The story of the magi

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Every Christmas, we set up the Nativity scene: Mary, Joseph, the baby in the manger, shepherds, angels and of course, the “Three Kings” with their crowns and gifts.

But if you read Matthew 2 carefully, you’ll notice something surprising: the Bible never calls them kings, and it never says there were three of them. Matthew calls them magi.

The word magi (plural of the Greek magos) is where we get magic and magician. In the ancient world, it referred to astrologers, scholars and court advisers who studied the stars and interpreted signs. Not street performers, but serious, educated figures.

In a thoughtful piece for The Times of London, Ian Bradley, emeritus professor of cultural and spiritual history at the University of St. Andrews, describes them in modern terms as “foreign academics.”

They were observant, intelligent and trained. Yet when they finally found the Child, they did the most critical and unintellectual thing of all: they knelt.

Bradley suggests that their presence shows Jesus is recognized not only by humble shepherds but also by thoughtful, educated seekers. From the beginning, those who come to Christ covered the illiterate to the learned.

Their gifts were deeply symbolic:

· Gold is a gift for a king.

· Frankincense is used in worship, pointing to His divinity.

· Myrrh is used in burial, hinting at His suffering and death.

These were not random presents; they reveal that the magi had understood something about who this Child would be.

In Scripture, wisdom is not the enemy of faith — it often leads to it.

Jesus is described as the embodiment of wisdom (sophia in Greek) and the Logos — the divine Word through whom all things were made. When the magi bow before the Christ child, it is a picture of human intelligence bowing before the source of all wisdom.

That image feels very relevant today. We live in an age that often mocks expertise, distrusts learning and rewards slogans over thought.

The magi quietly remind us:

Genuine wisdom does not make us arrogant; it makes us humble seekers who are willing to worship.

Christian imagination did not leave the magi as nameless wise men for long. By the Middle Ages, they had become the “Three Kings.”

Bradley traces how an early text, the Armenian Infancy Gospel, first gave them names: Melkon (later Melchior), Gaspar and Balthazar, and presented them as kings from Persia, India and Arabia, arriving with large entourages and lavish gifts.

As the story travelled toward Europe, the long list of gifts was pared down to the three that Matthew mentioned: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Later, a medieval chronicle identified Caspar as an Ethiopian. Artists followed suit, and from the Renaissance onward, he was often depicted as a Black king. Whether strictly historical or not, the message became clear: rulers from all nations kneel before Christ.

The “Three Kings” came to represent the peoples of the earth — and to model what all human rulers should do: bow to the One whose kingship is above every throne.

Bradley shares a lesser-known detail from modern British life.

Every year around Epiphany, at a service in the Chapel Royal at St. James’s Palace in London, offerings of gold, frankincense and myrrh are presented on behalf of the monarch.

Until the time of George III, the sovereign gave the gifts personally; today, they are carried to the altar on silver-gilt trays by royal officials. The gold is offered as newly minted sovereigns; the frankincense and myrrh, supplied by the royal apothecary, come from the Holy Land.

It’s a quiet ceremony — but a powerful symbol: even a modern king recognizes a higher King.

So what does all this mean for us this Christmas?

A few simple lessons stand out:

· Real wisdom leads to worship. The magi did not use their learning to stay distant; they used it to search, travel and kneel. In a noisy, opinionated world, real wisdom still looks like that: humble, honest, willing to follow the truth — even if it leads to a manger.

· Christ is for every kind of person. In the Nativity, you find poor shepherds and foreign scholars, local villagers and long-distance travelers. From the beginning, the message is that no one is too low, too “high,” or too sophisticated for Jesus.

· True greatness knows how to bow. Whether you’re a boss, professional, public servant or parent, the pattern is the same: the more influence we have, the more critical it is to remember whom we ultimately serve.

· Our best belongs at His feet. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. We get our time, abilities, resources and affections. The question is not whether what we have is impressive, but whether we are willing to offer it.

This Christmas — and even for the rest of our lives — let’s seek truth earnestly, honor wisdom, resist shallow populism and quick judgments, and bring the very best of who you are and what you have and lay it at the feet of the One who is both King and Savior.

These are the marks of those who are genuinely wise.

And a Blessed Christmas to one and all!

Join Francis Kong at SpeakersCon 2026, a one-day experience designed for leaders, educators, executives and professionals who want to communicate with clarity, credibility, and purpose. Happening on Feb. 11, 2026, at SPACE, One Ayala Makati. Gain practical insights on leadership, influence and authentic communication in today’s evolving landscape. For inquiries, email us at [email protected] or send us a direct message at facebook.com/SpeakersCon. Visit www.speakerscon.ph for details.