On the Christmas card, it’s all picture-perfect. With a star illuminating the manger, three wise men, with their camels parked outside, bow down before the baby Jesus. And, of course, at the bottom of the card are the Hallmark words—Wise men still seek him today. But…let’s see what Scripture says about these visitors.

Matthew 2:1-2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Who or what are magi? These men were magicians or astrologers known for their wisdom. They may have been from Persia. If that is the case, they had knowledge of Scripture that could be traced back to the time of Daniel (see Daniel 5:11).

How many magi traveled to see Jesus? We don’t know for sure. Based on the number of gifts presented to Jesus, many conclude that there were three. Some traditions even have names for these men. But their names or numbers are not given in Scripture.

What star did they see? The star that guided them could have been a supernova or a conjunction of planets. One writer says that it was a supernatural reality likened to the shekinah that led the Israelites in the days of Moses. All we know for sure is that the star was a true miracle of God.

While there are aspects about the wisemen and their story that we don’t know, here is what we know for certain. These men made a costly sacrifice to see Jesus. They traveled a great distance. They brought precious gifts for him. They sought Jesus and didn’t stop until they found him and worshiped him. That’s the heart of the magi story. And…that should be the heart of our Christmas story as well.

Father, your Word says that if I seek you, I will find you, if I seek you with all my heart. May I, like the magi, truly seek after you. May I truly worship Jesus, my Savior and Lord. In his name, I pray. Amen.