A Different Road

"Recent scholarly research has definitively proven that the Magi were undoubtedly women. There is no other way to explain the fact that they stopped and ask for directions." ~Anonymous

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

'AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.'

Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.” Matthew 2:1-12

In 288 words the Gospel writer known as Matthew provides us with a remarkable allegory of our modern day search for Christ. It is the story of three intelligent and well to do people searching for a new direction in their lives. We assume they are men but a "magus" (singular) is a practitioner of magic, including astrology, alchemy and “other wisdom”. Though in Latin the word is masculine the magi could just as easily have been women.

The magi set out to find new meaning in their lives… to find a “new born King”…to have an epiphany as it were. The religious definition of epiphany is a “divine manifestation”. In today’s vernacular however it has become a “manifestation of the essence or the meaning of something….” “A new perception of reality by means of a sudden intuitive realization” or as former Newsweek reporter Frank Maier put it, "I experienced an epiphany, a spiritual flash that would change the way I viewed myself".

With all their wealth and intelligence the magi’s search is not an easy one. They struggle to find the baby Jesus (the Messiah). Their search probably took months and required both intelligence and persistence not to mention money. This is in sharp contrast to Luke’s depiction of the poor shepherds who do not have to “read the stars”, do research, ask directions from a king, or set out on an extensive, costly journey. The poor shepherds get the message first hand, up close and personal complete with a heavenly choir. There is a less than subtle message here that brains and bucks are not the answer to our salvation. Property, possessions, and position are often obstacles to our seeing life’s simple truths and detours on the road to eternal life. …Hence the many warnings by Christ about the danger of money and possessions.

Initially the magi’s understanding is somewhat vague…they saw a star in the east (which is not enough for map quest). They have seen a glimmer of the truth, but have not yet grasped the meaning…the direction. This does not stop them however. Not only are the magi smart and affluent, they are connected. When they can not find the Messiah, rather than turn to God for help, they begin “networking” and with a king no less. They go see King Herod. What does King Herod do…he forms a committee: “Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.” (Matthew 2:4).

In a contemporary setting this part of the story would undoubtedly take place in a board room, at a large conference table, surrounded by a bunch of “suits”. The networking produces the information they need (the Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem), but the information comes at a price…they leave with promises made and strings attached. "Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." (Matthew 2:8). Even 2,000 years ago knowledge was power.

At this point in the story something remarkable happens. “After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.” (Matthew 2:9). Once they leave the King behind…Once they are on their way to Bethlehem…Once they follow the star; not the crowd, and not their intellect, things begin to change: They are no longer trying to lead, but are being lead. We all have control issues and most of them arise out of fear. Those of us who deny God often do so in an effort to get God out of the way. If God does not exist it means we are now in control…or we think we are. Once the magi leave the world of power, of intellect, of money and influence…once they relinquish control and turn toward Bethlehem their lives fundamentally change. God takes over…the star appears and leads them.

Now that they are on the right road the magi “rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matthew 2:10). Thanksgiving is an important part of our faith and of stewardship. All of God’s gifts should be received with gratitude. An epiphany is certainly a wonderful gift worthy of gratitude.

When the magi arrive in Bethlehem and find Mary and Jesus the magi “fell to the ground and worshiped Him” (Matthew 2:11). This unqualified act of faith is also remarkable. These three people, who are practitioners of the sciences of their day, have fundamentally relied on their knowledge and influence (at least until they allowed the star to lead them) to get them this far. When they encounter the Messiah they do not find a king per se’. What they find is a poor family holed up in a cave. The “new king” is a baby lying in a feeding trough. Most of us would probably begin second guessing ourselves, but these three very smart people immediately prostrate themselves and “worship Him.” This is faith in a very pure form. Rationale does not get in the way. There is no demand for an explanation. They do not ask why and do not hesitate.

The three magi now present there gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The gifts are fraught with symbolism and many a homily has focused on their meaning. But, what is truly noteworthy is that we do not know the names of the magi (from scripture anyway), but we know the names of their gifts. What does this infer? Does this mean we need to be careful that we do not allow ourselves to be defined by what we own, rather than who we are? Does it again caution us about the dangers of possessions? Does it foreshadow some of Jesus’ later teachings in which He carefully warns us not to seek recognition when we give or pray, but that it is better to be done in private? Is this why the magi’s gifts are given anonymously so to speak?

The beauty of scripture is that it conveys many messages at many levels. God loves us all uniformly, intensely, without qualification, to the point of anonymity…i.e. it matters not to God who we are He loves us just the same. From our side of the relationship, what is most important is what we give back to God. Our “gold, frankincense, and myrrh” is our “treasure, talent and time”.

The end of the story hammers home one final point: “the magi left for their own country by another way.” Having experienced Christ…having encountered Christ in acts of thanksgiving, gratitude, sacrifice, prayer, worship and stewardship the magi’s lives are fundamentally changed. They have had their epiphany. Their lives have been changed by their search for and encounter with the Christ Child. They take a different road. They go home a different way.

Dear God, lead me home by a different way, "save me from this road I'm on".

Jesus take the wheel.
Take it from my hands.
Cause I can't do this on my own.
I'm letting go.
So give me one more chance.
Save me from this road I'm on.

“Jesus Take the Wheel” by Carrie Underwood


© 2009 James E. Carper. All rights reserved.

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