After Mary and Joseph we see the shepherds enlightened by angels came to adore God. The Gentiles came forward next before the king and priests. There is an order of worthiness, we might say as we consider who came first and who followed. Mary and Joseph ranked first in worthiness, or pleased God first and so worshiped Him first: next the shepherds who were of the chosen race but remained humble, honest, simple, and lowly (all virtues loved by God), thirdly came the Magi or Gentiles (these were the elite, noble learned. wise of the Gentile nations The Magi even though they were elevated in the eyes of men remained humble and therefore pleasing in the eyes of God also They Were not too proud to come bow and adore a new-born infant King in the humblest of surroundings.
The faith was given to the humble of the chosen people and then to the Gentiles, but it was refused to the proud of the "chosen people" and those who falsely claim that title of "chosen". Herod had a false title. The priests were filled with pride and therefore blinded and denied the faith and salvation. We later witness that this Levitical heretical priesthood must die out because of their pride and rejection of Christ.
The Magi present us with symbols of profound doctrinal importance. They offered gold indicating that Jesus is a true King: frankincense indicating that Jesus is true God: myrrh (which is used for burials) indicating that Jesus is truly human and must die for our sins
The Magi are led home by another path and do not return the way they came. This indicates to us that we too must not go back or return to the life or path of sin from our past but rather that we must go forward on another path the path of life and virtue. We are to return to that Paradise that Adam left. It is not to be found by returning along the road we have taken (sin) but rather the return must be by a new road (virtues of charity, humility, chastity).
Once on that new road, and a rocky road it is, we must take care to pursue it and not turn back.
It was the humble town of Bethlehem that first received Our Lord, but then He was forced to find shelter in Egypt - the land to the East - the land of the Gentiles. Christ was rejected once in His humble servant Joseph by the other sons of Israel, and Joseph found shelter in Egypt just as we see Our Lord is forced to do again. This parallel is most interesting. Joseph saved his people during the drought in bringing them into Egypt. St. Joseph saved Christ and therefore us by fleeing to Egypt. When Moses went to free Israel from the bondage of slavery it was necessary that God should send an angel and destroy the first-born of all the Egyptian oppressors The devils aping God and attempting to mock His ways inspired Herod to murder the Holy innocents in an attempt to destroy Christ and therefore the salvation of Egypt and the entire world as well as Israel's own salvation.
Pride and other vices always seek to destroy God and His people (His people today are the members of the Mystical Body of Christ. The Church). The devils and the vices they inspire evil men with always fail. History proves this over and over, yet the devils never give up and foolish men continue to listen and follow these demons as they lead them to eternal death.