4th December
The First Nowell
‘To seek for a king was their intent, And to follow that star wheresoever it went.’
Written by Phil Wadsworth
A straight-forward and clear Christmas story, all laid out in carols and countless retellings: Three kings of Orient, from different lands or continents, followed a star to find the baby Jesus. Arriving at the stable in Bethlehem they presented gifts (the symbolism of which is spelt out). They had dealings with, and defied, King Herod. We know their names – Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior – and perhaps the story of a fourth king, Artaban.
A cursory reading of Matthew’s Gospel removes some of the apparent clarity; some modern theologians remove more. They were ‘wise men’, not kings. Their names, and the story of Artaban, are legends, not biblical. Why did Herod have boys up to two years of age killed? Note Matthew 2:11 (“going into the house they saw the child with Mary His mother”). Some modern scholars still take a fairly literal view but others have arrived at the conclusion that the account is of three astrologers (probably Zoroastrian priests) from Persia, who visited Jesus when He was a toddler back at His home in Nazareth.
Then there’s astrology – surely forbidden? Deuteronomy 18:10-14, often taken to forbid it, only mentions ‘astrology’ in certain translations. Astrology’s mentioned positively in Psalm 19:1-4, furthers God’s purposes in Daniel 1:20 and 2:10 (where ‘magicians’ translates ‘magi’), and Jesus Himself says to look for signs in sun, moon, and stars (Luke 21:25). The ‘wise men’ (‘magi’) used it – though they probably were ‘alerted’ at the time of Jesus’ birth, then after preparation and a long journey arrived much later.
All this doesn’t mean we can’t learn from and by inspired by the story of the Magi, though. They were alert to God moving in and through Creation, and to the Incarnation. They heard God’s call to them, individually. Rather than thinking that call was inconvenient, unspecific, could wait, they immediately gave up privileged lives and set out on a long, hazardous journey, doing what God wanted. When they found Jesus they recognised Him, gave Him the best of what they had, and worshipped Him. Two thousand years later we can learn much, and take example from, the essential, inner meaning of the story of the Magi.