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WHEN Does Scripture Say the Magi Saw Christ?

  • Writer: Amber Backus
    Amber Backus
  • Dec 18, 2019
  • 2 min read

Updated: Dec 19, 2021

December 19, 2021 Luke and Matthew are the only accounts we have of the birth of Jesus. Luke does not mention the magi. Only Matthew does. The reason for these two varying Gospel accounts of Jesus' birth can be explained by the audience they were writing for. See, they are both accurate and they overlap with each other.


Matthew, who was a Jew, wrote this Gospel account in 85 BCE for a group of Jews who had come to understand Jesus is the Messiah. He was up against the differing view points of the Pharisees who taught that the Old Testament ways were still the way things needed to be carried out while Matthew's goal was to reveal that Jesus changed everything and they now lived under a new covenant. Luke's Gospel, on the other hand, was written from his Greek Gentile point of view to a Greek Gentile audience. His goal was to share that salvation through Jesus was for them too. They did not have to become a Jew or begin practicing Jewish traditions to gain the gift Jesus intended. Luke's goal was to show that Jesus' message was for all people. Matthew's account says, "When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." (Matthew 2: 10-11) *emphasis mine* Joseph, Mary and Jesus are in a house. The night Jesus was born, an angel appeared to shepherds and said they would find Jesus in a manger/feeding trough. Now the family was in a house. Jesus is referred to as a 'child', and when Herod orders boys under the age of 2 to be killed (Matthew 2:16). Remember, the star did not guide the shepherds. An angel told them where to go and they went with haste (Luke 2:10-16). Those are the clues written in the Holy Bible.


Matthew 2:9b says, "...the star stopped over the place where the child was." Frederick A. Larson makes an excellent case using astronomy software called Starry Night to explore the skies for the star of Bethlehem (see day 15 for more about the star). He explains all the celestial events leading to Christ's birth that match the nine points outlined in the Bible.


Remarkably, Jupiter appears to stop (because of retrograde motion) over the little town of Bethlehem on December 25, 2 BC. If Larson's findings are accurate, they reveal that the Magi arrive with their gifts for, Jesus, as a child, on the day we celebrate Christmas! What perfection.

So, this is another sign unto this generation. Yes, God has us in mind. He has all of his children in mind. Friend, he wants you to marvel at what he has done for you, and I must say it is a masterpiece worth marveling over! Everything is about Jesus. God designed it so you and I could be included!



 
 
 

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