Matthew 2:1-12
Last Sunday near the end of the lesson I said that, “It is difficult to believe in Christmas without that star!” Today let us add to that. “And it is difficult to believe in that special star without thinking of those three Kings from the Orient, the wise men or Magi”.
Today we will focus on the Magi. If you don’t already know, “Magi” is the plural form of the Latin word, “Magus”. We use the plural form because legend has it that there were three of them (actually, no one knows how many there were). And, they are also sometimes referred to as kings, as in “We Three Kings”; but that too is wrong. We do know they weren’t kings, even though they were far from being ordinary. These particular Magi were probably from Persia, what is now Iran, and they were from a tribe called Medians. Media was a part of the Persian Empire, and at one time they had tried unsuccessfully to overthrow its leaders . Eventually, the whole tribe became priests, much as the tribe of Levi functioned for the Jews. According to scholar, William Barclay, they were, “skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science”, the learn-ed men of Persia; and because of the Persian reverence for astrology, Medians eventually became known as holy men or Magi. That they were astrologists, as were many of the educated elite then, bears on our story because the Magi believed that the movement of stars was predictive of events of the future. So the story about a special star in the Jesus narrative has something to recommend its historicity, even though no one today knows the exact star to which the story refers. There are many theories concerning various planets and stars, but little agreement. Even non-believers admit, though, that this event could have happened in the context of that time and place.
Just a point of historical interest here before turning to Matthew 2:1-12. The birth stories from Matthew and Luke are the only birth stories we have. And since neither Matthew nor Luke was present at the birth event, their versions of the story must have come from someone who was, or from someone who heard it from someone who was. Now we know that both Matthew and Luke borrowed extensively from the earlier Gospel of Mark, 1) but Mark does not even mention the Christmas story. He starts his gospel with the adult Jesus and John the Baptist. 2) The Gospel of John, instead of a birth story, uses the majestic words of Greek rhetoric to describe Jesus’ appearance on the pages of history, 3) and strangely, nowhere does Paul mention Jesus’ birth.
So we know that both Matthew and Luke had a source other than Mark for this special story. But the versions of their stories are different in several details, so different sources are probable. At least some scholars think Joseph, Jesus’ father, was the original source for Matthew’s story and his mother, Mary, was Luke’s source. Without going into more detail, and there are other theories about this, let me add that the whole Matthew birth story gives evidence of being told by a man, while a woman, possibly Mary, could have been Luke’s source. With that in mind, let’s now read from Matthew 2: 1-12.
What a beautiful and interesting story. It’s a blessing in itself as evidenced by the fact that millions of Christians read it every year and never seem to grow tired of doing so. Still, its beauty notwithstanding, I contend there is more to it than meets the casual eye. In fact, I don’t even think this story, at its deepest level, is about Magi. It does, though, seem that God worked his will in these real historical people much as he does us today. He blessed their venturing out in ways we can recognize in our own lives. This story, don’t forget, was written by a Jew, and Jewish writers almost always built layered levels of meaning into their stories. So this one, on the surface, meant exactly what was written. But there is a layer beneath the surface, and a profound meaning can also be found there. This is usually a metaphorical meaning and in this one the Magi are us; consequently, their attributes are what we can recognize in ourselves.
Since we have read this story many times, and certainly appreciate its surface beauty, let’s explore what is hidden and maybe even just as profound, the layered meaning with which it is underwritten, and accessible only to those who search. Now keep in mind that doing this negates not even one word of the literal meaning of the story; but it does allow us to build on it, and, most importantly, find ourselves somewhere in God’s overarching narrative, as we are legitimized by the past (these stories) and assured of the future (its prophesies).
The Magi’s quest for knowledge reveals a willingness to venture out, and I hope each of us today will seek our own willingness to venture out by seeing our qualities in them. Their first quality was intelligence, something for which the Magi were known, and indeed, a requirement of their profession. But is that any different than us? Intelligence means one has the ability to absorb information and convert it into knowledge, a process called cognition. While cognitive ability is not the same for all people, it is most rare when combined with the innate ability to reason at a high level. These are qualities with which only a few are blessed; they are special gifts. One does not know why one possesses them, no more than does a great athlete or artist; we can only be thankful if we do. But it was the proper use of some of God’s most unique gifts that was the example set for us by the Magi. They did not rest in smug satisfaction; they did what God equipped them to do. We can do no less; in doing so we, like they, honor God just by embarking on the journey.
This leads into our second point of comparison. Actually, it is two points, curiosity and motivation, but let us consider them at the same time. What a wonderful quality is curiosity. I cannot imagine life without it, yet some people never test the limits of life’s possibilities. I went to pick up a friend at his apartment complex one day in Lubbock. As he got into my car I asked him how long he had lived there. “About three months”, he said. As we exited the complex there was a stop sign before entering the street. “Turn left here,” he said. “Where would we go if we turned right” I asked out of curiosity. “I don’t know” he said, “I’ve never turned right.” The Magi had never traveled this road before either. Yet they embarked on it, seeking someone they didn’t even know.
Contrary to most Christmas stories, plays and nativity scenes, most scholars believe that Jesus was at least six months of age or older when the Magi event took place. Even the text seems to affirm as much in verses nine and eleven where it refers to Jesus as a “child” rather than a baby in a manger. Interesting as that is, though, it isn’t even the point, for the story would stand either way. The real point for consideration here is that the curiosity of the Magi is so descriptive of us. For instance, almost everyone by his or her own station in life, has shown a fair amount of curiosity. But are you curious enough to turn right, when all you’ve done in life is turn left? The second step in acquiring something of value is enough curiosity to want to go to where it lies. I know many of you have done that—maybe all of you. And many times it wasn’t easy and the journey took much longer than the six months the journey of the Magi is estimated to have taken.
It is when one combines curiosity with motivation, though, that discoveries are made. Motivation is a sort of intellectual energy that propels us on quests. It was obviously abundant in the Magi to cause them to embark on such a journey. But that same abundance of motivation I see often in you. I know you as people who are not satisfied just to exist. But are you motivated, or were you? Have you remained motivated? If not, maybe you set the bar too low. What if God’s star, as it continues to move across the heavens, is calling you to follow? In our story the Magi, once they found Jesus, didn’t stop, for their journey was not complete. They still had another journey in them; they returned to their homeland bearing new gifts.
Third, the Magi, scholars surmise, had both wealth and honor among their peers. They were listened to; they were respected. So can you imagine how many people listened and received the joy they brought home, the news of the coming of God to earth? They could bring the good news (and have it heard) because of whom and what God had allowed them to be. But what if they had 1) rested on their laurels, 2) fed only themselves, 3) profited as the sole beneficiaries of their luxury, 4) as many with similar blessings do today? Staggering numbers of people have acquired wealth, yet, never accomplished anything else of note. But the Magi did, for they obviously made courageous, decisions to venture out that enabled them far past what they ever envisioned for themselves.
And herein is the first most important point of our lesson. The Magi did not know what would be at the end of their journey, but they trusted in the journey itself. They believed. And they combined that with 1) their intelligence, which we have; 2) their curiosity, which we have; 3) their motivation, which we have; 4) their power, which we have; 5) and their wealth, which we have.
And the second most important point: what really mattered, and the only thing that mattered, was not what they had, but what they did with what they had. What if this Christmas you receive a cell phone, but no battery with it? That never happens, for manufacturers know that the value of a cell phone correlates directly with a charged battery; so it is included. It is not that the gift is unimportant, just that it needs a catalyst to unlock its real value. God gives his gifts in the same way. He includes a catalyst in the package of gifts he gives us; it may be 1) intelligence, 2) curiosity, 3) motivation, 4) power, 5) or wealth—any or all of them. It’s only in incredible shortsightedness that we correlate the value of his gifts to us with our own personal desires and refuse to use them for what he intended.
The Magi were blessed; but no more than are we. But the blessing did not end with them; they listened to that still, small voice within, that catalyst, and reacted to what they heard; only then did they reach their highest calling in life. If we do that, our star too, will finally come to the place where Jesus is. For there is a star, no less of God’s making, beckoning each of us.
So I invite you, this year, to seek, find and follow your star. Your gifts, no less than those of the Magi, will enable you to bring spiritual and physical healing to the lives of countless people who are hurting and need you. Only then will you truly have a Merry Christmas.
Last Sunday near the end of the lesson I said that, “It is difficult to believe in Christmas without that star!” Today let us add to that. “And it is difficult to believe in that special star without thinking of those three Kings from the Orient, the wise men or Magi”.
Today we will focus on the Magi. If you don’t already know, “Magi” is the plural form of the Latin word, “Magus”. We use the plural form because legend has it that there were three of them (actually, no one knows how many there were). And, they are also sometimes referred to as kings, as in “We Three Kings”; but that too is wrong. We do know they weren’t kings, even though they were far from being ordinary. These particular Magi were probably from Persia, what is now Iran, and they were from a tribe called Medians. Media was a part of the Persian Empire, and at one time they had tried unsuccessfully to overthrow its leaders . Eventually, the whole tribe became priests, much as the tribe of Levi functioned for the Jews. According to scholar, William Barclay, they were, “skilled in philosophy, medicine and natural science”, the learn-ed men of Persia; and because of the Persian reverence for astrology, Medians eventually became known as holy men or Magi. That they were astrologists, as were many of the educated elite then, bears on our story because the Magi believed that the movement of stars was predictive of events of the future. So the story about a special star in the Jesus narrative has something to recommend its historicity, even though no one today knows the exact star to which the story refers. There are many theories concerning various planets and stars, but little agreement. Even non-believers admit, though, that this event could have happened in the context of that time and place.
Just a point of historical interest here before turning to Matthew 2:1-12. The birth stories from Matthew and Luke are the only birth stories we have. And since neither Matthew nor Luke was present at the birth event, their versions of the story must have come from someone who was, or from someone who heard it from someone who was. Now we know that both Matthew and Luke borrowed extensively from the earlier Gospel of Mark, 1) but Mark does not even mention the Christmas story. He starts his gospel with the adult Jesus and John the Baptist. 2) The Gospel of John, instead of a birth story, uses the majestic words of Greek rhetoric to describe Jesus’ appearance on the pages of history, 3) and strangely, nowhere does Paul mention Jesus’ birth.
So we know that both Matthew and Luke had a source other than Mark for this special story. But the versions of their stories are different in several details, so different sources are probable. At least some scholars think Joseph, Jesus’ father, was the original source for Matthew’s story and his mother, Mary, was Luke’s source. Without going into more detail, and there are other theories about this, let me add that the whole Matthew birth story gives evidence of being told by a man, while a woman, possibly Mary, could have been Luke’s source. With that in mind, let’s now read from Matthew 2: 1-12.
What a beautiful and interesting story. It’s a blessing in itself as evidenced by the fact that millions of Christians read it every year and never seem to grow tired of doing so. Still, its beauty notwithstanding, I contend there is more to it than meets the casual eye. In fact, I don’t even think this story, at its deepest level, is about Magi. It does, though, seem that God worked his will in these real historical people much as he does us today. He blessed their venturing out in ways we can recognize in our own lives. This story, don’t forget, was written by a Jew, and Jewish writers almost always built layered levels of meaning into their stories. So this one, on the surface, meant exactly what was written. But there is a layer beneath the surface, and a profound meaning can also be found there. This is usually a metaphorical meaning and in this one the Magi are us; consequently, their attributes are what we can recognize in ourselves.
Since we have read this story many times, and certainly appreciate its surface beauty, let’s explore what is hidden and maybe even just as profound, the layered meaning with which it is underwritten, and accessible only to those who search. Now keep in mind that doing this negates not even one word of the literal meaning of the story; but it does allow us to build on it, and, most importantly, find ourselves somewhere in God’s overarching narrative, as we are legitimized by the past (these stories) and assured of the future (its prophesies).
The Magi’s quest for knowledge reveals a willingness to venture out, and I hope each of us today will seek our own willingness to venture out by seeing our qualities in them. Their first quality was intelligence, something for which the Magi were known, and indeed, a requirement of their profession. But is that any different than us? Intelligence means one has the ability to absorb information and convert it into knowledge, a process called cognition. While cognitive ability is not the same for all people, it is most rare when combined with the innate ability to reason at a high level. These are qualities with which only a few are blessed; they are special gifts. One does not know why one possesses them, no more than does a great athlete or artist; we can only be thankful if we do. But it was the proper use of some of God’s most unique gifts that was the example set for us by the Magi. They did not rest in smug satisfaction; they did what God equipped them to do. We can do no less; in doing so we, like they, honor God just by embarking on the journey.
This leads into our second point of comparison. Actually, it is two points, curiosity and motivation, but let us consider them at the same time. What a wonderful quality is curiosity. I cannot imagine life without it, yet some people never test the limits of life’s possibilities. I went to pick up a friend at his apartment complex one day in Lubbock. As he got into my car I asked him how long he had lived there. “About three months”, he said. As we exited the complex there was a stop sign before entering the street. “Turn left here,” he said. “Where would we go if we turned right” I asked out of curiosity. “I don’t know” he said, “I’ve never turned right.” The Magi had never traveled this road before either. Yet they embarked on it, seeking someone they didn’t even know.
Contrary to most Christmas stories, plays and nativity scenes, most scholars believe that Jesus was at least six months of age or older when the Magi event took place. Even the text seems to affirm as much in verses nine and eleven where it refers to Jesus as a “child” rather than a baby in a manger. Interesting as that is, though, it isn’t even the point, for the story would stand either way. The real point for consideration here is that the curiosity of the Magi is so descriptive of us. For instance, almost everyone by his or her own station in life, has shown a fair amount of curiosity. But are you curious enough to turn right, when all you’ve done in life is turn left? The second step in acquiring something of value is enough curiosity to want to go to where it lies. I know many of you have done that—maybe all of you. And many times it wasn’t easy and the journey took much longer than the six months the journey of the Magi is estimated to have taken.
It is when one combines curiosity with motivation, though, that discoveries are made. Motivation is a sort of intellectual energy that propels us on quests. It was obviously abundant in the Magi to cause them to embark on such a journey. But that same abundance of motivation I see often in you. I know you as people who are not satisfied just to exist. But are you motivated, or were you? Have you remained motivated? If not, maybe you set the bar too low. What if God’s star, as it continues to move across the heavens, is calling you to follow? In our story the Magi, once they found Jesus, didn’t stop, for their journey was not complete. They still had another journey in them; they returned to their homeland bearing new gifts.
Third, the Magi, scholars surmise, had both wealth and honor among their peers. They were listened to; they were respected. So can you imagine how many people listened and received the joy they brought home, the news of the coming of God to earth? They could bring the good news (and have it heard) because of whom and what God had allowed them to be. But what if they had 1) rested on their laurels, 2) fed only themselves, 3) profited as the sole beneficiaries of their luxury, 4) as many with similar blessings do today? Staggering numbers of people have acquired wealth, yet, never accomplished anything else of note. But the Magi did, for they obviously made courageous, decisions to venture out that enabled them far past what they ever envisioned for themselves.
And herein is the first most important point of our lesson. The Magi did not know what would be at the end of their journey, but they trusted in the journey itself. They believed. And they combined that with 1) their intelligence, which we have; 2) their curiosity, which we have; 3) their motivation, which we have; 4) their power, which we have; 5) and their wealth, which we have.
And the second most important point: what really mattered, and the only thing that mattered, was not what they had, but what they did with what they had. What if this Christmas you receive a cell phone, but no battery with it? That never happens, for manufacturers know that the value of a cell phone correlates directly with a charged battery; so it is included. It is not that the gift is unimportant, just that it needs a catalyst to unlock its real value. God gives his gifts in the same way. He includes a catalyst in the package of gifts he gives us; it may be 1) intelligence, 2) curiosity, 3) motivation, 4) power, 5) or wealth—any or all of them. It’s only in incredible shortsightedness that we correlate the value of his gifts to us with our own personal desires and refuse to use them for what he intended.
The Magi were blessed; but no more than are we. But the blessing did not end with them; they listened to that still, small voice within, that catalyst, and reacted to what they heard; only then did they reach their highest calling in life. If we do that, our star too, will finally come to the place where Jesus is. For there is a star, no less of God’s making, beckoning each of us.
So I invite you, this year, to seek, find and follow your star. Your gifts, no less than those of the Magi, will enable you to bring spiritual and physical healing to the lives of countless people who are hurting and need you. Only then will you truly have a Merry Christmas.
No comments:
Post a Comment