Unexpected Journeys
One of the most evocative elements of the nativity story is the visit of the Magi described in Matthew’s Gospel. Some people think this episode is an insertion – a purely symbolic event that emphasises Jesus’ royal authority. But I think that if God exists, and his Son was born into his own creation, the story of the Magi makes sense.
It was common in Jesus’ day for people to believe that special stars heralded the birth of certain individuals. Magi did also sometimes act as diplomats, travelling to meet foreign rulers. It would have been unusual for them to travel so far west in response to a star – but perhaps they would have done so on a very special occasion.
This article is one in a series (Connecting with Culture) from the the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.