¹ Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,
² "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."
³ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
⁴ and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
⁵ They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:
⁶ 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"
⁷ Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
⁸ and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."
⁹ When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.
¹⁰ When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;
¹¹ and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
¹² And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

• (v.1) Herod was appointed King of the Jews by the Roman senate in 40 B.C. He was cunning politically, cruel to his family, and famous for constructing massive buildings and fortresses. When the Magi asked for the newborn "King of the Jews" (v.2) which was official title of Herod, Herod was afraid of a rival.
• (v.1, 11) The Magi were a priestly caste in Persia. Their knowledge of astrology probably came from Babylon, and their gifts from Arabia. Because of three gifts, tradition settled on three Magi, eventually named Caspar, Balthasar, and Melchior. Caspar also became a black. They represent the whole diverse Gentile world.
• (v.5) Bethlehem, a small town five miles south of Jerusalem, was the ancestral home of David. Jesus' birth there indicates that he is "Son of David."
• (v.11) The meanings of the gifts:
  1. Gold: a precious metal reserved only for royalty. Jesus is king.
  2. Frankincense: a favorite part of religious rituals. Its smoke rises like prayer. Jesus is God.
  3. Myrrh: used to heal and embalm a dead body. Jesus is man, whose suffering saves the world.

THE REVELATION OF GOD TO THE WORLD.
The Magi from around the world search for Jesus and pay him homage, while Herod only pretends to do so. At the beginning of the Gospel, these Gentile Astrologers point to the conclusion of the Gospel, when the disciples pay Jesus homage, and Jesus told them to "make disciples of all the Gentiles." (28:17-20)

1. By what signs do I recognize Jesus? How do I feel when I recognize these signs? Then what do I do?
2. Have I looked for and found Jesus? What does Jesus look like? What does he say?
3. What gifts do I bring Jesus? How does Jesus receive my gifts?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community