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[Mt 2:1] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, [2] “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” [3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. [5] They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
[6] ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'"
[7] Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” [9] After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [12] And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way. (NAS)
Matthew 2:1-2
[Mt 2:1] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, [2] “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem
The infant savior had come just as promised, just as prophesied, just as the people had been told. The Scriptures pointed to it. The signs of the times pointed to it. Even the stars proclaimed it. Yet, the elite religious leaders of the “Chosen People” weren’t vaguely aware of it.
How could that happen? The Messiah had landed right in Jerusalem’s backyard and the elite were blind to his presence. These men were trained by the finest teachers of their time. They were from Israel’s most privileged families. These were the most learned among God’s people; at the highest pinnacle of their ruling class. In fact, their preeminent function was to study the scriptures and look for the signs of the Messiah’s arrival.
So, how could they totally miss the focal point of their religion when he landed in their own backyard?
The truth is that very few of us want to see truth when it involves a change in our lives. Truth is great “from a distance.” Jesus is a great concept when considered intellectually or as a moral guideline—but when he turns to us and says, “You have to carry a cross too,” then we tend to rationalize his statements and make them “reasonable for our times.” We -- like the Chief Priests -- begin to miss the signs.
The elite religious had pretty comfy positions and jobs pretty distant from the hard lives of the people around them. They couldn’t see God’s Son, born among his oppressed people, because they had made up a messiah who would meet their elite needs; foster their system. Anytime we form a religion that justifies our comfort, prejudices, or separation from the poor, you can bet we will also miss the arrival of the Holy One.
“Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”
Doubtless the visiting wise man expected that all Jerusalem would be buzzing with the news of its newborn King. Surely, they would have thought that the time, place, and circumstances of his birth would be familiar to everyone in the Holy Land. Little would they think that they would be the first to bear the announcement of the Messiah’s arrival to the religious center of Judaism.
How often in scripture did the prophetic find the religious oblivious? If sin is “missing the mark” how much further could the religious have been off the beaten path? Whenever the religious lose the passion to seek out the vulnerable, they lose the path, they miss the mark. How close am I to becoming like one of the clueless religious leaders of Jerusalem? Where will I look for the Messiah today; in the halls of the elite temple priests or the streets of the invisible masses?
Word Study
Wise Men [GSN3097 magos]; of foreign origin 7248]. There were many names for the wise men including magians (magicians [GSN3097]) or sorcerers. They were oriental scientists of the learned class who studied astrology as well as physical sciences and philosophy. Some believe that they had heard of the coming of an infant Savior through the prophecies of Balaam [Num. 24:17], or Daniel [Dan. 9:24].
Through whatever means, what we need to realize is that the leaders of the Chosen People of God had become so engrossed in ritual, the law, and self-promotion, that they completely missed the mark (sin). It took foreigners and shepherds to announce the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah to the world. Will we be able to hear Jesus through our rituals, religiousity, and self-righteousness?
Anytime, the cry of an impoverished baby goes unanswered by the religious leaders of a community; then we have, once again, lost the wonder of the incarnate infant of Bethlehem.
From the East [GSN395 anatole]; from GSN393; a rising of light, i.e. dawn (figuratively); by implication, the east]: These men may have journeyed from as far away as modern-day Iraq, over a thousand miles to find the Savior! Above all, we need to understand that these men, with perhaps little more than a glimpse of scripture to go by, were led by a diligent desire to search for the truth and to see the Christ. If our search is only for the truths that will affirm my religion then I will never know the infant savior. That is why the Chief Priests and King of Jerusalem could not see the Messiah when he was right under their noses while he lived less than a two-hour walk from their temple.
We have seen his star [GSN1492] eido; this word is translated as “to know” and “to perceive.” It is unbelievable that the star was unseen by many people. More likely, many people saw the star but few “knew [eido]” its purpose.
We have come to worship him [GSN4352] proskuneo; how flippantly many of us say; “I am going to worship on Sunday.” It is worth taking a moment to pause at the direct translation of this fascinating term! It literally means a dog, licking his master’s hand. That attitude of worship that God’s Chosen should have taken was instead taken by these “foreigners.” Isn’t it interesting that this attitude was praised by Jesus when he encountered the Gentile woman who appealed to him for her daughter's healing [Matt 15:26-28]?
Our Lord lifted her up before the apostles as the example of the purest faith: Then Jesus said to her, “O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed at once [Mt 15:28].
Dog’s are not beloved, household pets to the people of the Middle East. The Jews called the Samaritan’s, “dogs,” to display their guttural hatred of that race. How interesting it is that these men from the Orient would seek to “bow like dogs” before a foreign infant born into poverty. How amazing that they would travel halfway around their known world -- at an amazing expense -- following a star to find and worship a helpless child steeped in poverty. Just seven miles away the religious leaders of the Chosen People were completely oblivious; they had to be informed by foreigners!
Who will inform me of the infant child? Would I even go halfway across the city to find Jesus in his most vulnerable form? Do I have the awareness liberated by the humility of the Magi or do I have the blindness of the pride of Jerusalem?
Matthew 2:3-4
[3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
He was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him
“He was troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” The term “troubled” [GSN5015 tarasso] means stirred up, disturbed, even frightened. Anytime that Herod the Great was frightened; you can bet that all Jerusalem quivered as well. Here was a man who had killed his own wife, multiple sons, and (upon his impending death) he ordered all the wise men of Jerusalem slain so that the Jews would forever grieve the day of Herod’s death (thankfully, this order was never carried out).
Yet, is it any wonder why Herod was troubled? The wisest men of the Orient had traveled a thousand miles to tell him what was happening in his own back yard! What was wrong with his court advisors? The King of the Jews had been born! That news would come as quite a surprise to Herod (who was appointed the King of the Jews by Rome). Yet here were reputable scholars from a distant country putting their fortunes on the table to seek the true King of the Jews who had been born in Herod’s own district while Herod yet lived. To Herod, the birth of the Savior could only be seen as a threat.
It forces us to ask, “Who today would be threatened by the birth of a king determined to protect the rights of the alienated?” "Who is threatened by providing basic care and equity to the children of our communities?"
Find them and you will find today's Herods.
Herod demands that his counselors get some immediate answers about the prophecy and where the Christ-child would be born. “Demand” might be an understatement. In proper context, Herod -- slayer of all of rivals (imagined or real) -- hears that a king is born and it is not even from his blood line; he is not even informed. Herod, prone to destructive, blood-letting rages, puts the whole of Jerusalem on notice. We might better translate this sentence as: “The whole of Jerusalem was petrified!” Corporate America would use the statement; “Heads will role!” However, in Herod’s court, it was a not a figurative statement.
Have I learned yet that I am not the King of my world either? What is my response when wise men inform me; “You’re a bit player in a drama that you can’t even comprehend.” Do I move over like John the Baptist did or do I order a search and destroy mission against anyone who challenges my self-deception?
Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes
The Chief Priests were powerful among the Jews, but lived tenuously under the approval of Herod and the Romans. They could (and often were) replaced at the drop of an innuendo. The only rightful high priest would be the oldest male of the Aaronic family, but the Romans removed them at will. The Chief Priests included the heads of the 24 courts of the priests while the scribes were transcribers of the law and synagogue-readers. However, their power lay in the interpretation of the law; so they were considered the lawyers of the Jews; both civil and religious.
The Sanhedrin consisted of Chief Priests, elders who were not of the Levitcal tribe, and the scribes. It was this Sanhedrin that was constituted as the supreme council of the nation, numbering 72 individuals. It was probably this council that Herod convened; the theologians of the nation.
This indicates Herod’s view of religion (and the view of many politicians today as well). Religion, to Herod was an ideological tool for his own ends and he became religious only when it served his political ends.
There are many ways that we can be like Herod. Do we become religious only when it serves our ends?” Are we socially religious, politically religious, or financially religious; faithful only when it gets me closer to my ends? Do I use religion to justify my biases, my prejudices, or my lifestyle? That was the religion of Herod. Or, do I seek to serve God first and change my life to fit His desires?
Constantly we have said that, “If we are to call ourselves, “Followers of Christ,” then his mission must be our own. We have been anointed for a specific purpose: “To preach the gospel to the poor; to proclaim release to the captives; and recovery of sight to the blind; to set free those who are downtrodden; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” [Luke 4:18-19] (NAS)
Does my life serve that Gospel pronouncement unequivocally or am I off on some mission of my own? The Gospel is only a concept to us until the poor begin personally calling us Good News. We are followers of Christ's mission when the vulnerable cross the street and say; “I am so glad I saw you today.”
Unless that is happening in my life; I have Herod’s religion and not Christ’s mission at my core.
Matthew 2:5-8
[5] They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:
[6] ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’"
[7] Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
“For thus it is written by the prophet.”
There is hindsight and there is “cover your hind” sight. What we have in this reading is a clear example of “cover your hind” sight. All Jerusalem was shuddering; Herod was raging and demanded his advisors be gathered. He thundered against his advisors; “Would someone tell me what is going on in my own kingdom!”
These religious leaders had studied the prophecies inside and out. Doubtless, they stuttered out the verse that pinpointed the exact location of the Messiah’s birth;
Micah 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Here is the sorrowful truth, these incredibly learned men knew the scriptures, but they didn’t know the Messiah, even when he was delivered in a bundle to their own backyard. Conversely, if the Magi had any reference to the Messiah, it would have been only vague referrals and glances; possibly from the prophet Balaam. These 72 high counselors of Herod, the most learned of Jerusalem, had full access to the history and traditions of the Scriptures.
They studied with the most elite rabbis and came from among the most prestigious families. Their entire lives were dedicated to learning and deciphering the Word of God and their luxurious retainers allowed them to dedicate their lives to this pursuit.
But they still MISSED the mark!
Conversely, the shepherds “got it.” A handmaiden “got it,” Anna and Simon “got it,” and these wise men from a distant land “got it.” Why didn’t the elite religious leaders of the chosen people “get it?”
How could study the scriptures but miss the point?
Wisdom comes, not in hindsight, but in “GODsight.” It occurs when we change our lives to fit scripture, not when we change scripture to fit our lives. These counselors used scripture to maintain their positions of grandeur and authority. Yet, this is not the proper position to take before our Creator. So, what is the “proper position” before God? The Magi demonstrated it; to worship (literally, a dog licking his master’s hand). When I talk to people about the proper “position” for prayer; I often say it is not with our arms thrown out wide and faces looking up while we jump up and down. It is not with folded hands kneeling in a pew. It is with our heads bowed and our wrists outstretched and held together; ready to be “bound” for His service. Look how Jesus put it to Peter:
John 21:18
[18] “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to {go.”} (NAS)
Do I serve the scriptures or do I try to make them serve me?
Least among leaders…
The phrase “least among leaders” [Least 1646, elachistos; Prince 2232 hegemon]; would be used if we were referring to the “runt” of the litter. It would be descriptive of not only the smallest, but also the least in dignity.
It was at Bethlehem that David was anointed by Samuel. David was the least of Jesse’s sons. When Samuel asked Jesse to see his sons, that he might pick a king from among them, Jesse didn’t even call his son David out from the field. David was “the runt” of the litter.
Bethlehem always remained a symbol to David of a simpler time. He loved the city deeply and, at times, pined to return to it and to the less encumbered days of his youth as a shepherd in the hills of Bethlehem.
2nd Samuel 23:14-17 tells the incredible story of how, when David was a roving outlaw, he mentioned to his friends that he “longed for a drink at the well of Bethlehem.” At that time, it was under Philistine rule. That night, David’s men, snuck away from camp, broke through the Philistine line, and returned with a canteen for the outlaw king they loved so dearly.
David was the runt that became beloved. People would die for him. God called him; “a man after my own heart [1 Samuel 13:14].”
Alternatively, Herod was hated, not loved. He was feared, not respected. The power of his throne lay in his ability to intimidate and crush all his opponents and the tales of his carnage were historic. How could Herod possibly understand power in the eyes of God? How could the “yes men” with whom Herod surrounded himself have any remote comprehension of the way God operates?
The exact Hebrew translation of this phrase, “least among leaders,” would read something like; “God will give his most to your least.” Would our contemporary culture understand that statement trapped as we are in the accoutrements of power? To whom would God give his most to today?
God will give “His most to our least.” If we want to see the power of God today, we won’t find it in the halls of power anymore than one could find wisdom in the halls of Herod. God is most identifiable where we would least expect him. Look among the least; seek out the “runt of the litter.” That is where we will be awe-struck by God’s amazing ways. He is alive among the least, he chooses from the “runt” of the litter. His name is on the march and rising from the new Bethlehem’s of our world.
Where would I least expect to see the power of God? Where is the manger that I will seek him?
Who will shepherd my people?
When I am out for my early morning runs, I can often see the ranchers as they haul their hay out to the herds. At this time of year (January), the ground is frozen, the breath of the cattle rises like a hundred smoke signals around the loosely gathered herds. The cold is enough to sting your face and gnarl your knuckles, yet the herd has to be fed.
For years, this verse, “Who will shepherd my people,” was translated as; “Who shall rule my people Israel [Rule 4165 poimaino (poy-mah’-ee-no)]?” However, this particular word for “rule” is the same as the term for feeding sheep. Look at the contrast it presents in the setting of this reading; Herod and his advisors rule for personal gain, but, a new ruler is coming who will “feed the sheep.”
Does our concept of “ruling” or power translate into feeding helpless sheep? Are we using the talents that God has given, including the resources we have, to “feed His sheep?” That is the standard of God’s judgment in both the Old and New Testament. Look at Christ’s commission to Peter:
John 21:15-18
[15] So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
[16] He said to him again a second time, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”
[17] He said to him the third time, “Simon, {son} of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “tend My sheep.”
[18] “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself, and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to {go.”} (NAS)
What is the sign of Christ-centered leadership? The trappings of power? The robes of the elite? The command of armies and weapons? No, these were the signs of Herod’s leadership and Rome’s power.
The signs of Jesus’ leadership were vulnerability; he was exposed among the weak. He tended the lambs; the smallest and the weakest, that was the mantle of leadership he passed on to Peter. If we want to be a leader in the eyes of Christ, we need to lift our wrists before us, allow them to be bound by love, and be prepared to be led away to our own cross.
This prophecy from Micah, in its simplicity might best be read as: “Out of the least of the people (from among those whom the powerful would never suspect) our salvation will come at a time when you least expect it.”
It leads me to ask; “From where am I expecting my salvation to appear?” Am I among the sheep? Today, will I going to look for my Messiah where Herod would be least likely to seek the Infant-King? Will I seek Jesus among the least of these, the vulnerable, the sheep?
Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time
Herod, “inquired of them (the Magi) diligently [198 akriboo]”; after sending out his own advisors in a fit of rage. Herod needed not only to know the “place” where the new king would be born, but the time. If he did not know both of those factors then he would not be able to triangulate the position of Jesus and his plans would be ruined. He wanted desperately to find the new prince as well. Yet, his purposes could not be more different from that of the Magi.
While the Magi sought the Savior to “worship him,” Herod seeks the Prince to kill him. I have seen this type of behavior in addictive families where one member of the family has turned his life over to Christ and the rest attacked him or ousted him in order to maintain their own addictions. The presence of the humble Savior in anyone’s life tends to reveal the truth and light behind the ulterior motives of all who surround us. Those who love us, rejoice that we have found his peace. Those who would use us seethe that we are no longer a part of their enabling disease. We are seen as one less person sustaining the addiction, one less ear to listen to their excuses, and one less accomplice enabling their habit.
Yet, there was a deeper and more fearsome evil lurking behind Herod’s desires. For, indeed, Herod was but a tool in a grander play. It was the Evil One who was puppeteering Herod! His shadow is so evident in the grotesque deception cast upon this stage. Satan’s desperation is apparent in that he is not even subtle anymore.
Herod, for all his power, was no more than a simple pawn. The “blip” of his life was not even a mite on the timeline of the eternal attack that Lucifer is waging against our Lord. Behind the livid, salivating and shuddering jowls of Herod’s rage -- is the panicked face of pure evil. Poor Herod; by not choosing to embrace the Infant Savior, he chooses to be a toy of the Timeless Deceiver.
The greatest deception was this; Herod actually believed he was a key player in history! His over-inflated ego had him completely deceived that he was THE lead in this play; when, in truth, he was little more than a decoration on the wall. Here was where Satan often fools us as well. We actually think the play is about us!
The truth is that Satan doesn’t even want us. He wants to “sift us like wheat” as Jesus says to Peter [Luke 22:31]. What is more worthless than a handful of husks? Satan doesn’t want to engage us or have a relationship with us. He wants to suck us dry and discard us like the body of a dead cockroach in a spider's web. He wants to stare into God’s tears as he consumes us and say to our Father; “I hope you are suffering for this one.”
We are bit players to Satan, we don’t even make center stage and we delude ourselves by overestimating our part in the play. Yet, unlike Herod, God finds us each more precious than position or pride; as precious indeed, as the life of His own Son. That Son, that Infant Child, is the true lead in the play. It’s not about me, as Herod was suckered into believing, it is about Jesus and the redemptive act of his death on the cross for our salvation.
“Go and search carefully for the Child…”
Herod tells the Magios; “Go and search diligently [GSN199 akriboos] GSN1833 exetasate],” and here is where the Evil One is most mistaken, where his foolishness becomes evident. For Herod -- not trusting his own counsel anymore -- tries to manipulate the Magi towards his own ends. In the process, the entire scheme blows up in Satan’s face!
For rather than becoming Herod’s patsies, the edict of Herod lends protection and power to the Wise Men’s search. The Wise Men receive a free pass to anywhere they want to go in the warped King’s domain. In essence, Herod played right into God’s hands! Satan’s plan backfires! Even his most evil intentions are turned into God’s glory when the hand of the Creator enters the picture!
That is what God can do, even for the most ruined life, in the most awful situation, in the most desperate scenario. When we turn to God, our trials become his glory! All of our horrible past rolls into his glorious present and becomes our radiant future. This is the Way of God; no power can wash over Him. He, who can turn horror to beauty, and suffering to glory, can turn our chaos into purpose. Glory to the Lord; let him wash over our broken lives. Let his wave of justice crest upon our communities. The Savior has been born and he shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Halleluiah (literally, “Boast of YHWH’s works”) to the most magnificent One!
Matthew 2:9-12
[9] After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. [12] And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.
And the star…
I love the King James Version of this reading: “And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east.”
“Lo [2400 idou],” is like today’s version of “Whoa!” It is a word of surprise and wonder; of being caught unawares and stopped short. Why would the Wise Men be surprised to see the star? Hadn’t they been following it all along?
The only rational explanation is that the star had disappeared from sight while the Wise Men were in Herod’s grasp. Otherwise, he would have simply asked, “Which star are you following?” The Magi would have had to point out the star or appear hostile before the despot. This was all a part of God’s magnificent handiwork!
Has your star ever dimmed? Have you ever felt like God disappeared from your view? Then, remember these wise men. Satan had seen God’s plan and were rushing to kill the Infant Savior; he would have succeeded had the star still been bright in the sky. Can we see that God was perfect in both his timing and his choice of revelation; He did not disclose the star to everyone. Yet, the moment that the Magi stepped out of Herod’s household (out from under the roof of sin), God’s plan returned in all it’s glory.
I live in a valley at the foot of a mountain range. Sometimes the inversions created by the topography of this area will create a fog that lasts for weeks during the winter. Yet, the mountains are only a few miles from my house. Within fifteen minutes, I can climb two or three hundred feet and look down on a most awe-inspiring sight. Surrounded by sunshine, I see the valley blanketed in rolling cotton balls of white. Down in that fog, are people suffering from Seasonal Attitudinal Disorders, a lack of the sun’s revitalizing rays. Yet, here, less than fifteen minutes above them is all the pristine sunshine that someone could ever want.
It is a strange thing to pack sunglasses on my dashboard when I am shrouded by fog, but guess what, that is the definition of a Christian.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
They rejoiced exceedingly with joy [GSN5463 rejoiced, chairo] [GSN3173 exceedingly, megas] [GSN5479 joy, chara]. There are so many words for praise in the Hebrew and Greek texts. We have studied only one in this series, the Hebrew word, Halal!
Halal, means to be “crazy with joy.” Think of King David dancing in his skivvies before the Ark of the Covenant while his wife, Michal thought he was making a spectacle of himself and his throne (2nd Samuel 6:14). However, the Greek word [Chara] used in this text is totally the opposite from the term “halal,” crazy joy. Chara is the term used for calm joy. It is the quiet joy of a person who has expected something to come true and -- as a result -- surprise is not a factor in their joy. It is the deep abiding satisfaction of seeing the work of a lifetime affirmed.
The Magi were indeed wise men. They did not doubt that the star would reappear. They knew that God had his purposes and was not their tamed puppy dog. God does things according to his plan, reveals things in his time. Their joy was not unexpected, a crazy surprise [halal], instead, it was the solid, deep joy of abiding faith [chara].
Is this the type of joy that we can expect at the end of our quest? Will God turn to us and say; “Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master. [Matt 25:21].”
Will we know the deep abiding “Chara” of the wise men at the end of our mission?
After coming into the house…
“After coming into the house [GSN3614 oikia];” Joseph must have found a house for his family when the census slowed down and people returned to their homes. Once again, we see a side of Joseph that implies that he wasn’t really “in tune” with the plan of the Lord. Joseph was just “getting settled” while God was just getting ready to move. This is not a judgment statement. Often, I realize, that if God “pre-vealed” the total direction of my life to me—I would probably balk and run.
I think of when I had my first child and how little I knew about the responsibilities I had just acquired. For this reason, I think it is good to get only one “piece of the picture” at a time. Had Joseph seen the whole picture he might not have taken on the whole responsibility and if he hadn’t taken Mary in; she would have been stoned by religious fanatics in her own "church." (If I known that I was going to face what Joseph had to face; I would have asked the village to stone me instead of her)!
Gifts of gold, Frankincense and myrrh
Gold, Frankincense and myrrh; a person would not consider visiting a King without bringing a gift. The Magi would not visit the King of Kings without bringing a gift either. Both the elite status of these Magi and their impressions of the even-more-elite status of their new King, were revealed in these opulent gifts.
There are some things that need to be clarified in this reading. First, the wise men would not be offering these gifts to the Savior solely on their own behalf. They had embarked on an incredible journey -- it would take longer for them to complete this journey then it took for Columbus to sail the Atlantic ocean to the West Indies. The Magi would have petitioned others for backing as well. They would have had to share their revelations with many sponsors and would also be representing the interests of those people. Jesus was being honored -- not by individuals -- but by a community of faith. A new church, far beyond Jerusalem, was already being called to worship the new King and Savior.
Secondly, the gifts were extremely symbolic. Frankincense was burned in sacrificial offerings; already the Magi knew the purpose of this new king. Yet, this was not a sacrifice of man to God -- which would be only a small appeasement for sin at best -- it was a sacrifice given by God to man. This sacrifice would ransom us from sin; it would raise us from the status of slave to child.
Myrrh was a perfume used for healing and embalming. It was given to the Healer who would bind our wounds with the offering of his own body. These Wise Men knew both the purpose and the cost of the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ.
Gold was a practical gift. In this case, it probably bought the ransom of this impoverished family from the death squads of Herod. Without this gold, leaving Israel would have been impossible. It should remind us that the work of Jesus doesn’t always smell good. It requires very practical gifts as well. It means buying the ransom of those who are enslaved by injustice.
Herod’s wise men should have known far more about the Infant Savior than any of these foreign wise men. The Magi probably had little more than scraps of information and yet the purposes and needs of the Messiah were clearly revealed to them. In comparison, the High Council of Jerusalem and the imposter who sat on our Lord’s throne knew nothing of God’s plan.
Which party do we associate with? Can we find the Messiah-in-our-midst or are we instead caught up in the pretense of power; totally oblivious to his presence?
Having been warned by God in a dream
In multiple situations, we’ve seen how the Angel appeared to Joseph in order to “slap him from a stupor.” The word that many of these texts use for dream [5537 chrematizo] was, in fact, better defined as the “torpor of indecisiveness.” If I could interpret this sentence in contemporary terms; it would be: “God jolted them from a dream and into the bare face of reality. God had to get Joseph moving!”
Repeatedly, God sends angels (messengers and agitators) to wake his people out of a) indecisiveness, b) obscurity, and c) slumber. The angel is the one who prevents us from getting comfortable or “at ease” with our culture. Are we prone to hear those angels?
Dorothy Day once said that Christians should “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” There is the role of an angel or “ev-angel” of the Lord.
The magi left for their own country by another way
“The magi left for their own country by another way [GSN402 departed, anachoreo] [GSN243 allos].” After God’s revelation, the Magi knew they were hot potatoes. If they didn’t leave soon, Herod would find them. Perhaps they didn’t want to leave. Knowing what they knew, wouldn’t you want to stay and try to protect the child or at least take the child with you, perhaps accompany him to another place, maybe even back to the orient where he would be treated as royalty. Yet, the angel helped them understand that the best thing they could do was draw the attention of Satan’s tool (Herod, the footnote in Christ’s story), away from the Messianic Child.
Let’s look at this situation in its complete fullness; from the heavenly perspective, not the meager perspective of Herod. Here, according to John, was what happened on that day 2,000 years ago.
Revelation 12:3-17
[3] And another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads {were} seven diadems. [4] And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven, and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. [5] And she gave birth to a son, a male {child} who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
[6] And the woman fled into the wilderness where she had a place prepared by God, so that there she might be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days. [7] And there was war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon. And the dragon and his angels waged war, [8] and they were not strong enough, and there was no longer a place found for them in heaven.
[9] And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. [10] And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.
[11] “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death. [12] “For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has {only} a short time.”
[13] And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male {child.} [14] And the two wings of the great eagle were given to the woman, in order that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she was nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.
[15] And the serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, so that he might cause her to be swept away with the flood. [16] And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and drank up the river which the dragon poured out of his mouth. [17] And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. (NAS)
Here, is the true scope of the story; a battle that has waged across eternity for the souls of the lost; a battle that God has won through the birth of His infant son. Here is why the Magi withdrew; why they “snuck out” of the country and did not try and take a foolish stand against Herod's death squads. The Wise Men saw that their part in the play was over and they had served well.
How difficult that must have been for these honorable and royal men to ride back to the east. How hard it must have been to arrive in a land that should be rejoicing and instead see them poised to kill their own children. How their anger must have welled up; the indignity, stupidity and injustice must have eaten away at their stomachs.
I am sure these Magi felt compelled to step in and save the Savior. Yet, they quietly trusted that God was in control and they fulfilled their part. They trusted in God’s timing [chairos]. How hard it is for us to believe that God can go with someone, even if we don’t! When will I learn that our God works on a universal and timeless level, not just within my reach.
God’s Way did prevail. His mystery unfolded. So, the Magi didn’t draw their swords like Peter when he tried to “save the Savior” in the Olive Garden. They didn’t try to “protect God” like Uzzah the Priest when he tried to upright the Ark of the Covenant [2 Samuel 6:7]. They trusted in God, swallowed their pride, and withdrew so that Herod could not follow their trail.
The Infant Savior was now on his way and these men had to get out of the way. Am I so attuned to God’s plan that I know when to get out of the way?
The praxis of Jesus is comprised of four parts: 1) Model; 2) Invite; 3) Teach; and 4) Die (Empower others to do the work and get out of God’s way).
Am I constantly preparing to turn "my work" over to God? Am I constantly making disciples -- not members? Do I want complicit followers in the pews or fellow laborers in the harvest? Do I seek the timing of the Lord like the Magi? Do I know when it is time for me to step aside or am I still trying to “save the Savior.”
Francis of Assisi reminded himself daily of his role before the Father: “My dearest God, who are you? And who am I but your useless servant?”
Am I ready to admit that I am the greatest leader when I am the least among leaders? It is not when I call attention to my strengths that God is most acclaimed; it is when I step aside and let God’s power work through others. On this day; will I seek to be “the least among leaders?”