🔠 = 981 words   |    ⌚ = 5 minutes

Good morning and Merry Christmas, everyone! 🎄

On December 16, 2025, I had a Christmas celebration at GMS Church Kupang. We dove deep into Matthew 2:1 (AMP): 'Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king (Herod the Great), magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem...' This verse sets the stage for a massive collision between two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God (Jesus) and the Kingdom of Man (Herod). 

Today, I want to share an exploration of three key elements from this story: The Time, the Tyrant, and the Travelers. Please enjoy!

1. THE PLACE: BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA

​The text specifies "Bethlehem of Judea" to distinguish it from another Bethlehem in the north (Zebulun).

• ​The Name: Beth-lehem means "House of Bread." It is fitting that the "Bread of Life" (Jesus) was born in the "House of Bread."
• ​The Prophecy: It was a tiny, insignificant village about 5-6 miles south of Jerusalem. Its selection proves that God often hides His greatest treasures in the smallest packages. He bypassed the capital city (Jerusalem) and the royal palace to start His revolution in a hamlet.

2. THE TIME: "IN THE DAYS OF HEROD THE KING"

​This is historically crucial. Herod the Great was the Roman-appointed ruler of Judea.

• ​The Builder: Herod was a genius architect (he built the Second Temple, Masada, and Caesarea Maritima).
• ​The Paranoia: He was also a murderous tyrant. He was so paranoid about losing his throne that he executed his own wife (Mariamne) and three of his own sons.
• ​The Contrast:
• ​Herod: A king who killed his own family to keep his crown.
• ​Jesus: A King who would die for His family to give them a crown.
• ​Matthew places them side-by-side to show us the difference between Power that Takes and Power that Gives.

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3. THE TRAVELERS: "MAGI FROM THE EAST"

​The AMP correctly identifies them as "Magi" (Greek: magoi).

• ​Who were they? They were likely Persian or Babylonian priest-scholars. They were experts in astronomy, dream interpretation, and ancient wisdom. They were not kings (as the song "We Three Kings" suggests), but they were King-Makers. In the Parthian Empire, no king could rule without the Magi’s approval.
• ​The Connection: Why would Persians care about a Jewish King? Many scholars believe they had access to the writings of Daniel. Remember, Daniel was the chief of the "wise men" in Babylon centuries earlier (Daniel 5:11). He left a legacy of prophecies (like the "70 Weeks" in Daniel 9) that likely alerted these scholars to the timing of the Messiah's arrival.
• ​The Journey: "From the East" likely implies a journey of 800-900 miles. This would have taken months. It shows their desperation for truth. They were willing to cross deserts just to see if the prophecy was true.
• In the Parthian Empire, no king could rule without the Magi’s approval. That is a historically accurate statement, and it completely changes how we read the Christmas story. In our modern nativity plays, we often view the Magi as gentle, starry-eyed scholars. But in the first century, they were a powerful political class with the authority to make or break emperors. ​Here is the historical backing for that statement and why it terrified Herod.​

A. The "Megistanes" (The Parthian Senate)

​The Greek geographer Strabo (roughly 64 BC – 24 AD), who lived during the same time as Jesus, recorded exactly how the Parthian government worked.

​He wrote that the Council of the Parthians (called the Megistanes) was made up of two groups: ​Kinsmen (The Royal Family/Nobles) and ​Wise Men and Magi (The Priests).

​Strabo explicitly states that the Parthian kings were appointed by these two groups.

• ​The Power: If a king died (or was assassinated, which happened often), the Magi would convene to select the next ruler from the Arsacid family.
• ​The Veto: Conversely, if a king displeased them, the Magi and nobles had the power to depose him. They were not just advisors; they were the "King-Makers" of the East.

​B. Why This Terrified Herod (The Context)

​Knowing that the Magi were "King-Makers" explains Herod's extreme reaction in Matthew 2:3 ("Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him").

• ​The Enemy: The Parthian Empire was Rome’s only rival superpower. In 40 BC (just a few years before Herod took power), the Parthians had actually invaded Jerusalem, deposed the Roman ruler, and installed their own king (Antigonus). Herod had to flee for his life.
• ​The Nightmare: When a group of Parthian King-Makers arrived in Jerusalem asking, "Where is the one who has been born King?", Herod didn't think it was a spiritual question. He likely thought it was a diplomatic coup.
• ​He feared they were there to officially recognize a rival claimant to his throne, backed by the military power of the East.
• ​The Entourage: Since they were high-ranking officials traveling into enemy territory (Roman Judea), they wouldn't have traveled alone on three camels. They likely came with a heavy security detail (cavalry), which explains why "all Jerusalem" was troubled. It looked like an invasion force.

​In the Parthian Empire, the Magi held the keys to the throne. ​In Parthia: They selected the King. ​In Bethlehem: They bowed to the King. ​This makes their worship even more powerful. These men, who controlled the most powerful throne in the East, traveled 900 miles to lay their crowns at the feet of a toddler in a peasant house. They knew true Authority when they saw it.

SUMMARY

​Matthew 2:1 is a study in Irony.

• ​The Insiders (Jewish priests in Jerusalem) had the Bible but didn't bother to walk 5 miles to Bethlehem.
• ​The Outsiders (Gentile stargazers from Babylon) had only a star and old writings, yet they traveled 900 miles to worship. It reminds us that God reveals Himself not to those who think they know everything, but to those who are willing to seek Him.