The wise men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Commentaries will tell you the symbolism—kingship, worship, burial preparation. But I keep thinking about who these men were: foreign astrologers, probably Zoroastrians, definitely outsiders to Jewish tradition. They didn't have the Hebrew scriptures. They read the stars instead. And somehow, they still found the Christ child.
My friend from India pointed out something that changed how I read this: these wise men represent the reality that God doesn't limit revelation to one people group or one text. Matthew's saying that someone can be completely outside the covenant framework and still respond to what God reveals to them. They saw something in the heavens and followed it. No Bible, no synagogue training, no inside knowledge. Just honesty and willingness to travel toward the light. That's been convicting me lately—how much of my spiritual smugness depends on having the 'right' answers already, versus actually being willing to journey toward truth wherever it leads?
No comments yet. Be the first.