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01/02/22 – Home By Another Way

HOME BY ANOTHER WAY

January 2, 2022
Epiphany of the Lord
Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12
Elder Alan Willadsen

Once upon a time, there were three boys.  They were brothers.  Their names were Jack, Sam, and Ed.  Next door to them lived a boy named Ben.  Those boys were together all the time, always outside.  They might be riding their bikes through the neighborhood, lying on their backs looking at clouds, exploring the woods behind their homes, or playing baseball.

They lived in one of the most affluent school districts in Michigan (if not the nation), so they were loyal Tigers fans.  One of the perks of growing up where they did was an annual all-school trip.  New York was the destination in August 1968.

This year’s trip just happened to coincide with the Tigers in town during a Yankee homestand!   Better still, they had free time that Friday[1] so they could get to the first game of a doubleheader.  The boys had a rudimentary understanding of Manhattan’s geography and knew even though Yankee Stadium was in the Bronx, they figured 161st street must be north of their hotel near Times Square.

Someone had told them nobody was “from New York,” and it was okay to ask strangers for directions.  The four boys headed out from their hotel, proudly wearing their Tigers’ hats, comfortable and confident in the Big Apple since they were together—safety in numbers, you know.  Ignorant, naïve, or oblivious to how seedy this part of town was, they sought help from people they encountered.  They didn’t understand that their clean-cut appearance made the pimps, prostitutes, and pushers in the neighborhood suspicious the boys were working with the police, in some sort of undercover sting.  Why weren’t these people helpful?  Why did they seem so afraid?

As they were wandering around, trying to figure out how to get to the ballpark, their appearance did draw the attention of some uniformed policemen, who summoned them over to their squad car.  The boys wondered what they had done wrong.  The authorities had never asked to speak to them before, either individually or when they were together.  The cops asked if the boys were looking for “good times” or “an easy score.”  Jack took charge and told them they hoped to get to the ballpark to see Al Kaline play.  The officers laughed at the boys, told them to take the D train, then look up the officers when they got back with a report on the game.  The boys did not feel like giving a report since the Tigers lost, 2-1, so they just returned to their hotel.

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

Matthew tells us this story took place at a specific time and place.  Herod was a Roman-appointed ruler, who served from approximately 37 BCE until his death in 4 BCE.

wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2

The magi were most likely from Persia.  As outsiders, foreigners, coming to Judea, Matthew indicates Jesus’ birth is significant for all people.  He lets us know this story of Jesus Christ—the Good News—is universal.  Think of Matthew 28, when Jesus issues the Great Commission.  Matthew sets the stage here by having Gentile people participate in the story.  These foreigners came to Jerusalem, the center of Judaism.  What was so compelling to cause them to come to Jerusalem?

asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?

Who did they ask?  The man on the street?  The person at the information kiosk?  We don’t know.

This question, though, is pretty specific.  They do not ask about a Messiah, but a king.  The question does not suggest kingship is inherited, like in modern-day England, or they would have asked for the current king or a child born a prince.  In their worldview, children could be king.  Not only could a child be king, the child may be born into the position.  The word Matthew uses (Basibeus) suggests the Magi were looking for a sovereign, a foundation of power, a political leader.  Their question also suggests they recognize political autonomy for the Jewish people.

For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

Now we understand a little more about the Magi and why they are here.  Since they “observed his star at its rising” we might surmise they are astronomers or astrologists.  The fact they “observed” and are coming to honor this king, shows how outsiders recognize Christ in signs—like how we live out our calling in Matthew 25.  The shepherds were told about the baby.  How did you learn about Jesus?  Did you observe and learn or did someone tell you?  How do we tell others about Jesus?  Sometimes we use words and sometimes we use actions to proclaim Christ to the world.

The wise men have laid it out there.  They have seen something of great significance and want to proceed.  The statement leads to fearful reactions.  In his book Conquering Fear, Rabbi Harold Kushner said “Fearful people cannot be happy.  Fearful people cannot be generous, charitable, or forgiving.  Fear constricts the soul and keeps us from being as fully human as God would like us to be.”[2]

3When King Herod heard this, he was frightened,

Now the questions start to stack up and the story gets good.  How did Herod hear about these foreigners?  Did he have members of his court tell him about these visitors and their quest?  Either the king was comfortable not being surrounded by “yes men” or someone was bold enough to tell the king what was going on.

Why was he frightened?  Did he fear strangers?  Loss of power?  What is it we fear when we hear something?  If the Magi were seeking a king (even a king of the Jews rather than the king of Judea), shouldn’t they have come to him and in recognition of his political role?

and all Jerusalem with him;

Why were the people afraid?  I’m sure there was some fear about these people who dressed, looked, and sounded different from other folks in Jerusalem.  Was it the unknown they feared?  Were they surprised these outsiders perceived a leadership change?  There is always uncertainty when there is a change in power.  Had they become comfortable and complacent with the Roman power structure?  Or did they know what a despot Herod was and a challenge to his authority would lead to harder times for them?  Or . . . were they anxious about their religious shortcomings and changes a Jewish king might demand?

4and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.

Herod was shrewd.  Even if he had been raised in a Jewish household, he knew enough to call on qualified authorities and seek their counsel.  Even though he was top dog in the area, he did not know everything.  He also referred to the Messiah—the Christ—the anointed one—rather than “king of the Jews,” as the Magi had done.  Does he use this term because of his familiarity with Jewish tradition?  A matter of respect for the Jewish leaders?  Intentional avoidance of language implying the possible threat?  Does Herod understand what is at stake?

5 They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”

The chief priests and scribes of the people quote Micah, a passage we heard on December 19.  Matthew affirms fulfillment of prophetic promises as these Jewish authorities share information with the Roman authority.

7 Then Herod secretly called for the wise men

Armed with information from the Jewish leaders, Herod meets the wise men.  The Roman ruler summons the foreigners.  Why the secrecy, though?  Is this meeting to be one of the back-room political compromises?  Does Herod not want to be seen associating with these foreign visitors?

and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared.

Herod has the place.  He seeks the time.  We’re not sure why, but learn later, in verse 13.  Note he asks for an exact time.  Herod respects their expertise.  These sky-watchers would know the specific time.  There is no approximation or estimate involved.

8 Then he sent them to Bethlehem,

The differences here are subtle.  Herod sends the Magi to the place where the child was to have been born, according to Jewish scripture.  He does not answer the question the wise men had asked when they arrived in Jerusalem, namely “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?”

saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”

The Magi provided the time Herod asked about.  Herod provided the birthplace.  There is nothing suggesting the child remained where he was born.  The wise men had asked where the child was—not when he had been born.  In the time between birth and arrival of the foreigners, he could have moved on from the birthplace—hence the command to “search diligently.”

9 When they had heard the king, they set out;

No command, no reaction—just the start of a search.

and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was.

The star returns!  Why had it led them to Jerusalem but then no further?  Where was it when they were in Jerusalem?  Our faith is full of such mysteries.  Why does God love me when I do not obey?  Why does God give free will?  Who is my neighbor?

10 When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.

I wonder if the star just disappeared when they were in Jerusalem.  If it had led them that far, wouldn’t they have rejoiced then?  It doesn’t really matter, though.  They reached their final destination using GPS—God’s Powerful Star.  Where did they encounter this child?  Scripture does not tell us.  It only tells us the star stopped.

Was their joy the result of knowing their trip was over?  Think of how we relax when reaching our destination at the end of a long trip.  It’s got to be more than that.  Another mystery:  why the overwhelming joy?  Somehow, they knew they were about to be in the presence of the child they sought.  When have you experienced overwhelming joy in the presence of God?

11 On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother;

“Entering the house.”  Could it be the house was in Nazareth, and the family had returned home?  Matthew includes Joseph in the birth narrative, but not in this section.  Where is he during this scene?  Had he returned to the woodshop?

and they knelt down and paid him homage.

Goal reached!  Remember what the wise men said about why had come to Jerusalem?  They are now able to honor and worship the king of the Jews.  As Isaiah said, they shall “proclaim the praise of the Lord.”

Then, opening their treasure chests,

Talk about being prepared!  I suspect they brought their treasure chests fully expecting to meet the king the star led them to.  Or did magi always travel with their treasure chests?

they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Drawing on his knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, Matthew quotes Isaiah—the passage we read from earlier—and tells us foreigners would bring gold and frankincense.  Were these gifts customary during this era?  Had the wise men unknowingly fulfilled Jewish prophecy?

But what about the myrrh?  My concordance and web search both report “myrrh” appears most frequently in the Bible as a sensuous perfume in Song of Solomon, not exactly a book we associate with Jesus’s birth.  If the Jewish hearers of this story paid attention and recognized the Isaiah reference, how would they have heard this addition?  In addition to being another of Scripture’s mysteries, myrrh appears in the Gospels here, at the cross, and at the tomb.  Perhaps it was foreshadowing on Matthew’s part.

12 And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,

Dreams played an important role in Matthew 1, leading Joseph to remain committed to Mary rather than divorce her.  We read about another one of Joseph’s dreams later in chapter 2.  In all three cases, the dream leads to protection for Mary and Jesus, society’s vulnerable.

they left for their own country by another road.

These men courageously left home, seeking evidence and confirmation of what they had seen in the sky.  They trusted the people of Jerusalem and the power of the dream.  We can only imagine how their courage and hope led them to encounter the light of the world.  How has your encounter with Jesus’s nativity, life, death, and resurrection led you to another road?

Amen and Amen.

 

 

[1] August 23, 1968

[2] Kushner, Harold S.  Conquring Fear:  Living Boldly in an Uncertain World.  New York:  Anchor Book, 2009.  p. 23.

 

 

 

© Elder Alan Willadsen, 2022, All Rights Reserved
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