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Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Birth of Christ, visit of the Magi
By Tim R. Alanib
THE story runs.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and had come to worship him."
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born.
"In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel."
The Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star would appear. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route (Matthew 1:1-12).
Let's consider three important points in the visit of the Magi.
1. Who were the Magi? 2. What did the Magi do? 3. What reactions do we have for Christ from the passage as described by Matthew?
Who were the Magi? The Scripture does not say that they were kings; that idea apparently started in the second century.
Neither does it tell us that they were "wisemen" or that there were the of them. Not until the sixth century did people begin to call them Belshesar, Melcora and Casper. The Bible simply says that Magi came from the East seeking the one born King of the Jews.
Centuries before the New Testament was written, there was a priestly caste among the Medes and the Persians that was interested in interpreting dreams. These people were called Magi,
By New Testament times the title had been extended to include people who were not only interested in dreams, but in astrology, magic, and books that told mysterious things about the future. This group included good Magi, men interested in seeking truth and charlatans, those who used things to entertain people.
Some of these individuals undoubtedly came into contact with Jewish soothsayers, and prophets during the time of Israel's dispersion. We presume that from such contacts the Magi learned about the Jewish expectation of a Messiah. Perhaps they discovered the prophetic anticipations of a time of peace and prosperity.
Maybe some heard of a king who would come from the line of David. Some of these Magi associated the coming of this king with some kind of heavenly phenomenon. And around the time of the birth of Christ some saw a new star appearing in the East. They concluded that this was the announcement of the coming king, so they went to Jerusalem.
* What did the Magi do? They paid homage to the newborn king. Matthew's record says of the Magi: "On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, and of incense and of myrrh."
Almost certainly they did not understand that this Child was God. It took time even for Mary to comprehend this. But they did understand one thing -- this Child was a King. Their question to Herod had not been, "Where is he who is going to be king?"
It was, "Where is the one who has been born king?"
Matthew has a specific purpose for sharing the account for the Magi. He is writing primarily to a Jewish audience. Through this story he presents to them a picture of Gentiles bowing to Jesus at His birth.
This is Jesus first contact with Gentiles, and they bow in submission to Him. The Great Commission is an inescapable element of the Christmas narrative. Matthew shows that Christ came to be a king to the Jews and to the Gentiles.
This explains one other mysterious element of the Christmas story. Why did Matthew, with his knowledge of the Old Testament and its denouncement of astrology and such things, present the Magi in a favorable light? His purpose must have been to show His Jewish audience the universal extent of Messiah's redemption. Christ, Matthew seems to say, will minister even to astrologers and magicians if they will acknowledge Him and bow down to Him.
* What reflections do we have for Christ as described by Matthew in the passage?
1. Hostility, represented by Herod. "When Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matthew 2:3). Herod was a puppet king whose reign was tenuous. His only task, as far as Rome was concerned, was to keep the peace.
The Jews hated Herod because he was an Edomite. He reasoned that if the Jews began hearing stories of the Messiah's birth, they might rebel against his rule.
Herod decided to find the Child himself so that he could kill Him. When he could not find the Messiah, he ordered that all baby boys under the age of two in the vicinity of Bethlehem be destroyed. What a murderous hostility!
2. Apathy represented by the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They answered Herod's question about the Messiah's birthplace. But they apparently did not investigate any further; they certainly did not go to Bethlehem. Herod responded with hostility; the chief priests and the teachers of the law responded with apathy.
The cause for their apathy is obvious. The chief priests came from the line of the Saducees, who were anti-supernaturalists. Though they led Israel's worship of the God of supernatural deliverance in the past, they knew nothing of His power in the present... They were the religious humanists of that day.
The teachers of the law, however, were mostly Pharisees and did believe in the supernatural. But they got sidetracked because of their legalism. They were more concerned with details than they were with actual events. These two groups, who had their Bible answers correct and who ought to have been the first to recognize this child and bow down to Him were not stirred at all.
3. Homage represented by the Magi, with their joyful, costly, glad worship (read Matthew 2:11,12).
What is our response to the three reactions to Christ?
* Sometimes when faced with the demands of Christ's kingship, we respond with hostility. Jesus the baby we can handle. Jesus the Promised One, who came to give life to the world and to make good people better, is acceptable too. But Jesus the King, who wants to rule over every area of our lives, makes many people bristle with hostility.
But the possibility of the second reaction - apathy - is most frightening. Apathy goes hand in hand with an increasing knowledge of the Bible. Thus we can give all the right answers to religious questions and still not care about Jesus.
Is there some area of our life where Jesus wants to be king and you are resisting with hostility? Is it because of a naturalistic frame of mind and because of materialism disguised as practicality? Or is your problem legalism? Has the preoccupation with the fine points of the law let you become apathetic to Jesus Christ?
If so you need to go with the Magi and bow down at Jesus feet. |
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