Matthew 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.”
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
“Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage.”
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

Backgrounder

News of the birth of Jesus provokes two very different reactions, fear and joy. The “wise men from the East” ask a question which throws everyone into confusion, “Where has the child who has been born king of the Jews?”
The strangers, acknowledged as wise by the locals, are calling to mind many ancient prophecies of the Jewish people. Isaiah (60:1-6) foretells a time when the light and glory of the Lord will break into the darkness that covers the whole earth. This shining our of God’s glory will, Isaiah says, call forth foreign nations and kings who will come to Jerusalem bringing wealth, including gold and frankincense.
The coming of the king which the wise men announce is a sign that Isaiah’s prophecy is coming to pass. Why does this lead to fear? King Herod is afraid because he knows that his rule is not in the traditional line of David, Israel’s greatest king.
But should the king sent by God be born, he would no longer be king. All of Jerusalem, meaning the important people of that city, based their importance on the rule of King Herod. They were kind of like parasites on the wealth and pleasure that Herod enjoyed. All of these important people were afraid because if the true king was born, they could lose everything.
Jesus is the Lord of lords and King of kings. But he is a very different kind of king. We can tell because he is born in most humble circumstances, born away from his family’s home, in a stable. We also know that Jesus will reveal the kind of king he is when he dies on the cross, crowned with thorns.
The wise men, however, were “overwhelmed with joy” when they saw Jesus. The star, the light of God shining into our darkness, points to the king whom he has sent. And this joy is not only for the Jewish people, but for all people.
Notice that the wise men had already made a life-changing decision, they had given up everything, including their homelands, on a lengthy journey into the unfamiliar. They had nothing to lose at the coming of the king.
Every one of us has a choice to make when we look at Jesus. Are you afraid because he may threaten what you have and hold as your own? Or, are you filled with joy, because in Jesus you see the light sent by God himself?