Do those wise men intrigue you? How about that star? What really brought the wise men to Bethlehem? And those three gifts—did they carry profound significance?

No ordinary men

They showed up at King Herod’s doorstep some time after Jesus was born. St. Matthew refers to them as "Magi," an old Persian word from which we also get the word "magic." Typically these were experts in astrology, dreams, fortunetelling—the so-called "secret arts" of pagans. They studied literature. They paid close attention to world affairs. They loved knowledge of all sorts.

Some have said it was 12 wise men that came from the East. Others say it was three, one for each gift. Some have given them the names Gaspard, Balthasar, and Melchior. Others call them Magalath, Galgalath, and Sarasin; or Ator, Sator, and Perator. But Matthew is silent about their number and names. Instead he points to the purpose of their journey. "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" they asked. "We … have come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2).

These were prominent Gentiles intent on worshiping a Jewish king. To find him they hiked hundreds of miles at great cost and risk. Why such astonishing devotion? Several hundred years earlier Daniel was appointed "chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners" of Babylon (Daniel 5:11). Had the prophet’s faithful testimony to the Lord of Israel been preserved in the lore of Babylon’s Magi? Tens of thousands of exiled Jews settled down along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers even after many of their countrymen returned to Palestine. Had they continued to testify that a descendant of King David would rule forever? Did the Magi themselves pore over the Hebrew Scriptures?

But St. Matthew is silent; he gives us no answers.

No ordinary star

One night a new star appeared above the horizon. This group of Magi identified it as "his star," the one signaling the birth of "the king of the Jews." How did they make the connection?

Perhaps the wise men were familiar with the ancient oracle of Balaam. He prophesied, "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel" (Numbers 24:17). From our New Testament perspective we recognize Jacob’s royal star as a reference to Jesus. To put it another way, we interpret the star figuratively. But might the Magi have been watching for a literal star? Still, what was it about this particular star that brought to mind such prophecy? Might something else have connected the rising of this star with the birth of this majestic king? Was there a God-given dream? Did God show the Magi a vision? Did he communicate through an angel?

As for St. Matthew, he responds to such questions with silence.