Matthew 2:1-12

Did everyone have a big Christmas day? Sarah and Jacob were in as well as Mary Anne’s parents, her sister and her family. We had a good day.

Mary Anne showed me a Facebook post that asked: “Do you know what I got for Christmas? Fat. I got fat for Christmas.” Can anyone relate to that? With all the food and deserts at our house it wasn’t very difficult to gain a couple of pounds.

Jacob received a turkey from his work so he brought it home, but we didn’t eat it till Monday. Monday evening Mary Anne suggested he take the meat off the bone so he could take it back with him. He divided the meat into single servings and wrapped each serving so it could be frozen. When he finished I started taking meat off. I got almost as much meat off as he did. And I’m sure that some of you could have gotten some meat off of what I left.

Why didn’t Jacob get more? Why didn’t I get more? I think it’s because we’re not really hungry. I don’t think Jacob has ever truly known hunger. He’s been hungry, but he’s always known where his next meal was coming from. I remember some pretty lean days when I was in elementary school when the cupboards were bare, but I never feared not getting a meal. We don’t really know when it means to be hungry.

If we were really hungry we would have saved some stuff we overlooked. For instance, we would have worked hard at getting the meat of the neck. And then, when we’d finished getting off all the meat we could we would have boiled the bones to make a broth. If we were really hungry we wouldn’t have thrown anything away and we would have done whatever we could to get as much as we could from that turkey. But we aren’t that hungry.

I am reminded of the psalm that talks about thirsting for God. It’s found in Psalm 42.

1As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. 2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? (Psalm 42:1-2)

The psalmist compares his desire to be with God to that of a deer longing for a drink of water. After a long hot day the deer longs for some cool water to quench its thirst. In the same the psalmist desires for God. He wonders when he will be able to meet with God again and looks forward to that time.

Do we hunger and thirst for God?

Thinking again about that turkey, I got more meat off the bones because Jacob only got what we easy. I worked harder and got was a little more difficult. But someone who was really hungry could have gotten even more.

Our passage from Matthew tonight talks about the magi who traveled hundreds of miles to worship at the feet of Jesus. But it also talks about some religious leaders who weren’t willing to go six miles. Which ones are we?

How much are we willing to do to meet with God? How far are we willing to go? How many obstacles are we ready to overcome? How hungry are we to meet with God?

Matthew 2:1-12 Video

If you didn’t know there are only 363 shopping days left until Christmas. That sounds crazy to even mention it. Ron Marvel posted a picture on Facebook yesterday that read:

364 days until Christmas and people already have their lights up. Ridiculous!

Who has already started getting ready for next Christmas? It’s only been three days but I assure you there are many who have begun. Actually, it’s not a bad time to get ready. With all the Christmas decorations on sale now is a great time to buy stuff for next year. I can assure you that’s exactly what my mother used to do. The only problem is she would plan so far in advance that when the Christmas season rolled around she’d forget what she’d bought or forget where she’d put it.

Turn with me to the second chapter of Matthew. In our passage we see some people who were prepared for the birth of Jesus, we see some who weren’t prepared, but sadly we also see some who couldn’t have cared less. Perhaps the scary part is those groups are not made up of the people we might expect. The people who should have known and the ones who should have cared were not the ones who were prepared.

We’ve seen the passage acted out, but let’s read through it as I make some comments and application.

1aAfter Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea. . . . (Matthew 2:1a)

Bethlehem had a rich history. Located six miles south of Jerusalem, the name means House of Bread. It was in Bethlehem that Jacob buried his beloved wife Rachel. It was to Bethlehem that Ruth moved when she followed her mother-in-law Naomi. And of course it was in Bethlehem that David was born and grew up. In fact, the town was best known for its favorite son David and is often referred to as the city of David. But Bethlehem was also the object of a very important prophecy.

1After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem. (Matthew 2:1)

The Greek word used to describe the men is magi. We get our word magic from this Greek word. We get our word magistrate from it as well which doesn’t seem to have anything to do with magic. So how are the two related?

The magi were a group of people who lived in Persia. The magi were teachers. They studied and learned. They were skilled in philosophy, medicine, and natural sciences. As a result, they became advisors to the king. We first see magi mentioned in the book of Daniel as this was their role; they advised the king and interpreted his dreams. Daniel even becomes the chief of the magi.

But the magi were also priests like the Levites in Israel. No sacrifice could be made without a magi being present. The spiritual isn’t always understood. We get the hocus pocus from the Catholic Church. People didn’t understand what the priest was actually saying. People didn’t always understand what the magi were doing and some magi abused that. In Acts 8 we read about Simon the Sorcerer. The word for sorcerer is the same word used for the magi.

Sometimes these men are referred to as kings, though there is no reason to suppose they were kings. Perhaps that tradition started because of the gifts they brought. Tradition says there were only three of them. This assumption is also made because of the number of gifts they brought. But there could have been a dozen. Of course we don’t get any number from the Bible. Why didn’t Matthew give us any details about these men? He didn’t give details because that information didn’t matter. What mattered is they came.

The magi travel east and stop first at Jerusalem, the capital city for Israel. This makes sense that they go to the king to seek the birth of the child who would become a king.

2And [they] asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matthew 2:2)

Because of their astrological studies they notice the new star when it appears and understand its significance. It’s interesting that the magi don’t ask “if” a king has been born, but “where.” They are certain that he has been born.

There are three Herods mentioned in the New Testament. First, there is the Herod mentioned here in chapter 2 and is also known as Herod the Great. He is only mentioned in this chapter here because he’s dead by the time the chapter ends. In addition to many other building projects, it is this Herod that restored the temple and the temple mount which greatly pleased the Jews. There were some Jews who wondered if he might be the messiah. The second Herod is Herod the Great’s son, Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas is mentioned throughout the gospels and was involved at Jesus’ crucifixion. And then there is Herod Agrippa. He is the grandson of Herod the Great. In Acts 12 we read that he was responsible for the arrest and execution of James, the brother of John. At the end of the chapter he dies when he fails to give glory to God.

When the magi ask Herod about the birth of this child Herod doesn’t know what they’re talking about. He also isn’t very happy to hear that a new king of the Jews had been born. We’re told that Jerusalem became troubled as well. They weren’t troubled because they sympathized for Herod, but because they feared what Herod might do. Jerusalem became troubled because they knew how jealous Herod could be of anyone he even thought might threaten his throne. He had already killed a few family members: one of his wives, her mother, and three sons. Caesar Augustus said it was safer to be Herod’s sow than his son. Herod’s father was an Edomite – descendants of Isaac’s son Edom, and his mother was Jewish. Being part Jew Herod wouldn’t eat pork so the life of the sow was safe. But if Herod thought someone might take his throne, even his own son wasn’t safe. Therefore, when the residents of Jerusalem heard that a king had been born just six miles away they became uneasy. And as we will see their uneasiness was warranted.

Herod didn’t have an answer for their question, but he knew who might.

4When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6“ ‘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 shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:4-6)

It seems that the religious leaders didn’t have any trouble identifying the exact location of the child’s birth. They immediately quote a passage from Micah 5. This was believed to be a prophecy about the Messiah.

7Then Herod called the magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” (Matthew 2:7-8)

Herod sounds sincere, but we know his true motives. He didn’t want to worship the child; he wanted to eliminate any possible threat.

9After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. (Matthew 2:9-10)

They begin following the star again as it now leads them to Bethlehem.

Notice that the magi visited Jesus in a house. While we often show the magi present at the birth of Jesus in the stable, they probably didn’t arrive for more than a year. By the time the magi arrived, Mary and Joseph had already named Jesus and presented him at the temple. The Old Testament law required them to offer a lamb as a sacrifice, but the poor could offer a dove. This is what we read that Mary and Joseph offered. If the magi had already presented their gifts they would have been able to afford a lamb. By the time the magi arrive, Mary and Joseph had also found more permanent accommodations.

When we think of the stable in which Jesus was born we often think of a wooden structure like a barn might look today. However, that was probably not the case. Wood was difficult to come by so it was very expensive. Instead, most stables in Bethlehem would have been carved out of the limestone on which Bethlehem sits.

If you visit Bethlehem today you can visit what may have been the birthplace of Jesus. However, it’s been decorated so that it’s difficult to tell that it was ever a cave. For almost two thousand years there’s been a church above it. What’s particularly interesting to me is that in order to enter into the church you have to enter through a door so short that most people have to bow to enter which is fitting.

11bThen [the Magi] opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11b)

Tradition not only tells us that there were three magi, but tradition also gives us their names. It is said that Melchior, an old man with grey hair and a long beard gave the gold. Casper, young and without a beard, gave the frankincense. And Balthasar, with tanned and a new beard, presented the myrrh. Tradition has even given meaning to the gifts:

Gold for a king,

Frankincense for a priest, and

Myrrh for one who must die

12And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:12)

They are the only ones who seem to notice the star and now God warns them of Herod’s intentions in a dream. As a result, they take their lives into their own hands, disobey Herod’s instructions to return to him with the location of the child, and go home a different route.

What I want us to see is the three reactions to the birth of Jesus.

First, there is the worship and sacrifice of magi. The word worship literally means to bow down. The magi traveled close to a thousand miles by camel so they could bow down at the feet of Jesus. They brought him gifts, but the most respectful they did was lay at his feet.

Second, there’s the (self-centered) hatred and hostility of Herod. When Herod here’s about the birth of the child he becomes upset. He doesn’t like the idea of a threat to his throne even though he will be dead long before the child is old enough to do anything about it.

Today there are still people who get upset at the mention of Jesus’ name. They see Jesus as someone who interfere with their lives and prevent them from doing what they want to do. Those whose only desire is for what they want always want to get rid of Jesus.

And third, there is the total indifference of the chief priests and scribes. They immediately know where the child the magi are speaking of will be born. They use an Old Testament reference to the Messiah to help the magi. They tell the magi to travel the six miles, but they weren’t willing to travel the six miles themselves.

Can you imagine? They had been waiting for the Messiah for over a thousand years. They now suspect that he has been born only six miles away and aren’t interested enough to make the short trip. It would be like us hearing that Jesus has returned and is in Knoxville and not being willing to make the drive. There are still those who are believers who get so wrapped up in their own lives that they don’t have time for God.

Which of these three are we? Herod was wrapped up in himself. The religious leaders were full of themselves. As a result they weren’t hungry for God. Their savior was born just six miles away and they weren’t will to make the trip. God is waiting for us. He’s waiting to visit with us. Are we interested? Are we hungry for God? Do we long for God as a deer longs for water on a hot day? Do we hunger for God as hungry man desires food? Do we want God? Do we hunger for him?

What we see is that the Jews weren’t very interested in Jesus; it was instead some Gentiles who went out of their way to see Jesus. Several times in his gospel Matthew is going to show how the Gentiles were more interested in Jesus than the Jews were. But whether the Jews are interested or not, Jesus is still King.

Isn’t it interesting that the men from a distant land had a better idea of the birth of Jesus than the religious leaders did. The chief priests and teachers of the law knew of the prophecy, they knew God’s word, but they completely missed when it was fulfilled in their midst. For all their studies they did not recognize Jesus when he came. More important than how much you know is what you do with what you know. The high priests and scribes had the scriptures before them. They knew where the Messiah would be born when Herod asked. But they did nothing with that information. The Magi on the other hand, people who worshiped nature and were about as far from God as you could get, recognized the birth of someone special and came to worship him. With the little information they had they obeyed. Just adding knowledge without obedience will only make you proud and lead you away from God.

The religious leaders knew all the right answers. They knew the prophecy. They could recite the text. They know the town. But they don’t know him. Their minds were filled with the word of God but their hearts were far from him. That is a terrifying thing.

Are you hungry for God? If not start praying that God would give you a hunger for him.