The wise men (magi) were learned men from the east who followed a star to find the newborn King of the Jews (Matthew 2:1-12). The Bible never says there were three or gives their names. The number comes from their three gifts: "gold, and frankincense, and myrrh" (Matthew 2:11). Names like Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar come from later church tradition. Their visit is remembered on Epiphany, January 6.
Almost every nativity set has three kings in fine robes kneeling beside the manger. The real story in Matthew 2 is even more interesting, and a little different. Matthew calls them wise men from the east, using the Greek word magoi, the root of our word magi. They were probably scholars or court advisers who studied the sky, perhaps from Persia or Babylon, where Daniel had once been chief over the wise men. They saw a star, traveled a long way, asked King Herod where the child was born, and finally worshipped Jesus with costly gifts. The Bible does not tell us how many came, what their names were or that they were kings. Those details grew up in later Christian tradition. What Matthew does tell us is enough: Gentiles from a faraway land were among the first to worship Jesus. Their visit is celebrated on Epiphany, Wednesday, January 6, 2027, also called Three Kings Day. The twelve King James verses below walk through the visit, the meaning of the three gifts and the Old Testament promises that nations and kings would come to the Lord. For more on the star, see Bible verses about stars; for the whole nativity, see Bible verses about Christmas.
The wise men from the east in Matthew 2
1. Daniel 2:48
"Then the king made Daniel a great man, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon."
Centuries before Jesus, Daniel was made chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon. The same kind of learned class, often called magi, served in the courts of Babylon and later Persia. Many Bible readers think this is one reason wise men in the east were watching for a king of the Jews. Daniel and other exiles had carried Israel's Scriptures and hopes into that land. It is a beautiful thought: a faithful man's witness may have been remembered for generations.
2. Matthew 2:3
"When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."
The wise men arrived in Jerusalem asking, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east" (Matthew 2:2). The news landed badly: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Herod was a jealous ruler who already had a title, King of the Jews, given by Rome. The same news that brought joy to the seekers brought fear to the man who wanted to keep his throne.
3. Matthew 2:7
"Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared."
Herod met the wise men in secret and enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. He was calculating the child's age. Later he ordered the death of boys in Bethlehem from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men (Matthew 2:16). That detail, along with the word house in Matthew 2:11, suggests the wise men came some months after the birth, not on the same night as the shepherds. Nativity sets combine two scenes.
4. Matthew 2:8
"And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also."
Herod sent them on to Bethlehem with a lie: bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. He had no plan to worship. Then the star went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was (Matthew 2:9), and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2:10). After they worshipped, God warned them in a dream, and they departed into their own country another way (Matthew 2:12). Seekers who truly find Jesus often go home by a different road.
Gold, frankincense and myrrh: the meaning of the gifts
5. Psalms 72:15
"And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised."
Psalm 72 is a prayer for the king, and it looks beyond Solomon to a greater King: to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Gold was the gift for royalty. When the wise men presented unto him gifts; gold (Matthew 2:11), they were saying with treasure what Herod would not say with words: this child is the true King. The verse also adds prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised, which describes worship that never ends.
6. Isaiah 60:6
"The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD."
Isaiah foresaw caravans of camels arriving from Sheba: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD. Frankincense was sweet incense burned in the temple (Exodus 30:34), so it pointed to worship and to God. Isaiah's words are one reason Christians have pictured the magi with camels, and the reason many see Christ's deity in the second gift. The verse just before says the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isaiah 60:3).
7. Psalms 45:8
"All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad."
This royal wedding psalm describes the king's robes: All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia. Myrrh was a costly, fragrant resin used in perfumes, in the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23) and in preparing bodies for burial. It suited a king, but it also carried a shadow. Many Christians have seen in the wise men's myrrh a quiet hint that this King would one day suffer and die for His people.
8. John 19:39
"And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight."
At the end of Jesus' earthly life, Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight to prepare His body for burial. The baby who received myrrh from strangers in Bethlehem was wrapped with myrrh by a friend at the cross. Gold for a King, frankincense for God, myrrh for a sacrifice: that is the traditional reading of the three gifts, and the Gospels themselves connect the last gift to His death.
Epiphany: the nations come to worship
9. Isaiah 11:10
"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious."
Isaiah promised a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek. An ensign is a banner raised so people far away can see it and gather. The wise men were Gentiles, outsiders to Israel, and they came seeking the Son of David, Jesse's descendant. Epiphany means appearing or showing. It celebrates that Jesus was revealed not only to Israel but to the whole world.
10. Psalms 72:11
"Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him."
Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. The verse just before it promises that the kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents (Psalm 72:10). This is where the tradition of calling the wise men kings comes from. Matthew never calls them kings, but Christians read Psalm 72 and Isaiah 60 and saw the magi as the first of the nations bowing before Christ. Their kneeling in Bethlehem is a preview of every knee bowing one day.
11. Psalms 22:27
"All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee."
All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD. Psalm 22 is the psalm Jesus quoted on the cross, and it ends with a worldwide hope: all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. The wise men traveled from the ends of their world to worship the newborn King. Epiphany is a good day to pray for missionaries and for people in every nation who have not yet heard the good news.
12. Matthew 8:11
"And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven."
Years after the wise men's visit, Jesus said, many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. The magi were an early sign of that promise. They were not born into God's people, but they came, they found Him, and they worshipped. That is still the invitation of Christmas. Whoever seeks Jesus with an honest heart will find a welcome at His table.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, like the wise men we want to seek You until we find You. Thank You for leading strangers from far away by a star, and for leading us by Your Word. We bring You our treasure: our gold, our worship and our lives. Keep us from Herod's fear and fill us with the wise men's joy. Lead us home by a new road, and send Your light to every nation. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Test your family with the free Christmas Bible trivia, including the wise men · Print the free Christmas word search with a Wise Men puzzle · Memorize Matthew 2:10-11 with the Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What were the names of the three wise men?
The Bible does not name them, and it does not say there were three. The names Caspar (or Gaspar), Melchior and Balthasar come from Western church tradition, recorded from around the sixth century. Some Eastern traditions used other names and even counted twelve. Matthew only says there came wise men from the east (Matthew 2:1). The number three comes from the three gifts. See Bible verses about gifts.
What does each gift of the wise men mean?
Gold was a gift for a king, frankincense was the incense of worship in God's temple, and myrrh was a perfume used for anointing and burial. Christians have long read them as pointing to Jesus as King, as God, and as the One who would die for His people. Matthew does not explain the gifts himself, so this is a traditional reading, but each part has roots in Scripture, as the verses above show.
When did the wise men visit Jesus?
Probably some time after His birth. When they arrived, the family was in a house (Matthew 2:11), and Herod targeted boys up to two years old based on when the star appeared (Matthew 2:16). Christians remember the visit on Epiphany, January 6, twelve days after Christmas, and many Hispanic families celebrate it as Three Kings Day (Día de los Reyes). For the birth night itself, see Bible verses about Christmas Day.
Were the wise men kings or astrologers?
Matthew calls them magi, which in that world meant learned men, often court advisers who studied the stars, dreams and ancient writings. The Bible does not praise astrology, and the wise men did not stop at the sky: they asked where the Scriptures said the Messiah would be born and were sent to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4-6). The idea that they were kings comes from Psalm 72:10-11 and Isaiah 60:3. Read more in Bible verses about Jesus as King.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Christmas · Stars · Gifts · Jesus as King · Worship · Christmas Day · Advent · Missionary work
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