Shepherds and Wise Men Witness the Savior's Birth

“I am sure that many of you . . . wonder how it was that the shepherds and the wise men were looking for and recognized the sign that would tell of the birth of the Savior. They expected a new star. This was because ancient prophets had foretold the signs that would appear. Those who had read of the prophecies were prepared for these signs when they came, and what a thrilling thing it is to know, as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, that the wise men from the east followed the star to the place of His birth, and as they came to Jerusalem they asked: ‘ . . . Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.’ (Matt. 2:2.) They were instructed to go to Bethlehem, where He would be born, as prophesied by Micah the prophet. When they arrived at Bethlehem, they saw the young child with Mary, His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.”

JST Daniel 2:48 Then the king made Daniel a great man, and he gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.

Wise men mentioned in Dan. 2:12 included three classes, (1) astrologers, (2) Chaldeans, and (3) soothsayers. The word in the original (hakamim) probably means "medicine men. In Chaldea medicine was only a branch of magic. The "wise men" of Matt. 2:7, who came from the East to Jerusalem, were magi from Persia or Arabia.

"Some time after the presentation of Jesus in the temple, though how long we are not told, possibly but a few days, possibly weeks or even months, Herod, king of Judea, was greatly troubled, as were the people of Jerusalem in general, over the report that a Child of Prophecy -- one destined to become King of the Jews -- had been born. Herod was professedly an adherent of the religion of Judah, though by birth an Idumean, by descent an Edomite or one of the posterity of Esau, all of whom the Jews hated; and of all Edomites not one was more bitterly detested than was Herod the king. He was tyrannical and merciless, sparing neither foe nor friend who came under suspicion of being a possible hindrance to his ambitious designs. He had his wife and several of his sons, as well as others of his blood kindred, cruelly murdered; and he put to death nearly all of the great national council, the Sanhedrin. His reign was one of revolting cruelty and unbridled oppression. Only when in danger of inciting a national revolt or in fear of incurring the displeasure of his imperial master, the Roman emperor, did he stay his hand in any undertaking.

"Rumors of the birth of Jesus reached Herod's ears in this way. There came to Jerusalem certain men from afar, wise men they were called, and they asked, "Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him."r Herod summoned "all the chief priests and scribes of the people," and demanded of them where, according to the prophets, Christ should be born. They answered him: "In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel."

"Herod sent secretly for the wise men, and inquired of them as to the source of their information, and particularly as to the time at which the star, to which they attached such significance, had appeared. Then he directed them to Bethlehem, saying: "Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." As the men set out from Jerusalem on the last stage of their journey of inquiry and search, they rejoiced exceedingly, for the new star they had seen in the east was again visible. They found the house wherein Mary was living with her husband and the Babe, and as they recognized the royal Child they "fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."t Having thus gloriously accomplished the purpose of their pilgrimage, these devout and learned travelers prepared to return home, and would have stopped at Jerusalem to report to the king as he had requested, but "being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way."

"Much has been written, beyond all possible warrant of scriptural authority, concerning the visit of the magi, or wise men, who thus sought and found the infant Christ. As a matter of fact, we are left without information as to their country, nation, or tribal relationship; we are not even told how many they were, though unauthenticated tradition has designated them as "the three wise men," and has even given them names; whereas they are left unnamed in the scriptures, the only true record of them extant, and may have numbered but two or many. Attempts have been made to identify the star whose appearance in their eastern sky had assured the magi that the King was born; but astronomy furnished no satisfactory confirmation. The recorded appearance of the star has been associated by both ancient and modern interpreters with the prophecy of Balaam, who, though not an Israelite had blessed Israel, and under divine inspiration had predicted: "there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel."v Moreover, as already shown, the appearance of a new star was a predicted sign recognized and acknowledged among the people of the western world as witness of Messiah's birth.

(Talmage, James E. Jesus the Christ.15th ed., rev. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1977. (page 97-99)

Speaking in the October 1964 general conference, President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency said: “We all know, as recorded in Luke, the angel said unto Mary: “ ‘. . . Thou shalt . . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. “ ‘He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: “ ‘And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.’ (Luke 1:31-33.)