Pop quiz for you: who were the magi that came to visit Jesus and how many were there? Most people would answer they were “wise men” and there were three of them, but the Bible doesn’t mention how many there were, just that there was more than one. It’s from the number of gifts identified that we surmise the count, one person for each gift named. But who really were these men?

The Gospel of Matthew is the only one that mentions the visit, and the visitors are referred to as “magi,” which Merriam-Webster defines as the plural of magus, a member of a hereditary priestly class among the ancient Medes and Persians. The etymology of the word shares its root with the word magic. These were most definitely NOT descended from the Hebrews/Israelites. According to the Bible footnotes, while the origin indicates a member of the priestly caste, the word has expanded its meaning to a person who has more than human knowledge. In this circumstance, they were astrologers. So, how is it that these men came to visit Jesus, an unknown infant whose parents were poor and unremarkable to their fellow countrymen? 

Out of curiosity, I Googled how far Persia was from Bethlehem. Persia is considered to be Iran and the average distance for traveling between the two is about 1,000 miles which would have taken about three or four months. This is not a trip to be taken lightly or to make just to see what’s going on. This was a journey they prepared for, including provisioning gifts for the infant. Also according to the Bible footnotes, it was an ancient belief that a new star was an indicator of the birth of a new ruler. Was this their purpose in studying the stars? To find out what new rulers were born and visit them to maintain good relationships from a political perspective? It would explain why they visited the palace of Herod first, thinking that the newborn was located there. 

However, “They were overjoyed at seeing the star,” after their audience with Herod (Matt 2:10). This doesn’t sound like they were politically motivated, but rather by the star itself and the destination it heralded. Were they familiar with Israel and any prophecies regarding a rising star? They certainly had knowledge of Israel’s location in order to calculate the distance to where the star was rising over, as well as to calculate supplies for their journey. To gain that much knowledge and experience, they must have had great passion for the subject and much practice in its application. God blessed these men with skills to study and follow the stars so that they would take action when they saw this very special star. 

While in our earthly life, we will never know what it took for those men to make that journey, or even how many did. Was it 2, or 10, or 30? Did it take them 6 months, a year, or longer to complete the roundtrip journey? However, what is captured in the Bible is the importance of the results. The visit of the Magi has long been considered a reflection of the Word being accepted by the Gentile communities, those of non-Hebrew descent. God used what they knew to give them a sign, and they prepared themselves and took action. What does it take for us who are baptized in the Christian faith to see the signs God gives us in our daily lives? Do we seek Him out and take action to deepen our relationship with Him? 

As we  prepare to end our Christmas season celebration with the feast of the Epiphany of our Lord, let us pause and reflect on the “star” signs God has given us in the past, as well as  the wonder and awe in our relationship with the Lord. May we remain vigilant to the opportunities God will call us to in this new year.