NOTES for Mat 2:1-23
The appearance in Jerusalem, described in today's reading, of the "Magi" who came "from the east" (v. 1) raises a number of questions. Who were these "Magi"? Why were they interested at all in the birth of the Messiah-Christ, a question that in those days would seem to have been of interest only to Jews? And what mysterious "star" (v. 2) led them? The traditional answer to the last question has been to point to the fact that the "Magi," who knew the astronomy of their time well, could notice some unusual phenomenon in the starry sky and interpret it as a sign that the Messiah had indeed been born. But such an answer presupposes that these "Magi" not only knew astronomy well, but were awaiting the coming of the Messiah no less than the Jews themselves.
Palestine at that time was part of the Roman Empire, which in the east bordered Persia, a land the Romans never managed to conquer despite many attempts. The state religion of Persia at that time was Zoroastrianism, and in the Roman Empire the priests of this religion were called in Greek "magi" (in the Synodal translation these "magi" became "wise men"). Zoroastrianism was remarkable in that its followers, like the Jews, awaited the Messiah, who would come to earth at the end of time in order to lead here the last battle of the sons of Light against the sons of darkness. It appears that among the Zoroastrian priests there were some who decided to step beyond the limits prescribed by the tradition of their own religion. They were the ones who set out for Judea in order to find there the Messiah for whom they had been waiting so long.
Of course, traditional Zoroastrian messianic ideas differed significantly from biblical ones. But for those who set out for Palestine, the desire to find the truth was clearly stronger than the influence of accepted opinions and the pressure of their environment. And the pressure could be very strong: the Roman Empire and Persia were traditionally hostile to one another, and for the magi to set out for Judea meant going straight into the enemy camp. Moreover, of course, they had no guarantees that they would actually find the One they were seeking. But, as we can see, finding the Messiah of whom not only biblical books but also Zoroastrian books spoke was absolutely necessary for these people. And therefore they found the One they were seeking (vv. 9-11).
Not everyone is destined by God to be born among the people of God. But the search for truth is open to everyone. And if this search is sincere and persistent, sooner or later it will surely lead the seeker to Him who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.