He shall be called a Nazarene

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."

Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a Nazarene."

- Matthew 2:23

Yesterday's passage detailed the slaughter of the Holy Innocents by Herod, in his search to defeat the newborn King the wise men had told him about. In Jesus' short life at this point, he has already been hunted by the authorities for threatening their power, and according to the ancient tradition of the Church, the first Christian martyrs, called the Holy Innocents, have died by swords of Herod's men who were following his orders to kill all children under the age of two in Bethlehem. History has recorded Herod as a ruler known for his cruelty, although there is no absolute proof of this particular event. One fact we do know for certain is that Herod died in 4 BC; therefore we can conclude that the A.D. (Anno Domini - "year of the Lord" in Latin) calendar is based on a date that is off by several years.

Archelaus, the son of Herod, was banished by Augustus Caesar to Gaul in A.D. 6. Apparently, he was a ruler as known for cruelty as was his father, as the Jews protested to Rome for this reason against Archelaus and successfully petitioned for his removal. In today's reading, Joseph has been warned in a dream yet again, as he has several times throughout the readings concerning Jesus' early life. This time, the warning is against the cruelty of Archelaus. So, Joseph takes his family to Galilee. Nazareth was governed by another son of Herod. This was Herod Antipas, who is to figure in the gospels after Jesus' youth and in the life of John the Baptist.

My study bible notes that the source of the quotation for this prophecy, "He shall be called a Nazarene," cannot be specifically identified. It has been taken possibly as a reference to the Branch ("neser" in Hebrew) of Isaiah 11:1: "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit." Possibly it refers to the Nazirite (Hebrew "nazir") of Judges 13:7 or Numbers 6:1-21. There is also a possibility, my study bible notes, that Matthew may be alluding to passages which speak of the Messiah as despised. Nazareth did not have a good reputation among the Jews, as has been recorded in the gospels in a statement by the apostle Nathaniel, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) - after which Jesus praises Nathaniel for his honesty! My study bible notes that "Nazarene" later became a designation for followers of Jesus, especially in the Semitic world, although "Christian" was the more common name. We once again recall that Matthew's gospel is written primarily for Jews who have become Christians, so his audience would be familiar with all of these subjects.

This is the last of our readings of Jesus' early life from the gospel of Matthew. Tomorrow there will be one more reading from Luke's gospel regarding Jesus' youth. Clearly we can see the themes that have repeated themselves, especially in the action of the Divine at work in these stories: repeatedly Joseph is advised and warned in dreams by an angel, Mary's annunciation via angel, and that of Zechariah and Elizabeth. The Holy Spirit acts to inspire the prophecies of Anna and of Simeon, and also the inspired prayer of Elizabeth as she greets Mary. The shepherds living out in the fields of Bethlehem are called to the Good News via a whole host of angels. A heavenly star guides the wise men from the East and they, too, are given warnings in dreams about Herod and his violence. And then, too, is the spirit of prophecy at work throughout these stories about Jesus, as his birth and his life were seen as reflections of Jewish prophecy treasured for centuries, especially in Matthew's gospel whose theme is "Emmanuel" or "God with us," and is written primarily for a Jewish audience. Contrasted with the works of God are desperation, deceit, servility to power and the terrible acts of violence on the part of the "worldly" powerful who people this book, especially the massacre of the Holy Innocents by Herod. What is remarkable to me is that despite the prophecy and the hand of God, we observe that all depends on the actions of people who act through faith. Without the "yes" of Mary, of Elizabeth, of Joseph, of the Magi, we clearly don't know what the fate of this child could have been in a violent and threatening world. The shepherds spread the good news, Anna and Simeon do likewise to the community in Jerusalem that awaits the Consolation of Israel. All of these people said "yes" in faith to the actions of Spirit, of the messengers of the Divine. The one example we have of someone who reacted in fear is Zechariah, who loses his voice as he fails at first to accept the prophecy given to him. So what we have, then, is a remarkable record of faith at work in a world that is not perfect, but rather filled with danger. It is threatening and violent, and especially so to the holy, to the Child that will be born and live as fulfillment of prophecy and under the shadow of the Almighty, and who is the Anointed One. I think it's highly important to consider, then, what our own "yes" might mean. These are not stories of magic and of charm, but of faith, in a world filled with difficulty and action that will act against that faith and against the things the Divine leads us toward. What will your act of faith, your "yes" bring? If you face difficulty, if you need courage, consider these stories, and the lives of these people in the stories of the birth of Christ. Their lives are not easy. The child has a manger for a crib, the holy family must repeatedly take flight and find refuge. The Magi must flee Herod to return to their country. Those who accept the good news are the marginalized, the outsiders (and Church tradition also tells of their later persecution and martyrdom). The earliest martyrs to worldly violence are innocent babes. And the Nazarene will be despised. But the faithful say "yes."

The Holy Innocents

Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted,
Because they were no more."

- Matthew 2:16-18

Today we continue with the Christmastide readings concerning the events of Jesus' early life. In the previous readings, we learned that the Wise Men of the East, or the Magi, returned to their own land by an alternate route. Herod had requested that they return to him, to tell him where the child was. But the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod. Joseph has also been warned in a dream, by an angel, to take the child to Egypt because of the impending danger.

My study bible notes that Herod's cruelty was prefigured at Moses' birth, when Pharaoh attempted to kill all male children in order to destroy the first Israel. As we have previously written in commentary, Jesus' early life parallels that of Israel itself, including the flight or exile to Egypt. All of these events at Christmastide - the early events of Jesus' life, up to and including Baptism in the Jordan and the first miracle of changing the water to wine at the wedding in Cana - have historically been included since the time of the ancient Church in commemoration at this time of year. These are readings of manifestation - God's hand in the world, giving us these images, or "ikons" which have come to us from the divine: the Holy Child, his Virgin Mother, and all the events surrounding the incarnation of the Son, including his revelation as Son at the Baptism in the Jordan. These events parallel the history of Israel itself; they fulfill its prophecies, so that as Christians we have the traditional theological understanding that Jesus is the true Israel. He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. It is important to think about this as we review these events at Christmastide.

The quotation above is from the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:15). Jeremiah recorded the people of Jerusalem being led away into exile. On their mournful pilgrimage to exile in an alien land, they passed Ramah, where Rachel's tomb is said to be. Rachel was the wife of Jacob, who was also known as Israel, and was the ancestor of the twelve tribes of Israel who were named after his sons. My study bible notes: "In his prophecy Jeremiah pictures Rachel, who had long been dead, weeping even in her tomb for the fate that had befallen the people, her children." Now the mothers of Bethlehem weep for the slaughter of their children, known as the Holy Innocents, who are regarded as saints and martyrs in many branches of the Church. The note continues: "As Rachel was told her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jer. 31:16,17), so Jesus will return from His exile in Egypt."

The slaughter of the Innocents reminds us in a very visceral and powerful way of the conflict between the powers - spiritual and worldly - that we have been discussing all through these Christmastide readings. Once again, we have the conflicting images in the action of the Spirit and of the king. The Spirit leads through dreams and prophecies, and wisdom. Joseph has repeatedly been given dreams in which an angel appears to him and teaches him what he must do to negotiate his responsibility for the Incarnate Christ in the world, filled already with its dangers for this young infant child. The wise men, or Magi, are also divinely taught by dreams. In these dreams come wisdom about how to negotiate the path of worship and the roles they play in this world in honoring properly this child, the Son Incarnate. But this wisdom from the Spirit, and all the information a jealous Herod desires to protect himself from the newborn King, does not manifest itself to Herod nor to the leaders of the temple upon whom he calls to find out more information: the chief priests and the scribes. All they have available to them is the ancient prophecy of Micah regarding where the birth of the Child is to take place. Without this wisdom, without the power of the Spirit, Herod acts as worldly power acts: with the violence of powerful kings. His solution, having been eluded by the wise men, is simply to slaughter all the male children under the age of two in Bethlehem and its districts. Great violence is the act of an angry man, with the power to order mass murder of the innocent in order to preserve that power for himself. So, at once in this scene of the slaughter of the Holy Innocents, we witness the violence that is to come in the future in Jesus' life. Jesus will teach us holy wisdom, spiritual truth. His life will be one of a healer and a teacher. For the threat to worldly power, to those who do not have the leadings of the Spirit and its wisdom as do Joseph and the wise men, Jesus will also suffer death, execution through crucifixion.

The stage is set for the war of the powers of the world and the power of the Spirit. We make our choices, too, as we negotiate life in the world. The fulfillment of great and powerful prophecy, of centuries of expectation, is, in this book, a part of a "real world" point of view - but one that does not compromise in its aims and intentions and judgment. Spirit plays the greatest role in the actions of wisdom behind both Incarnation and the choices made by those who would protect, worship and care for this child. And we continue to negotiate that road, what will come to be called Jesus' "Way." The fulfillment of prophecy and the righteous life of Jesus, Incarnate Son, will not be easy nor will it be simple. His wisdom is at once direct and to the point - and at the same time, it will elude those who "seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand." The road, the Way, continues as it began, in a world that is not perfect and in our lives which are not perfectly charmed by faith, but rather in which we are called upon to make our choices as to whether or not we seek to follow the Wisdom of the Spirit to lead our choices through the world, or not. How does the life of faith, told in these books, mirror your own?

Epiphany or Theophany

Decani monastery, 14th cent., Kosovo

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

And John tried to prevent Him, saying, I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?" But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed Him.

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

- Matthew 3:13-17

I am interrupting passages of the days following Jesus' birth to change the order a little bit. That is because today is the day that is celebrated as Epiphany, or as it may be more accurately called, Theophany. In the Western traditions, today is a day that may be known as the Three Kings day, often called Epiphany. But in the East, and in the ancient Church, today is the day celebrated as Epiphany, or Theophany, for the commemoration of Jesus' baptism in the Jordon by John the Baptist. In the ancient Church, the holiday was combined with a celebration of Jesus' birth until Rome instituted December 25th as a date to celebrate Christ's birth. Most churches followed suit. But in the East, the day remains of great significance as the date of Jesus' baptism and therefore the beginning of his public ministry, and for other reasons we shall explain further in commentary. The Armenian Church never adopted the December 25th nativity date, and continues to this day to celebrate as did the ancient Church, on January 6th. However, the significance of the date for the Eastern churches remains the commemoration of Jesus' baptism.

Epiphany (επιφανεια) means "manifestation" from the Greek root of φαινω, to "show," "reveal," "appear" or "make light" (as in "come to light" or "brightness"). The word for this holiday that is more accurately used is Theophany, from the same root that means "show" or "appear" combined with the word for "God," θεος ("Theos"). The significance, therefore, of Jesus' baptism for the early Church was in the revelation or manifestation of the Trinity. At Jesus' baptism in the Jordan we have the divine manifestation of the Trinity in the voice of the Father, the declaration of this voice that Jesus is Son, and the image of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove.

Traditionally, this is a day for blessing the water that will be used for baptism and other uses of holy water. Many rituals involve water, or diving for crosses in the water. This is symbolic of Jesus' baptism: He did not need to be baptized to become pure; rather the opposite is true. Jesus' baptism sanctifies the waters of the world for the baptism of all who will follow. A note in my study bible reads: "By making the purification of humanity His own, He would wash away the sin of humanity, grant regeneration, and reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity. Thus, His baptism was necessary for the fulfillment of all God's righteousness. St. Gregory of Nyssa says, 'Jesus enters the filthy [sinful] waters of the world and when He comes out, brings up [purifies] the entire world with Him.' " We recall Jesus' manifestation in the world as the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. In his baptism, Jesus is fulfilling righteousness as the believers are called to do who will follow His Way.

My study bible also notes that the Spirit of God hovered over the water at the first creation - and now the Holy Spirit comes in the form of a dove to anoint the Messiah, the Son, at the beginning of the "new creation." Jesus does not become the Son on this day, but this day is commemorated as the day that the eternal Son is revealed to all of humanity. A note reads: "The Holy Spirit always rests on Him. The feast day of Epiphany (a manifestation or revelation), or Theophany (a manifestation of God), commemorates this day and points to the age to come."

The declaration of the voice of the Father is a composite quotation from two Old Testament sources. Ps. 2:7 reads "You are My Son, today I have begotten You," and Isaiah 42:1 reads, "Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One, in whom My soul delights!" My study bible notes that the substitution of "Son" for "Servant" reveals the deity of Christ. So, once again, we note that we have a revelation of Trinity: The Father speaks, the Holy Spirit descends, the incarnate Son is baptized and anointed. ("Christ" means "anointed one.")

As we examine these early days of Christ's life (we will continue tomorrow in our sequence of events of his early life), remember that the ancient Church celebrated this day as a sort of combination of these early dates of his life that we have been blogging this Christmastide, up to and including baptism and the first miracle of changing the water to wine at the wedding in Cana. These are the days, therefore, of "manifestation." But the great significance of this day was and remains the Baptism and its revelation of God as Trinity. I hope that you celebrate this day the manifestation of the divine will in the images we have, and all the teachings they impart to us throughout our lives and the evolution of our faith.

Christ is born and revealed among us!

Blessed is the revelation of Christ!

- translation of the Armenian kiss of peace and response for today's celebration

Out of Egypt I called My Son

Joseph warned in a dream - 11th cent., Ateni Sioni church, Georgia

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."

When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

- Matthew 2:13-15

The Wise Men from the East, or the Magi, have departed by way of an alternate route, in order to avoid King Herod, after having been warned in a dream to do so. We have been told that King Herod, having heard of the news of the birth of a King, has been desperately seeking information about this child. Herod asked the wise men to find the child, and return to his palace so that he may also worship the child. But their dream warned them not to do this.

Today we have yet another warning in a dream, and this time it is to Joseph, Jesus' earthly father and caretaker, Mary's husband. Joseph has had a dream once before, in which an angel spoke to him and told him not to be afraid to marry Jesus' mother, and that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph was also told that the child's name should be Jesus. The message to Joseph from the angel in a dream was also explained to have been in order to fulfill a prophecy, by Isaiah. Today we repeat the pattern. Joseph is warned via an angel appearing to him in a dream - and again the message is explained as a fulfillment of prophecy. This time the prophet is Hosea. "Out of Egypt I called My Son."

In the profoundly poetic ways of the gospels, we have new things to marvel at in this scripture. The manifestation of Jesus' life in the world is in some ways parallel to that of the development of Israel itself. We understand that Jesus is to be the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and we have seen through the blogging of the gospels in passages such as those of the Beatitudes and other teachings, how this is so. But in these early days of Jesus' life, we have all the readings of Manifestation: God's hand in the world, creating for us the story and the images we have of this Divine Creation at work in our world, in Jesus' incarnation and early life. Today we examine another aspect of the poetry in the manifestation of the divine will. My study bible notes: "Egypt is where Israel once took refuge and was made captive. As the Israelites fled from Egypt ..., so Joseph flees into Egypt, by night." There is also a note that it is probable that the gifts of the Magi paid for the journey. The note continues as follows: "Some of the first steps of Jesus are taken in exile. This is one of a number of instances in Scripture where God's people must elude civil power in order to do His will." I think it's quite important to note the continuation and manifestation of themes that we've been writing about which have been building up in these stories: the conflict between civil (or "worldly") and spiritual power. The elements of these early stories of Jesus' birth also come together in the fact of exile: the ones who have peopled our story with faith, who act by virtue of the leading of the Spirit, are outsiders in one way or another. They are not the powerful, do not hold high office in either the civil or religious institutions. They are not insiders. They are the faithful aged Simeon and widow Anna who spend their days in the temple, the shepherds living out in the fields, childless Elizabeth and Zechariah, the Wise Men who come from the East outside of Israel, and those for whom there was no room at the inn. One way or another, this is a story of "lifting up the lowly," a story of the outsiders, and extended now into a story about those in exile.

"Out of Egypt I called My Son" refers to Israel in Hosea 11:1. The "son of God" in the Old Testament, my study bible notes, is Israel. But here Jesus, fulfillment of the Law and Prophets as will be so explicitly laid out by Matthew - writing for a primarily Jewish audience - becomes, or rather is, the true Israel. The prophecies reflect back to Him. The elements of the experience of faith will be manifest through his life and teachings. My study bible notes: "He reenacts in His own life the history of Israel, without falling into sin." We must take note of the reality and power of the manifestation of the divine will in the world. We are given this story, this child, these elements in the story. A conflict of worldly and divine power, the leading by the Spirit of those who will help to welcome and shepherd this child into the world and to protect Him, and the worldly powers that be which are already seeking to destroy Him.

In the Eastern understanding of "icon" (which means "image") there is a very special thing to note: we are given images by God in the divine manifestation of this life of Jesus. The elements and events of Jesus' life are there for a reason. They are not simply a made up story or a myth in the conventional sense of the word. The hardships of the life of faith are not the stuff of fairy tales! Clearly, and what I think is of particular importance, all of Jesus' life is a great paradox. The images or "icons" we associate with Christ call us to seek to understand spiritual reality that may hit us with many different meanings and dimensions. We don't know the infinite limits of the reality of God, and as manifestation in our world and to our worldly eyes and ears and comprehension, these images that come to us call us to all of that unlimited reality. So, we are given paradox in the depth of manifestation that reaches to us across those dimensions: exile, outsiders, the great conflict between the worldly and the spiritual. There is, always, the image of the Cross, the great paradox itself, the "foolishness to the Greeks and stumbling block to the Jews." And there is also Resurrection. But here, we begin with exile, mirroring and duplicating - even in a reverse order - the patterns of the history of Israel itself, and the spiritual books that we inherit as a backdrop and preparation to these gospels. It's important to remember that all of these elements teach us about Spirit, spiritual life, and a life of faith in the world. A child is manifest as "image" for us to think about, to learn from, a gift to the world. How does he begin - and how do all of these elements touch your life and your world, and maybe reflect something of your own experiences in faith?

Adoration of the Magi

Damaskinos, 16th cent. Cretan school - Museum of Iraklion

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 2:7-12

In Saturday's reading and commentary, we began this passage about the star, the Wise Men from the East, and King Herod. King Herod is troubled at the news of the king who is to be born, which he has learned from the Wise Men - and, we are told, all of Jerusalem was troubled with him. But we know of others, such as Simeon and Anna, who are among a community in Jerusalem that has been awaiting the Consolation of Israel - the news of Israel's Deliverer, or Messiah. And they rejoice at the Good News, as did the shepherds living out in the fields near Bethlehem.

So, the stage has been set for a great conflict of powers. In Saturday's reading, we read of Herod's fear, and his gathering to himself of all of his advisers and the specialists from the temple: the chief priests and scribes, along with the high priest, in order to find information about this promised King. In today's reading, we learn that Herod has also secretly called to himself the Wise Men from the East, in order to find out more information from them about the King who will be born. Herod has learned from the prophesy of Micah, reported to him by the scribes, that the child is to be born in Bethlehem. But he does not know when this will happen. So, this is what he asks of the wise men, or the Magi: "what time" the star appeared. Herod sends the Magi to Bethlehem, with a crafty message: "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 the wise men see the star standing over the place where the child is born, they rejoice, we are told, with exceedingly great joy. This good news presents itself to so many in our story as we have noted above. This is in contrast with Herod, his court, and "all of Jerusalem with him" who are disturbed by the news.

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. My study bible notes that, here, Matthew, writing for Jewish Christians, cites Gentiles (the wise men or Magi) as the first worshipers of Jesus. Luke, writing for Gentile Christians, cites as the first worshipers the Jewish poor - shepherds living out in the fields of Bethlehem (see The Good News from Tuesday last.) The Magi, who may be called the "firstfruits of the Gentiles," come to Christ bearing gifts. My study bible notes the details of information regarding these gifts as follows. "Gold, for a King; frankincense, for God, and myrrh, for a Man who is to suffer and die." Gold is the property of and proper tribute for kings, frankincense is used as the "sending of prayer" to God (see Psalm 141:2), and myrrh will be offered to Jesus on the Cross and brought to the tomb by Nicodemus and by the women who will give us the first news of Resurrection.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. As in so much of the Scripture regarding the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, the Holy Spirit is once again at work through dreams. This time the Magi are warned through a dream that they should not return to Herod as has been requested of them. So they went back to their own country another way. And, as we shall see, the stage is set for this great conflict of power, spiritual and worldly. Spiritual power works by virtue of the Spirit, coming to those who can receive it. We have read in Christmastide readings of annunciation via angelic messenger to Mary, Elizabeth and Zechariah, a whole host of angels appeared with the Good News to the shepherds living out in the fields, the Holy Spirit graces Anna and Simeon with the gift of prophecy, and sends messages through dreams to Joseph and to the Wise Men of the East. We recall the words of Jesus comparing the Spirit to the wind: "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell where it comes from and where it is going" (John 3:8). So it is with the work of the Spirit (πνευμα, "pneuma" which means both wind and Spirit). The power of the Spirit works as the wind: we see what it does and where it has been, but not where it comes from nor where it is going. We must contrast this, in these passages, with the earthly power of King Herod, a man searching for his rival, desperate to find information. We must also see that those with the power of the great religious institution are without this "wind of Spirit" - without this spiritual power - except via the ancient prophecy of Micah, which has been written in their books.

As we go on to read tomorrow's passage, we'd do well to keep this in mind: this difference between the Spiritual and the worldly powers. One has produced great joy at the news of the Child, while the worldly powers are disturbed and troubled. The Spirit works in mysterious ways, and yet where it has been has created change which is evident to all, and to those who may receive. I hope that this breath or wind of Spirit is able to breathe in you, that your prayers are met with grace and its receipt. All it takes is the tiniest of chinks in our armor, the crack in the opening of the door. The joy of the good news is shared with all in these passages of scripture, both Jew and Gentile, regardless of where they're from and where they go.

The Star and 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, 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.' "

- Matthew 2:1-6

In the past few readings concerning the events around Jesus' birth, we've had many reports of grace at work. There are those who have been given word of the Good News via the Holy Spirit or by the teachings of angels: Mary was told her good news by the Archangel Gabriel, and so were Zechariah and Elizabeth. Joseph was taught in a dream by an angel about the birth of the Holy Child. A whole host of angels appeared to the shepherds living out in the fields bearing the Good News. Simeon and Anna the Prophetess received the Consolation of Israel in the temple by the gift of the Spirit. In today's reading, we receive news about the Wise Men from the East.

My study bible notes that in this passage, Matthew anticipates Jesus' mission to the Gentiles. A note reads: "The wise men, or Magi, who come from the East, that is, outside of Israel (perhaps from Persia), are the scholars of their time." A predecessor to the "wise men" in the Old Testament is Balaam, a Gentile who also anticipated the Messiah. My study bible also notes that the worship of the Lord by the Magi is symbolic of the Church - in which membership is determined by faith and not ethnic lineage.

Herod is a historical figure from whom we have a definite chronological setting for this story in the gospel of Matthew. He was called Herod the Great, king of Judea, and reigned from 37-4 BC. He was an underling of Rome, known as a great builder but a cruel ruler.

The star, my study bible notes, signifies the extraordinary importance of the birth of this child. In ancient times a star signified a god, or a deified king. A note reads, "This star is a sign of the Messiah Himself, signifying the light He will shed upon the world."

Herod, as a king wary of anything that might be a threat to his power, is immediately afraid, and needs more information! My study bible notes that he knows very little about the expected Jewish Messiah. These men from the East bring disturbing news - news that can shake up the worldly powers that be! And we are told that "all of Jerusalem" was troubled with him. This is upsetting news. Like any man of power and military might, Herod's first impulse is to find out more information: he calls the chief priests and scribes together, and asks them where this Christ is 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 is the only person who can enter the Holiest of All (see Hebrews 9:7), the innermost sanctuary of the temple which contained the ark of the covenant and the mercy seat. So Herod's advisers are the most powerful and spiritually authoritative leaders of Jerusalem. But in our text, written for a primarily Jewish audience by Matthew, the religious leaders have no idea that the Messiah has been born. The scribes are high cabinet officers. They are in charge of the great books of learning: they know the predictions of the Messiah, and where He is to be born. But they are not among those in these gospels, noted in the first paragraph of commentary above, who have been given any spiritual notice at all - no grace has gifted them with this wisdom via the Holy Spirit or an angel. My study bible notes: "God reveals His truth to those with 'a noble and good heart' (Luke 8:15). See also the Parable of the Sower.

So Matthew has presented us with a great paradox, such as so often characterizes these gospels and the story of Jesus and his life. There is the great institution of the temple with its chief priests, the scribes, and the high priest himself. With all of their knowledge of Jewish religion, prophecy, history and scripture, they are the experts on the expected Messiah. They are the appropriate people for Herod to consult. Herod himself is a powerful ruler, a representative of the most powerful Empire on earth. Indeed, the Roman Empire will stay fixed in the consciousness of the world to this day as the very emblem of empire and worldly power. And yet, with all of this authority, and official power - with all of these credentials and scholarship - there is no real information to be found. There is only available to the official powers the scriptural prophecy of Micah, which has also come to us via the gifts of the Spirit, that teaches us about the Messiah and where he is expected to be born:

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.

So, immediately following the birth of this child, the stage is set for a great conflict of powers. We have the worldly powers that be, represented by the Roman Empire and the taking of its great census for purposes of taxation. We have its local representative and ruler, King Herod, jealous and wary of retaining his power at all costs, and desperate to find more information regarding this troubling and upsetting news. Alongside Herod, all of Jerusalem is troubled with him! What is this unknown power that would bring a King into their midst? The authorities of the great institution of the temple are called, those who keep the books, the customs, the great institution of religion and its ceremonies. They, too, do not have any information. They don't share in this knowledge, save what the people have been given as spiritual heritage by the great Prophet Micah, who himself warned the leadership of Jerusalem long before about such a conflict of power.

And on the other hand, we have those inspired by Spirit and Wisdom, outsiders all of them. In Christmastide commentaries, we have already explored the prayer of Mary, the Magnificat, and all the ways in this story of the birth of Jesus in which God has "lifted up the lowly." The spiritual power at work in this story has inspired all the people we mentioned in our first paragraph of today's commentary. And it is the power at work in these Wise Men of the East, who are scholars themselves - but who come from outside of Israel and are following this great Light, awaiting the birth of the King. In tomorrow's reading, we will see again the Spirit at work providing them wisdom and inspiration, and the great conflict of the powers of the world and the powers of the Spirit. For today, we remain in this setting, with two conflicting notions of power, the one confounding the other, working at opposing purposes and with opposite methods. In some sense, this summary of the notions of power is the story of Christ in a nutshell. We would do well to think today, as we begin our new year, of the ways in which these forces of power continue to conflict, and how we can be open to the inspiration of Spirit in our own lives, midst the movement and bustle of great power in our busy, powerful world. We must remember all the outsiders in this story: the shepherds living out in the field, the faithful Anna and Simeon in the temple who are among those in Jerusalem who are not disturbed along with Herod but who await the Consolation of Israel and rejoice in the good news, and especially the ones for whom there was no room at the inn. As faithful, it is our duty to remember this conflict of power, and to open the door to the Spirit and let it into our world - even as Micah taught so long ago.

Anna the Prophetess and the Holy Infant

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

- Luke 2:36-38

In yesterday's reading, we read about Simeon's Song or Canticle, called the Nunc Dimittis after its first words in Latin. Simeon was an elderly man who had spent his life awaiting the Deliverer or the "Consolation of Israel" and it had been prophesied to him that this would happen before he died. In the presentation of Jesus in the temple at Jerusalem, Simeon's promised vision comes true - he beholds the Holy Child. It was then that he uttered his famous Canticle of faith, which is still used today in the Church.

In today's reading, we get yet another part of what occurs in the time of Jesus' presentation in the temple. After Simeon views the child, and begins his canticle, a woman named Anna comes into the temple. Anna is kind of a special figure, one who is intriguing and at the same time she is also in some poetic way a person to think of on this first day of the new year.

We are told that Anna is a prophetess. She is also the daughter of Phanuel (which notably means "Face of God") and of the tribe of Asher. It's kind of interesting to note the names of Simeon and Asher. Both were the names of tribes to whom land was distributed by Joshua. Lots were drawn, and the tribe of Simeon received land which was shared with them by Judah. The tribe of Asher received land in Western Galilee. So we have the tribes that pull together symbolically north and south Israel, and the areas in which Jesus will preach in his lifetime. More significantly, included in those who await this Child and the fulfillment of prophecy, the good news and the Consolation of Israel, are both men and women. Both of these elderly people are filled with the Spirit, both of them are connected to the gift of prophecy.

Simeon has waited for this moment during his long life. Anna, we are told, is eighty-four years old. She lived with her husband seven years, but has been a widow ever since. We are told that she spent her days in the temple, never leaving, but serving God with prayers and fasting night and day. So Anna has devoted her long widowhood to serving God. My study bible has a note that reads as follows: "God reveals Himself to those who do not depart from Him. This woman has served God for many years, and she is prepared to meet her Messiah. For the elderly and lonely who wonder what they can do to serve God, Anna's fastings and prayers are a wonderful example." I feel that the devotion to God in sincerity of heart and in giving one's time is a commitment of great strength. We recall that which Jesus pronounced the first and greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." Anna clearly follows this commandment, and she is graced with the gift of prophecy - and the good news of the Child she sees with Simeon and Mary and Joseph in the temple. She is an example of wisdom gained through aged life spent well, despite her hardships. Anna will go out and proclaim the good news of the Child to "all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem" just as others will later proclaim news of the healings and ministry of Jesus - and in the last chapter of Luke's gospel, it will be women who are the first to proclaim Christ's Resurrection (see Luke 24:9).

So today we begin the first day of the new year with an appropriate image of the elderly in the temple, Simeon and Anna, who have spent their long lives serving God and awaiting the redemption of Israel. The birth of this small Child, the infant Jesus, is the accompanying image for the start of our year, and the beginning of the change of time in a spiritual or theological sense. The Good News is still with us, and the great gifts of the Holy Spirit, we trust, rest upon all "who do not depart from Him." May your year for 2010 be graced with faith and the gifts of the Spirit, and blessed with deepening devotion and growth in its depth. The wisdom and vision (or "eyes that see and ears that hear") of Simeon and Anna serve as great examples of graceful age, and wise investment in the things that do not perish, that neither moth nor rust can consume, and thieves cannot break in and steal. We recall Jesus' words in The Beatitudes, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."