Epiphany 2022
Matt. 2: 1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Christ would be born.
5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “because this is what was written by the prophet:
6 And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route. (CSB)
Wise men, or Magi, from the east – probably either Persia or southern Arabia – travel up to 1,900 miles to worship the newborn king of the Jews because they been told that the supernatural star they had seen was a sign of his birth. They followed the star but it had disappeared when they got to the Holy Land. So they go to Jerusalem to find out from somebody where he was. This was news to those in Jerusalem, disturbing news, especially to the current king in the area, Herod, who was king because the imperial senate of the Roman Empire allowed it. Herod assembles the Jewish priests and scribes who inform him the coming Messiah, and the true king of the Jews, according to one of their prophetic books, Micah, would be born in Bethlehem. Herod sends the wise men on their way with instructions to report back to him so he too could go and worship the child, which of course was a sham and deceitful for Herod was only interested in maintaining ruthless and unchallenged power. He wanted to kill the child. As the wise men went on the way, the star reappears and leads them to the exact house where the child, Jesus, was. He was perhaps now a year old, maybe a little older (which is why the wise men ended up at a house rather than a manger in an animal stable).
Two lessons to share with you briefly. The Gospel of Matthew was written mainly for Jews (perhaps Jews who were now Christians). In recording this event of the wise men, the clear message was this Jewish Messiah and King was not only for Jews but also for non-Jews, for Gentiles, for the wise men were Gentiles. They came from pagan countries and perhaps were even pagan themselves until converted to faith in the coming Messiah. The point is, they had no Jewish blood in them. These Gentiles were some of the first to know of and believe in Jesus as the Christ, the King, and to worship him. He was for Jews and non-Jews.
But we could also compare the wise men to another group who had already been there to worship Jesus: the shepherds. Shepherds were not highly regarded. They were even thought to be of lower intelligence. They would have been very poor. They would not have had any prestige in the eyes of others. The wise men on the other hand carried a lot of weight. They were learned. They could have been very knowledgeable in the natural sciences, biology, math, astronomy, astrology, medicine, literature, geography, the arts. Even if their focus was religious knowledge because of pagan spirituality, they still would have been very intelligent. Obviously they were wealthy. They were obviously much more prestigious and highly regarded than the shepherds.
And yet both come to and worship the same child.
The point is, this child is a universal King. He is the Christ or Messiah for Jew and Gentile, the Savior for any and all who receive him, no matter who they are. As Paul says, “For those of you who were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ. There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 2:27-28). Within the Christian church where Jesus is Christ, King, and Savior, no one is greater or lesser than another. No one is inferior. Our value, no matter who we are, is determined by Christ alone. All are equally and completely forgiven. All stand before him and his Father spotless and holy. “But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name” (John 1:12). That is the highest status you, a sinner, could have.
The second point is found in the example of the wise men. Martin Luther puts it this way:
Although [the wise men] enter a poor house, find a poor young woman, with a poor Child, and also there is an appearance so unlike a king that their servant is more honorable and reputable, yet they are not troubled, but in great, strong, full faith they put everything out of their eyes and mind which nature with its arrogance might adduce and bring into play; they simply follow the verse of the prophet and the testimony of the star and believe Him to be King, fall down, worship Him, and give presents to Him.
The wise men had prophetic writings from the Old Testament and they had a star. That’s it. At this time, it does not appear that others were interested in Jesus as Messiah, even though earlier the shepherds, Simeon, and Anna had spread the word. When the wise men got to Bethlehem they found a poor child with poor parents who had come from disreputable town north of there. There were no fine clothes, no luxuries, and nobody else of importance honoring him as the King. He had no noticeable nobility; the circumstances were very humbling.
But wise men do not look around and say, “Whoa! I think we made a mistake. This can’t be right. Besides being here does nothing for our reputation.” No. Unlike Herod they give no consideration to their own prestige, position, intelligence, knowledge, or wealth. They were overjoyed. They humbled themselves. They bowed down and worshiped the child of lowly birth. It had been made known to them, revealed to them, that this was one to be worshipped. And there is only one to be worshipped, and this was him: God, God in human flesh, who had come for them, to redeem them, to save them from all their sins.
The next time when it could be embarrassing to confess faith in Jesus Christ, where it might do nothing for your reputation, where people think you are stupid or silly or superstitious, where it might be hard to stand up for your faith in Christ or other Christian truths, where you might be ridiculed, or persecuted, where you might have to stand alone and against those who are important, or even friends and family, it is good to remember these wise men. They risked everything. It was made known to them that this child is the Messiah, the King, the Redeemer. They were not afraid not only to believe, but to bow down and worship him. And he has been made know to you. God and do likewise. This is what this season leads us to do.
Amen.
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