Ever wish you could just sit down with some ancient sage and ask some tough questions over a beer? I had a number of good theological conversations this year, perhaps importantly as the first time since my pandemic-induced hibernation that dialogue has started to thaw and people are actually meeting for lunch and beers after work a bit more. Maybe it’s just me being actually willing to talk about things again after dealing with some of my own baggage. Anyway, one of the best conversation threads I had was a spin-off topic around the debate for if Christmas is really Jesus’ birthday (probably the subject of another post, I will save that one for next year). Anyway, it has me pondering the merits of relaunching Theology Pub again. In the meantime, I thought I would at least jot down some thoughts that provoked the most recent chat – how very few people knew anything at all about the Wise Men.

The Magi in Matthew 2 and Their Connection to the Book of Daniel

The visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus in Matthew 2 is one of the most mysterious and evocative episodes in the New Testament, one that is so plastered into our culture that even people who have never touched a Bible can tell you that Baby Jesus had Shepherds and Wise Men hanging around in his barn. These enigmatic figures, often portrayed as kings or astrologers from the East were actually quite well understood in the ancient world, so even though the Bible says very little about them we do have more to learn. Stuff that actually matters. They arrived bearing gifts for the “King of the Jews” after observing a celestial sign. While much of the nativity narrative focuses on Jewish prophecies, the presence of these foreign seekers introduces a surprising element—the recognition of the Messiah by Gentiles. But who were the Magi, and what led them to Bethlehem? A closer examination of the Book of Daniel suggests that the Magi may have been heirs to the prophetic traditions established by Daniel during his time in Babylon and Persia, revealing how Daniel’s influence may have shaped the expectations that guided their journey.

The Identity of the Magi and Daniel as Chief

The term Magi (Greek: μάγοι) appears exclusively in the New Testament in Matthew 2, describing the visitors who sought the newborn Christ. Historically, the Magi were part of a Median-Persian priestly caste known for their expertise in astrology, dream interpretation, and the study of celestial phenomena. Their role evolved over centuries, and by the time of the Parthian Empire (successor to Persia), the Magi were considered kingmakers, often involved in selecting rulers.

Herodotus, Xenophon, and Strabo describe the Magi as influential advisors to Persian kings, custodians of esoteric knowledge, and interpreters of divine signs. This background aligns closely with the portrayal of Daniel in Babylon and Persia, where he rose to prominence as the chief of the Magi (Daniel 2:48). No point in pasting links here, your search bar works as well as mine does.

The Book of Daniel recounts how Daniel, a Jewish exile, became a trusted advisor in the Babylonian and Persian courts. After interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2), Daniel was appointed “ruler over all the wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2:48). The term used for these “wise men” in the Septuagint (LXX) is Magi, the same word later used in Matthew 2. Now here’s a trick – when you use a concordance in your modern bible, you get Greek terms in the New and Hebrew terms in the Old… but in the time of Jesus most everyone spoke Greek and there were plenty of Greek (Septuagint) copies of the Old Testament (to them, just the Scriptures) that they were knowledgeable about, so this is lost on modern readers and was not really even needing any comment by the original audience. We just lost the knowledge behind the slang down through the generations and language changes.

But there’s another catch – Daniel was not just the chief, he fundamentally reshaped their structure. Remember the cutesy story from felt paper sunday school days of Daniel and the Lion’s Den? Well, it just so happens that it was the Magi who were opposed to Daniel, made one of their own (just go read the book… the book of Daniel I mean, not the children’s book). So when he makes it out, his accusers end up in his place – along with their entire family line (Dan 6:24), so those Magi not aligned to Daniel were wiped away with no heirs. Taken along with the massive kingdom shift that occurs in Daniel’s time and he basically had a blank slate to rewrite how they functioned.

But that one little loss of connection gives us a HUGE gap in the typical understanding of the Nativity. Of course, you could just read the Bible and fill the gap yourself pretty easily… however, let’s save you some study and point out that Daniel’s influence likely extended beyond his lifetime, establishing a school of thought among the Magi that combined Jewish Messianic expectations with Persian astrological traditions. This cross-pollination may explain why the Magi in Matthew 2 were attuned to the celestial sign heralding Christ’s birth and also would bother at all referencing one born as a Jewish King. Until I learned all this, it really struck me as odd that they would care, just kind of like “Hey Marge, send a gift to that neighbor family, you know the poor little nation next door that had a king born in a barn.”

Daniel 9 and the Prophetic Timeline of the Messiah

A critical element of this theory lies in Daniel 9:24-27, where Daniel receives the prophecy of the “Seventy Weeks.” This passage outlines a specific timeline predicting the arrival of the “Anointed One” (Messiah). If the Magi inherited Daniel’s teachings, they would have been aware of this prophetic countdown. Here’s a reference to another obscure book by a dead mathematecian -Sir Robert Anderson’s “The Coming Prince”, first published in 1894. This book is a classic work of biblical prophecy interpretation, particularly focusing on Daniel 9:24-27 and the prophecy of the Seventy Weeks. Anderson’s thesis proposes that by using a Jewish calendar system (based on a 360-day “prophetic year” rather than the Gregorian 365.25-day solar year), the timeline of the Seventy Weeks precisely aligns with the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, culminating in His entry into Jerusalem and they really only needed the stars to have confirmed for them that the time had come. But what they did not have was a location!

The Star of Bethlehem and Persian Astrology

The Magi’s journey was guided by a star, described in Matthew 2:2. Ancient Persian astrologers meticulously studied the heavens, believing celestial events signaled divine intervention in human affairs. Genesis 1:14 affirms the biblical concept that the stars were created “for signs and seasons.” This idea, combined with Daniel’s prophecy, could have prompted the Magi to interpret the unusual star as the sign of the Jewish King’s birth. Several theories attempt to explain the Star of Bethlehem, but for our purposes (and that conversation we will have next year about the birthday of Jesus), let’s just say there were some you can learn about if you are curious about that kind of thing. Regardless of the star’s nature, the Magi’s capacity to recognize its significance points to their advanced knowledge, potentially rooted in Daniel’s teachings. Keep in mind (and I am assuming that you as the reader have done a moderate amount of homework on the timeline of the Bible here, if not forgive me and seach for “Biblical Timeline” graphics… there are hundreds) that these Magi had Jewish knowledge that stopped at the captivity. After Nehemiah rebuilds the city, the cultures deviate and so they do not likely have access to the scrolls of the later prophets. Notice that the Matthew 2:5 reference to Bethlehem comes from the very late source of Micah 5! So what was impressive was not so much that they knew WHEN the king was coming as that they needed to know WHERE! Because we have a full history, now we know why.

The Magi’s Arrival and Herod’s Fear

Herod’s reaction to the Magi’s inquiry reveals the political and cultural tensions at play. As a vassal king under Rome, Herod was paranoid about threats to his throne, especially from the Parthian Empire (Rome’s eastern rival). The Magi’s presence—Persian dignitaries seeking a “King of the Jews”—would have deeply unsettled Herod – especially after the history of revolt that lead to Haunakah (for some quick history read about it here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccabean_Revolt). Additionally, Herod’s non-Davidic lineage and Edomite heritage meant his claim to the Jewish throne was tenuous. The Magi’s quest implied the birth of a legitimate, divinely-ordained Jewish king, potentially inciting revolt among the Jewish population. Once again a topic for another discussion, but if you dig just a little here you will find that the timing of Jesus’ birth was exceptionally unique in terms of global geopolitics between the Late Persian and Early Rome global superpowers – with Herod caught in the middle. You probably saw the movie “The Battle of 300”, so while you are looking up timelines, place that at the pre-Rome stage and recognize that geopolitcal clocks ran slower in ancient times (Rome wasn’t built in a day, and all that). So, as you watch this timeline and history unfold, Herod sees it as “Objects in the Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear!” – so his response is predictable.

The Theological Significance of the Magi’s Visit

There is a ton more to dig into here, hopefully I have given you some ideas for discussion and futher study. That’s the whole point, really, of dialogue – to promote actual thinking! The visit of the Magi holds profound theological implications, so watch how these threads move throughout the rest of the story.

• Gentile Recognition of the Messiah – The Magi, representing the nations, foreshadow the inclusion of Gentiles in God’s redemptive plan. This fulfills Isaiah 60:3, which proclaims that “nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”

• Gifts and Prophetic Symbolism – The gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh symbolize Christ’s kingship (gold), divinity (frankincense), and sacrificial death (myrrh).

• The Continuity of Prophecy – The Magi’s journey underscores the continuity between Old Testament prophecy and its fulfillment in the New Testament.

In exploring this connection, we gain a deeper appreciation for the intricate tapestry of Scripture, where even distant figures in foreign lands are drawn into the unfolding narrative of salvation. The Magi’s visit serves as a reminder that the light of Christ transcends borders and that those who seek Him—regardless of origin—are welcomed into His kingdom. Let me know if you want more of these kinds of ruminations and I will go work on cleaning up the Theology.Pub website to start hosting some content from my notes. Happy to share if you are willing to discuss.