Now, what it says here about these wise men is these are wise men from the east.
So we don't know the exact country, but we know they're coming from the eastern direction, okay?
And they're coming with the purpose to worship Him.
I think it's pretty obvious when you read Matthew 2 verse 2 that you're looking at people that are saved.
Wouldn't you say that?
They're coming to worship Jesus Christ.
But you know, that's not actually what people say when they explain this story.
I mean, if you were to look at Google or watch some documentary,
they're going to say very bizarre and different things than what the Bible says here.
And one of the common things people say is that these men were astrologers, that they worshiped stars, right?
And they'll say that they're following the stars, and it's like they're coming to worship Jesus.
They're not worshiping the stars.
But people say, well, this is actually astrologers.
And they'll say that the correct translation is not wise men.
They'll say it should say magi.
Who's ever heard of the three magi before?
Right?
I mean, you hear magi a lot.
Magi is spelled M-A-G-I.
Can you think of another word that starts M-A-G-I?
Magic, magician.
That's a big difference than wise men, right?
And I'm not going to go back to the Greek in this sermon, which is what they always do.
I'll just say in the verse itself, they're coming to worship Jesus Christ.
Magicians aren't going to worship Jesus Christ.
Sorcerers and astrologers are not going to worship Jesus Christ.
I mean, if you met a magician or astrologer today, I guarantee they're not worshiping Jesus,
unless they try to claim Jesus was a magician, which some people try to say, right?
And so this is the correct translation when it says wise men.
You say, what's the big problem with using the word magi?
Number one, that's close to magician and magic.
It's the same root that's being used.
And in our modern day, you know what, in the English language, if you say magi,
what you're talking about is people of Persian descent that took care of the temples.
You're talking about a Zoroastrian priest when you use the term magi, because that's the term.
And so you look online, people are going to say, these are three Zoroastrian priests coming to Jesus.
Zoroastrians don't believe on Jesus Christ, right?
So why would they be coming to worship Jesus Christ?
Look, they don't believe on Jesus.
They don't think Jesus is the Son of God.
They don't think he's the Messiah. They don't think he's the Christ.
So what sense would it make for three people of a false religion to come worship Jesus?
That's ludicrous.
And when you're reading Matthew 2 and you're not going back to the Greek and you're not watching documentaries,
you're going to read this and see this is a group of saved people, saved men coming to worship Jesus.
That's all you're going to walk away and think.
You're not going to think that there are magicians or sorcerers or Zoroastrian priests or kings or anything like that.
You're going to say, well, you know what?
Just save people.
But here's the thing.
Wise men in the Bible can be good or bad.
In the English language, if you say magi, there is no good connotation of the word magi in English.
Now, it's possible that in the original language, a word could be used that could be good or bad, like wise men are good or bad in the Bible.
But in the English language, you can't say magi because that's just bad.
That you're thinking of either magicians or Zoroastrian priests.
That is the connotation in the English language.
There is no good connotation for magi in English, okay?
Wise men in the Bible, though, they can be good or bad.
And now the wise men, the astrologers, have been brought in before me.
Now, when it says the wise men is linked with the astrologers, is this good or bad?
Bad.
These are bad people.
Part of a false religion.
I mean, in the days of Moses, he performs these miracles.
And what does Pharaoh do?
He brings out his sorcerers, says his magicians, and then they're able to do a lot of the same things.
They're not able to undo what God does, but they're able to add to the problem, right?
In many cases, at least.
And so, wise men in the Bible are not always good.
In fact, they're often bad because wise by whose standards?
By God's standards or the world's standards.
So, in ancient Egypt, what do we consider a wise man?
Someone who's a magician, someone who's a sorcerer.
In Zoroastrian faith, in the Persian religion, who's a wise man?
I mean, someone that can perform magic, that gets in touch with those spirits, right?
In Daniel 5, what are we seeing?
Well, we're seeing wise men in a bad way.
I mean, the astrologers.
Now, here's the thing.
As a Bible-believing Christian, would I look at these people and think they're wise?
I do.
Do we think leaders of false religions are wise people?
Absolutely not.
But by the world's standards, they would look at that and say,
hey, these are very wise people.
Look at them, right?
So, wise men in the Bible is not always good.
It's certainly bad sometimes.
And in Daniel 5, the wise men, the astrologers, these are people of false religion.
These are people that are reprobate concerning the faith.
These are very, very bad people.
But go to Daniel 12.
Daniel 12.
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament.
Is this a good reference or a bad?
It's a good reference.
And it says, and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
What does the Bible mean when it says turn many to righteousness?
It's what we call soul-winning.
It's called he that winneth souls is wise.
Now we don't know whether it's two men, three men, 20 men or whatever.
Here's what I do know.
Those men were soul winners.