12 Key Lessons we Learn from the Wise Men in the Bible

The story of the wise men (also known as the magi) in the Bible is a short story, but it is packed with meaning. The wise men show us the power of faith, the role of Jesus Christ in God’s plan of redemption and restoration, and they give us an example of what it looks like to follow God’s lead – which often takes us places we don’t expect.

The Story of the Wise Men: Matthew 2:1-12

We find the story of the wise men in Matthew 2:1-12. The story of the three wise men is also known as the story of the Biblical magi or the three kings. It tells of the “magi”, or wise men, who come from the east to Jerusalem in order to see “the one who has been born king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2).

The story of the wise men is typically tied into the story of Jesus’ birth (many Christmas pageants have the wise men at the manger when Jesus was born). However, in the Bible the wise men actually visit Jesus in Bethlehem at his home, probably when he was around two years old. We know this because when Herod realizes that the wise men are not going to return and tell him where Jesus is, he orders all baby boys under the age of two killed. (This is when Jesus and his family flee to Egypt.)

Who were the three wise men?

In Matthew’s gospel, the men are only known as “magi”, which is a Greek word meaning “one of a learned and priestly class.” The magi, or wise men, may have been astronomers (they studied the stars), or they may have been kings (both Isaiah 60 and Psalm 72 predict that kings will visit the savior and bring him gifts of gold and frankincense). Tradition holds that there were three wise men, probably because there are three gifts named in Matthew’s account. But we don’t actually know how many wise men visited Jesus, since Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t specify how many there were.

The Visit of the Wise Men

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Matthew’s Gospel tells us that “magi” from the east came to visit, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The magi had been studying the stars, and when they saw the star that signaled the birth of the new king, they went to King Herod to inquire about his birth, saying “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).

When Herod heard this, he was disturbed, and he called together all the chief priests and the teachers of the law, asking them where the Messiah was to be born. He called the magi as well, and found out from them where exactly the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem to search for the newborn king, claiming to want to worship him as well. His real motive, however, was the elimination of his competition.

The wise men travelled to Bethlehem, where they found Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and they presented Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. They were then warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they went back to their country by a different route.

12 Lessons that We Learn from the Wise Men in the Bible

The story of the wise men in the Bible is a short story, taking up only 12 verses in Matthew’s Gospel, but it is one filled with meaning.

1. Jesus is the King of kings.

One of the gifts that the wise men give to Jesus is gold. Gold represents kingship, and suggests that the wise men are recognizing Jesus as royalty. They are seeking the one who is born “king of the Jews”. And not only that, but Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

2. Jesus is worthy of worship and praise.

Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. Incense was burned at the altar in the Jewish Temple as part of the sacrificial system, and it is often used in liturgical worship in traditional churches today. The gift of frankincense represents Jesus’ divinity, and suggests that he is worthy of our worship and praise.

3. Jesus’ death was foretold and was part of God’s plan.

Myrrh is a fragrance that was used to prepare dead bodies for burial. The wise men’s gift of myrrh tells us that Jesus’ death was foretold ahead of time (as in Isaiah 55:3, for example) and that it was always a part of God’s plan. Myrrh also represents Jesus’ humanity (because he was human, he could die).

4. Jesus fulfils all of God’s promises.

When the wise men see the star rise in the sky, they recognize that it signals the birth of the new king; Jesus’ birth fulfills prophesy. When Herod asks the chief priests and teachers of the law, they tell him where Jesus was born (in Bethlehem), because it was foretold by the prophet Micah. Throughout the story of the wise men, we see several prophecies about the Messiah fulfilled:

• Micah 5:2: The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem.
• Hosea 11:1: The Messiah (God’s son) came out of Egypt (Jesus fled to Egypt to escape Herod and returned to Nazareth once king Herod had died.
• Jeremiah 31:15: The slaughter of children by Herod is predicted.
• Isaiah 60:3,6: The Messiah will attract nations and kings to him, who will bring gold and incense, proclaiming his praise.

A key theme throughout Matthew’s Gospel is that Jesus fulfills Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah. We can see in the story of the wise men that Jesus fulfills some of God’s promises. In fact, in his life and death, Jesus fulfills all of God’s promises to us.

5. Pay attention to your surroundings.

The wise men were able to find Jesus because they were paying attention to their surroundings. They knew about the prophecy of a coming king and they were watching for his star.

God speaks through many different avenues: through his Word, through the prophets, through those around us, through nature, and through our circumstances. When we keep our eyes and our ears open, we are able to hear God’s promptings through our surroundings.

6. Seek guidance in God’s word.

Importantly, the wise men did not only rely on their surroundings. They needed the confirmation of God’s Word in order to find the Messiah. When they approached Herod and asked about the newborn king, Herod consulted the chief priests and the teachers of the law who knew Scripture well enough to know that the king predicted would be born in Bethlehem. It was a combination of following the star and seeking guidance in God’s Word that led the wise men to Jesus.

7. Cultivate spiritual discernment.

Thousands of people saw the star appear above Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth, but it was only the wise men who recognized it as a sign from God. When we cultivate spiritual discernment (which is the ability to judge well), we are better able to recognize God’s voice when we hear it (whether literally or metaphorically). When we cultivate spiritual discernment, we are able to separate good from evil, truth from falsehood, and wisdom from foolishness.

8. Keep seeking.

The wise men first go to Herod’s palace in Jerusalem, seeking “the one who has been born king of the Jews.” This seems like a natural place to look for a new king: in the palace. However, Jesus was not where the magi expected him to be. They had to consult with the religious leaders and seek guidance from Scripture in order to find the new king. They had to keep seeking after an initial disappointment.

This is true with us too. As with the wise men, we may often come to a place where we expect God to show up only to find him not there (as with prayers that seem to go unanswered, for example). Our job is to not give up when this happens, but to keep seeking. Often, we find God in places that we don’t expect.

9. Hard work is rewarded.

The star appeared above Bethlehem at the time of Jesus’ birth. However, by the time the wise men arrive at Jesus’ home, he is probably around two years old. (We know this because Herod found out from the magi the exact time the star had appeared, and when they fail to return he has every boy living in Bethlehem under the age of two killed.) That means that it took a long time – and a lot of hard work! – to get there. The wise men likely walked from their own homes all the way to Bethlehem. They also had to contend with Herod, the evil king, and they had to return to their country a different way than they had come.

Their hard work is rewarded, however, when they get to see the Messiah and worship him. Being from the east, the magi were not Jews and thus would have been outside of God’s people. Nevertheless, they recognized Jesus as the Messiah, worshiped him, and were given guidance and protection from God himself.

10. Expect trouble.

Instead of rejoicing at the news of the birth of the king of the Jews, Herod was disturbed. From his reaction, we can gather than we was jealous and threatened. He created trouble for all those around Jesus, including the wise men and everyone living in Bethlehem.

When we follow Jesus, we can expect trouble. Jesus warns his disciples of this, for example, in Matthew 10:21-23. When we are following God’s will, the devil is against us, and oftentimes the world is against us (or at least those with worldly ambitions, like Herod, are against us). However, when we expect trouble, we keep the devil from isolating us by reminding ourselves that others experience the same obstacles, challenges, and failures; we are not alone. And ultimately, the trouble that we face now is not the last word. As with the magi, we can expect God to lead us and protect us.

11. Trust God to lead you into the future.

God led the wise men in two very concrete instances in this story. He led them to Jesus, when they followed the star and the prophecy in Scripture. And he led them to safety after they had visited Jesus, by warning them not to return to Herod. In both cases, trusting God and following his lead would have required a huge leap of faith.

Assuming that the wise men took two years to get to Jesus, then a round trip to visit the Messiah would take four years of time and effort. They would be away from their homes, braving the elements, and potentially facing obstacles and trouble for four years time. When they began following the star, they also did not know where they were going or what to expect. They simply had to trust that God was in control and that he would lead the way.

Similarly, when the wise men chose to follow God’s advice when he appeared to them in a dream, they also required faith and trust. They would have had to trust that it was God speaking to them. And they would again have to venture into the unknown, travelling a path that they were unfamiliar with.

When we trust God, however, and when we listen to our surroundings, to his Word, and we cultivate spiritual discernment, we are rewarded greatly. Like the wise men, we can trust God to guide us and to protect us.

12. Who will you listen to, Herod or God?

The wise men ultimately had to decide who to listen to: Herod or God? Listening to Herod would have been following worldly wisdom, and it would have lead to disaster, and possibly even their own death (Herod had a history of murdering those who got in his way). Herod was concerned with worldly power, and with solidifying and protecting his own reign. In this story, Herod represents worldly power, self-interest, and perpetuating those systems that keep things as they are and that reinforce the power of the powerful.

God, on the other hand, calls the wise men out into the unknown. Jesus’ power comes not through violence, but through vulnerability, weakness, and even death. God himself descends (becoming a human, and becoming a completely dependent baby) in order to rescue humanity from sin and to reunite them to himself. When the wise men listen to God’s promptings, they need the faith to step out into the unknown, they need bravery to face the challenges and dangers along the way, and they need the perseverance to keep going even when the journey is long and difficult.