The Magi and the seed of Abraham

[Matthias]

“Most nativity scenes are historically inaccurate for several reasons …

What I appreciate about their visit ... most is this: they are not Jews. They’re Gentiles, not part of the covenant community. Yet they bow down in worship before Jesus as ‘the king of the Jews’ (Matt. 2:2).

In these Messiah-worshipping Gentiles, we begin to see the true flowering of a promise that was made many centuries before. God had told old Abraham that, through him, God would bless nations: ‘In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’ (Genesis 12:3). The rest of the Old Testament, however, seems narrowly to focus upon only one nation, Israel.

But God had a plan - - a plan that was finally coming to fruition. These Gentiles are the first fruits of many other Gentiles (including me and most of you!) who will bow before the King of the Jews, be adopted into the new covenant community, and be made heirs of the promises made to Abraham.

It all begins beneath a star, with Gentiles from the east, confessing that the son of Mary is the Son of God. We echo that confession. In him, we are blessed by the Father. In Jesus we see the revelation of the heart of our God.”

(Chad Bird, “Why the Wise Men Were So Important”)

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[Aunty Jane]

“Most nativity scenes are historically inaccurate for several reasons …

Not many people really know what the inaccuracies are….the “wise guys“ were not at the stable, and what they rendered to the child Jesus, was not worship.

What I appreciate about their visit ... most is this: they are not Jews. They’re Gentiles, not part of the covenant community. Yet they bow down in worship before Jesus as ‘the king of the Jews’ (Matt. 2:2).

Do they though? The word used in Greek is “proskyneō” which is not necessarily “worship”, but means…

1. “to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence
2. among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
3. in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication
   1. used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
      1. to the Jewish high priests
      2. to God
      3. to Christ
      4. to heavenly beings
      5. to demons.” (Strongs)

This word can be translated as “worship” when it is directed to God….but never when it is directed to a human being…..Jesus was a human child…a future “king of the Jews”…..not another god for these pagan astrologers to worship. They did “obeisance” to him…it wasn’t worship.
Apparently giving gifts to royal children was a custom they followed….and they saw “his star” in the East. Astrology was forbidden to God’s people. (Deut 18:9-12) They followed this star…..not to Jesus but to a wicked King who sought to kill him…..but God intervened and they went home via another way.

In these Messiah-worshipping Gentiles, we begin to see the true flowering of a promise that was made many centuries before. God had told old Abraham that, through him, God would bless nations: ‘In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’ (Genesis 12:3). The rest of the Old Testament, however, seems narrowly to focus upon only one nation, Israel.

It “narrowly focused on Israel” because the time for the gentile nations to be blessed was after Christ’s sacrifice opened the way for them. Up until that time, Israel was the focus because the Messiah had many prophesies to fulfill. The gentiles worshipped false gods and time was needed to educate the gentiles to accept the one true God of Israel…..YHWH. The Jews had a head start, and God’s promise, not made to any other nation.

But God had a plan - - a plan that was finally coming to fruition. These Gentiles are the first fruits of many other Gentiles (including me and most of you!) who will bow before the King of the Jews, be adopted into the new covenant community, and be made heirs of the promises made to Abraham.

This was not to take place until Israel had first opportunity to become the “kingdom of priests and a holy nation” to their God, who had made the promise to Abraham that his Messiah would come through his family line, and history shows us that Isaac and Jacob were included in that promise. It was Jacob’s offspring who received the promise to produce the Messiah. The gentiles could become Jewish proselytes and convert to Judaism but their becoming “Christians” came later, after Christ’s death, with the conversion of the first Gentile to Christianity….Cornelius. Peter was directed to the home of Cornelius where his whole family and intimate friends awaited his arrival. (Acts 10:1-22)

The magi were not the first gentiles to accept the Messiah, but were dupes used by the devil to have Jesus killed…..God himself thwarted the devil’s plan.

God sent his angels to Jewish shepherds to herald the birth of his son…..he would not have revealed such a special occasion to pagan practicers of what he condemned, two years later.

It all begins beneath a star, with Gentiles from the east, confessing that the son of Mary is the Son of God. We echo that confession. In him, we are blessed by the Father. In Jesus we see the revelation of the heart of our God.”

The star was not sent by God, because it did not lead the magi to Jesus, but to a jealous king who was not going to allow a “new king of the Jews” to be from outside of his own dynasty. Only after Herod asked the magi to find the child and report back to him, did the star lead them directly to the house where the young child was now living with his parents. Read Matt ch2 and see for yourself.

(Chad Bird, “Why the Wise Men Were So Important”)

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The “wise men” were not what Christendom paints them to be…..it’s all a lie.….but aren’t the lights and the star on the Christmas tree pretty? No one seems to care that it’s all based on misinterpretation….God does though. The accounts in Matthew and Luke give us the whole picture.

The story of the magi helps us to appreciate that, all that glitters is not Christian.