Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time, some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”
King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”
Matthew 2:1-4 (New Living Translation)
A lot is going on in these opening chapters of Matthew, and my brain is going in a few different directions. Last time I wrote about Joseph. It’s safe to say that he was a humble man who listened to God.
Let’s contrast that with King Herod. He was proud, power-hungry, deeply insecure and violently paranoid.
We should probably place quotation marks around “King of the Jews.” Herod really was a king, but not in the way Israel’s Old Testament kings had been. He was not descended from the tribe of Judah or the royal line of David. He was Idumean, a people historically associated with Edom and Esau rather than Jacob.
Herod’s ancestors had been incorporated into Judea and converted to Judaism several generations earlier. Herod was raised as a Jew, but many of the Jewish people still viewed him as an outsider. More importantly, he had not received his throne through Israel’s royal line. Rome had given it to him.
Around 40 BC, the Roman Senate named Herod “King of the Jews,” and a few years later he took control of Jerusalem with Roman support. He governed Judea as a client king, ruling under Rome and serving Roman interests.
Then strangers arrived in Jerusalem asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”
But how did these Magi know?
Matthew never explains how they went from seeing a star to looking for the King of the Jews. Reading royal significance into the heavens would have been quite natural for men from the East who were accustomed to interpreting such signs. But why did this particular sign lead them to Israel?
We don’t know.
Jewish communities had lived in Babylon and Persia for centuries, so the Magi may have encountered Israel’s Scriptures and hopes. Intriguingly, Numbers 24:17 had spoken long before of “a star” coming from Jacob and “a sceptre” rising from Israel. Was that prophecy part of what sent them looking? Maybe. Matthew doesn’t tell us, but it’s an interesting possibility.
Whatever led them there, these foreign visitors arrived in Jerusalem asking a provocative question:
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?”
It’s no surprise, then, that Herod was disturbed by their question. Matthew tells us that all Jerusalem was disturbed with him.
For Herod, this newborn king represented a direct threat. For the people of Jerusalem, his arrival may have awakened hopes of liberation, but it also threatened turmoil. They knew what could happen when Herod felt his throne was in danger.
So here we are. At the centre of the story is Jesus. Converging around him are Herod, the Magi, the people of Jerusalem and the religious leaders.
Herod’s heart is filled with fear, and he is ready to kill.
The Magi’s hearts are filled with anticipation, and they have come to worship.
The people of Jerusalem are disturbed, uncertain about what the arrival of another king might mean.
The religious leaders know where the Messiah is supposed to be born, but they do not appear interested enough to go looking for him themselves.
Everyone has heard about the same King, but his arrival reveals something different in each of them.
Where do you find yourself today as you read this?
Is your posture like Herod’s? You sense Jesus asking for something you are not ready to surrender. You are holding tightly to the throne of your own heart, afraid of what it might mean to let someone else rule. You may want Jesus close enough to help, comfort and bless you, but not close enough to be King.
Maybe you are like the Magi. You are seeking Jesus. You are curious and want to know him more. Your heart is filled with anticipation and a desire to see him and worship him.
Or perhaps you are like the people of Jerusalem. It’s complicated! The thought of Jesus brings up a mixture of hope and fear. Is he the Saviour I need or simply another ruler who wants something from me? Can I trust him? Does he really want what is best for me?
Lastly, maybe you are like the religious leaders. You know your Bible well. You can answer the questions and say the right things about Jesus. Yet, somehow, all that knowledge has stopped short of drawing you closer to him. You know where others can find him, but your own heart has remained at a distance.
Jesus is at the centre of the story, and everyone must decide how they will respond to him. We can resist him like Herod, remain at a distance like the religious leaders, or move toward him like the Magi.
Remember Joseph. He did not have all the answers, but when God spoke, he listened.
What is God whispering to your heart right now? What is his voice stirring or revealing inside you? And are you willing to listen?