And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh

 

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  

 

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

    'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

    Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

    For out of you shall come a Ruler

    Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

 

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12 

 

Yesterday we read that, following Christ's death on the Cross and burial by Joseph of Arimathea, when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demon; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

 

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  This Herod is Herod the Great, who ruled Judea from 37 - 4 BC, and was the father of Herod Antipas who would rule Galilee during Christ's lifetime.  Herod the Great was also known as Herod the Builder, who remodeled and expanded the temple in Jerusalem into an architectural wonder.  My study Bible notes that he was a great builder but a cruel leader.  An ancient prophecy of Jacob indicated that the Messiah would come when a king ruled who was not from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  Herod was a non-Jew who ruled for Rome, and called himself the king of Judea.  Under such circumstances, messianic expectation ran very high.  These wise men, or magi, who come from the East (most likely Persia), were the scholars of their time.  In the Old Testament, my study Bible notes, Balaam (Numbers 23; 24) was one of their predecessors, a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  These foreigners prefigure the Church, in which membership is determined by faith, and not by ethnic lineage.  The star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ.  My study Bible says that to ancient pagans, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).  Christ being born under this star fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 110:3 (LXX) and shows all of creation participating in the Incarnation.  (See also Psalms 19:1; 148:3).  

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Herod the king had to summon the Jewish leaders (the chief priests and scribes) because he knew little about the Jewish Messiah, and he feared losing his throne to this newborn king.  The chief priests, my study Bible explains, were the political and religious leaders of the Jews, and the scribes were high cabinet officers.  They knew where the Messiah was to be born, but in spite of all the signs being in place, they had no idea that He had come (see Matthew 16:1-3).  They quote to the king from the prophesy of Micah (Micah 5:2).  

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.   My study Bible comments that whereas the Jewish shepherds worshiped the Savior in the cave on the day He was born (Luke 2:8-20), the Gentile magi came to worship Him some time later.  By then, Joseph and Mary had found a house in which to stay.  This indicates, it notes, that Christ first came to the Jews and then afterward was worshiped by the Gentiles.  The significance of the Magi's gifts is told in an Orthodox hymn sung at Compline of the Nativity:  "Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."

The extraordinary beginnings of the story of Jesus Christ are meant to prepare us for its extraordinary end, which proceeds beyond all expectations to lead humankind into a new era, a new aeon in the Greek theological language of the Church.  In today's reading, we get this quality that typifies the beginnings of Christ's life and infancy in both Matthew and Luke's Gospels.  A great star is a portent of a singular event.  These mysterious men from the East have a knowledge that others do not -- not even the religious leaders of the Jews.  The Magi are divinely warned through a dream to avoid King Herod and return to their country.  These elements have a quality which is dream-like, a truly ancient sense to them of the mythological, and are filled with symbolism.   Perhaps this is why our modern celebrations of Christ's birth take on such qualities of wonder.  We are meant to understand a star as that which was seen by ancient people as not simply a planetary body traversing an ancient universe, but something filled with an energy that imparted even a god-like presence, a force, a message, and wisdom.  This is an extraordinary signal, a sign of a king.  The wise men, or Magi, who come from the East are, as my study Bible says, the learned of their time.  They are likely Persian, those who have studied astronomy and who recognize this extraordinary stellar event as a great sign.  The text doesn't tell us what methods they used, and it's not meant to be focused on as retroactive evidence for a curious age.  (I once used some software which plotted planetary movement on a given date, and filled in one suggested date for the birth of Christ.  All of the planets in our solar system seemed to be aligned so that they would look from the earth like one huge blazing star.)  But this story is meant, instead, to teach us about the awareness of what is true about the Person who is truth (John 14:6), discernible by and through other peoples in their own understanding through their systems of knowledge and learning.  It teaches us something about the universality of Christ and what He was born to bring into the world for all of us.  The magical-seeming mythological quality to these stories gives us a sense of ancient peoples yearning for what was to be revealed, brought forth to us -- and their quiet, humble understanding they take back with them, even as they have left their great gifts appropriate to a king, to God, and for One who would be in the tomb three days and rise again.  In Church services today, we find golden vessels, the use of incense for prayer (Psalm 141:2; Revelation 8:4), and myrrh that scents the oil of chrismation and unction.  Yesterday's reading was, appropriately, the final one in Mark's Gospel, in which we read that the Myrrhbearing Women were the first to hear and to proclaim the good news of Resurrection to the other apostles (for this reason, Mary Magdalene bears the title "Apostle to the Apostles").  Let us think upon these gifts in today's reading left by the Magi, and their prophetic symbolism for all He would bring into the world, how He would change it, and usher in for us the era in which we now live.  Let us consider what potent symbols may hide in plain sight even in our own lives as we prepare for the future at this time of the world's history.  For it is by faith we must live in order to build a world in which life can thrive.  Without it we lose the things that sustain us.

 

 

 

Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him

 

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

 

- Matthew 2:1–12 

 

Yesterday, we read the final chapter of Mark's Gospel:  Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee;  there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  This Herod the king is also known as Herod the Great, who ruled Judea from 37-4 BC.   He was the father of Herod Antipas, who will play a role in Jesus' adult life.  Herod the king was a great builder; he was also known as Herod the Builder.  His greatest project was the remodeling and expansion of the temple in Jerusalem, which became known as one of the architectural wonders of the world.  But he was also a cruel leader, even in a world in which leaders were known for their cruelty and absolute use of power.  My study Bible says that an ancient prophecy of Jacob indicated the Messiah would come when a king ruled who was not from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).  As Herod was a non-Jew calling himself the king of Judea, the coming of Christ was surely at hand.   The wise men, or magi, who come from the East (most likely Persia), were the scholars of their time.   In the Old Testament, my study Bible notes, Balaam (Numbers 23, 24) was one of their predecessors -- a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  These foreigners, it says, prefigure the Church, in which membership is determined by faith and not by ethnic lineage.  The star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ.  To the ancient pagans, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).  Christ being born under this star fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 109:3 (Septuagint) and shows all of creation participating in the Incarnation.  (See also Psalms 19:1, 148:3.)

 

 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  My study Bible comments that Herod had to summon the Jewish leaders because he knew little about the Jewish Messiah and he feared losing his throne to this newborn King.  The chief priests were the political and religious leaders of the Jews, and the scribes were high cabinet officers.  They knew where the Messiah was to be born, but in spite of all the signs being in place, they had no idea that He had come (see Jesus' remark at Matthew 16:3).  The text quotes from the prophecy of Micah 5:2.

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.   On the fact that the wise men came into the house, my study Bible remarks that whereas the Jewish shepherds worshiped the Savior in the cave on the day He was born (Luke 2:8-20), the Gentile magi came to worship Him some time later.  By then, Joseph and Mary had found a house in which to dwell with Jesus.  This indicates, it says, that Christ first came to the Jews and then afterward was worshiped by the Gentiles.  In an Orthodox hymn which is sung at Compline of the Nativity, the significance of the Magi's gifts is revealed:  "Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."

 

What are the significance of these gifts to Jesus brought by the worshiping Magi?  Gold is a traditional gift fit for a king, the most precious metal and purified substance.  Frankincense was such a precious commodity in the ancient world, as it was used for worship all around the Mediterranean and Near East, that the first great trade route of the world was the Incense Route, long before there was a Silk Route.  So frankincense was proper for a god.  Also traded on the Incense Route was myrrh, used in worship but also especially as preservative for the important rites of the dead, thus fit, in the words of the hymn, for "the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."  What we have in these gifts, then, is a testimony to the understanding of these ancient wise men who come from the East, suggesting the universality of the Christian message and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  For if even these men, simply because they are the scholars of their time, understand this about Jesus, then surely it reveals that although He is born a King in Bethlehem, and from the tradition and prophecy of the Jews, He is meant for the world and to be grasped and understood around the world.  That these ancient wise men could understand the significance of the Christ is testimony to the universal capacity for the reception of the gospel and Person of Jesus Christ the Savior.  As my study Bible points out, Luke gives us the similar reception of the shepherds in the cave, as they were made wise, so to speak, by the revelation of the angels (Luke 2:8-20).  Let us note also the role that the "unseen world" of the angels plays in the wisdom of the Magi, for they comprehend the divine warning given in a dream, and heed the message.  Let us note the contrast with the powerful King Herod, and his advisors the great and learned men of Israel, the chief priests and the scribes, who are the experts in Scripture, and should know about this King born in Bethlehem even if no one else knows.  But, as St. Paul writes, "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men . . . God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" (see 1 Corinthians 1:25-27).   As we begin reading in Matthew's Gospel, let us ponder the nature of this revelation of Christ to the world, right from the beginning:  it hides itself from the mighty and their powerful learned advisors, and imparts divine wisdom to the humble and foolish, the outsiders and those on the margins, to come to worship and honor the One who is Lord of lords and King of kings.   So it was then, and so, it seems to me, it continues now.

When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy

Adoration of the Magi, 1260, T'oros Roslin, MS 251 of Hromkla; Jerusalem, Armenian Patriarchate

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12

Yesterday we read that, after Christ's crucifixion, when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? . . . "  Herod is Herod the Great, also known as Herod the Builder, among whose projects was the refurbished and expanded Second Temple, so splendid it was known as one of the wonders of the world.  Herod was also known as a particularly ruthless ruler even in a time when all rulers were known for their violence, even murdering some of his own children in his pursuit of power.  He is the father of Herod Antipas, who will rule Galilee at the time of Jesus' ministry.  The wise men, also known as magi, come from the East (most likely Persia, my study bible says).  They were the scholars of their time.  My study bible notes that in the Old Testament, Balaam (Numbers 23, 24) was one of their predecessors.  He was a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  These foreigners, it notes, are prefiguring the Church, in which membership is constructed upon faith, and not ethnic lineage.  Note their respect for the leadership of the foreign country to which they go; they go to Jerusalem where they address Herod the king.

"For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."   My study bible says that the star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ.  For the ancient pagans, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).  That Christ is born under this star is a fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 109:3 Septuagint/DRA (110:3).  It shows all of creation participating in the Incarnation.  See also Psalms 19:1, 148:3.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.' "  My study bible points out that Herod had to summon the Jewish leaders because he knew so little about the Jewish Messiah, and he is afraid to lose his throne to this newborn King.  The chief priests, we understand, were the political and religious leaders of the Jews.  The scribes were high cabinet officers.  Their expertise in Scripture means that they knew well where the Messiah was to be born, but, as my study bible says, in spite of all the signs being in place, they had no idea that He had come (see 16:3).  The text quotation is from Micah 5:2.

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  The text tells us that the magi went into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother.   My study bible explains that Luke tells us the Jewish shepherds worshiped the Savior in the cave (or manger) on the day that He was born (Luke 2:8-20).   But the Gentile magi came to worship Him some time later.  By this time, Joseph and Mary have found a house in which to live.  This indicates that Christ first came to the Jews, and then afterward was worshiped by the Gentiles.  The Magi's gifts have a significance revealed in an Orthodox hymn sung at Compline of the Nativity:  "Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."   We note also the divine warning in a dream.  In the stories that surround Christ in Matthew's Gospel, particularly of His infancy and childhood, dreams figure repeatedly in which divine messages are given (see 1:20, 2:13, 19, 22; see also 27:19).

In the story of the Ascension (see yesterday's reading, above) we're given to understand that Christ's human nature ascends into heaven.  That is, even His body and blood are glorified with Him in His ascent, where in His fullness He will be worshiped by the angels.  It is significant for our own participation in the communion of Christ, as it teaches us all about the Incarnation, that it is meant to save us -- and that means God's grace works fully within us and among us.  At Jesus' Ascension, He tells the disciples His final command, called the Great Commission.  In the Greek of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus literally says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation" (Mark 16:15).  In fact, the word for "world" is cosmos/κόσμος, indicating all of created universe.   There is no place, and no thing, no creature left out.  What this, in fact, tells us is the very purpose of the Incarnation, that it is for the salvation and life of "the world" (John 6:33, 51).    In today's reading, the wise men from the East follow a star to find Jesus.  As my study bible says, the star does indeed indicate to us that all of creation participates in this central point in the history of the cosmos.  The Creator is born as creature, so that we all -- and indeed, all of creation -- may become more like Him, restored to the proper order of things in communion with Creator.  As we read, the grace of God is already working through all things:  even through the wisdom and "old testament" so to speak, of the pagan world of the East, in the dreams of these Gentiles forewarned of the danger from the murderous Herod.  And, as we can also see, this Child's life which He brings for the whole of the world is immediately in danger from the worldly power, as will be His story in its fullness.  Let us ponder how God may work through all things, through us, through all aspects of our lives and being, through all of creation -- as our Creator is born as human being in order to heal all the cosmos.

Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

"But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12

Yesterday, we read that when the Sabbath was past just after Jesus' death on the Cross, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.  Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  We begin reading Matthew's Gospel today, beginning with this second chapter and the visit of the wise men to Christ.  These wise men are also called the magi.  They come from the East, most likely Persia.  They were the scholars of their time.  My study bible says that in the Old Testament, Balaam (Numbers 23;24) is one of their predecessors, a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  The wise men, all foreigners, prefigure the Church, in which membership is determined by faith and not by ethnic lineage.  The star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ, and is possibly a visibly brilliant alignment of planets of which these wise men would have been aware.  To the ancient pagans, says my study bible, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).   It says that Christ being born under this star fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 110:3.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  "But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"  Herod is Herod the Great, also known as Herod the Builder for his ambitious projects (notably the expansion of the Second Temple, among other projects).  He was also known for his extreme ruthlessness, even by the standards for rulers of his time.  According to Wikipedia, he has been described by various scholarly sources as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis", "the evil genius of the Judean nation", and "prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition."  Herod was known as a person who would murder anyone even rumored to be scheming for his throne.  He was the ruler of Judea under Rome.  My study bible says that he had to summon the Jewish leaders because he knew little about the Messiah and was afraid of losing his throne to this newborn King.  The chief priests were the political and religious leaders of the Jews, and the scribes were high cabinet officers.  These men versed in Scripture and tradition knew where the Messiah was to be born -- but, my study bible points out, in spite of all the signs being in place, they had no idea He had come (see Jesus' remark in Matthew 16:3).   They quote from the prophecy of Micah 5:2. 

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.   My study bible says that whereas the Jewish shepherds worship the Savior in the cave on the day He was born (Luke 2:8-20), the Gentile magi came to worship Him sometime later (as they come into the house to meet the young Child and His mother).  By then, a note says, Joseph and Mary had found a house in which to dwell.  It's an indication that Christ first came to the Jews and then afterward was worshiped by Gentiles, a pattern that is established right from the beginning in Matthew's Gospel.    The significance of the gifts is noted in an Orthodox hymn sung at Compline on the Nativity: "Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead."

Who knows?  And who doesn't?  These are questions that swirl around the birth of the Messiah.  Yesterday, the lectionary gave us the final reading in Mark's Gospel.  Jesus glorifies everything around Himself by His very presence.  The lectionary has skipped over the Nativity (see Matthew 1:18-25), and we are brought directly to these wise men, the scholars of their time, who are aware of what is happening -- that a great king is being born.  The text tells us not just that they come with gifts but that they "fell down and worshiped Him," telling us that they know what is appropriate to the Christ, although just a babe.  We know the humbleness of His circumstances, and that the wise men know who He is despite the humble setting.  And related to that, immediately we see a kind of war with worldly power in the person of Herod, known as a very bloodthirsty and ambitious leader of his time.   Herod learns directly from the wise men why they have come, but he has no idea of prophecy and does not know who the Child is.  And sadly, the religious leaders know all about prophecy and the minutiae of Scripture and tradition, but no idea that the time is now.  A pattern, as my study bible pointed out, that will continue throughout the story of the life of Jesus.  The wise men ask, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" and we remember also the charge laid against Jesus, mounted on the Cross, THE KING OF THE JEWS.   There is myrrh given at His birth, and myrrh at His empty tomb brought by the women for anointing -- the first to be told news of the Resurrection.  So here's the key:  how do we know?  What is it that gives us wisdom?  How can we tell the holy in our midst?  Do we understand the light of Christ, and of the Spirit, that gives everything beauty and significance?  Christ Himself is Wisdom; we must be able to worship to share in it.  The key seems to be the question, what do we value?  What's in our hearts?  Christ is present today, the Holy Spirit is "everywhere present and filling all things" (according to a traditional prayer of the Orthodox Church that begins every service).   The empty tomb in yesterday's reading, the Cross upon which He was crucified, even the Babe in today's reading with His mother, worshiped by the wise men -- all is given power and meaning because Christ is there, holy power is there, the Spirit is at work.  This is the way we must see everything in our world as touched by Him and His presence, the effect of His work and mission, the Spirit He leaves to us that anoints the whole of the creation.  In yesterday's reading, the disciples did not believe those who had seen Him, until He appeared to all of them.  So the question is again, who knows?  Who has wisdom?  Who sees and understands?  Here we are, in a humble place in Bethlehem, and He's already being pursued, but already known and worshiped by the wise.  Let us be among them and do as they do. 

Out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel

 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.  And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.   And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12

On Saturday, we began readings for the Christmas season in Matthew's Gospel.  It begins as the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:  Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his bothers.  Judah begot Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez begot Hezron, and Hezron begot Ram.  Ram begot Amminadab, Amminadab begot Nahshon, and Nahshon begot Salmon.  Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king. David the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.  Solomon begot Rehoboam, Rebhoboam begot Abijah, and Abijah begot Asa.  Asa begot Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begot Joam, and Joram begot Uzziah.  Uzziah begot Jotham, Jotham begot Ahaz, and Ahaz begot Hezekiah.  Hezekiah begot Manasseh, Manasseh begot Amon, and Amon begot Josiah.  Josiah begot Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were carried away to Babylon.  And after they were brought to Babylon, Jeconiah begot Shealtiel, and Shealtiel begot Zerubbabel.  Zerubbabel begot Abiud, Abiud begot Eliakin, and Eliakin begot Azor.  Azor begot Zadok, Zadok begot Eliud.  Eliud begot Eleazar, Eleazar begot Matthan, and Matthan begot Jacob.  And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.  So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:  After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."  So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God is with us."  Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son.  And he called His name JESUS.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem . . .  My study bible explains that these wise men, or magi, who have come from the East (most likely Persia), were the scholars of their time.  It says that in the Old Testament, Balaam (Numbers 23; 24) was one of their predecessors.  He was a Gentile who anticipated the Messiah.  These foreigners prefigure the Church, in which membership isn't determined by ethnic origin, but by faith.

 . . . saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?  For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."  My study bible says, "The star proclaims the extraordinary birth of Christ.  To ancient pagans, a star signified a god, a deified king (Numbers 24:17).  Christ being born under this star fulfills the prophecy in Psalm 109:3 and shows all of creation participating in the Incarnation."  In the translation used by my study bible  this verse reads:  With you is the beginning in the day of Your power, In the brightness of Your saints; "I have begotten You from the womb before the morning star."  (It corresponds to Psalm 110 in the King James Version, and also the Douay-Rheims translation of the Latin Vulgate.)   See also Psalms 18:2 and 148:3 for other examples. 

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.  So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:  'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'  Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."   My study bible tells us that Herod had to summon the Jewish leaders because he knew little about the Jewish Messiah (not being born a Jew himself), and he feared losing his throne to the newborn king.  The chief priests, it says, were the political and religious leaders of the Jews, and the scribes were high cabinet officers.  They knew where the Messiah was to be born.  But in spite of all of the signs being in place, they had no idea that He had come (see 16:3).

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.   And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him.  And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him:  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  My study bible points out that Luke tells us the shepherds worshiped the Savior in the cave on the day He was born (a cave is where the manger was, the place for animals by Near East tradition -- see the reading for Thursday, Christmas day), the Gentile magi came to worship Him some time later.  By this time, suggests my study bible, Joseph and Mary had found a house in which to dwell.  It says, "This indicates that Christ first came to the Jews and then afterward was worshiped by the Gentiles.  The significance of the Magi's gifts is revealed in a hymn sung at Compline of the Nativity:  'Gold is for the King of ages.  Frankincense is for the God of all.  Myrrh is offered to the Immortal One, who shall be three days dead.'"

As we observed in the earlier readings for the Christmas season, from the beginning two chapters of Luke and also chapter 1 of Matthew, there is so much activity viewed in the work of the Holy Spirit in the world, the activity that surrounds the event of the Christ being born Incarnate into the world.  Again, we refer to the prophecy of Joel:  "I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28).  All is surrounded in these stories of the birth of Christ by visions, prophecy, dreams.  The appearance of angels (messengers of God) accompany every event.  Here in today's reading, the "wise men" come from the East.  They are scholars learned in the knowledge of the time; we imagine this particularly includes astronomy.  Their great wealth they bring with them as gifts indicates rather exalted positions in the place where they are from.  Gold we know has always had value, but the trade of resins used for incense in courts and temples was an extremely lucrative one; the earliest trade routes we know from the historical Middle and Near East were originally made for the trade of the best rare incenses; that is, resins such as Frankincense and Myrrh.  These are gifts made for a king.  As my study bible points out, here we are given a story of Gentiles coming to worship this king, who is not just a king in the ordinary sense, but one who is anointed, proclaimed by the heavens in the star.  He is the Christ.  Others from far away know this, but all the wisdom entrusted to the Jewish leadership in the temple has not produced men of this generation in their high positions who know this.  Matthew's Gospel, written for a Jewish audience, proclaims the wisdom of the outsiders, these men from the East.  And there we have to look -- again -- at the whole participation of creation in this birth.  The star teaches something to the men from the East, who come to worship this king with great gifts, but we have already read of the glory of the Lord shining round the shepherds in the field, and the work of the Spirit that has been present through so many people made aware of this great event.  And then there is Herod.  Herod the Great, a ferocious builder of wondrous projects known to all the world (such as the restoration of the temple), and a ferociously ruthless leader, known also as someone who murders his family members for power, comes into this story.  He's the king of Judea who is not really a Jew and has been imposed by the ruling Romans.  He brings with him the image of the Gentiles who "lord it over one another" in ways that are appalling to the Jewish spiritual tradition, but in the most bloodthirsty fashion, considered extreme even among other rulers of the time.  And this is somehow part of the plan, that Jesus is born at this place and in this time.  There are yet obstacles to be considered.  But dreams come, and dreams come.  Those with ears to hear and eyes to see can receive such dreams, and Joseph, we will see, is also one of those people who can receive the word of angels.  But today we have the image of the wise men of the East, those who know, who somehow through their own systems of knowledge receive word of this king born who is to be worshiped.  They know.  And to the early Church Gentiles who had all come from pagan backgrounds, it made perfect sense that this revelation of the Christ should be the fulfillment of all traditions that bear truth, wisdom, and true knowledge in the highest esteem.  For the early doctors of the Church, the most renown of which were schooled in the highest education the classical world could offer in mathematics and especially philosophy, this made sense; if we worship the Person who is Truth ("I am the way, the truth, and the life"), then all that serves truth, beauty, and goodness (to use a phrase from the ancient Greek philosophers) must also serve Christ.  He was the fullness of revelation coming to all that had come before, including the best in the Gentile world, reaching to Him.  This is the way our earlier ancestors who took up the faith viewed Christ, just as the magi could come from their own traditions and recognize this king coming into the world.  Let us remember the light is everywhere, and the glory of the Lord participates through all of Creation to teach us, to help us reach the place where we ought to be going.  What's your journey like?  Do you have ears to hear and eyes to see?  These pagan Gentiles know that the Babe born here in Bethlehem is the king worth seeking from far away, for a long journey into the unknown, even to the country of a ruthless ruler.   They go to Him offering the most precious gifts they can give.  They have faith.  Let us take their example and let it teach us about Christ and God's work in the world.

Wise men from the East

Damaskinos - Adoration of the Magi

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gift to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

- Matthew 2:1-12

Today we continue our Christmastide readings, with the story of the "wise men" from the East. Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, . . . My study notes here that "Matthew anticipates Jesus' mission to the Gentiles. The wise men, or Magi, who come from the East, that is, outside of Israel (perhaps from Persia), are the scholars of their time. In the Old Testament, Balaam (Numbers 23; 24) was one of their predecessors, a Gentile who also anticipated the Messiah. The worship of the Lord by the Magi is symbolic of the Church, the true Israel, in which membership is determined by faith, not by ethnic lineage." It continues, "One of the rare bits of chronological information in Matthew places this event in the reign of Herod the Great, king of Judea (37-4 B.C.). An underling of Rome, he was a great builder but a cruel ruler." I find it very important that we have a sense of "all things" being under this Creator, this Babe who is the king or Messiah. My study bible's commentary that this is Matthew's vision of Jesus' mission to the Gentiles, teaches us something very important about this Incarnation: it is the incarnation of Creator, the One who is Truth and Whose Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. Therefore, we anticipate rightly, whatever is true in all religion in some sense serves the Person who is Truth, and is also found in Christ.

. . . saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." A note here reads, "The star signifies the extraordinary importance of the birth of the Christ Child. In ancient times a star signified a god, a deified king (Num. 24:17). This star is a sign of the Messiah Himself, signifying the light He will shed upon the world." A kind of revelation leads the "wise men" to Jesus. The light of the star gives us part of the nature of this Messiah; He is the light coming into the world, and into the darkness, to illuminate the Way for those who would be wise. In this event, we have an understanding of the cosmic nature of Christ, this Messiah, who is not just for one people, but for a whole universe of beauty and creation, and those who understand, who see.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. A note here teaches: "Knowing little of the Jewish Messiah and fearful of losing his throne to a newborn king, Herod asks the chief priests and scribes . . . where the Christ was to be born. The chief priests of the temple in Jerusalem are the political and religious leaders of the Jews. They include the high priest, who alone can enter the Holiest of All (Heb. 9:7). They have no idea that the Messiah has been born. The scribes, high cabinet officers (2 Kin. 22; Jer. 36:10), know the Messiah is to be born, and where. But they have no revelation that He has come. God reveals His truth to those with 'a noble and good heart' (Luke 8:15)." Herod learns some intelligence (in the political sense) from the wise men - there is a threat to Herod's reign. We see this mysterious confluence of intelligence, of wisdom. The Magi come from the East, and they understand. Herod calls together his own intelligence counsel - those who know the Scriptures, whose business it is to understand the things that pertain to the awaited Messiah. All prepare for the arrival, born into our world, of the incarnate Deity of all - a cosmic event, in the form of a Babe. Indeed, all of the cosmos participates - even the star as a sign, and the gifts of the earth borne by the Magi of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And it is not only the realm of religion, wisdom and spiritual understanding that is preparing for this event, but the political realm as well. The question is, as the quotation from Luke 8:15 would teach us, how will each understand this event in their hearts? It is a universal question, open to us all.

So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'" The quotation is from the Book of the Prophet Micah chapter 5, verse 2. Micah's prophecy teaches us about One "who is, and was and is to come" (Rev. 1:8), as it teaches about a future ruler "whose origins are from of old, from ancient times" - a concept rooted in Mystery, and the depth of Creation.

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also." Herod, of course, has received this news in one way, that does not speak of him as having "a noble and good heart." For Herod, all is political, and about threats to his political power. Here he uses trickery on the wise men. The seed of the Word begins even before He is born. How does it fall in each of us, from Herod to the wise men from the East?

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gift to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A note here reads: "Matthew, writing for Jewish Christians, cites Gentiles as the first worshipers of Jesus. Luke, writing for Gentile Christians, cites a the first worshipers the Jewish poor -- shepherds from surrounding fields (Luke 2:8-17 [see reading and commentary here and here]). The Magi, firstfruits of the Gentiles, come to Christ bearing gifts: gold, for King; frankincense, for God; and myrrh, for a Man who is to suffer and die. The wise men have received some knowledge about the newborn King through their observation of the star, but when they see Him, they recognize Him as the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2), the Orient (the rising sun) from on high (Is. 59:19), the Bright and Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)." In the presence of the Child, the Magi or wise men fall and worship Him. We are told, "they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy" as they have found their treasure, the Bright and Morning Star, the Sun of Righteousness, the Orient. We discussed the symbolism of the gifts of the Magi in an earlier commentary, on how the early church viewed Jesus' birth as a prefiguration of all that was to come (see Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men!) They understand Him as the Light coming into the world that brings exceedingly great joy.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Again, the play of dreams divinely inspired with messages for those who are at work in these events that surround the birth of Christ comes into the Gospel. In so many of our Christmastide readings, we have received this sign over and over again, of God's grace at work through divine messengers and dreams.

What message do we get from this Gospel reading today? There is the great Light - Christ who is Himself "the East," the great "Star" of the morning, the "Sun of Righteousness." The wise men follow the light of the star to find the Star, and their hearts are illumined with a divine light, the understanding of exceeding joy at finding this Child and worshiping Him. How many ways can we find Christ? How many signs point the way in our lives? Do dreams help us to understand the way to God, and to the joy we find in finding Christ for ourselves? To my mind, this passage teaches us that all things lead to God, to that center of the great light we can find in our hearts. My study bible cites in commentary Luke's Gospel message about the word (from Jesus' parable of the Sower): But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. The wise men come from the East, with such hearts noble and good. They can hear and they can see, in the spiritual sense in which Jesus will so often call on us to have true sight and hearing (see Matt. 13:15,16). People from every part of the world, from all backgrounds and understanding have this capability. The Child incarnate in Bethlehem is not just for one people but for all, from all traditions. All that is true comes from this cosmic Creator, the Person who is Truth, "whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." This mysterious root stretches through all of us, and through all of time, to the hearts of any who are ready to hear and understand the Word. Let us not bar in our hearts the wisdom of any person who can find the seed of this Word in their hearts where it can take hold and bear fruits. In a cosmic sense, we are all rooted in that Word, incarnate in the Babe born in Bethlehem, whose true origins begin before us all in Mystery, and are revealed to those to whom the Father wills, who are found everywhere. This is what the Gospel teaches us today. How many ways can the light of this Word reach into our lives? Let us understand that the answer to that question is unlimited, and open our hearts to the work of grace which cannot be contained by any human understanding or limitation we would put on the work of God in our world.