Seeking Baby Jesus in the Modern Age: Am I One of the Magi or King Herod? (Part 1)

In the Christmas story, several figures usually become our main focus: the baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the angels. Yet there are two other figures who also deserve attention, namely the Magi from the east and King Herod, who carried out a series of actions to find the baby Jesus. 

If we reflect more deeply, there are two lessons we can learn from the Magi and Herod. We will unpack the first lesson in this article, and the second lesson here.

What Is Our Motivation When Seeking God?

There are some common impressions we have of the Magi and Herod. They are two figures portrayed in complete contrast. The good and the evil. Those who know the truth and those who reject the truth. Those who obey God's will and those who oppose Him. And these are the factors that make their portrayals so different: 

The Magi:

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea in the days of King Herod, Magi from the East came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. – Matthew 2:1-3

Who were the Magi and where did they come from? Some scholars suspect they came from two places: India and Media-Persia. They were Midianites, descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-6) who lived in Persia. Others speculate that they came from the Kingdom of Sheba or the Parthian Empire.

The word “magi” is the Latinized form of magos, which comes from the word magupati. This was a title for the priests of ancient Persian religion, whom today we would call astrologers. At that time, astronomy and astrology were parts of science that went hand in hand. In English, the Magi are called magi or “three wise men.” They were advisers who were respected for their extensive knowledge of science, agriculture, and magic. They were thought to be very wealthy and honored by society.

When the Magi saw the appearance of a new star in the sky—whether a comet, a supernova, or something supernatural—they knew it was a sign of the birth of a king in Israel. Perhaps they knew the prophecy of a Jewish Savior, or Messiah, from the Israelites who had been exiled to Babylon several hundred years earlier. 

Now, imagine the journey they had to make to meet the baby Jesus. The distance from Persia to Israel is estimated to be about 450-500 kilometers. All that way they traveled by camel or horse, scorched by the daytime sun and chilled by the desert cold at night. On top of that, there was the threat of lurking robbers. The cost they paid certainly was not small either. 

Yet they did all of this to pay homage to the baby Jesus. A baby they did not even know. Why? Because they believed Jesus would become the King of kings and the Savior of humanity. 

Outwardly, we may seem to be seeking God. We never miss church; we have sacrificed money, time, and energy for ministry. But what or whom are we actually seeking through all of that? Is God the center of our pursuit? Or do we have some other motivation?

Let us look at the other figure.

Herod:

When King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Then he gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the Jewish people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 

They said to him: "In Bethlehem in Judea, for this is what has been written by the prophet: And 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." 

Then Herod secretly called for the Magi and carefully asked them when the star had appeared. 

– Matthew 2:3-7

From the verses above, we know that Herod was also earnestly searching for Jesus. He gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the Jewish people, and even called the Magi and questioned them carefully—perhaps  for hours. Yes, Herod gathered as much information as possible about the baby Jesus!

However, unlike the Magi, Herod's motivation in searching was to protect his position and power. All he thought about was his own interests, security, and comfort. He even went the extra mile by killing the children in Bethlehem to prevent this little baby from ruling one day (Matthew 2:16-18).

We may find it hard to see ourselves reflected in Herod today. What similarity could we possibly have with that cruel king? Yet on reflection, we actually can look into Herod as a mirror of our true motivation when seeking God.

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Do we seek God to attain personal happiness? For position, wealth, and success? Because we want to do better in work, relationships, finances? Indeed, there is nothing wrong with those things. But is God the foremost focus in our hearts?

As Christmas approaches, let us examine our hearts: are our motives in seeking God as sincere as those of the Magi? Or could it be that we are like Herod, using God for our own personal interests?

Then what is the next lesson we can learn from their story? Come and read Seeking Baby Jesus in the Modern Age: Am I One of the Magi or King Herod? (Part 2).

References:
Adi S, Lukas. 2012. Smart Book Of Christianity. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Andi.
www.biblestudy.org/basicart/who-are-the-magi.html
www.whychristmas.com/story/wisemen.shtml
www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/gold-frankincense-and-myrrh.html
www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/christmas-and-advent/5-common-myths-about-the-three-wise-men-story.html

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