The Magi were Gentiles but were seeking the newborn king of the Jews. The Jews were to take the light of God to the world but had failed. Yes, some people came into the Jewish faith, but there were few. With the birth of Jesus, God would do something new that would open the way for the Gentiles.
The comparison between the Gentile Wisemen and the Jewish leaders gives insight into their hearts. Jesus was born nearby in Bethlehem, yet the religious leaders were oblivious. The Lord had always planned for all the nations to come and worship Christ. In Genesis 22:18, the Lord promises that Abraham will have a son who will be a blessing to all nations. The magi’s coming to Jerusalem would be a sign of God doing something new in the world.
The first part of the Gospel of Matthew begins with the coming of the Magi and ends with Jesus commanding His disciples to make disciples from all over the world. Jesus came to save both Jews and Gentiles.
The Difference Between the Magi Worshipers and Jewish Religious Leaders
The biggest contrast between the Maji and the Jewish leaders was their religion. The Magi were non-Jews or Gentiles. They had traveled 800 miles, but the Jewish leaders could not travel six miles to Bethlehem. The cities the magi came from would have been more pagan in their worship while Jerusalem was considered the city of God.
Jerusalem would not embrace the coming of Jesus but would be hostile to Him from His birth to death. Instead of humbling seeking Jesus, King Herod was a tyrant and murderer. He murdered Jewish baby boys, just like the Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. In an ironic twist, Joseph was instructed by the Lord in a dream to take Mary and young Jesus to Egypt to protect Him from the murderous Herod. When Jesus came into the world, Jerusalem was more dangerous than Egypt. How tragic. John 1:10 He (Jesus) came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.[1]
The Magi’s Were the First of Many Gentiles to Follow Jesus
Biblical scholars believe the Wisemen had access to the ancient Jewish scrolls because of the Jewish diaspora during the time of Israel’s exile to Babylon. These Jewish scrolls would tell them of the Messiah’s coming, through whom the Lord would deliver His people. The wise men would have had their own king but obediently followed what they knew from the Torah and came to see the newborn king.
They obeyed when an angel warned them not to return to Herod but to take another route. We face choices regularly, whether to follow the world’s expectations or honor God’s commands. When Jesus died on the cross, it was not the religious leaders but Gentiles who were awakened spiritually. Matthew 27:54 The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”[2] This was only the beginning of the Holy Spirit awakening Gentiles. Soon, the early church would be filled with Gentiles. To learn more about how the Magi were Gentiles, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/seeking-jesus
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jn 1:10). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Mt 27:54). Tyndale House Publishers.