THE WISE MEN’S JOURNEY
The history of Christ’s ancestry and conception was covered in Chapter 1. He recalls significant events in His early life in Chapter 2.
The wise men from the east and their appearance in Jerusalem are so introduced in Matthew’s continuation of the story of Jesus’ birth. Jesus was born after the couple, Mary and Joseph, received an angelic messenger informing them of His miraculous birth (Matthew 1:18–25).
Magi from the east came to Jerusalem after Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Judea, during the reign of King Herod, and inquired, “Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We came to worship him after spotting his star in the east.
The enigmatic wise men who have come from an unknown country, The people who have come to worship the newborn king are on a mission, and what they are looking for is troubled for King Herod: they were looking for a “born king of the Jews,” so they start looking in Jerusalem.
King Herod summons the top clerics in the area and inquires about the location of Christ’s birth. They promptly and accurately inform Him that Bethlehem, in Judea, will be the birthplace of the Promised One. When questioning the wise men when they first saw this sign, Herod is cautious but covert. After that, he tells them to look for the kid in Bethlehem and says his goal is to adore the new king (Matthew 2:5–8).
As the wise men had finished listening to the king and were on their way to find the child, another guiding star suddenly appeared, leading them right to the location where Jesus was discovered.
When they entered the home and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed to him and began to worship him. They then presented him with gifts, including gold, frankincense, and myrrh, after opening their riches. When they arrived at the home and saw the baby with his mother Mary, they knelt down and adored him.
The men silently depart town by a new path in disobedience of Herod’s orders since they were advised in a dream not to return to the evil king (Matthew 2:9–12).
God sent an angel of the Lord who appeared to Joseph in a dream after the magi had left. The Lord’s angel instructed Joseph to stand up! Must get up, get the Child and His mother, and immediately run to Egypt. Joseph was given a reason by the Lord’s angel for why he had to leave Bethlehem right away: Herod would be looking for the Child to kill Him. Till Herod’s downfall, Joseph keeps his family safe in Egypt.
Herod is aware that the wise men have abandoned the area without informing him of where to find the Child jesus. Herod orders the killing of all male children in Bethlehem who are under two years old out of rage. Herod’s inquiry was motivated by this potential outcome.
Joseph received two new dreams after Herod’s death. The angel first informs him that it is okay to go back to Israel because those who intended to kill Jesus are now in the afterlife. When Joseph arrives in Israel, he worries about the dangerous and unpredictable Herod’s son who now rules Judea. God sends Joseph and Mary to Nazareth in the Galilee region, which is governed by a more dependable son of the Herod family, through another dream. Nazareth is where they were born and raised. Jesus’ childhood in Nazareth also fulfills a prophecy about the Messiah being known as a Nazarene, just as His birth in Bethlehem fulfilled prophecies regarding the birthplace of Christ (Matthew 2:19–23).