Lord of heaven and earth, you are God revealed in flesh with all of the blessings and struggles that our human lives include. The powers of this world rage around us but you are the power of creation and every power submits to you, even the power of death. Keep us steadfast in your Word and love. Amen.
In the first week of January we are still in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas. The season of Christmas does not officially end until Epiphany on January 6th. That is we when celebrate and remember the Magi bringing their gifts to the Christ child.
What is interesting about the Magi is that no names are given for them in the Bible although Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar have become the traditional names. In fact, the Bible does not even say how many Magi there were. It simply states that there were three gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That story is another one of those challenges to hear the actual Biblical story beyond what we think we “remember.”
It seems to me the writing of the story in Matthew’s Gospel is meant to point us towards very particular insights through its choices. These points include that God prepares for us a witness to his work in the Magi, the Magi recognize that a new and special king has been born to the people of Israel, this new born king will be worshipped but both Jew and Gentiles (remember, the Magi are Gentiles, the powers of the world are threatened by the in-breaking of the kingdom of God and openly act to oppose it, the kingship of the Christ child is seen in the gifts of power revealed in gold, frankincense as a symbol of both healing and deity, and myrrh an incense used at death for anointing.
It is important for us to slow down in our reading of scripture and to see and reflect on these elements of this oft told story so that we do not miss what it confessed about Jesus and his life from the very beginning of his story. Jesus and his ministry were perceived by the powers of this world, both the power of the Romans and the power of the Temple, as a threat to their power and control. He is truly God among us bringing riches and healing to bear on our lives as both Jews and Gentiles and the manner by which this occurs will include his death. All this captured in the story of the Magi and the revelation of Epiphany.
Wow, so much hidden there in this opening story of the birth of Jesus. This is confessional language teaching us about what Matthew and we believe and bear witness to in the person of Jesus and everything to follow in his story.
As another Christmas Day fades away into the past remember that we are still moving forward in the story of Christmas. It is a story that continues not just to the twelfth day and the story of the Magi but still continues in us and we share the story in our homes, in our church, and in our lives as we live in the midst of community sharing the continuing Good News of the king who died that we and all the world might be healed.
Go into the world following the light of Christ that many may come to believe.
In the first week of January we are still in the midst of the 12 days of Christmas. The season of Christmas does not officially end until Epiphany on January 6th. That is we when celebrate and remember the Magi bringing their gifts to the Christ child.
What is interesting about the Magi is that no names are given for them in the Bible although Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar have become the traditional names. In fact, the Bible does not even say how many Magi there were. It simply states that there were three gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh. That story is another one of those challenges to hear the actual Biblical story beyond what we think we “remember.”
It seems to me the writing of the story in Matthew’s Gospel is meant to point us towards very particular insights through its choices. These points include that God prepares for us a witness to his work in the Magi, the Magi recognize that a new and special king has been born to the people of Israel, this new born king will be worshipped but both Jew and Gentiles (remember, the Magi are Gentiles, the powers of the world are threatened by the in-breaking of the kingdom of God and openly act to oppose it, the kingship of the Christ child is seen in the gifts of power revealed in gold, frankincense as a symbol of both healing and deity, and myrrh an incense used at death for anointing.
It is important for us to slow down in our reading of scripture and to see and reflect on these elements of this oft told story so that we do not miss what it confessed about Jesus and his life from the very beginning of his story. Jesus and his ministry were perceived by the powers of this world, both the power of the Romans and the power of the Temple, as a threat to their power and control. He is truly God among us bringing riches and healing to bear on our lives as both Jews and Gentiles and the manner by which this occurs will include his death. All this captured in the story of the Magi and the revelation of Epiphany.
Wow, so much hidden there in this opening story of the birth of Jesus. This is confessional language teaching us about what Matthew and we believe and bear witness to in the person of Jesus and everything to follow in his story.
As another Christmas Day fades away into the past remember that we are still moving forward in the story of Christmas. It is a story that continues not just to the twelfth day and the story of the Magi but still continues in us and we share the story in our homes, in our church, and in our lives as we live in the midst of community sharing the continuing Good News of the king who died that we and all the world might be healed.
Go into the world following the light of Christ that many may come to believe.
RSS Feed