Interpretation of the Bible / Matthew 2:1-2
We are presented with the story of some wise men who came to Jerusalem in search of the newborn king of the Jews. This event takes place in the political and social context of the reign of Herod the Great, who ruled the territory of Judea as a subject of the Roman Empire.
The original term used in the Greek text for the Magi (wise men) is "Magoi", which in ancient times was used to refer to a group of priests and scholars from Persia and Babylon. These wise men were experts in astronomy, astrology and magic, and had a good reputation for their prophetic and mystical abilities.
The wise men were guided by a star, which they believed to be a divine sign that a new king was coming to Israel. This belief may have been influenced by the prophecy in the Book of Numbers, which spoke of "a star coming out of Jacob". The wise men therefore interpreted the star as a sign that the Messiah had been born and that they should go to Jerusalem to worship Him.
When Herod heard the news from the Magi, he was filled with fear at the thought of a possible threat to his throne. He sought information about the birthplace of the Messiah in order to destroy Him, and, under the guise of religious interest, he called the wise men to tell him the exact location of the birthplace.
The star that guided the Magi has been interpreted in different ways. For some, the star is a symbol of the divinity of Jesus and an extraordinary sign that God sent to announce His arrival. Others interpreted the star in a more esoteric sense, as a sign that the Messiah was illuminating the world and that His light should be followed.
The wise men who appear before Jesus also provide an example of how truth and divine wisdom can be sought in the world, beyond religious boundaries. Just because they were wise men from a pagan land does not mean that they could not be people who were seeking God's truth.
Herod's reaction is an example of how the powerful and the rulers have much to lose from the coming of the Messiah. However, Herod's attitude can also be seen as an image of the resistance people experience to accept the coming of Jesus into their lives and to surrender control of their existence to the Lord.