Who Were the Three Wise Women of the Christmas Story?

She declared in Luke 1:24, "Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people”(ESV).

After Mary's baby boy was born in the manger, we can read in Luke 2 that he was worshiped by the shepherds, customarily circumcised eight days later, and given his earthly name, Jesus.

Then Mary and Joseph took their first-born male child to the temple in Jerusalem for ritual "purification" in obedience to the Law of Moses.

While they were in the temple, the third wise woman in the Nativity story came up to them. She was a very old widow named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher.

The Bible tells us that for many years, "she did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day."

Anna was devoted to worshiping and serving God. She also was familiar with her scriptures enough to know that who she was encountering wasn't just any baby boy — that it was the Savior incarnate!

When Anna came up to Jesus and his family, Luke also tells us that she "began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38, ESV).

Anna's great wisdom is displayed not only in her decades of worship, prayer, fasting, and devotion to God but even more in her recognition of the Christ child, her worship of him, and her declaration to others about who he was.

These three women were sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading and attentive to the voice of God (through his messengers — the angels — with at least two of them).

They recognized that Jesus was their Lord and Savior and the fulfillment of the prophecies. And they believed wholeheartedly in Jesus for their redemption and the redemption of all people.

They were the truly wise people in the Christmas story.

And we, too, can be wise men and women this Christmas by recognizing who Jesus is, responding to the gospel with faith, and living our lives in surrender and devotion to him.

For further reading:

10 Bible Characters Who Are Important in the Christmas Story

Why Is John’s Birth Story a Part of the Christmas Story?

4 Angelic Encounters and Their Divine Messages in the Christmas Story

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/ digitalimagination

Robert Hampshire is a pastor, teacher, writer, and leader. He has been married to Rebecca since 2008 and has four children: Brooklyn, Bryson, Abram, and Aubrey. Robert attended North Greenville University in South Carolina for his undergraduate and Liberty University in Virginia for his Masters. He has served as a worship pastor, youth pastor, family pastor, church planter, and Pastor of Worship and Discipleship. He now serves at  Calvary Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina. He furthers his ministry through his blog site, Faithful Thinking, and YouTube channel. His life goal is to serve God and His Church by reaching the lost with the gospel, making devoted disciples, equipping and empowering others to go further in their faith and calling, and leading a culture of multiplication for the glory of God. Find out more about him here.