The Bible knows of the human affection for showdowns.

After Jesus had already been born, pagan magicians came to one of the most powerful men in the world, Herod the Great (King Herod) and ask “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him,” (Mt. 2:2).

To come to Herod’s palace inquiring as to the whereabouts of the king while in the current king’s presence was either an act of sheer stupidity or remarkable courage. Herod was the meanest man on the block.

1. Herod was the extension of Caesar among the Jewish people in Israel.
2. He died about the same time Jesus was born (perhaps even the same year).
3. Herod was one of the wealthiest men on the planet. He built seven palaces during his lifetime. All of them  larger than the palaces of Caesar in Rome.
4. Herod was the “Pantheon of bigness” (Eugene Peterson)—everything he did was over the top and extravagant.
   • Before he died he had an actual mountain built, from scratch, so that his body would rest in a palace that overlooked Jerusalem. Some believe that when Jesus tells his disciples that small faith can move “this mountain” he is directly referring to Herodium. Herodium is visible from the Mount of Olives.
   • Some scholars believe that Herod tried to rebuild the Temple to demonstrate his superiority over Solomon.
   • Caesarea was Herod’s tribute to Caesar—it boasted the largest harbor in the world (520 acres wide).
   • Herod built stadiums that rival any major college football stadium today. Herod was building NASCAR venues before NASCAR.
5. Herod ruled by instilling fear through violence.
   • He once had the most talented citizens of Jericho assembled into a large stadium with instructions to soldiers that upon his death he wanted all of the innocent slaughtered so that all Israel would mourn Herod’s death.
   • He gave instructions, before embarking upon a long journey, that should he die he desired that his wife be killed lest she ever be with another man.
   • He killed one mother-in-law (ten wives might sound that bad, but ten mothers-in-law), an uncle, and three sons.
   • Caesar Augustus famously remarked, “I’d rather be Herod’s pig than his son.”

Pagan magicians walk into King Herod’s presence and ask, “Where’s the king, we think he’s already among us.” That Herod did not execute them on the spot is a testament to how much more concerned Herod is with the threat that Jesus poses to his rule. A threat most contemporary Christians have never spent a minute mulling over.

“All Jerusalem” is disturbed because Jerusalem is full of mini-Herods; the powerbrokers and    chief players. Herod calls together all of the experts he can summon for a conference call. “I need to know, I must know where the anointed one {“Christ”} was to be born.” The experts give the correct answer, “Bethlehem,” and do the religious thing—they support their answer with a text!

Herod brings back the magicians in secret, presumably because he’s afraid, and attempts to strike an alliance with these outsiders. The irony is thick. The pagan magicians want to worship Jesus. The orthodox Jews and Herod want him eliminated. Herod gives the magicians a game-plan. “Find the baby, let me know, for I too desire to worship.”

I’d love to have been privy to the conversation among the Magi as they left Herod’s palace. Do you think for one minute they were fooled by Herod’s sudden piety? If these men could interpret the stars, I think they could see through a power-hungry despot.

The Magi went on their way, searching for the anointed one. They say the star. Perhaps it was Haley’s comet. Perhaps it was a supernova. Perhaps it was Jupiter and Saturn (two important planets in Roman and Jewish astronomy). In the ancient world, one could not separate creation from humanity. “A remarkable event with the planets meant something remarkable on earth,” (N.T. Wright paraphrase).

The Magi find the young boy. After a long journey, how good they must have felt. The lavished the boy with gifts, they bowed down and paid homage to the one they called king. Having been warned in a dream, they intentionally dismiss Herod’s order and return to their home land via a different route.

The first humans to greet God in the flesh are not Caesars, Kings, or Herods—but magicians.