I read this humors account of the Wise Men (obviously written by a woman):
If it had been ‘Wise Women’ instead of ‘Wise Men’, they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts from Baby’s-R-Us, including diapers, wipes, bibs and formula. But that’s an entirely different story… [SermonCentral]
The story that we are looking at this morning comes from Matthew 2:1-12
Listen very closely. And, I am going to ask you a few questions about it.
Matthew 2:1-12
MT 2:1 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."
MT 2:3 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:
MT 2:6 “`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.’ "
MT 2:7 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."
MT 2:9 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. (NIV)
These mysterious travelers from the East have always been a fascination to me.
I. Who were these Wise Men?
Remember, I told you that I was going to ask you a few questions. The first question that I have for you is:
1. How many of them were there? All that the Bible tells us about their number is that they gave three gifts. The Bible doesn’t say that there were 3 or 50.
We usually depict three wise men because there were three gifts. It does seem that the most prominent of these would be the ones who presented the gifts, so our picture of three men giving gifts seems a pretty accurate depiction no matter how many there actually were.
Would you want to travel great distances carrying precious cargo with just two other people? It would be odd to travel in a small group, especially carrying riches. It is evident that robbers and thieves existed in that day, just as they exist in this day. It seems likely that this might have been a sizable group of travelers. And, three men traveling alone would be especially odd if these men had the status that we traditionally ascribe to them. This brings us to my next question for you.
2. Were they kings?
It was Tertullian (160-225) who told us that the Magi would have been considered Kings. And, thus fulfill the prophecy concerning, “And to Him shall be given of the gold of Arabia;” and again, “The kings of the Arabs and Saba shall bring Him gifts.”
[Ultimate Christian Library, Anti-Nicene Fathers, Tertullian, Part One, 291.]
I agree with Tertullian that they were probably as powerful as kings in their own country. And, I would also point out to you that they were not kings as we consider kings, in that each one was the ruler of a country. Verse Twelve told us.
12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Notice one country is mentioned. It would seem that they were all from the same country. Were they kings? They were probably not officially kings, but kingly enough that they fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. They may have been richer and more powerful than most kings.
They have wealth.
They have enough power that Herod does not have them killed on the spot for suggesting his replacement is born. And, let me tell you, Herod was capable of doing just this. He had killed his own family members. He had anyone who opposed him killed. To come to Herod saying, “A new king is born” is as dangerous as it gets.
They have knowledge, and revelation from God.
By the time of the birth of Christ, it seems that Magi would be a blanket word for prophets, seers, magicians and all who would fall into a category that dealt with the supernatural. The most likely place from whence they came seems to be Babylon, but we cannot be sure of even that.
It does seem that no matter how many there were, the most prominent would be the ones bestowing the gifts, thus our depiction of three.
II. What do these wise men believe about Jesus?
The NIV Study Bible pointed out that “Bringing gifts was particularly important in the ancient East when approaching a superior (cf. Ge 43:11; 1Sa 9:7-8; 1Ki 10:2).”
These Magi viewed Jesus to be their superior, to say the least, and much more if you look closely at the gifts.
1. Gold is a gift for a King. Gold was as precious in that day as it is in our day. Were they not absolutely sure of the status of the one that they were seeking, would they risk giving away gold? Their faith is lived out through their gifts. Gold is a gift for a king.
2. Frankincense is an incense burned to a God.
Frankincense is a glittering, odorous gum obtained by making incisions in the bark of several trees; [NIV Study Bible] It was a common practice to burn incense as an offering to a God during this time in history. This may well speak to their view of Jesus, that he was more than just a king. You will note that they didn’t bring gifts to Herod, who they also viewed to be a king.
3. Myrrh was a burial spice.
Myrrh exudes from a tree found in Arabia and a few other places and was a much-valued spice and perfume used in embalming (Jn 19:39). [NIV Study Bible] This third gift is another very valuable gift, and may speak that they had knowledge of the purpose for which Jesus came.
The gifts that we see here are gifts for a King, a God, and One who came to die, a sacrifice.
Their gifts speak multitudes
III. When did the wise men arrive?
1. Were the wise men at the manger?
We always place them there in nativity scenes. Look to verse eleven.
11 On coming to the house, (oikos) they saw the child (paidion) 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.
Scripture tells us that they came to a house, not a stable.
In Luke 2:24, we find that the parents of Jesus offered two young pigeons at the temple as a sacrifice according to the law. And the law was specific; it should have been a ram, unless they were poor.
According to Jewish law a woman became ceremonially unclean on the birth of a child. On the eighth day a male child was circumcised (cf. 1:59; Ge 17:12), after which the mother was unclean an additional thirty-three days (Lev 12:1-5). At the conclusion of this period, the mother offered a sacrifice, either a lamb or, if she was poor, two doves or two young pigeons (Lev 12:6-8). [NIV Study Bible]
Thirty eight days after Jesus was born, Mary went to the temple and offered a sacrifice that only a poor person would offer. This suggests to us that the wise men had yet to visit Jesus at this point. Otherwise, she would have offered a lamb.
They are going to be needing money.
They were going to need money to make their exit to Egypt as Herod’s men came killing the children under two years old. This may provide a guess at Jesus age at the arrival of the wise men as well. Remember, Herod enquired of them, “when did you see this star.”
MT 2:7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared.
Herod wanted to know how old the child would be that he was looking for.
It would seem that the wise men were not only sent by God to worship the child, but also to provide for the child’s escape to Egypt.
Isn’t it that way with us too, God the Father works on his own time-table? They had what they needed when they needed it.
III. What did the Jewish Leaders think?
The thing that stands out so boldly in this story is the contrast between the Magi and the leaders of Jerusalem.
Wouldn’t you think that the Jewish people would have been overjoyed at the birth of Jesus? Some were. Yet, how odd it is that wise men came from another country to worship the new born King? Whereas, the religious leaders we are told about in this narrative didn’t even bother to go to Bethlehem.
Oh, if they could only have realized who this king was.
_______________________________
24 year old Danny Simpson was sentenced to 6 years in jail for robbing a bank. Danny got 6 years in the clink for stealing $6,000. But the gun he used in the robbery ended up in a museum.
The .45 caliber Colt semi-automatic turned out to be an antique made in 1918 by the Ross Rifle Company. His pistol was worth up to $100,000 on the collectors market. If Danny Simpson had known what he had in his hands, he would not have ended up in jail.
Many Christians live like this. They spend their lives searching for God’s power and presence, not realizing it’s already in their hands.
[SermonCentral, Contributed by: Wayne Field]
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They found the King that they sought.
They disappeared out of the scene as mysteriously as they entered.
IV. Application
What kinds of things can we see in this story that we can apply in our own lives?
I. They had a living faith.
There are wise men and women today who still step out in true faith and follow after Jesus. A true faith always sends us on a journey in life. Is God calling you to follow in a new and special way?
II. Some had little interest in seeking the King.
God allowed these wise men to see that those who should have been most joyous over the birth of the savior were not interested in seeking the new born King. Maybe they were afraid of Herod; maybe they liked their lives just like they were. For whatever reason, these wise men traveled a great distance, while the particular religious leaders mentioned in the story didn’t bother to travel a short distance. Isn’t it like that today as well?
III. God rewarded their journey, and they worshipped the King of Kings.
IN OUR WORLD TODAY, WE STILL HAVE OUR HERODS, OUR SADDAMS.
IN OUR WORLD TODAY, WE STILL SEE PEOPLE WHO ARE INDIFFERENT TO THEIR KING.
WISE PEOPLE STILL SEEK AND FIND HIM TODAY.
WISE PEOPLE STILL STEP OUT IN FAITH TODAY.
WISE PEOPLE STILL OFFER THEIR GIFTS AND WORSHIP THE KING.
BUT, ALL THE GIFTS IN THE WORLD COULDN’T COMPARE TO HIS GIFTS TO US.
GOLD, HE WAS AND IS KING.
Frankincense he was and is Deity
Myrrh, he did die for our sins, and rose again to sit at the right arm of the Father.
(Holy Communion)
There is one last thing that I want to say to you this morning.
IV. They went home a different way
They went home a different way. Of course this is speaking of a physical direction, but doesn’t it speak a spiritual reality to us as well. When we seek the King, when we offer our gifts and worship the King, do we not always go home a different way?
Find the new direction in your life that comes as a result of finding the King.
