When I was a child I once played the starring role in our church nativity play—I was literally the star. It involved a long piece of bamboo, cardboard and some aluminium foil. My job was to walk around backstage holding the star high above the set, guiding the Magi to Jesus.
The star plays an essential role in the story of the Magi and people love devising theories about the star, some probably more accurate than others. It is amazing that God manipulates the cosmos, flinging a star into space to guide the Magi like a cosmic GPS system. But the star is only half the story of how the Magi find Jesus.
What else guides the Magi?
The Bible points the way
Matthew tells us in verses 3 to 5. Rumours have been circulating in Jerusalem about a newborn King of the Jews, so the makeshift King Herod gathers the chief priests and teachers of the law and asks them “where the Messiah was to be born” (Matthew 2:4). These Bible experts respond, “in Bethlehem… this is what the prophet has written” (Matthew 2:5).
The Magi have come from afar, following a star, but that star can only take them so far. It’s the Bible that points them on their way. The star does appear again, signalling the place where Jesus is in Bethlehem, but in between, the Magi need the guidance of the Bible to find the way to go.
Matthew is giving us an important lesson here. Matthew isn’t just giving an account of this story of that first Christmas like a news reporter might, he’s also challenging us with this story. His account isn’t just about events, it’s about lessons too.
The gift in our hands
At least one lesson is about the gift of the Bible. Personally, the more time I’ve spent engaging with this passage, the more I’ve found Matthew challenging me on this.
The Magi had to go to great lengths to meet Jesus. They had to look out for the star, pack their bags and travel a long way. They expected a newborn King to be in the capital Jerusalem so when they reach the city they have to wander the streets, asking around if anybody knows where Jesus is. They end up having to meet with King Herod, who was a rather ruthless and feared ruler, the kind of person you’d try to avoid. Even after they meet Jesus, they have to travel the long way home. In short, the Magi had to go a long way to meet Jesus.
Yet today, in this very moment, you and I have the means of meeting Jesus in the palm of our hand. We don’t have to go on a long journey or pilgrimage, we don’t have to trudge the streets of a city looking for answers, instead, we just have to flip open the cover of our Bible (or with one press, open up the Bible app on our phone). The Bible leads us to Jesus, it gives us the chance to meet with Him today, and God has placed this gift in our very hands.
Stephen Unwin is a writer and editor with Our Daily Bread Ministries. He has degrees in sound engineering and theology and is currently studying for a PhD on the theology of gift and gratitude. He’s married to Katy and they live in Melbourne, Australia.
