In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”
. . . ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:1-2, 9b-11
Christmas and the beauty and warmth of the Christmas season are starting to fade from our thoughts, especially as we’ve faced the cold, harsh reality of January this week. The Day of Epiphany (January 6) is something of the “last hurrah” as the story is told in the Gospel of Matthew.
The Wise Men are an intriguing, mysterious group from a distant land, whom we might consider either brave or foolhardy when they come to Jerusalem and start asking questions about a newly born king of the Jews. Their questions create quite a stir, and King Herod, a puppet of the occupying Roman Empire, becomes frightened and anxious. All the ingredients for high drama and violence seem to be in place. But these visitors, who were probably Zoroastrian priests from Parthia or Persia, weren’t some naïve, unsophisticated bumpkins. They were scholarly, scientific men, who had extensively studied astronomy. They were also familiar with ancient prophecies, such as those from Jeremiah and Isaiah, and were convinced that the rising of this unusual star was the sign that would allow them to witness the fulfillment of God’s promise.
What a strong, powerful belief gripped these men that they would set off on a long, probably dangerous, journey, following the path of that remarkable star. If they came from Persia, now the area of modern Iran, think of the desert and the rugged, barren terrain they traversed. How many miles a day does a caravan of camels cover, and how many days, then, to get to Jerusalem and Bethlehem? And this trip wasn’t to just go and see this child, then go home and tell everyone, “Guess where I went and who I saw?” No, they went so they could kneel before the baby Jesus, pay him homage, and give him their precious treasures, and “they were overwhelmed with joy.”
How far would you go to see and worship Jesus?
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers