The Magi—Non-Christian Followers of Jesus (Epiphany)
Listen: “Song of the Magi” by Anais Mitchell
There are people all over the world who follow Jesus but don’t call themselves Christians. This is sometimes surprising and even disconcerting to declarative Western Christians who like to think that they own Jesus. I have friends and acquaintances who call themselves Muslim followers of Jesus, Buddhist followers of Jesus, Hindu followers of Jesus, and Native American followers of Jesus. I’ve even met a few people who call themselves agnostic or atheist followers of Jesus.
While this might be alarming to some Christians, it is solidly grounded in scripture and the birth narrative of Matthew’s Christmas story. The term “Christian” did not exist until after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The Twelve Disciples of Jesus would not have called themselves Christians. (See Luke 11:26.) They were Jewish followers of Jesus.
The Magi in Matthew’s gospel were not Jewish, and there is no evidence that they ever became Christians. Magi were magicians and sorcerers in the ancient Near Eastern world. They were known for their priestly wisdom and expertise in interpreting dreams, oriental wisdom, reading signs, and astrology—sometimes called “The Wise Men.”
The wise men (magi) who visited baby Jesus were “from the East.” This brief description has led commentators to speculate about their origin. The best guess is that the Magi were from ancient Arabia, Babylon, or Persia; however, it is possible that they were from India or China. Commentators also speculate about their religious orientation. The most popular guess is Zoroastrianism, but they could have also been polytheists, Hindu, Buddhist, or Taoist. Suffice it to say, they were definitely not Jewish.
Despite their non-Jewish background, the Magi are presented in Matthew’s gospel as devoted followers of Jesus. Matthew is most likely presenting the Magi as echoes of the gentile prophet Balaam in the Torah who prophesied about the coming Messiah as “a star who will rise from Jacob” (Numbers 24:17). There are many stories in scripture where the “outsider” or “anti-hero” becomes the example for true love, devotion, and heartfelt worship (like Balaam, Ruth, the Magi, and the Good Samaritan to name a few).
In Matthew’s gospel, the magicians and sorcerers “from the East” set the pattern for authentic devotion and worship—what we (today) might call the true “spirit of Christmas.” The Magi are excellent examples of “surrender to a Higher Power” to borrow language from the recovery world. They display three acts of devotion from which we can all learn.
The Magi recognize God’s unique presence in the world and respond with joy and devotion. The Magi recognized that God was doing something special through the unusual star over Bethlehem. (It was possibly a comet. See the research in The Great Christ Comet by Colin R. Nicholl.) Matthew says, “When they saw the star, they were filled with joy” (Matthew 2:10). We need to grow in our ability to see God’s unique presence in creation, in nature, in circumstances, and in people. We need to witness and experience what God is doing around us. It’s crucial to practice tuning into beauty, love, grace, and creativity—which is the nature of God.
The Magi humbly bow and surrender before the mystery of God’s presence. When the Magi arrived, Matthew’s gospel says, “They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him” (Matthew 2:11). The Magi recognized God’s presence first in the star and then in the baby Jesus. Astrologers like the Magi believed that a special or unique star (like a comet or meteor shower) in the sky was a sign that a special person with special significance in history was being born. They followed the star and bowed before Jesus as they would bow before a king. It was an act of surrender to bow before the mystery of God’s presence in the world through Jesus. Humility and surrender before God (Higher Power) are hallmarks of recovery from the brokenness of our lives and the world in which we live.
The Magi respond with generosity. The final act of devotion by the Magi was the giving of gifts. Matthew says, “Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). Stinginess is not the way to respond to God’s presence in creation, in nature, in circumstances, and in people. We must lean into beauty, love, grace, and creativity with cheerful generosity to expand the flow of these gifts in our lives and the world. Stinginess shuts us off from the flow of grace; it attempts to bottle up and hoard what can only be received and given. All life’s best gifts can only be given and accepted with grace. Generosity expands our capacity to do just that. Generosity is the service component of recovery (recovery, unity, service). We must give what we have received to enjoy it. Gold, frankincense, and myrrh were gifts suited for a king in the ancient Near East. We all have time, talents, and money through which we can serve others and make the world a better place. We sow seeds of love, grace, beauty, and generosity for the sheer joy of it.
The Magi show us the true spirit of Christmas. Jesus came into the world not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a gift for us all (Epiphany 2025).
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2025
