Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17
The Visit of the Magi
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " `But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'"
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
The Escape to Egypt
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape
to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Out of Egypt I called my son." When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: "A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A year or two ago, a national magazine, proclaimed one of the 'discrepancies ‘between the Gospels, is where Jesus was born. Their logic is that Luke tells of the shepherds visiting the manger scene, while Matthew brings the Magi to a house where the Baby was.
There is no discrepancy here.
In spite of our traditional Nativity scenes, with sheep, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, and the Three Wise Men -- the Magi probably did not visit Jesus and His family for some time. Note verse 16:
"When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi."
Verse 1 tells is that the Magi came after Jesus was born -- how long after we do not know. The jealous Herod, however, used the time the
Magi gave him and slaughtered all boys two years old and under. So it seems that, even if Herod was giving himself a wide margin of error, that a significant amount of time had passed since the birth.
In addition, if the start appeared the night Jesus was born, and they made the long trek from 'the East' (most scholars believe it was ancient Persia), then they certainly did not arrive in a single day -- more likely several months later.
Now, I would never be the Scrooge to take the Wise Men off the mantle or out of the children's Christmas play -- after all, they are a vital component of Jesus' arrival, and as we'll see tomorrow, of His early ministry. But when the world attacks the Word -- as in the case of this magazine article. --we must be prepared to faithfully, and intelligently, defend it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Questions:
1. When do you think the Magi arrived?
2. Is it important?
3. In what ways have you heard the Word attacked recently?
May we learn what He would have us say. Jim
A Poem by Susan Stone
O Lord,
You who lift us up in our time of need,
holding us tenderly in the palm of your hand like a parent cradling his newborn child,
teach us to remember your love,
to feel the joy of your presence,
to express the gratitude of our hearts at your faithfulness,
and may we remember you all the days of our lives.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment