EPIPHANY I
January 7, 2024
“Scholars and Believers”
“ . . . 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.” (Matthew 2:1a-2)
Our Christmas observances have gone by quickly this year, and January 6 marked the beginning of the season of Epiphany, an appropriate time to consider those intriguing individuals known as the Wise Men. The only Gospel account of their travels as they searched for the Christ Child is found in the second chapter of Matthew, a short but fascinating story.
This group of travelers, who generate more questions than answers, is thought to have come from Ethiopia, Persia, and India. A number of legends and stories have been written and told about these intriguing men, as we wonder why they made a long, arduous journey to pay homage to this child. Our biblical understanding that they were “from the East” — covers a pretty broad area, but there’s no further identifying information.
Scholarly, scientific individuals who were curious and questioning were known as “wise men” — a broad term for educated people whose life’s work was learning and teaching. As they observed, tracked and recorded the movements of the moon, stars, and planets, a body of knowledge was developed, the foundation of the science of astronomy. As scholars, they were also well versed in ancient writings, including the prophecies of Jeremiah and Isaiah, the accounts of God’s unique relationship with the Hebrew people, and his promise to send them a Messiah, a Savior.
Upon observing the rising of a large, bright, seemingly new star, features of the two disciplines merged, and this unique star was seen as a sign in the heavens that God’s promise was nearing fulfillment. Can you imagine the excitement and wonderment, as the years of study and meticulous observation led them to the conviction that a world-changing event was about to occur? Traveling from (probably) Persia, now known as Iran, they traversed rugged, barren terrain, following the path of the remarkable star. Television has provided us with views of many areas of the Middle East, and I doubt any of us would want to travel along those dusty, rocky trails. The arrival of the wise men created quite a stir in Jerusalem, and King Herod tried to use their quest to protect his position from a possible Jewish “king,” but he wasn’t as clever as he thought he was. Continue reading Matthew 2 for the whole story.
We use the term, “faith journey” as a description of our experiences in learning, growing, and maturing in our faith. Although we believe that faith is a gift through God’s grace, we also know that as we journey through life we’ll travel some rough and dangerous roads, experiencing detours and even dead ends. As we journey, we are strengthened and supported by the boundless love of our heavenly Father, and the guidance and teachings of our Savior, Jesus the Christ. And so we follow the star: the star of hope, of love, and of peace, the star that leads us to Jesus.
How far would you go to find Jesus?
Your friend in Christ,
Mary Rogers