Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. – Matthew 2: 2

The Wise Men were from the east. They were not from the Sanhedrin. They were not from among the Scribes. They were not from the Pharisees. They were non-Jews from the east who showed up in Jerusalem on King Herod’s doorstep looking for the King of the Jews. The funny part about it is that they made a reasonable assumption that King Herod and his Hebrew advisers would know where the King of the Jews would be. After all, He was their King! What’s going on here? How did the Wise Men know more about Jesus than the leaders of the Jewish nation?

1. They were not students of the scriptures, but they were students of the stars. As such, they were not familiar with the prophecies of the scriptures, but they were quite conversant with the constellations and their behavior. They saw Christ in the stars and used that knowledge to find their way to Him. Those who do not have access to the scriptures can still find the Lord, since He can be revealed in and through what they know.

2. The Hebrew religious leaders did not know where Jesus was because they were not looking for Him. When Herod asked his own religious advisers the question as to where the Messiah was to be born, they were able to quote the prophet Micah who predicted that He would be born in Bethlehem. In other words, they knew where He was supposed to be, but they never took the time to look for Him. They were like people lost with a map.

3. The Wise Men found Jesus because they were actually seeking Him. Their passion caused them to leave the comfort of their homes to seek the Savior of the world even though He was foreign to their personal world. The key is that He was found because He was sought. What Jesus later said is still true. “Seek and ye shall find.” That people who should know better and don’t do better is a shame. However, that people who sincerely seek in faith can discover Christ in spite of religious and cultural barriers is miraculous.