Ask Dr. Youssef: In Matthew 2, men from the East seek Jesus. Why do we call them wise men?

QUESTION:

“In Matthew 2, men from the East seek Jesus. Why do we call them wise men?”

ANSWER:

These influential and powerful men from Persia studied the movements of stars and planets. While Israel was in exile among the Persians, these astronomers saw how God had supernaturally empowered the prophet Daniel to interpret dreams, withstand intense persecution, and accurately predict the rise and fall of nations. Astonished at these events, they paid close attention to Daniel’s news of the coming of the Anointed One, which God revealed to him hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth (see Daniel 9).

From then on, the Persian astronomers anticipated a sign of this coming heavenly King. And they passed that expectation on from generation to generation. When they finally saw it, they knew that the time had come to worship Jesus. They knew that the God of heaven had come to Earth. You see, God’s glory was manifested in the galaxies. The birth of His one and only divine, sinless Son was proclaimed in the heavens. And so those pagan people traveled to Bethlehem to bow to Jesus.

Why do we call them wise? Because only the wise worship Jesus. Only the wise recognize their need for the Savior. Only the wise seek the one true God and long for a personal relationship with Him. Only the wise do not waste their lives running after false gods, empty promises, and dead-end roads. So in this season, I encourage you to take stock of your life and ask yourself: Am I wise? Today, you can welcome and worship Jesus and be counted among the wise.