December 24, 2014
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

We Three Kings…

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

God of the manger; become the God of my mind, and the Lord of my affections.

Read Matthew 2:1-12

For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.

[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 when it rose 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 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.'” [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 search carefully 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 when it rose 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, frankincense and myrrh. [12] And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Reflect

We, today, face the same choice. Will we yield to the forces of this world? Or will we submit ourselves as living sacrifices to the child born in Bethlehem?

Matthew’s birth story begins in Bethlehem, Jesus’ birthplace. How significant! Bethlehem was the site of David’s home and anointing (1 Sam. 16:1-13), from where Micah (5:2) foresaw that the Messiah would come (6).

Reference to “King Herod” is full of irony in the light of Joseph’s status and genealogy, and now that Israel’s true King has come. Herod the Great (73 B.C.-4 B.C.) was a ruthless Rome-appointed puppet king of Palestine, widely despised, but who rebuilt the Temple. In comparison to Joseph in the previous passage, and the baby Messiah, he fails in his kingly role. He does not recognize the new Temple, the Christ.

The Magi from the East are Gentiles and astrologers who read an unusual astronomical event. For the ancients, such an event was a sign from the gods. They are most unlikely candidates to be among Jesus’ first worshippers, yet they anticipate the Gospel’s spread to “all nations.” “The east” (1) is code for Israel’s historic enemies, Assyria and Babylon. Yet these enemies are now yielding to Israel’s King, bringing gifts, fulfillment of the hopes of the prophets (Isa. 45:14). In this baby is truly peace for all humankind. That they are astrologers is of no concern. This is the redemptive work of God in pre-Christian cultures. They demonstrate how we should respond to Jesus, with costly worship.

Irony continues as Israel’s religious leaders fail to worship Jesus. They recognize that Bethlehem is the site of the Messiah’s birth. However, veiled in a supposed desire to seek to worship this Messiah-claimant, Israel’s “king” responds with deceit and destruction. Herod thus represents the hubris of imperialism built on power, violence and force. This King that is born in a manger will elude Herod and show the world another way, to “love your enemies” (5:38-48).

Apply

What is the “gold, incense, and myrrh” in your life? Have you offered these to Jesus?

Closing prayer

Like the ancients in this story, I was overjoyed when I found You, my Lord and my God. Truly, “I once was lost, but now am found….” All thanks and praise to You.

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