The Wise Guys - Matt 2:1-12
December 11, 2022
identified two of our characters… reluctant dad and humble mom…
Matt 1:24… “when Joseph woke up… he did as the angel commanded him…”
Luke 1:30… “do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God…”
kind of skipped over some other characters… angels and shepherds…
Luke 2:8-20… “shepherds watching over flock… angel appeared… I bring you good news of great joy for all people, today a Savior has been born… after seeing Him, shepherds told everyone what happened and what angel said… people amazed…”
find out a little more about some wise guys and our villain today…
how many wise guys were there… not sure… we assume three because of three gifts… bible doesn’t say… tradition also gives us some idea who they were…
Matt 2:1… “after Jesus was born… Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem…”
3rd century – first viewed as kings…
6th century – given initial names… Bithisarea, Melichior, Gathaspa…
14th century – King Balthasar (Arabia)… King Melchior (Persia)… King Gaspar (India)…
Magi were priesthood of Medes… established by King Darius in Persia… Daniel was Rab-Mag (chief of Magi)… prophecy 600 years before Jesus about His coming… would have passed knowledge on to other wise guys… astronomers (study of God’s handiwork outside earth’s atmosphere)… not astrologers (horoscopes, witchcraft)…
Dan 2:46-49… “king made Daniel… chief governor over all the wise men…”
Dan 9… “according to word, had vision, angel gave understanding… bring rebellion to end… put a stop to sin… bring in everlasting righteousness… until Anointed One comes…”
gifts point us to Jesus as king (gold)… priest (incense)… savior (myrrh in death)… NOT at His birth… about two years later… villain killed all boys under age 2…
Matt 2… “after Jesus was born… star led them to where child was… entering house…”
paidion… young child; little one…
Luke 2:12… “you will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth, lying in a manger…”
brephos… new-born child, an infant, a babe…
Matt 2:16… “kill all boys under two… keeping with time learned from wise men…”
lots of smart people… smart doesn’t mean wise… what makes wise guys wise… wisdom only comes from one source… and they knew who that source was…
Exo 31:3… “filled with God’s Spirit… wisdom, understanding, ability…”
Exo 36:1-2… “the Lord has given them wisdom… placed wisdom in heart…”
1Kings 5:12… “the Lord gave Solomon wisdom…”
Prov 2:6… “the Lord gives wisdom… from His mouth comes understanding…”
Luke 2:40… “the Child… filled with wisdom… God’s grace was upon Him…”
hakma/sophia… use of knowledge in diverse matters; skill, knowledge and practice…
we can be wise guys too… rely on God and His word… knowledge is knowing right thing to do, wisdom is doing it… knowledge becomes wisdom when we apply it…
Eccl 2:26… “God gives wisdom, knowledge, and happiness…”
1Cor 1:30… “you are in Christ… who became for us wisdom…”
Col 2:2-3… “in Christ… all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found…”
Jam 3:17… “wisdom from heaven is… pure, peace-loving, gentle… full of mercy…”
how does God get wisdom to us… bible reading, counsel, relationships, prayer…
Psa 19:7… “instruction of the Lord is perfect… making wise the simple…”
Prov 12:15… “whoever listens to counsel is wise…”
Prov 13:20… “walk with wise, become wise…”
Jam 1:5… “if you lack wisdom… ask God… give generously…”
I need not despair because the living God is my partner. I do not have sufficient wisdom to meet these difficulties, but He is able to direct me. I can pour out my heart to God and ask Him to guide and direct me and to supply me with wisdom. Then I have to believe that He will do so. I can go with courage to face my business and expect help from Him in the next difficulty. —George Muller
initially, no words from angels… just a knowledge of God’s word and faith in His promises… that faith led them to apply it… which led them to Messiah… Herod’s priests had same knowledge… but no wisdom to apply it… lots of people have a knowledge of God’s word… but far fewer believe and obey it…
Matt 2:5-6… “where is He born King of the Jews… we saw His star and have come to worship… this is what was written… Bethlehem, out of you will come Ruler…”
Phil 4:9… “do what you learned, received, heard, seen… God of peace with you…”
wise guys also knew how to approach the throne… worship first, then gifts… in many ways, we have lost the worship of Christmas… wise people understand that when approaching Jesus… it’s about worship, not receiving or giving gifts…
Josh 24:15… “as for me and my family… we will worship the Lord…”
Psa 95:6… “come, let us worship and bow down…”
Psa 132:7… “let us go to His dwelling place… let us worship at His throne…”
Dan 3… “we will not serve your gods or worship the statue you have set up…”
Matt 2:2-11… “have come to worship… falling to knees, they worshiped Him…”
Matt 4:10… “worship the Lord your God and serve Him only…”
wise guys were wise… not only because they had a knowledge of God’s word… not only because they had faith in His promises… not only because they came to worship… but because they listened to God’s voice, not man’s (Joseph)…
Matt 2… “Herod summoned wise men… go and search, when you find him, report to me, so I can go and worship him too… being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod… they returned to their own country by another route…”
John 5:42-44 TLB… “your approval or disapproval means nothing to me…”
Gal 1:10… “am I now seeking the approval of man or God…”
what do you do when you don’t know what to do… two pretty simple choices… give thanks or not give thanks… one makes you wise… one makes you a fool…
Rom 1:18-25… “wouldn’t worship or give thanks… minds became dark and confused…”
Eph 5:17-20… “understand what God wants… give thanks in everything…”
true wisdom comes down to this… it’s not what you know… it’s who you know… wise men followed God and it led them straight to Jesus… will you…
Gal 5:25… “let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives…”
2Pet 1:1-3… “everything required for life comes thru the knowledge of Him…”