One of the long-debated questions among theologians and biblical historians centers on the age of Jesus Christ when the Magi, guided by a celestial phenomenon, paid homage to Him as depicted in the Gospel of Matthew. The narrative suggests that the visit of the Magi did not occur immediately after Jesus’ birth in the manger. Instead, Church Fathers, including St. Augustine of Hippo, inferred a different timeline that suggests Jesus may have been an older infant or young child.
St. Augustine’s Perspective on Jesus’ Age
St. Augustine, revered for his depth of insight into Scripture, pondered extensively over the accounts in the Gospel of Matthew. While the passage itself (Matthew 2:10-11) does not explicitly state Jesus’ age, Augustine’s interpretations, along with scriptural context, suggest that the Wise Men likely visited Jesus some time after His Nativity. His writings reflect on the mention of a “young child” rather than a “newborn” and the setting being a “house” rather than the manger at the time of the visit. In his “Sermon 202”, Augustine emphasizes the phrase “When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother,” underscoring the term “young child” as indicative of Jesus being older than a mere infant.
Insight from Other Church Fathers
Other early Christian scholars shared this perspective. St. John Chrysostom highlighted Herod’s decree to kill all male children “from two years old and under,” as described in Matthew 2:16, as an indication that Herod calculated the timeline based on the details provided by the Magi. This suggests that Jesus could have been up to two years old at the time of their visit.
Origen of Alexandria, one of the earliest biblical exegetes, also expounded on this premise. He speculated that the interval between Christ’s birth and the arrival of the Magi allowed enough time for Mary and Joseph to move from the temporary setting of a stable into a house. This period of settling would position Jesus at an age that defies the commonly depicted nativity scene.
Significance of Jesus’ Age in Christian Tradition
The age of Jesus during the Magi’s visit holds significant theological import. If Jesus were indeed older, this suggests that the period of acknowledgment of Jesus by the Gentiles was not an instantaneous follow-up to His birth but a discrete event, symbolically affirming the Incarnation’s reach beyond the night of birth to a broader historical context of God with us, ‘Emmanuel.’
More than just a matter of chronological detail, the age of Jesus as understood by the Church Fathers reinforces the truth that He came to grow among His people, to experience the stages of human life, and to be recognized not in a singular moment but throughout the unfolding of His early years on Earth.
Conclusion
While the Gospels leave much to the imagination and interpretation, the insights of St. Augustine and other Church Fathers provide rich foundations for reflection. Their contributions remind us of the theological depth behind the Gospels’ narratives and the Magi’s adoration. As we revisit the enchanting story of the Three Wise Men, we are encouraged to see it as a touchstone of the universal reach and the profound majesty of the newborn King, who, as a young child, shows us the face of divine love growing within our human journey.