The Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah, Part 2, by Kevin M. Williams
Of the magi Wesley says:
Wise men—The first fruits of the Gentiles. Probably they were Gentile philosophers, who, through the Divine assistance, had improved their knowledge of nature, as a means of leading to the knowledge of the one true God. Nor is it unreasonable to suppose, that God had favoured them with some extraordinary revelations of himself, as he did Melchisedec, Job, and several others, who were not of the family of Abraham; to which he never intended absolutely to confine his favours. The title given them in the original was anciently given to all philosophers, or men of learning; those particularly who were curious in examining the works of nature, and observing the motions of the heavenly bodies.
While I hold Wesley in the highest regard, and appreciate his scholarship, I humbly disagree. It appears that Dr. David H. Stern has an insight worth investigating.
Magi were not merely sorcerers or magicians, although the term “magician” comes from this word; nor where they simply astrologers, although they did observe the stars. They were sages, wise men, often in positions of responsibility but sometimes commanding respect because of their wisdom even when not holding office. These Magi came from the Medo-Persian Empire or Babylon.11
For me, the answer lies in the book of Daniel. In this Babylonian tome, we find the term “wise men” used 13 times. These chakkiym (מיבבח) were men of great influence in the Babylonian Empire. While time and space do not permit a complete investigation, one point is very important: in this institution of learning, the Jewish prophet Daniel was preeminent.
“Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2:48, emphasis mine).
This made Daniel not merely a magi, but chief magi. His words and his prophecies would have carried great weight throughout the Empire (incidentally, east of Israel.) In Daniel 9, we have a clear indication of the time of the Messiah’s coming. The Babylonian magi contemporary to Yeshua’s birth would, in all likelihood, been very familiar with the writings of their great prophet and had set out for Israel in anticipation of the Messiah’s birth.
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (Matthew 2:2).
The question must be raised, why would pagan wise men come to worship a Hebrew king—not merely to witness, but to worship? It seems highly unlikely—let alone politically unsound—unless they had a unique insight, such as a sacred scroll left to them foretelling this great event by one of their greatest prophets, Daniel, chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.
It is also quite possible—though not authoritatively so—that these wise men were themselves, Jewish, coming to worship their own Messiah. We know that the majority of the Hebrew population carried off into Babylonian exile stayed behind. We also know that the authoritative Hebrew scholarship came not out of Israel, but out of Babylon, from whence we get the Babylonian Talmud. Even the great mishnaic scholar Hillel (president of the Temple Sanhedrin at the time of Yeshua’s birth) came from Babylon. While in the realm of speculation, it seems a point worth consideration.
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In part three, we will look into Miriam and Joseph’s flight into Egypt, John the Baptist, and the birth of Yeshua’s three-year ministry.
Endnotes
1 Bishop John Lightfoot (1602-1675): English scholar partially responsible for formulating the Westminster Confession, and best known as the author of the Commentary of the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica.
2 Alfred Edersheim (1825-1889): Vicar of Lodera, Dorsetahire, Curate of the Abbey Church, Christchurch, Hants Oxford Lecturer, Select Preacher to the University, Grinfield Lecturer on the Septuagint. Himself a Jew, he is best known for the work The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.
3 Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum (1943-): Founder of Ariel Ministries, Tustin, California, was formerly editor of The Chosen People, associate director of The Christian Jew Foundation. The completion of his dissertation, Israelology: The Missing Link in Systematic Theology, was the culmination of 13 years of research for which he earned his Ph.D. at New York University in 1989. Dr. Fruchtenbaum has authored numerous published works and recorded many Biblical studies of keen interest to both Jews and Gentiles.
4 Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3
5 p’shat = literal or simple interpretation. For a more complete introduction to rabbinic interpretation see “The Secret Codes in Matthew: Examining Israel’s Messiah” Part 1 in Pneuma Review Spring 2001 (Vol 4, No 2).
6 remez = deeper figurative interpretation.
7 sod = deeper spiritual interpretation. Also written coq.
8 John 6:51
9 John 6:35
10 Mark 14:22
11 Jewish New Testament Commentary, 1992, Jewish New Testament Publications, Clarksville, MD, p. 9.
Category: Biblical Studies, Pneuma Review, Summer 2001
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