WE THREE KINGS OF ORIENT ARE

We three kings of Orient are; 

bearing gifts we traverse afar, 

field and fountain, moor and mountain, 

following yonder star.

O star of wonder, star of light, 

star with royal beauty bright, 

westward leading, still proceeding, 

guide us to thy perfect light.

Matthew’s Gospel reports “wise men” (Matthew 2:1) coming to worship the new-born King. In the original Greek language, “wise men” is “magi.” These men who came from the “east” (Matthew 2:1) were scholars who studies the stars. When they saw the uncommon star, they left their homes in search of the One announced by this miraculous sight.

After a long-distance journey, they lavishly worshipped Jesus with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh… three gifts. The Bible doesn’t record the number of magi, but tradition has equated the three gifts with three men… “three kings.”

Here’s what is interesting to me … these earliest worshippers of the Messiah were NOT Jews… they were Gentiles. God revealed Himself to eastern astronomers who faithfully sought the new-born King. These men, Gentiles, then returned home with the story of the King, born among the Hebrew people.

God chose Gentiles to tell His story to the people in the “utter-most.” At the end of Matthew’s Gospel, we read Jesus’ command to His disciples, directing them (us) to carry the story of God’s grace to those near and far… even those from the “utter-most” homeland of the magi.

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).