UBF Daily Bread

WISE MEN SEEK JESUS

Passage: Matthew 2:1~12

Key verse: 2

The Magi Visit the Messiah

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,^(A) during the time of King Herod,^(B) Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem ²and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?^(C) We saw his star^(D) when it rose and have come to worship him.”

³When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵“In Bethlehem^(E) in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

⁶“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.’^[b]”^(F)

⁷Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. ⁸He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. ¹¹On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.^(G) Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts^(H) of gold, frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And having been warned^(I) in a dream^(J) not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

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Footnotes

Matthew 2:1 Traditionally wise men
Matthew 2:6 Micah 5:2,4

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Jerusalem is disturbed (1-8)

Magi from a kingdom in the East, using their knowledge of Scripture and astronomy, discovered that the Messiah had been born in Israel. They immediately set out on the long journey to honor him. Ironically, the leaders of God's own people were not even aware of Jesus' birth. Herod was disturbed because he saw this event only as a threat to his own power. He asked the religious leaders for the Messiah's birthplace without telling them why, then sent the Magi out with evil intent. Nonetheless, the Magi received the direction they needed.

2. The Magi's gifts (9-12)

When the Magi realized that God was leading them to find the new King, they felt great joy. Young Jesus and his parents did not look like anyone special, but the magi bowed low and gave gifts to him. The Magi are excellent examples of seeking the truth with a pure motive. They did not seek to get something, but to give their worship.

Prayer: Father, thank you that those who seek Jesus can find him, even in evil times. Help me give my heart's pure worship to Jesus.

One Word: We have come to worship him