Page 22 - October 2026 - Truth & Tidings

with the astrologers and charlatans of our Herod’s if a potential rival was on the
day, but their fascination with the stars did horizon.”
4
not put them in a favorable light as far as The question of the wise men was seri-
the Hebrew Scriptures are concerned (Lev ous enough for Herod to take action. “And
19:26; Isa 47:13-15). But as we will see, the when he had gathered all the chief priests
Lord still graciously used a star to guide and scribes of the people together, he
these men in their search for the Savior. demanded of them where Christ should
5
The journey they took has also been be born” (v4). This action reveals Herod’s
much debated. They may have traveled ignorance of the Scriptures. He had done
from Arabia, Persia or Babylon. Scripture many things for the Jewish people, even
is silent about their location, but it seems beautifying their temple. He was half-
apparent that their journey from the east Jewish himself, but had not the least idea
was measured in hundreds of miles, in- where the Jewish Messiah would be born.
cluding long stretches over desert sands. So he called for a meeting of those who
When they arrived in Jerusalem, the would know.
question on their minds was, “Where is As this article is entitled “Three Re-
he that is born king of the Jews? For we sponses to the Newborn King,” let us first
have seen his star in the east, and are come address the men who knew the answer to
to worship him” (v2). Their question was Herod’s question.
3
as interesting as their occupations. Who
could be born a king? Normally, sons The Laxity of the Leaders
with royal blood in their veins might be For the chief priests and scribes, Herod’s
born princes and become kings at their question fell into the category of “Bible
coronation. But they asked about one Trivia for Dummies.” There was no delib-
“born king.” Also, they referred to Him eration for hours to come up with an an-
as “king of the Jews.” The Jews had been swer; they knew it immediately. “And they
without a king for nearly six centuries, so said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for
their question was almost laughable. But thus it is written by the prophet, And thou
it broke news in the Jerusalem Times and Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the
Herod caught wind of it. least among the princes of Juda: for out of
“When Herod the king had heard these thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule
things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem my people Israel” (vv5-6). They instantly
with him” (v3). Herod did not appreciate knew that Micah had already predicted
this supposed threat to his rule. Neither the place of the Messiah’s birth. It was
did “all Jerusalem.” But this phrase needs Bethlehem, just a few miles from where
some explaining. It likely refers to the they were meeting. The wise men were
“Jerusalem establishment that controlled telling them their King, their true Mes-
the politics, economics, and religious siah, had been born, and in an hour or so
activities of the rest of the nation. Many they could look upon Him with their own
of the leaders of the Jerusalem establish- eyes. But they had no interest in following
ment would be Herod’s political bedfel- them into Bethlehem to see for themselves.
lows whose fears would closely parallel
4 Turner, 81.
3 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV 5 Notice that Herod’s question equates the “king
unless otherwise noted. of the Jews” (v2) with Christ.

310 TRUTH kTidings October 2026