The Magi and the Star -- Epiphany Explored

I really enjoyed these posts, but our assoc vicar’s sermon last sunday was weak and he was not positive about what the maji were, he called them astrologers, a modern term to denigrate them.
What we have in these Nativity stories is a metaphor for the ( at least ) three kinds of people around then ( and by extrapolation, to us today ).
First, the shepards were called by an angel sent from God: 9. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the brightness of God shone round about them; and they feared with a great fear. .
10. And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, that shall be to all the people:
11. For, this day, is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David.
12. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. .
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God, and saying:
14. Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will.

OK how many of the Shepards actually went to see the Baby? We don’t know, but you can be sure that some doubted, some did not want to be bothered.

1. WHEN Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.
2. Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him.
3. And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.
5. But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:
6. And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.

How many people from Jerusalem, or even Bethlehem, went to see the Baby? They were informed, but did they go? Or did they just carry on as if nothing happened?

The Maji sought after truth and knowledge, do we? Would we leave our comfortable homes, give up our servants, food, pleasantries, etc., to journey for 3 months across hostile terrain, then face the same long journey back? How many never started the journey?
Sure, they were changed men. How many have sought long lost treasure and risked everything to find it? For what? Riches? Glory?

God called many to see the birth way back then, and the Gospel recorded that only a few actually came to see the infant Jesus.
The shepherds had a short journey, the maji, a very long and difficult one. Simple people. The very smart. Does it make a difference to which group you belong to? Or does it make a difference if you show up?


GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe

Thanks Salvation. Note: this topic is from 1/06/2010. Blast from the Past. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

Great link. Thanks.


GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe

Thanks again Salvation. Note: this topic is from 2010. Just updating the GGG info, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

The problem I see in all of this is that the Star of Bethlehem should rightly be called the Star of Nazareth. Scripture makes clear that the Magi didn’t visit Bethlehem at all. They dropped by to see the 2-year-old child Jesus at his parents’ house in Nazareth.