Was Jesus Inclusive? (Matthew 2:1-2)

Matthew 2:1-2 In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ² asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage."

Have you ever wondered who these wise men were and how they knew about the Messiah?  The text doesn't give us a lot of information to go on... it says they were from the East  - but that means they were almost certainly Gentiles.  So here comes a bunch of educated, mystic gentiles to worship a Jewish Messiah.  How and why?

Over the centuries, scholars have proposed that these gentile wise men were from Babylon and are the descendants of the wise men that Daniel (of "Daniel in the Lion's Den" fame) saved from execution (Daniel 2).  Daniel was a Jewish boy, who had been taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  While in captivity, he not only saved the wise men from execution, but went on to teach them and the entire gentile nation about the coming Messiah.  Apparently, the message Daniel taught was passed down century after century until one day these wise men see a sign in the heavens that the Messiah has come.

Daniel knew that the message of God's love for humanity and of the coming Messiah was not just for the Jews.   It was for all people.  Very inclusive.  Some how these wise men know it too - they know they are welcomed to come and worship him. 

Picture Jesus waving both hands shouting, "Over here - Follow me!"  We will see in the gospels that Jesus' plan was to get the Jewish people on board (thousands and thousands of Jews did follow Jesus in the first century) and then to expand his ministry through his followers to all people. 

Jesus and his message was for all people.  How does knowing this affect the followers of Jesus today?  Well... we get to share in the mission of God both by demonstrating the way Jesus taught us to live and also by inviting others to join us.