In a previous blog we saw the Magi rejoicing at the sight of the star in the heavens over the House where the child, Jesus, happened to be. I have concluded that the House is none other than the Temple of God at Jerusalem. The Magi viewed the star in the morning sky from Herod’s palace in western Jerusalem. Looking east, they saw the star positioned over the Temple in the eastern sky. It was then that they rejoiced, understanding for the first time that they were in error to come looking for the Messiah in Herod’s palace. They should have understood they would find him in his Father’s House!
Mary and Joseph were in the Temple in obedience to the Law of Moses (Luke 2:22). Mary would have been undergoing the purification ceremony 40 days after the birth of her son (Leviticus 12:2, 4), and Jesus had to be presented or dedicated before the Lord. It was on this day that the Magi found Jesus, as the Holy Spirit led them via the heavenly star – Jupiter.
Scholars find it odd that the birth accounts of Matthew and Luke do not agree, but is it true that they don’t agree at all? Matthew writes about the Magi in Jerusalem, but Luke writes about Simeon in Jerusalem. Who is Simeon? The text does not say, but it is possible that he was one of the Magi, perhaps their leader. Notice the similarity of language used by Luke and Matthew. Luke says one Simon was in Jerusalem, and he looked for the coming of the Messiah (Luke 2:25), while Matthew says that the Magi were in Jerusalem looking for the one born King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2).
Simeon was led to the Temple by the Spirit and found the child (Luke 2:27-28), while the Magi were led to the child by the position of the star over the where the child was, so they went into “the House” (Matthew 2:9-11). Luke continues to say that Simeon rejoiced when he saw the child (Luke 2:28-31), while the Magi rejoiced at the position of the star over where the child was (Matthew 2:9-10).
The Magi fell down and worshipped the child and presented gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh (Matthew 2:11), while Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God (Luke 2:28), and the parents (Luke 2:34). The Magi were prophets who knew the Messiah was already born (Matthew 2:2), and Simeon knew he would not die until he beheld the Messiah and prophesied, warning Mary of trouble ahead for her and the child (Luke 2:34-35).
The Magi came from the land of the Gentiles in the east to pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-2), while Simeon praised the Child as the Glory of Israel and a Light to lighten the Gentiles (Luke 2:32). The Magi rejoiced at seeing the ‘light’ in the sky (Matthew 2:10), while Simeon rejoiced at holding the ‘Light’ in his arms (Luke 2:28, 32).
If one looks below the surface and is willing to let the Scriptures speak to him or her, there is much similarity here. May our Lord and Savior guide all of his children into the full knowledge of the truth of his word, keeping us from error that continues to enslave us to this present evil world.
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2 responses to “The Magi Found the Child in the HOUSE!”
How do you reconcile Matthew 2:8-9? It seems clear that the Magi went to Bethlehem, and if the star was Jupiter in retrograde on Dec. 25, 2 BCE as makes good sense, then it stood over Bethlehem from Jerusalem’s viewpoint. This would also make Jesus about 15 months old, well beyond the requirements of the Law.
Matthew 2:8-9 says Herod directed them to Bethlehem to search there, but all the text says is they left the palace. It never tells us they actually went to Bethlehem. I appreciate Dr. Martin’s book, which you seem to have also read, but I don’t draw the same conclusion he does. Did you ever try to find a house by following a star in the heavens? Could you pick out a particular dwelling on earth over which it stood? I don’t think you could and neither could the Magi. However, consider this. As they left Herod’s palace in western Jerusalem, they would have been looking easterly toward Mt. Olives. The highest point in Jerusalem was the Temple or HOUSE of God. Jupiter would have been just above the Temple in the morning sky just before sunrise. It would have been the only dwelling they would see as it was the only structure built built that high in Jerusalem. Nothing to the left or right and Mt. Olives further east, from their vantage point it would be the only dwelling over which Jupiter stood.
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