Epiphany 2024

Matthew 2:1–12 NIV84

1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 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.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 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. 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 be the shepherd of my people Israel.’” 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 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.” 9 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. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 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. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Have you ever traveled a considerable distance at great expense in order to be with someone that you believed was important to you?

After World War I (1918), my grandfather who lived in Holland at the time emigrated to Wisconsin to be near a young lady that he had set his fancy to. He left his homeland, the rest of his family, and his way of life to be with someone he thought he would marry and start a family. But when he arrived he discovered that her plans were not mutual and had become committed to another.

About fifteen years ago, our oldest son was determined to move to Tennessee to be near a young lady he also had set his heart on. So we packed up his belongings in a rented van and moved him to Johnson City, TN so he could pursue his dreams.

But it doesn’t have to be a young person making a permanent move to be with some one for the rest of their lives. It can be a fan following their favorite star or a political activist wanting to be near their favorite politician. This weekend hundreds of thousands of fans will travel great distances and spend large sums of money to watch their favorite teams or players compete in the final week of the regular season of the NFL.

Truism. We invest in whom or what is important to us.

And it isn’t always people. If there is an item, event, or experience, or even type of food we enjoy; we will be willing to pay for it with our time, talent, and treasure.

What is an objective way of showing this? Take an honest look at what you spent money on this past year. Those who keep an expense report can see how much they spend on food, clothing, housing, vehicle upkeep, home improvements, recreation, charitable contributions etc.

You can also track the amount of time you spend working, sleeping, relaxing, etc.

And to what do you devote the talents that you have?

The visit of the Magi to worship the newborn “king of the Jews” story emphasizes that Jesus came not only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel but also as the light to the Gentiles. It is known as the Gentile Christmas.

But it also shows the dedication that these unnamed me had for the one they had heard about through Old Testament prophecy. And it serves as an example for us to follow of putting Jesus first in our own lives.

Matthew 2:1–2 NIV84

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

We saw his star in the east. What does this mean?

Matthew Visitors Arrive from Eastern Lands / 2:1–12 / 12

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.” The wise men said they had seen Jesus’ star (His star). In the Old Testament, through a man named Balaam, God had referred to “a star” coming out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17 NIV). How did these wise men know that the star represented the Messiah, the one who was born King of the Jews? (1) They could have been Jews who remained in Babylon after the Exile and knew the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah’s coming. (2) They may have been eastern astrologers who studied ancient manuscripts from around the world. Because of the Jewish exile centuries earlier, a large Jewish population still existed there, and they would have had copies of the Old Testament. (3) They may have had a special message from God directing them to the Messiah.

Some say this star may have been a conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in 6 B.C.; others offer many other explanations. However, no explanation accounts for the star moving as described in 2:9. We don’t know if the miraculous element took the form of the timely conjunction of the planets, or if God, who created the heavens, created a special event to signal the arrival of his Son, just as he had created a pillar of cloud and of fire to lead the nation of Israel to the Promised Land (Exodus 13:21–22). Based on the significance of the star, these wise men traveled thousands of miles searching for the one who had been born King of the Jews. When they found him, they worshiped him. While their worship was probably meant to be no more than homage to royalty (notice that Jesus did not “become” king of the Jews, he was “born” king of the Jews), the homage paid to this young king was more respect than he received from many of his own people.

Astrology and those who practiced the art were held in contempt by the Bible and by God-fearing Jews (Isaiah 47:13–15; Jeremiah 10:1–2; Daniel 2:10; 4:7). Matthew made a significant point in highlighting the worship of these wise men (who were pagan astrologers, wise in the ways of secular science, diviners, and magicians) in contrast to the Jewish religious leaders who knew the Holy Scriptures and did not need to travel far to find their Messiah. The Jewish leaders directed the wise men to Bethlehem but apparently did not go themselves (2:4–6). Some scholars say these wise men were each from a different land, representing the entire world bowing before Jesus. These men from faraway lands recognized Jesus as the Messiah when most of God’s chosen people in Israel did not. Matthew pictures Jesus as King over the whole world, not just Judea.

This star in the east gave an indication of something about Jesus just as the heavens declare the glory of God but the Magi and we need to know more. So they inquired of the King about Jesus. We do well to inquire of God’s Word all we can know about our God and not just be content with a natural knowledge of God.

Herod was somewhat ignorant of what they were talking about. He had more important things than religion to worry about.

Application: Isn’t that the way it still is. We too find ourselves distracted about the things of life instead of worshiping the King of life.

But Herod wanted to help (although for sinister reasons.) He inquired of those who knew the Bible and they quickly came back with the right answer. The king had been born in Bethlehem. So Herod sent the Magi on their way (too important to go himself) and instructed them to find the child, worship him, and return to tell him the exact location so that he could also worship him. LIAR!

Unaware for now of Herod’s sinister plot, they followed the star to the place where Jesus was. Although often thought of as still being in the manger, Matthew tells us that it is at the house and the age of the slaughter of the innocents indicate Jesus is no longer a newborn.

Upon their arrival, the Magi showed their devotion.

Overjoyed!

Bowed Down.

Worshiped Him.

Presented him with Treasures.

Protected Him.

At this point in time the Magi disappear from the biblical record. One may wonder whatever happened to these men and did they spread the news back in their homeland?

The Magi have a short but memorable place in the Gospel story. After Jesus was born, magi from the east follow a star to Bethlehem, offer the newborn King their three gifts, and then return home without revealing to Herod where they found Jesus (cf. Matt. 2).

That’s it. They drop out of the story. Scripture doesn’t even tell us exactly how many of them there were.

But where the Gospel story ends, the tradition of the Church takes over.

Various traditions say that there were in fact three magi and that their names were Melchior, Caspar, and Balthasar.

One tradition says they came from and represented the three continents of the Old World: Europe, Asia, and Africa, respectively.

Apparently, they were deeply affected by their encounter with Jesus, and either became Christians immediately or quickly converted upon meeting the Apostles during their ministry. They were so strong in their faith that all three of them willingly accepted martyrdom. As such, they are considered saints.

But that’s not the end of their story!

When Saint Helena visited the Holy Land in the fourth century, among the many relics she recovered were the bones of the three magi, which she took to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

They were later moved to Milan, and finally to Cologne, Germany by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I in 1164, where they have remained ever since.

Their visit to the child Jesus is remembered on Epiphany each year.

Here’s the Shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne, which contains their bones:

In the classical movie “Ben Hur”, there is a proposal that they did not forget about Jesus.

In the 1959 film "Ben-Hur", which of the 'Three Wise Men' were at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?

In the beginning of the movie and the novel, three wise men (Balthazar of Alexandria, the Persian scholar Melchior, and the Indian scholar Caspar) visit Christ and his family shortly after his mother Mary gives birth to Christ. Jesus will live with his parent and grow up to become an adult, religious leader, and the one known as 'The Messiah' (Christ), the Son of God who is crucified for the sins of humanity before rising from the dead, according to Christian Gospels and early Christian writings. In "Ben-Hur", after the chariot race in which Ben-Hur beats Messala, Ben-Hur and his compatriots learn that Jesus had been arrested and is going to be crucified. During the march to Calvary, Ben-Hur realizes that he knew the man Esther and Balthazar are so excited about. Ben-Hur then follows the procession to Calvary and is one of many, including Balthazar as the only member of the wise men, to witness the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Balthasar (during the crucifixion) says, "I have lived too long". In the moments before Jesus dies, he shares a vision with Ben-Hur to convince the young Jew that it was his will that this all happen and that Ben-Hur allow the crucifixion to proceed. As Jesus says, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do", Ben-Hur feels the dying man's voice take the sword of anger and hatred out of his hand.

Application: In our own salvation history, there is a combination of the Lord seeking us out and our response in seeking him out.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found.”

Paul’s sermon at Mar’s Hill about the natural knowledge of God leading us to seek him out.

Jesus encouragement to seek first the kingdom of God.

The visit of the Magi teaches us how those earnest men sought out the newborn King of the Jews. Although we don’t know how that impacted the rest of their lives (except for traditions), we know how our relationship with Jesus is to impact us on a daily basis. We are to seek him out and put him first as we trust in him as our King. Amen.