah. (Daniel 9:24-27) 

Jesus’ birth star was a sign from God. He knew these astrologers would be interested in a supernatural celestial event! Not only did this star signify the birth of Christ, it traveled with them and stopped “over the place where the child was.” Matthew 2:9. (Stars never stand still; they continually move!) 

 Matthew’s Gospel (2:2) also uses language that can be connected to Numbers 24:17-

“A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” This oracle, spoken by Balaam, who came from “the eastern mountains,” was widely thought of as messianic.

Where Did the Wise Men Come From? 

The only fact we have is “from the east.” Countries east of Jerusalem included ancient Persia (now Iran), Assyria, and Babylonia, where astronomers enjoyed their own settlement._¹

What Was the Exact Number of Wise Men Who Visited?

We don’t know for sure- the Bible doesn’t give us a number, but simply state that Magi came. Many assumed there were three wise men because there were three gifts. Some traditions, however, speak of twelve Magi! Ancient art shows anywhere from two to eight Magi.

Speaking of traditions, the Bible did not name the Magi. The names Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar didn’t appear until the seventh century! 

What we do know is they endured a long journey and traveled hundreds of miles with expensive gifts and inquiring minds. I think we can learn a lot about them just with that information.

The Visit of the Wise Men

When the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, they asked about the birth of a Jewish King. When King Herod heard of their arrival and this King’s birth, he contacted the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law; asking them where the Christ was to be born. 

“In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied.” Matthew 2:5.

Calling for the Magi in secret, Herod told them to go to Bethlehem, and when they found the child, to report back to him. As the Magi went on their way, the star went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2:10.

How Old Was Jesus When the Wise Men Came?

Christmas cards, Christmas carols, and even nativity sets depict the 3 wise men presenting their gifts to the baby Jesus in His manger.

Let’s go back to the Biblical account-

“And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary. His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11 NKJV.

The gospel of Luke tells us Jesus was born in a manger, and Matthew tells us the wise men visited Jesus and Mary in a house. The Greek words used to describe Jesus as a “young child” and the word “house” in this verse tells us that Mary, Joseph, and Jesus probably moved out of the stable into a home and that the wise men most likely visited when Jesus was between 6-18 months old.

What Gifts did the Magi Bring?

Gold (a valuable metal), frankincense and myrrh (both are resins from trees used as a perfume, incense, and medicine) were all luxury items and fit for a King. This tells us they were wealthy travelers! The Bible tells us many stories of the value of gold. They measured King Solomon’s incredible wealth by how much gold he accumulated.

Frankincense was a key ingredient in the temple incense; a gift for a deity. The high priest burned frankincense in the Holy of Holies on the one day he made atonement for the sins of the people of Israel.

Smoke from the incense hid God’s presence on the mercy seat. The High Priest would die if he saw God. The frankincense the Magi brought signified Jesus, a King, was also a high priest.

Myrrh was an ingredient in holy anointing oil, perfume, and in the embalming process. The gift of myrrh symbolized Jesus, our King and High Priest, was also a human man who would die as a sacrifice for His people.

These items were all fit for a king.

God was certainly involved in this miraculous event, working in and through the Magi. The book of Matthew tells us in 2:12 that an angel warned the Magi in a dream not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their country by another route. 

When they returned home and recounted their adventure, they were sharing the birth of Jesus, the Messiah, in many foreign lands!

Lessons From the Magi

The Magi certainly put a lot of effort into finding Jesus, at expense, royal gifts, and time. When they saw His star, they were “overjoyed.” When they met Jesus, they bowed down and worshiped Him. 

In these days of Christmas preparation, keep the Christmas story and history of the Magi at the forefront.

●Follow His light, His direction, and His Voice this Christmas season.

●Actively take time to seek your King and worship him with “exceedingly great joy.” (NKJV) 

●Bring him your gifts of time, praise and worship! 

●Keep pursuing Jesus, ask questions as the Magi did, look for His guidance. 

●Trust Him wherever He leads.

●The Magi shared the good news; who will you tell?

What gifts will you bring your King? Are they appropriate for royalty? Or do we give Him “leftovers” from our day? In this season of gift giving, let’s reflect on what spiritual gift we can give to Jesus.

Blessings!

AnnMarie

1 https://africame.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-1027.html

All Scripture is taken from the New International Version unless specified otherwise.

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