In Persian culture, you never arrive at someone’s home empty-handed. And you never leave empty-handed either. I promise you, the host will make sure of it, shoving a Tupperware full of desserts into your hands as you keep saying, “No, thank you, I’m good.” There are no boundaries in the Persian households. You must say no at least 10 times before you give up. These aren’t just random acts of politeness. In Persian culture, this is a sacred exchange, a way of saying ‘I see you, I honor you, our relationship matters to me.’ Gift giving is our love language.
We freely give because we freely receive.
When I read the Nativity story in the Bible, I can’t help but notice how intentional and detail-oriented God is. The story of the Magi fascinates me. I mean, how random is that? Why don’t we talk about them more during the Christmas season at church? I can assure you it would likely resolve more of our geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East than we realize.
Those mysterious travelers from ancient Persia who followed a star westward to bring gold, frankincense, and myrrh aren’t a random detail. Their identity, their journey, and their gifts all carry prophetic significance.
Who Were the Magi?
Historically, scholars believe that the Magi from the Biblical story came from the East, specifically Persia (modern-day Iran and the Arabian Peninsula). They were not royalty in the political sense, but belonged to a priestly caste in the Median and Persian empires.
As the intellectual elite of their society, their worldview was a blend of various spiritual and scientific practices. They were Zoroastrians, which is considered the first monotheistic religion in the world. Their faith emphasizes the cosmic battle between light and darkness. They were also the major scientists of the ancient world, utilizing advanced astronomy and mathematics to map the stars and decode the rationale behind the universe. Due to the centuries-long interaction between Persians and Jews following the Babylonian exile, the Magi were likely students of the prophet Daniel, who lived in the Babylonian Exile generation earlier. You can read about his story in the book of Daniel in the Bible. He was appointed the chief of the magicians after he helped interpret the king’s dreams.
The Magi were astronomer-priests who also believed in astrology and the Divine source. What a combo!
The Journey to Bethlehem
The Magi’s decision to travel from Persia to Judea was not a simple, fun road trip. It was a hard journey of 800 to 1,000 miles that probably took several months to a year to complete. They journeyed through harsh deserts, faced constant threats from the mugger, and navigated the unstable political border between the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire.
In ancient Eastern culture, a trip of that magnitude was sacred. Despite how hard or dangerous the trip got, the Magi considered it worthy. What they chose to do was an act of faith in action. They knew this trip was significant. The potential robbery and lack of personal safety were the least of their concerns. They were determined. By the time they arrived in Jerusalem, their journey made the headlines, and even King Herod started to get nervous.
Zoroastrian Theology
At the core of Zoroastrianism, there is this idea of a savior-like figure, Saoshyant (“the One who brings benefit”). Ancient Zoroastrian traditions spoke of the Saoshyant, a promised figure born of a virgin who would usher in the Franshokereti, the final purification of the universe after evil is finally destroyed, and the entire world and universe are restored to perfection. When the Magi saw the star, they did not look at it from a “pagan” lens in the modern sense, but as the fulfillment of their deep desire for the restoration of the Truth or Asha. In their mind, the “King of the Jews” was the human manifestation of the cosmic hero they had long been taught to expect. By honoring Jesus, they believed they were participating in the victory of Light over Darkness.
The Gifts And What They Mean
The gifts the Magi presented were not acts of random generosity; they represented a prophetic recognition of who Jesus was. In Eastern culture, as I mentioned earlier, gift-giving was and still is a sacred language used to acknowledge status and identity.
The gifts the Magi brought were deeply symbolic. Gold represented kingship, acknowledging that this boy held royal authority over the earth; frankincense represented divinity, as incense is used in temple worship to signify prayers rising to God, and recognized Jesus as both Priest and divine. Myrrh represented death and sacrifice, a type of oil that was used for burial, a symbol of what was going to happen to Jesus on the cross.
The Gentiles at the Manger
One of the most profound elements of Matthew’s Gospel is that Jesus was first worshipped not by Jewish religious leaders, but by Persian astrologers. This specific inclusion reveals a fundamental truth about the Gospel and what Jesus’ birth was intended to accomplish. Christ did not just come to save the Jews, but the entire world. He did not come for just one tribe or nation. When the Gentiles are mentioned at the beginning of the story, the narrative shows that Jesus is the light for all humanity. While the religious establishment in Jerusalem stayed in their palaces, the “pagan” Magi followed science, data, and the stars to find the Way. It depicts God as willing to use the language of science, culture, and even the stars of the Persians to bring seekers to Himself. Jesus was born for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike.
Conclusion
The Navity story is a story of hope. It is a story of how God shows His grace and mercy in the most unlikely places, through people we might never expect. The story of Jesus’ birth tells us how much God loves His creation — all of it. The light of Jesus is a universal sign, visible to everyone with the humility to look up and the courage to follow.
Jesus was born for the entire world because God wants all of his children to come home. The gift of salvation is free and does not require a year-long journey. Jesus is accessible to everyone, from the poor shepherds to the rich magi. Let us be reminded this Christmas season that He alone deserves worship, honor, and our never-ending adoration.
Merry Christmas!
Fariza 