“…and have come to worship Him”
Matthew 2:1-12
…behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’” [Matthew 2:1-2]
Can you imagine, an entourage of “wise men” [magos in the Greek, “ones of median caste, magicians” - Vines Dictionary]; these were the elite of the East [probably from Babylon] who had come to worship the Child. I say “entourage” because there were more than three wise men. Even though our Christmas cards show three, nowhere in the Bible does it say three. In that day traveling long distances to foreign lands was difficult and dangerous, and so it was a large group that made the trip to find the one “who has been born King.”
But note that they did not only come to see; they came to worship. Jesus at this time would have been about two years old. That is why Herod decreed the massacre of boys two years and younger in Bethlehem [ref. Matt 2:16-18]. This entourage came to worship a two-year-old!
The word “worship” [proskyneo in Greek] means to move towards [pros] and kiss [kuneo]. It is the ultimate act of reverence. Proskyneo is where we get our English word prostrate. As we approach the Lord [worship], we are to prostrate ourselves [i.e., to lay self down and move toward God]. To move toward and kiss the Lord is the highest in relationship and requires the fullness of purity.
And that is why Jesus came to this world. He would be born of a virgin; live a sinless life; and then be that perfect Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world. Jesus would become our sin offering so that we might become the righteousness of God and thereby proskyneo, that is, move toward and kiss His face. “Impossible,” you might say. But that is what worship means.
That is what these Magi did; proskyneo; they went from Babylon to Bethlehem to draw near and kiss the Young Boy born King. Their gift of gold symbolized Jesus’ purity and deity, frankincense His fragrant life, and myrrh His sacrificial death.
The Spirit has packed so much into these Matthew 2 verses. The key, though, is to draw near; to worship [proskyneo]; to lay down self and move toward and kiss the face of our Lord.
