The wise men are often mentioned during Christmas, and their story is recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. They were part of a class of scholars or wise men, often called Magi, and they sought the Savior and King of mankind in order to worship Him.
We usually know the story of the wise men with them seeking the newly-born Savior in order to worship Him, and based on what is written in the Bible, they offer Him three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). The Bible doesn’t give a specific number; it simply mentions “wise men” or “Magi”. They traveled from the east, likely from regions corresponding to modern-day Persia (Iran). The exact time of their arrival is not specified, but they likely arrived some time after Jesus’ birth. These wise men had to endure a long journey of about 1,300-1,450km traveling by camel to reach Jerusalem and meet the new born king, Jesus.
The Bible tells us that they followed the star that appeared in the sky in the east in order to get to Jerusalem. How did they know about this? It is possible they were familiar with the prophecy in the book of Daniel, which is interpreted by some as providing a timeline for the Messiah’s arrival (Daniel 9:24-27). They were led to find the new King of the Jews through this miraculous star, the “star of Bethlehem”, which they called “his star” (Matthew 2:2). Guided by the star, they located the child Jesus and presented their gifts.
Because the Bible doesn’t clearly record when the wise men began their journey or provide details of what they did along the way, it is difficult to establish an exact timeline for their visit. The shepherds visited Jesus in the manger shortly after His birth, but Matthew 2:11 specifies that the wise men visited Jesus in a house, not a stable. These visits were likely separated by some time. Furthermore, Herod’s order to massacre all boys two years old and under suggests that some time had passed since Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:16).
These wise men were those who read the Word of God, believed in the Word, sought Jesus, and humbled themselves to worship Him. They also received God’s favor as He led them throughout their whole journey so that they could find and know the Savior of their lives.
