Untitled Sermon (4)

Matthew 2:1-12

Is it wise men or magi in the GreeK.

v8 word for worship

Bethlehem A town south of Jerusalem,So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

Ge 48:7 As for me, when I came from Paddan, to my sorrow Rachel died in the land of Canaan on the way, when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).”

Jos 19:15 and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve cities with their villages.

1 Sa 17:12–13 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years. The three oldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle. And the names of his three sons who went to the…

Mic 5:1–2 Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth…

HerodA shrewd politician, Herod was also great as a soldier, an orator, and a builder. Aside from his appearance in Matthew’s nativity narrative, Herod the Great’s building projects serve as the backdrop for many New Testament events.

Wise menT

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. μάγος

μάγος, οὑ, ὁ (s. μαγεία, μαγεύω)

① a Magus, a (Persian [SNyberg, D. Rel. d. alten Iran ’38], then also Babylonian) wise man and priest, who was expert in astrology, interpretation of dreams and various other occult arts (so Hdt.+; Jos., Ant. 20, 142; s. Da 2:2, 10; in still other pass. in Da, Theod.; Tat. 28, 1. Beside φιλόσοφος of Apollonius of Tyana: Orig., C. Cels. 6, 41, 13). After Jesus’ birth μάγοι Magi Mt 2:7 (cp. Jos., Ant. 10, 216), 16a (=GJs 22:1); vs. 16b; GJs 21:1, 3 (apart fr. the pap text, μάγοι appears in codd. of GJs twice in 21:2; once in vs. 3), or more definitely μάγοι ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν (ἀπὸ Ἀρραβίας Just., D. 77, 4; ἀπὸ ἀνάτολῆς Orig., C. Cels. 1, 40, 20) Magi from the east Mt 2:1 came to Palestine and declared that they had read in the stars of the birth of the Messianic King. Diog. L. 2, 45 φησὶ δʼ Ἀριστοτέλης μάγον τινὰ ἐλθόντα ἐκ Συρίας εἰς Ἀθήνας in order to announce to Socrates that he would come to a violent end.—ADieterich, ZNW 3, 1902, 1–14; FSteinmetzer, D. Gesch. der Geburt u. Kindheit Christi 1910; GFrenken, Wunder u. Taten der Heiligen 1929, 186–93; KBornhäuser, D. Geburts-u. Kindheitsgesch. Jesu 1930. FCumont, L’Adoration des Mages: Memorie della Pontif. Acc. Rom. di Archeol. 3, ’32, 81–105. EHodous, CBQ 6, ’44, 71–74; 77–83.—On the Magi HMeyboom, Magiërs: TT ’39, 1905, 40–70; GMessina, D. Ursprung der Magier u. d. zarath. Rel., diss. Berl. 1930, I Magi a Betlemme e una predizione di Zoroastro ’33 (against him GHartmann, Scholastik 7, ’32, 403–14); RPettazzoni, RHR 103, ’31, 144–50; Goodsp., Probs. 14f.—On the star of the Magi HKritzinger, Der Stern der Weisen 1911; HGVoigt, Die Geschichte Jesu u. d. Astrologie 1911; OGerhardt, Der Stern des Messias 1922; DFrövig, D. Stern Bethlehems in der theol. Forschung: TK 2, ’31, 127–62; CSSmith, CQR 114, ’32, 212–27; WVischer, D. Ev. von den Weisen aus dem Morgenlande: EVischer Festschr. ’35, 7–20; ELohmeyer, D. Stern d. Weisen: ThBl 17, ’38, 288–99; GHartmann, Stimmen d. Zeit 138, ’41, 234–38; JSchaumberger, Ein neues Keilschriftfragment über d. angebl. Stern der Weisen: Biblica 24, ’43, 162–69, but s. ASachs and CWalker, Kepler’s View of the Star of Bethlehem and the Babylonian Almanac for 7/6 B.C.: Iraq 46/1, ’84, 43–55. Cp. ποιμήν 1.

he text says these men arrive “from the east (ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, apo anatolōn)” (Matt 2:1) without revealing their exact point of origin. They come because they have observed an astronomical phenomenon, a new star (τὸν ἀστέρα, ton astera) they interpret as a divine signal that a new Jewish king has been born (Matt 2:2). They apparently have no idea where this child might be, so they have come to Jerusalem, a logical place to look for a Jewish king. They desire to pay homage (προσκυνέω, proskyneō; Matt 2:2). As the wise men head toward Bethlehem, they are led by the same star they observed previously. This moving star is low enough in the sky to stop above the specific house where the child is located.

The wise men enter the house, see the boy with his mother, and fall down and worship the child. They offer three valuable gifts: gold (probably coins), frankincense (λίβανος, libanos, precious resin from special trees burnt as incense), and myrrh (σμύρνα, smyrna, another precious resin used as incense or medicine) (Matt 2:9–11).

A revelatory dream warns the wise men to avoid Herod (Matt 2:12), so they return home without passing through Jerusalem. When Herod hears of their departure, he becomes furious and orders all male children under the age of two to be killed (Matt 2:16). This reaction presumably is based on the timeframe he learned earlier from the wise men, which means their arrival in Bethlehem likely occurred around two years after Jesus’ birth.

Identity of the Wise Men

Although the Greek μάγοι (magoi) (Matt 2:1) is the origin of the English word “magic,” the magi should not be considered magicians in the modern sense. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus used magoi to describe a class of priests among the ancient Medes and Persians, later associated with Zoroastrianism (Brown, Birth, 167). Matthew is probably using the word in a more general sense for the learned court advisers of Mesopotamia or Persian whose work involved studying ancient and sacred texts, as well as watching for movements of planets and stars that might be interpreted as divine messages.

It is unlikely (but not impossible) that Matthew’s magi were Jews, but in Babylon they would have had contact with a large Jewish community, along with Jewish teachers and scriptures. They appear sympathetic to the Jewish understanding of prophecy and fulfillment, and they combined this with their stargazing to make the astounding discovery of the birth of the Jewish Messiah. This excited them enough to mount an expedition to Jerusalem in hope of finding the child they believed to be the fulfillment of prophecy.

The Latin Vulgate merely transliterates the Greek μάγοι (magoi) (Matt 2:1) into Latin letters, magi. Despite using the Vulgate as the basis for his English translation in the 1380s, Wycliffe and his associates rendered the word as “astromyenes” (astronomers), based on the context of the story. The Greek has been translated into English as “wise men” since at least Tyndale (“wyse men,” 1534).

Popular Misconceptions about the Wise Men

Christmas traditions have incorporated legendary details about the wise men that are not supported by the text of Matthew, the only early tradition available.

Number

Matthew refers to the wise men in the plural, but he does not specify how many there are. Christmas traditions invariably include three wise men, likely because of the three gifts they bring. Some Eastern Christian traditions place the number of wise men at 12 (Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Magi”).

Krause, M. (2016). Wise Men, Magi. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

v6 quotes Micah 5

Micah 5 ESV

Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; they shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances; and he shall deliver us from the Assyrian when he comes into our land and treads within our border. Then the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass, which delay not for a man nor wait for the children of man. And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among the flocks of sheep, which, when it goes through, treads down and tears in pieces, and there is none to deliver. Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries, and all your enemies shall be cut off. And in that day, declares the Lord, I will cut off your horses from among you and will destroy your chariots; and I will cut off the cities of your land and throw down all your strongholds; and I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you shall have no more tellers of fortunes; and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars from among you, and you shall bow down no more to the work of your hands; and I will root out your Asherah images from among you and destroy your cities. And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance on the nations that did not obey.

v11 treasure chest MONEY BOX (Gk. glōssókomon). A small container for carrying coins. Judas Iscariot took care of the common money box of Jesus and the disciples (John 12:6; 13:29; KJV “bag”). The same word is used in the LXX at 2 Chr. 24:8–11 for the chest made to receive the temple tax at the time of King Joash.

2. And why did they at all worship one who was in swaddling clothes? For if He had been a grown man, one might say, that in expectation of the succor they should receive from Him, they cast themselves into a danger which they foresaw; a thing however to the utmost degree unreasonable, that the Persian, the barbarian, and one that had nothing in common with the nation of the Jews, should be willing to depart from his home, to give up country, and kindred, and friends, and that they should subject themselves to another kingdom.

But if this be foolish, what follows is much more foolish. Of what nature then is this? That after they had entered on so long a journey, and worshipped, and thrown all into confusion, they went away immediately. And what sign at all of royalty did they behold, when they saw a shed, and a manger, and a child in swaddling clothes, and a poor mother? And to whom moreover did they offer their gifts, and for what intent? Was it then usual and customary, thus to pay court to the kings that were born in every place? and did they always keep going about the whole world, worshipping them who they knew should become kings out of a low and mean estate, before they ascended the royal throne? Nay, this no one can say.

And for what purpose did they worship Him at all? If for the sake of things present, then what did they expect to receive from an infant, and a mother of mean condition? If for things future, then whence did they know that the child whom they had worshipped in swaddling clothes would remember what was then done? But if His mother was to remind Him, not even so were they worthy of honor, but of punishment, as bringing Him into danger which they must have foreseen. Thence at any rate it was that Herod was troubled, and sought, and pried, and took in hand to slay Him. And indeed everywhere, he who makes known the future king, supposing him in his earliest age in a private condition, doth nothing else than betray him to slaughter, and kindle against him endless warfare.

Seest thou how manifold the absurdities appear, if we examine these transactions according to the course of human things and ordinary custom? For not these topics only, but more than these might be mentioned, containing more matter for questions than what we have spoken of. But lest, stringing questions upon questions, we should bewilder you, come let us now enter upon the solution of the matters inquired of, making a beginning of our solution with the star itself.

3. For if ye can learn what the star was, and of what kind, and whether it were one of the common stars, or new and unlike the rest, and whether it was a star by nature or a star in appearance only, we shall easily know the other things also. Whence then will these points be manifest? From the very things that are written. Thus, that this star was not of the common sort, or rather not a star at all, as it seems at least to me, but some invisible power transformed into this appearance, is in the first place evident from its very course. For there is not, there is not any star that moves by this way, but whether it be the sun you mention, or the moon, or all the other stars, we see them going from east to west; but this was wafted from north to south; for so is Palestine situated with respect to Persia.

In the second place, one may see this from the time also. For it appears not in the night, but in mid-day, while the sun is shining; and this is not within the power of a star, nay not of the moon; for the moon that so much surpasses all, when the beams of the sun appear, straightway hides herself, and vanishes away. But this by the excess of its own splendor overcame even the beams of the sun, appearing brighter than they, and in so much light shining out more illustriously.

In the third place, from its appearing, and hiding itself again. For on their way as far as Palestine it appeared leading them, but after they set foot within Jerusalem, it hid itself: then again, when they had left Herod, having told him on what account they came, and were on the point of departing, it shows itself; all which is not like the motion of a star, but of some power highly endued with reason. For it had not even any course at all of its own, but when they were to move, it moved; when to stand, it stood, dispensing all as need required: in the same kind of way as the pillar of the cloud, now halting and now rousing up the camp of the Jews, when it was needful.

In the fourth place, one may perceive this clearly, from its mode of pointing Him out. For it did not, remaining on high, point out the place; it not being possible for them so to ascertain it, but it came down and performed this office. For ye know that a spot of so small dimensions, being only as much as a shed would occupy, or rather as much as the body of a little infant would take up, could not possibly be marked out by a star. For by reason of its immense height, it could not sufficiently distinguish so confined a spot, and discover it to them that were desiring to see it. And this any one may see by the moon, which being so far superior to the stars, seems to all that dwell in the world, and are scattered over so great an extent of earth,—seems, I say, near to them every one. How then, tell me, did the star point out a spot so confined, just the space of a manger and shed, unless it left that height and came down, and stood over the very head of the young child? And at this the evangelist was hinting when he said, “Lo, the star went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.”

John Chrysostom. (1888). Homilies of St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. In P. Schaff (Ed.), G. Prevost & M. B. Riddle (Trans.), Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Gospel of Saint Matthew (Vol. 10, pp. 37–38). New York: Christian Literature Company.

The magi were wise men—not kings, but counselors to kings. As with any profession, there were good and bad magi. In

Some might ask why God would want to speak to casino denizens. Because that is his way. The magi were pagans serving a pagan king. Yet God spoke to them, for that is what he does. Christianity is not a religion for “good people”; it is for sinners who listen when God calls.

The Incarnation in the Gospels The Response to Christ in Four Parts

If we know the truth, we must act on it. People with knowledge and education are always tempted to rest content in that knowledge. But it is never enough to know the truth. If we truly know, we act. If we know who Jesus is, we worship him.

This is where the magi show the way. They knew one thing: the king of the Jews had been born. The scribes had more and better information than the magi did, but the magi acted on what they knew. They traveled to see the baby king. They left work, home, and family to follow a star for many months. They embarked on a perilous journey, traveling most likely on lumpy, foul-smelling camels, past brigands, through alien lands. They brought the most expensive gifts they could find. When they arrived, they worshiped, then gave gifts. They knew little, but acted on what little they knew.

An expert in juvenile behavior explained the difference between eighth-grade boys and girls this way: Ask a boy to take an envelope to the principal’s office and he’ll say, “What’s in it?” Ask a girl and she’ll say, “Can my friend come too?” Give a group of girls a task to perform and they will spend most of their time deciding who should do what. Give a group of boys a task and they will start doing something, anything, right away. After they run into their first serious obstacle, they stop to think. If this expert is right, we might say the magi acted like a group of eighth-grade boys. They didn’t know much, but they got to work. When they heard the king had been born, they moved at once, in costly devotion.

The magi brought costly gifts to Jesus, yet I imagine they took delight in it. They gave what was natural to them, what flowed from their lives. They followed a star, and they gave gold and perfume from the royal court where they lived.

Their action is an example for us. David once said of his giving that he would not give the Lord that which “costs me nothing” (1 Chron. 21:24). We could add, “I will give that which causes me joy.” We should pray that we will be able to see what gift we can offer to the Lord. It should be our goal to give what is best of ourselves to the Lord, as the magi did.

Doriani, D. M., Ryken, P. G., & Phillips, R. D. (2008). The Incarnation in the Gospels. (D. M. Doriani, P. G. Ryken, & R. D. Phillips, Eds.) (pp. 40–41). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.

Doriani, D. M., Ryken, P. G., & Phillips, R. D. (2008). The Incarnation in the Gospels. (D. M. Doriani, P. G. Ryken, & R. D. Phillips, Eds.) (p. 39). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.