Pastor Caroline - Peace - Fourth Sunday of Advent

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Romans Part 34

Dr, Barclay with Something to Think About - WHY THE MAGI?

 

WHY THE MAGI?

If it seemed unusual that the first announcement of Christ’s birth would be by angels to a group of shepherds, does it not seem even more unusual that the message was also relayed to people who were not only far removed from Judea, but not even Jewish? The shepherds at least were Jewish, and thus probably knew to some degree the prophecies regarding the coming of the Messiah, and, of course, also they were in Judea. So, why were the Magi told?

The shepherds were people who were sorely in need of some good news. They were poor outcasts. As we saw last week, they were the lowest of society: unkempt, unwashed, uneducated, unwanted. The Magi, however, were the complete opposite compared to the keepers of sheep. They were intellectual, educated, and probably pillars of their community. They were accepted by society. In fact, they were so accepted by society that they are often referred to as kings (even though there is no evidence to support this in the Bible). But as stated earlier, they were not Jewish and they were not in Judea. 

So again, why the Magi? How did it come to be that “…wise men from the east came to Jerusalem saying, ‘For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.’” (Matthew  2:1-2) 

God apparently deemed these men* important enough to be part of that historical event. And they apparently understood how significant Christ’s birth was, electing to travel about 1000 miles from the East, only following a star. How did they know the star was for Him? And did no one else see the heavenly object? Did they know of the Jewish prophecies from the time of the Jewish captivity years previous, or was this star specifically designed for their eyes only? It would take a lot of insight or spiritual guidance to recognize what this heavenly phenomena meant and to initiate such a journey.

So again why the Magi? Why were these non-Jewish men, who resided far from Judea chosen to be a part of this event? What was their significance?

Let us recall what God said through Paul in Romans 1:16. That the “…gospel of Christ…[would be] the salvation of God for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” In 1 John 2:2 it states that Jesus “…Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” Is this what the non-Jewish, non-Judea residing Magi represent - the fulfilment of the promise that salvation is for everyone? Was that the true purpose of their brief** appearance in the Bible to show us that Jesus was to be the “…good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10)?

From the Jewish shepherds in Judea who were poor, unwelcome, uneducated, and despised to the wise, educated, prosperous, worldly, and respected Magi of the East, the good news went out. Those who were responsive to the message from the angels found Christ. Those who were receptive to what they had observed in the sky, accepted what they had previously been told, and risked the journey required, following that remarkable star also found Christ.

The same applies to us today. If we are willing to listen to what the Bible tells us and to see what is all around us then we, like the others, will find Jesus. We really only need to pay attention because…  

…since the creation of the world 

His invisible attributes are clearly seen, 

being understood by the things that are made, 

even His eternal power and Godhead… 

(Romans 1:20) 

The Magi understood from the star that something of a divine nature had taken place. Their belief and acceptance should give us all something to think about.

*We don’t really know how many Magi travelled to see Christ, as there is nothing in the Bible that says there where only three. The Bible only states that there were three gifts, it doesn’t say how many people.

** And their appearance was brief. After the manager story in Matthew, these particular wise men are not referred to again in the Bible. However, they have not disappeared from history. It is believed that the bones of the Magi can be found in a reliquary behind the high alter in Cologne Cathedral in Cologne Germany - a church which was in part built to house these relics.

Pastor Caroline - Joy - Third Sunday of Advent

Dr. Barclay's Bible Study - The Book of Romans Part 33

Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - WHY THE SHEPHERDS?

 WHY THE SHEPHERDS?

A little over 2000 years ago, an event took place that would change the course of human history forever. A child, born to humble parents, under humble circumstances, and in humble surroundings, gave no indication at the time of how He would later come to change the world. In fact, at first people at did not understand Jesus at all.

Although many must have known the prophecies concerning the Messiah, no one apparently expected such an arrival. The circumstances of the prophecy proclaimed by Jacob: 

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, 

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, 

Until Shiloh (Messiah) comes; 

And to Him shall be the obedience of the people,”

(Genesis 49:10)

had been fulfilled when Rome removed the sceptre (symbol of Jewish authority) at the time of the Roman occupation of Judea. It is said that the Jewish leaders tore their clothes and applied ashes to their bodies when this happened because the Messiah had not apparently come.

However, the announcement did not come as one might have expected for such an important person. Instead it came first to a small group of shepherds in a field at night. 

But why the shepherds? 

Shepherds were considered to be the lowest of Jewish society; unkempt, often unwashed, uneducated, poor, and unwanted. They were considered by many to be the dregs of humanity. This was not only the case in Judah; the Egyptians also despised shepherds “for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians” (Genesis 46:34). But it was to them that the first announcement came. 

Perhaps it was, in the first place, because they were Jewish. Paul would later say in Romans:

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 

for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, 

for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

(Romans 1:16)

Perhaps it was just because of their status that the announcement first came to these people. Jesus, as we know, would later go on to say:

Blessed are the poor in spirit…

Blessed are the meek…

Blessed are the pure in heart…

But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear 

(Matthew 5:3,5,8 & Matthew 13:16)

Such people are often more willing to see and to hear and so accept and understand than others who have plenty. Perhaps that also explains why the Gospel is frequently more accepted in areas which have little compared to those places which have an abundance. Remember, it was a poor Jesus who went into the synagogue in Nazareth and spoke from the book of the prophet Isaiah: 

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me 

To preach the gospel to the poor… 

(Luke 4:18) 

[thus] to the poor the gospel is preached

(Luke 7:22, KJV)

 

Although the shepherds were poor and had a number of unwelcoming characteristics, they were apparently not unaware of the prophecies concerning the Messiah. They were frightened when the angel appeared (as anyone would be if an unknown being suddenly appeared before them) .Therefore, it was not unexpected that the angel would say: “Do not be afraid” (Luke 2:10). And miraculously, they weren’t. They went right away to Bethlehem to see for themselves what had been told to them. There was then apparently no fear in them for they said:

Let us now go to Bethlehem 

and see this thing that has come to pass, 

which the Lord has made known to us 

(Luke 2:15)

A group of men who were poor and rejected by society but yet willing to hear and follow   with eagerness that which they had been told by the angelic host.

 

And they came with haste 

and found Mary and Joseph, 

and the Babe lying in a manger. 

(Luke 2:16)

If it were only so today that we would all come in haste to Christ when we hear the gospel and the good news concerning His coming.

It really is something to think about.

 

 

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