Did the wise men meet Jesus in Bethlehem?

Some people believe that the three wise men from the east have met the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem in Judea. However, does this account match what the Bible actually says? Surely the Messiah was born there, in the time of King Herod, since that is how the prophet wrote it (Mic 5,2). But what do we really know about the visit of the wise men? To fully understand the story, it is necessary to read the Gospels carefully.

According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Matthew writes that Herod asked the priests and scribes where the Christ was to be born. He then he sent the wise men to Bethlehem. They departed; but the star that they had seen for the first time in the east returned and stopped over where the child was (Matthew 2:9). So, Matthew does not say that they put the baby in Bethlehem. In other words, the wise men followed the star, not Herod’s instructions. On the other hand, according to Luke, Joseph went to Judea, to the city of David, or Bethlehem, to register with Mary, who was pregnant. The child was born there in the manger (Lk 2,16). Lucas explains that the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus had ordered a census and that everyone had to register. Joseph was of the house and lineage of David.

Actually, the holy authors portray two visits that took place in two different times and places. First, Luke (2:16) writes that the shepherds found Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. Second, Matthew (2:11) writes that when the wise men entered the house, they saw the child with her mother Mary. Note that in Bethlehem there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn. They had a house only in their town, Nazareth of Galilee.

Now, let’s summarize the events. Pay attention to the words in bold. Quotations are from the New King James Version of the Bible.

1. Matthew narrative: The wise men entered the House. Then they saw the toddler with Maria

2. Luke’s narrative: The shepherds found Mary and Joseph with the babylying on the to eat.

It is important to read these verses in the original Greek. The Greek of the New Testament uses two words for child. For a newborn, the word used is “brefos”, while for a young child, the word is “paidós” (Nestle-Aland). In Latin, the Vulgate also makes the same distinction when it uses the words “infante” and “puer”, respectively.

Forty days after his birth, Jesus and his mother were purified. Following the Law of Moses, Jesus was presented in the Temple. The family then left Jerusalem and returned with the baby to their home in Nazareth. As the evangelist Luke says, it was only after the visit of the three wise men that the boy’s parents left for Egypt. Could the family escape to Egypt before the ceremony in Jerusalem? Nope.

Then a careful reading reveals that the three wise men from the east have never been to Bethlehem in Judea. They followed the star and found the child in his house in Nazareth. These wise men, or kings, represent the kings of all nations who would bow down and worship King Jesus.