The visit of the Magi

Today is called The Feast of the Epiphany or what we used to call the Three Kings or the Visit of the Magi. Epiphany is a day or time of celebration for many Christians because it is the time when Jesus was revealed or shown to the world. This is one of the most wonderful times that the Baby Jesus was known throughout the world, when three wise men or the Magi who came from different lands and held their own kingdoms suddenly left their lands because of a star when went to Jerusalem. Today’s gospel reading comes from Matt: 2:1-12 on the visit of the Magi.

“2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “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.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

6 “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

 are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

for out of you will come a ruler

 who will shepherd my people Israel.”

7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”

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The big question to ask is who were the three wise men? Were they really astrologers, stargazers, or sorcerers? Where they really kings or were they simply people who had great influence in their various lands? What has never been explained is why have they all come to Jerusalem purportedly following the Star of Bethlehem? I have no doubt that the Magi must have read the prophecies written in the Torah that God would send a messiah to save mankind from his sins. Remember these Magi or Three Kings must have seen the very same star that exhorted them to go to Jerusalem to pay homage to the newborn king.

Upon reaching Jerusalem, they were surprised that the people living there had no idea of what they were searching for. But this intrigued King Herod, who asked his chief priest as to where the Messiah would be born and Bethlehem was the place in the prophecies. Since Herod also didn’t know how to find the child, he asked the Magi to help him so he could worship him.

So when they moved out of Jerusalem, the Star of Bethlehem or the Star of David appeared once more and pointed to the site where the Holy Family had set up a place. There they worshipped him and offered their gift of gold denoting his kingly status, frankincense denoting his priestly status, and myrrh a fluid for embalming for he was destined to die and save mankind.

Let me point out that the Magi were not Jews and therefore considered pagans. However, Christian theological tradition has always stressed that Gentiles as well as Jews came to worship Jesus. The Magi is our proof that the Messiah came to not to save only the Jews or Christians, but for all who prayed to God in order to be saved by him.