What's in the Bible? Three Wise Men From the East

Matthew, 0-65 A.D.

We have been taught to watch for signs concerning events prophesied to be fulfilled in our time. Such was the case at the birth of Christ, too. Three wise men from the East knew there would be a new star in the sky, and they knew it meant the King of the Jews had been born in Bethlehem. Per their custom, they sought Him out and came bearing gifts - a fitting way to honor a young King.


The Wise Men Seek Jesus

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judæa in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judæa: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." (Matthew 2:1-8)


Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh

"When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw 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 exceeding great joy. And when they were 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 unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." (Matthew 29-12)


An Angel Warns Joseph: Flee Into Egypt

"And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt  and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying: Out of Egypt have I called my son." (Matthew 2:13-15, see also Hosea 11:1)


Return to Israel: The Coming of the "Branch"

"But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,  saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene." (Matthew 2:19-23)

The Old Testament doesn't actually mention that the Savior shall be called a Nazarene, though Matthew quotes from as such. This tends to indicate that there's missing scripture that Matthew had in his time. In any case, by virtue of the fact that the words "Nazareth" and "Nazarene" come from the the root Hebrew word "netzer" meaning "branch", the Savior's coming to dwell in Nazareth was in a sense a fulfillment of this prophecy. 

By watching for the signs in their time, the three wise men knew great joy in finding the King of the Jews. Let us now be ever vigilant as the signs concerning His return in great glory are being fulfilled with steadily increasing frequency. Therein we can find joy and peace in the midst of our frightening world!