Matthew 2:1-2, 11 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 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….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…. [New International translation]
Biblical Lesson
The visit of the Magi is one of the great visual images of Christmas. Numerous children’s plays will include three young children, wrapped up in old robe like “bedsheets” with crowns on their heads. You may remember receiving or sending numerous Christmas cards over the years of three crowned men on camels with outstretched hands holding gifts. Or, you may recall images of three men entering a stable presenting their gifts to baby Jesus, lying in the manger, with Mary and Joseph standing nearby and the baby under a huge bright shining star. These are the “Three Wise Men.” These are the images we have carried around with us for years. Many have even suggested that the reason we give each other gifts at Christmas is to remind us of these three wise men who gave gifts to Jesus. And because of their gifts, during the weeks before Christmas, many still journey far and near, going from store to store, and spend hours searching the internet for just the right gift to give.
However, the story of the visit of the Magi actually described in the Gospel of Matthew may not be what we envisioned as children or have carried with us even into our adult years.
First, when Matthew describes the visit of the Magi or wise men from the east who journeyed to Jerusalem, the number three is never mentioned. Matthew just states that there came Magi or wise men from the east. Perhaps there were three or four or many wise men that came. We often assume there were just three because of the three gifts that are mentioned: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The Magi are sometimes depicted as kings. Others believe the Magi were astrologers who studied the stars. Several translations even use the word “astrologers” at Mathew 2:1, including the Living Bible, Amplified Bible, New English Bible and other translations. Some who believe the Magi were kings point to Isaiah’s reference to the Messiah in Isaiah 60:3 Messiah that:
“Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” See, New International translation.
And then there are the gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. See King James, Living Bible, and Revised Standard translations. What was the purpose of these gifts? Some state that the gifts were “symbolic” of the kind of gifts you would give to a king during those times. Gold represents a valuable commodity (like money), myrrh being an anointing oil, and frankincense a perfume.
Others believe the gifts had spiritual significance, with gold representing an earthly kingdom, frankincense (an incense which was often used in the temples during worship) representing the deity of JESUS. Myrrh, another oil, was used during embalming oil, thus representing death, pointing to JESUS’ death and resurrection. There are some who believe that perhaps these gifts were actually used to later anoint JESUS’ body after his crucifixion.
Some have stated that the gold symbolized virtue, frankincense symbolized prayer and myrrh suffering. Others believe the Magi’s gifts were for Mary and Joseph and later used to finance the family’s trip and stay in Egypt, where they fled to escape King Herod’s persecution.
The visit of the Magi and all the speculation about their gifts show that it is easy to “get mixed up.” Just like today, it is easy to focus on the wrong thing---the earthly gifts instead of GOD’s glorious, miraculous, loving, eternal, sin offering, sacrificial GIFT to all humanity, JESUS.
Stay Focused on Health and The True Meaning of the Holidays
With candy canes dripping from Christmas trees, Christmas stockings filled with sweets, sugar and butter cookies, boxes of chocolate gifts, free candy treats at work and lots of fast food between shopping trips, it is easy to lose focus on the need to still eat healthy during the holidays.
It may also be easy to lose sight of the needs of the homeless, the helpless and those suffering in our communities, in every city in America, and in poor countries around the world. Men and women are still languishing in nursing homes and mental health facilities and prisons.
The numbers of those “incarcerated” in the United States alone are staggering. According to 2019 statistics, the American criminal justice systems has incarcerated almost 2.3 million people in 1,719 state prisons, 109 federal prisons, 1,772 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,163 local jails, and 80 Indian Country jails as wells as in military prisons, immigration detention facilities, civil commitment centers, state psychiatric hospitals and prisons in U.S. territories. See, “Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie in 2019,” by Wendy Sawyer and Peter Wagner, March 19, 2019, https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/pie2019.html.
Just as there was no room for JESUS in the inn (See Luke 2:7), many of the homeless and incarcerated feel there is “no room for them” in our society, in America’s Christmas celebration or America’s heart. They feel totally abandoned, “on the outside looking in,” during a time when there are images everywhere of others celebrating.
Just as we have to stay focused on our own health, we must also be mindful and focus on the health and welfare of others, especially the least and left out among us.
Stay Focused-Let’s Not Forget GOD’s Love
During the month of December, there are numerous reasons to celebrate and thank GOD. In December 2019, some have or will be celebrating the Advent Season, Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice, Kwanza, St John’s Day, The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, The International Day of Persons with Disabilities, World AIDS Day, Human Rights Day, International Volunteer Day and Christmas.
But, it is easy to lose focus. So, remind yourself and others what is really important and why we celebrate. Let’s remember, there are many, many reasons to thank GOD but there is also still much work to be done.
There are many, many reasons to re-gift the greatest gift of all---LOVE---the gift GOD gave us.
So, let’s stay focused. Let’s continue to pray. Let’s continue to work.
And, most importantly, let’s continue to love.
Stay focused and BE BLESSED!
