who has been born
The Greek verb "γεννηθείς" (gennetheis) is in the perfect tense, indicating a completed action with ongoing significance. This birth is not ordinary; it marks a pivotal moment in history. The birth of Jesus fulfills numerous Old Testament prophecies, such as Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2, underscoring the divine plan and the fulfillment of God's promises.

King of the Jews
This title is significant both politically and spiritually. In the Jewish context, the term "King" (βασιλεύς, basileus) is loaded with Messianic expectations. The Jews anticipated a Messiah who would be a descendant of David, a ruler who would restore Israel. The Magi's use of this title indicates their recognition of Jesus' royal and Messianic status, even as Gentiles, highlighting the inclusivity of Christ's mission.

We saw His star
The phrase "εἴδομεν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀστέρα" (eidomen gar autou ton astera) suggests a divine sign. The star is a celestial phenomenon that guided the Magi, symbolizing divine revelation and guidance. In the ancient world, stars were often associated with deities and significant events. This star, however, is unique, pointing specifically to the birth of Jesus, the Light of the World (John 8:12).

in the east
The Greek phrase "ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ" (en tē anatolē) can also be translated as "at its rising," indicating the star's appearance in the sky. The East, or the Orient, was often associated with wisdom and mystery. The Magi, coming from this region, bring gifts and homage, symbolizing the recognition of Jesus' kingship by the Gentile world.

and have come to worship Him
The Greek word "προσκυνῆσαι" (proskynēsai) means to bow down or prostrate oneself, indicating deep reverence and adoration. The Magi's journey was not merely an intellectual pursuit but a spiritual pilgrimage. Their worship signifies the acknowledgment of Jesus' divine nature and foreshadows the worship He would receive from all nations. This act of worship by Gentiles at Jesus' birth prefigures the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19), where the Gospel is to be spread to all nations.

We have seen his star in the east.--Here again we enter on questions which we cannot answer. Was the star (as Kepler conjectured) natural--the conjuncture of the planets Jupiter and Saturn appearing as a single star of special brightness--or supernatural; visible to all beholders, or to the Magi only? Astronomy is against the first view, by showing that the planets at their nearest were divided by the apparent diameter of the moon. The last hypothesis introduces a fresh miracle without a shadow of authority from Scripture. We must be content to remain in ignorance. We know too little of the astrology of that period to determine what star might or might not seem to those who watched the heavens as the precursor of a great king. Any star (as e.g., that which was connected with the birth of Caesar) might, under given rules of art, acquire a new significance. Stories, not necessarily legends, of the appearances of such stars gathered round the births of Alexander the Great and Mithridates as well as Caesar. The language of Balaam as to "the Star that was to rise out of Jacob" (Numbers 24:17) implied the existence of such an association of thoughts then, and tended to perpetuate it. As late as the reign of Hadrian, the rebel chief who headed the insurrection of the Jews took the name of Bar-cochab, the "Son of a Star." Without building too much on uncertain data, we may, however, at least believe that the "wise men" were Gentiles. They do not ask for "our king," but for the king of the Jews; and yet, though Gentiles, they were sharers in the Messianic hopes of the Jews. They came to worship, i.e., to do homage, as subjects of the new-born King. They were watchers of the signs of the heavens, and when they saw what they interpreted as the sign that the King had come, they undertook a four months' journey (if they came from Babylon, Ezra 7:9; more, if they came from Persia), partly, perhaps, led by the position of the star (though this is not stated), partly naturally making their way to Jerusalem, as certain to hear there some tidings of the Jewish King.

(1) This was, perhaps, Herod's exact title (ver. 1, note).

(2) They do not say king of the world. They accept the facts that the Jews alone expected this king, and that according to the more literal interpretation of the Jewish prophecies the homage of the world would be rendered to him as the Head of the Jewish nation.

(3) The title is not used of our Lord again until the Passion, where it is only used by heathen (Pilate and the soldiers, Matthew 27:11, 29, 37, and parallel passages, Mark, Luke, John, and especially John 19:21). The Magi and the Roman, learning and administration, East and West, acknowledge, at least in form, the King of the Jews. . . .

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