Di Wise Men from Di East

One line of travellers, wey dust don cover after many weeks for road, ride enter di gates of Jerusalem. Dem be foreigners. Dem be people wey sabi book well well. And dem dey ask one question wey go soon trouble one king.

Matthew set di scene with two names. Dem don born Jesus for Bethlehem of Judea, and na for di days of Herod di king. Herod na di ruler wey di Romans put in charge of Judea. E sabi build well well; na im be di man behind di big new temple for Jerusalem. But e also get suspicion and e no get mercy; e dey quick to destroy anybody wey e think say fit threaten im throne, even people for im own family. Into Herod city, one day, visitors from far land come enter.

Matthew call dem magi, wey people dey translate as wise men. E tell us say dem come from di east. Dat one fit mean place like Persia, or Babylon, or Arabia, lands wey far pass di Jordan River. Di magi na learned men. Dem dey study di sky for night, and people know dem as people wey dey explain dreams and signs. See wetin Matthew no talk. E no talk say dem be three. E no call dem kings. E no give dia names. Dose details come later, for Christian tradition. Matthew only tell us say dem come, and wetin dem dey find.

Dem reach Jerusalem, di capital, and dem begin ask. Where di one wey dem born as King of di Jews dey? Imagine people face. King of di Jews? We get one already. Im name na Herod. And dem no born am as king; na appoint dem appoint am. Dis foreigners dey ask about another king, one newborn, one royal pikin wey dem believe say God send. Di question go don spread for di streets. People go dey look di palace side with fear.

Then di magi explain why dem come. Because we don see im star for di east, and we don come to worship am. Dem don watch di sky, and dem see something wey tell dem say one great king don born. And dem don travel for weeks, maybe months, cross desert and mountains, to worship am. See di wonder for inside. Di first people for Matthew gospel wey come worship Jesus no be priests or rulers of Israel. Na foreigners, outsiders, wey no too know Israel scriptures, but dem follow di light wey God give dem reach Jerusalem.

Di Greek historian Herodotus, wey write about four hundred and fifty years before Jesus, describe di Magi as one of di tribes of di Medes, for di area of old Persia. E tell how di Magi dey explain dreams for kings. By di time of Jesus, people dey use di word magi wide wide for wise men and people wey dey read stars from di east, like di visitors wey Matthew describe.

Di magi arrival dey Matthew chapter two, verse one and two. Strangers from far country, wey follow one star to find one king. For long time, Christians don see dem as sign say Jesus come for people of every nation. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which light God don give you to follow, and how far you go go to find Jesus?