Where Is the King of the Jews?

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, ‘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 2:1-2

Where is the king? Well, the Magi were talking to him! They were face to face with Herod, who governed the people of Judea. He was the king of the Jews!

But they weren’t looking for Herod; they had someone else in mind.

So who were these fellows and why were they trying to meet the Jewish king?

The word “magi” is the plural form of magos, which is a Greek term for an astrologer or sorcerer. It’s not a common word, appearing only 6 times in 5 verses in the New Testament. Most of the references are in the second chapter of Matthew’s gospel. In addition to the verse above, here are the others:

• “Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.” – Matthew 2:7
• “When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.” – Matthew 2:16

Luke uses the word twice when he reports on a magician who felt threatened by the message of Jesus Christ.

They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. – Acts 13:6-8

So the New Testament splits magi into two camps. One group is searching for Jesus, although they don’t know who He is. The other person wants nothing to do with Him.

God honored the magi seeking Christ. As Matthew relates, He used a star and even Herod to guide them to the right location.

He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” ⁹After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. ¹⁰When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. – Matthew 2:8-10

They got their wish and repaid the honor by blessing this royal family!

“On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.” – Matthew 2:11

Since Herod had sent the magi to Bethlehem, they had little reason to distrust him. No doubt they believed in the king’s wholesome interest in this Child. But God knew otherwise.

“And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” – Matthew 2:12

These magi found the One they were searching for. The Bible doesn’t tell us how much information they had before their journey, but it was enough. The Lord used it to lead them to His Son.

By contrast, Elymas wanted to keep his distance from Jesus Christ. (Kind of odd, considering his name, Bar-Jesus, is “Son of Jesus” in Aramaic!) He must have made a decent living practicing his magic arts and prophesying what people wanted to hear, so he feared the gospel’s challenge to his status in society. The magi gave Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Seeing the possibility of his wealth disappearing, Elymas tried to steer his patron away from the apostles, lest he hear and believe.

But that didn’t work out too well!

Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰“You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹²When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord. – Acts 13:9-12

Rejecting the light of the gospel brought this false prophet into a period of total darkness. Had there been a star over his city, he would not have been able to spot it.

Where is the King of the Jews? He’s right where the Bible said He’d be. That’s what Herod found out.

When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ⁵“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: ⁶‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” – Matthew 2:4-6

And Elymas heard the apostles Barnabas and Paul preaching the gospel. He learned about the life of Christ, too.

An amazing aspect of Christmas is that Jesus the Son of God came to where we live. That’s God’s grace in action! But there’s more. The Lord has ways of bringing people to His Son! He gives us Christ, but He also leads us to Him.

So remember that God has blessed us with the presence of Jesus. He’s right where we need Him.