Bill Dogterom

Wise Men?
How wise do you have to be to . . . follow a star?
We have revered them for their foresight – for their insight – for their night sight. They have reached the apex of modern religious culture having been adored by bumper sticker – “Wise Men Still Seek Him.” But how would we respond to such wisdom?
“You’re going where? To seek whom? Based on what?”
We get all excited when they arrive – but I suspect we would have joined the chorus of nay-sayers when they departed. Their astrological observations would not likely have carried much weight when put in the balance against a journey lasting the better part of two years, stretching half-way around the world, heading to an unknown land. And for what? A king born to the Jews? Why did that matter to them in the first place?
There is no good answer provided by the text. Matthew simply records that, upon arrival, they made their way to the most logical place possible – the capital city. They must have looked like fools – dressed in the clothes of a foreign culture, wandering around Jerusalem asking “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?” That must have gotten them a strange glance or two. It certainly showed up as a big blip on Herod’s radar screen. He who was the king knew of no king being born in his household! In a massive understatement Matthew records, “he was troubled.”
Herod’s respect for astrology was such that he sought to make the travelers his allies – and spies. To no avail. Still, not taking any chances, and after having done the math, he ordered all male children under the age of two and in the areas around Bethlehem to be slain.
The visitors from the east discovered that the star was a present help in guiding them to where the toddler and his family were living. Their arrival in Bethlehem must have caused a bit of a stir as well! Gossip in the village filled in the blanks – gold, frankinsence and myrhh – exotic spices, rich gifts. What did they know about the workman’s son that no one else did? And who can we ask now that the boy and his family appear to have vanished in the night?
Wisdom is known by its actions. These are known as wise men because they did was wisdom does, they worshiped God. What anyone else thought did not matter. Not then. Not now.