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Notices - Sermon
Matthew 2 verses 1-12
Epiphany of Christ
In the press before Christmas the Abp of Cantebury was quoted as saying that the story of the wise men coming to Bethlehem was 'a legend.' Now I am never fully trusting of newspapers reporting accurately or in context what a church leader has said. I read his comments online and whilst I disagreed with some of what he said I had on the other hand to agree with him when he said the following about this passage in Matthew:
We are never told there were three magi (or wise men).
It never tells us their names - the three common names Melchior, Gasper and Balthasar - originated in the 7th Century AD.
Jesus was most likely over 1 year old when they arrived to see him and certainly by that stage not living in a stable.
If there is one thing that I had to agree with him it was that people do not read the Scriptures accurately to see what they actually say. So this morning, on this feast of Epiphany, let us, together, look closely at Matthew 2 and as accurately as we can see what God says in His Word to us about these Magi coming to visit Christ Jesus.
Context - remember Matthew is written primarily to a Jewish audience - hence he refuses to speak of the 'kingdom of God' but of 'kingdom of heaven' as he, like all Jews of his day, would not dare even speak the name of God such was the reverence they held that name. Therefore it is amazing that Matthew tells this story of Magi (Gentiles) coming to worship the Christ child, whilst the religious leaders and political leaders of Judaism (priests and Herod) cannot even be bothered to journey with these Magi when they come looking for Christ.
Verse 1
In 535AD Dionysius was given the task, by the church, to create a calendar for the church and in so doing he miscalculated the years and in so doing the result has been that Christ was born somewhere around 6BC to 4BC - we know this from the dates of Herod's reign 37BC-4BC. Matthew simply tells us that Christ had been born in Bethlehem in Judea - a fact confirmed by the chief priests and teachers of the law - verses 4-6, as being prophesied as the place of his birth. Matthew also tells us plainly that Herod was king at that time. From history we know that Herod was under the rule and authority of the Romans and he was extremely cruel in the suppression of all opposition to his rule. Towards the end of his life he became paranoid and killed his wife and two of his sons, whom he accused of plotting against him. He built the second temple in Jerusalem.
Matthew then simply states that Magi came from the east to Jerusalem. Magi are mentioned in the book of Daniel as men able to interpret dreams, give wise counsel, learned men and men who study the stars. "Wise men" is a good translation of the Persian name 'Magi.' At this point, and throughout the passage, Matthew does not tell us how many there were and we certainly are not told their names.
In verse 2 we read that they were asking questions about the birth of a king because they had seen some astronomical light (star) in the east and had concluded that a new king had been born to the Jews and please note what they say - "we have come to worship him." We just read that as part of the Christmas story and pass over it, never really stopping to consider the awesomeness of those words. Here were non-jews, men form the East, who had travelled many hundreds of miles to come and worship and new born baby. Stop for a moment and think how little it takes to stop you, or me, or others coming to worship on a Sunday morning. These men saw a star (some people speculate it could have been a comet or a supernova) and set off searching for Christ. A little later in the gospel Christ will state "Ask and it will be given, Seek and ye shall find, Knock and the door will be opened…" How true are those words of the Magi - they come searching and they Ask, they Seek and they Knock - and they are given directions from the Scriptures, please, please take that on board this morning - their journey to Christ started with a star, a phenomenon in the sky, but it was the Scriptures that pointed them in the right direction to find Christ. The same may be true in your life - something happened that started you on a search but it will only be the Scriptures, the Word of God, which will guide you to Christ.
They came to worship - what a response. It is in such stark contrast to the response that they find in Herod's palace. Look at verse 3. We read that when Herod hears of the question these Magi are asking he and all of Jerusalem are disturbed. Herod has been ruthless in maintaining his power and position. Many Jews saw him as a usurper of the throne of David, as Herod was an Edomite. A little baby, born as king of the Jews, was okay but babies grow and if the 'tag' stayed with him as he grew then he could become the focus of opposition and Herod could not, would not, allow that to happen. So the Magi are summoned, along with the chief priests and the teachers of the law. Herod is determined to find out as much about this 'baby' as he can. A specific question is asked "Where is the Christ to be born?" Once again we could pass this bye as a simple question of geography. Look at chapter 1 verse 25 and the last sentence. Matthew had used the name 'Jesus' but now it is 'Christ.' When Herod asks about this baby, the king of the Jews, who has brought these Magi all the way from the east to Jerusalem, he uses the term for 'Messiah.' We should not miss the theological significance of that. The chief priests and teachers of the law fully understood the question and are able to quote from the prophet Micah (5.2) as to where the 'Christ' will be born. In Bethlehem, the birth place of David, the OT king who was described as 'man after God's own heart.' It was a small, insignificant little village and yet God, through his prophet, had said the most significant event in history would take place there.
I want you to look at the response of Herod and his entourage in verses 7-8. Here are the chief priests and the teachers of the law - the men able to answer the question as to where the 'Christ' (the Messiah) would be born and yet they do not travel with the Magi to find Christ. Their indifference is startling. They could quote the Scriptures. They knew where to find the answers to the questions concerning the Messiah but there was no desire or willingness in their hearts to search him out. They would not journey with the Magi to Bethlehem. Herod was the same - now maybe his reason for not going was political - why give credence to such a baby if it were not true? Or maybe he did not want to drive the child and his parents into hiding, if it were true. His reaction is more one of antagonism than indifference. Though he puts up a 'religious' front to the Magi by telling them to go and search and when they have found the Christ to come and tell him and he too will go and worship him. We know subsequently that his plan all along has been to kill the child and in his fury at the Magi's failure to return he unleashes a horrendous murdering spree, akin to Pharaoh killing the baby boys in Egypt at the time of the birth of Moses. Amazing isn't it how Christ can provoke so many different reactions - searching/worship, indifference despite knowing all about him, and antagonism and anger. Let me ask you what reaction does he provoke in your heart this morning?
Verses 9-11
Once again they follow the star and armed with the information from the Scriptures they head to Bethlehem and find the Christ. Matthew does not tell us where in Bethlehem they found Christ, but he is now a child and it is most likely that he and his family were no longer living in the stable. After all after the census people would have gone home and rooms would have become available again.
Matthew tells us that the Magi are 'overjoyed' at finding Christ and that they bow down and worship him - the Greek is 'prostrate themselves before him…' For Matthew's Jewish readership the implications of such an action are clear - you only lay prostrate before God. These Magi were lying down before God in homage to him - a little child - fully man and yet fully God.
They then present gifts to him, and the fact there are three gifts is usually where we get the 'three kings' from. These gifts have come through time to be seen symbolically representing different aspects of Christ's life:
Gold - for his kingship
Frankincense - for his divinity
Myrrh - as a symbol of his sacrificial death. Interestingly in the OT myrrh was also used to anoint a king and as an incense of celebration and joy. The double symbolism would not have been lost on the readers of Matthew's gospel - and should not be lost on us either.
Please see the pattern here in how the Magi behave as they see Christ. They bow down before him - that is they submit to his kingly rule.
They worship him - he is worthy of their worship because he is the Messiah.
Then they present their treasures to him, costly treasures, and extravagant gifts.
Do you see the pattern? Submission to his kingship, worship the Messiah and laying our treasures before him. It is a pattern we would do well to follow in our lives in 2008.
Verse 12 Matthew concludes their journey with them being warned in a dream not to got to Herod and so they head back another way. They have come and worshipped at the feet of the Messiah and now they are returning to the place from whence they came - again we could pass over this but it is important. They are returning to their home but filled with the knowledge that the Christ, the king of the Jews, the one whose star they saw in the east, has been born. Do you think they kept quiet about all of this? Well we can only speculate that they shared this good news with others.
Application
When I sat down to read this passage I wondered what we had to learn from it. After all it has become so familiar to us as part of the Christmas story that I wondered what I had to learn from it. I can only share with you the challenges that I found in the passage:
Many things attract my attention, move my heart and even stir me to search but only the Scriptures can point me to Christ?
I can see my reaction in Herod's anger and opposition when God challenges me about Christ being king in my life. I am ashamed to say that their have been times in my life when I have been as indifferent to the things of Christ as the chief priests and the teachers of the law when. I want to be like the Magi and journey, no matter how far or the obstacles, to the worship at the feet of Christ.
Lastly I desire to make their pattern my pattern - humble submission, unrestrained worship and laying all my treasures before him.
Now let me ask you - what will you do with the challenge of this passage?
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