Epiphany of the Lord

January 6, 2019

Matthew 2:1-12

I wonder that night what went through their heads.  What did they think when they looked up in the sky and saw that thing – star, comet, supernatural phenomena – that was different.  What was it about what they saw that made them want to pack their bags and hit the road.  They knew something…but what?  Was it in the sky, in their mind, in their heart?

We don’t have much on these wise men as we call them and their journey.  Matthew says they came from the east.  Most believe they came from the area known as Persia, or the area we know as Iran, and for the sake of this morning’s story, let’s take that as truth.  Matthew uses a plural pronoun, but doesn’t specify 3; it was as little as two (as the pronoun demonstrates), there could have been 4, or 6, or 10 or 12…but we settle on the number of wisemen at 3 based on the number of gifts, and again, for the sake of our story, let’s stick with that.  We call them Caspar, Melchoir and Balthazar…and they were not “wisemen” as we would think of it.  The more accurate translation is “magician”, which to us lends itself to some not to Biblical thoughts and images.  They were men who studied the skies and stars.  The culture of that day was highly superstitious…so they were Wisemen because in their day and time, they were scientists.  Their title was Magi (and you see the similarity between Magi and Magician). So if anyone was going to notice something different in the sky, it would have been the Magi, and probably only the Magi. 

So they see this “star” in the sky, and they decide to follow it.  King Herod hears of their journey, and it’s reason, and this upset the nasty king.  Why nasty?  Well…it’s true that Herod did many great things…notably completing and adding on to the great temple…but there toward the end, he started losing his mind.  He became paranoid, and unreasonable; the great historian Josephus records that Herod made a decree that on his deathbed, all the prominent men of the town should be gathered in the hippodrome and slaughtered as he lay dying, insuring great mourning at the time of his death. Somehow he heard of the Magi’s trip and he gathered all the great minds together to find out all he could about the birth of the King of the Jews.  They found the prophesy of Micah and brought it to King Herod.  Then, as shady and secretive as he could, he called for the Magi to come see him.  Herod didn’t rule over Persia, but they were traveling in his land.  I imagine they accommodated the crazy king with disgruntled obedience. 

Herod wanted to know everything they knew…we don’t know what they told Herod, but the King instructed them to go and search everywhere for the child…then let me know where you find him, because I want to go see him and take him gifts and bring him honor also.  Mmhhmmmm. 

So they went.  And although our Christmas Cards (and I’ve really picked on Christmas cards this year, haven’t I?) our cards portray the three wisemen, or Magi, or Kings (Balthezar, Caspar, and Melchoir) visiting the newborn Christ with his parents in the manger…surrounded by the shepherds, animals…and as nice as that thought it, it just wasn’t so.  We know from Luke’s Gospel that Joseph, Mary and Jesus traveled to Jerusalem to present Jesus per Hebrew tradition, and Mary had to go through ritual purification per tradition and law in the Torah.  This all would have occurred around the 40^th day of Jesus’ life.  We also know here that they entered a house and saw Mary with (the word for) child….  Most scholars believe Christ was around a year old, possibly 2 based on the upcoming decree from Herod, but likely one. And we know from history that they fell to their knees and they worshiped the Hebrew King.  They presented him with gifts…gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Odd gifts for a toddler, really, but high value items.  Gold was as valuable and sought after then as it is now.  Frankincense is a resin from the dried sap of the Boswella tree – a tree that grows of the slopes of the Arabian sea.  In ancient times, frankincense was as valuable as gold.  Myrrh,  also a resin, was used in ancient Egypt in the mummification of the Pharos.  It was thought to be the key to immortal life.  All gifts befitting a deity – a king.  Gold, recognizing Christ’s right to rule.  Frankincense, used to anoint one set apart, a High Priest.  Myrrh, a symbol of eternal life. 

And then after meeting the toddler Jesus, we see that the Magi had a dream with a warning not to return to Herod.  Being men of supernatural nature, they heeded the warning and went home a different route. 

If you read on, you see that after the Magi left, Joseph was warned by an angel to take his family from their home and escape as refugees to Egypt and stay there until told otherwise.  Herod is searching for Christ…and we know it’s to kill him.  And about that time, Herod heard about the Magi and their alluding him.  He wasn’t happy.  He ordered soldiers to kill all children from 2 years and under; based on the timeline given by the Magi. 

There’s a lot that can be taken from this story.  Wisemen still seek him.  Follow the light of Christ.  Giving the gifts in your life back to God. 

But what I see, is a lot of blind faith pushing a bunch of people out of their comfort zones.

Let’s start with the Magi.  3 prominent, educated, likely very wealthy men elevated to King status pack up their belongings and head into Judea from Persia.  The people living in Persia weren’t Hebrew; they belonged to a religion known as Zoroastrianism…which was a predecessor to what you and I refer to as Islam.  The three wisemen were, for all intents and purposes, Muslim.  So these 3 Muslim men ventured from their comfortable homes into Hebrew territory.  Not exactly “wise”…even for their time.  They were strangers in a strange land, who didn’t wonder how they would be received and treated…they already knew.  With hostility.  Even then.  But they traveled into this place, being pushed by some force strong enough to dislodge their fears.  They are summoned by the king of Judea who scams them.  They, Muslims, go and visit the King of the Jews and worship and honor him.  They give him gifts of deity.  Expensive gifts.  Then, on their journey home, they make the decision to disobey the King and go around him.  These wisemen…made the decision to disobey the ruler of the region that already hated them.  I am a rule follower.  I love rules…I can’t get enough of them.  I can only imagine how this conversation went: 

Belthazar:  I had this dream…I don’t think we need to go by the king’s place…I think we need to take the old road

Melchoir:  I wasn’t planning to go back anyway…he seemed nuts

Caspar:  Guys, we said we would.  We promised.  What if he comes after us?  What if he finds us?  I don’t like this….

But we know who won out and we know they took that “old road” on their trip home. 

They got way out of their comfort level, driven by something that could only be supernatural. 

They obeyed in blind faith.  They let go of the things holding them back.  And thanks be to God that they did.