{"id":5412,"date":"2022-01-05T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/?p=5412"},"modified":"2021-12-24T13:33:21","modified_gmt":"2021-12-24T13:33:21","slug":"commentary-on-the-epiphany-of-the-lord-c-6-01-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/commentary-on-the-epiphany-of-the-lord-c-6-01-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary on the Epiphany of the Lord (C) 6.01.2022"},"content":{"rendered":"

TEXT \u2014 <\/em><\/strong>Matthew 2:1\u201312 \u2014 The Three Wise Men<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Wise Men arrive<\/strong><\/p>\n

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 \u201cWhere is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Herod consults chief priests<\/strong><\/p>\n

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, \u201cIn Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 6 \u2018And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Herod consults Wise Men<\/strong><\/p>\n

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, \u201cGo and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Wise Men find Jesus<\/strong><\/p>\n

9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wise Men offer gifts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wise Men Depart<\/strong><\/p>\n

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. <\/em><\/p>\n

EXPLANATION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Introduction<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

This Gospel is chosen for the Feast of the Epiphany (the appearance or manifestation) to show that the Wise Men from the East, non\u2013Jewish people or Gentiles as they were called, found Jesus and proclaimed him to be the Messiah\u2013King<\/p>\n

The Nativity Narratives, to which this passage belongs, have been most popular in Catholic thought and devotions. As a consequence many pious conjectures have become such a part of the narrative as to be regarded as part of the sacred scriptures. They do not belong to the Scriptures. Let me give a few quick examples: there is no mention in the passage that there were three people, nor that they were kings, nor that they travelled on camels, nor that they were from different parts of the world such as one from Africa. These will be pointed out in this commentary and reasons given for their origin. They do not in any way alter the meaning and message of the passage<\/p>\n

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNow when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea<\/em>\u201d \u2014 \u201cBethlehem<\/em>\u201d was the home of David\u2019s ancestors (Ruth: 1: 1\u20134; I Sm. 16; 17: 12) and David was born there. Jesus is placed in the line of David who had been promised to have the Messiah by one of his family descendants.<\/p>\n

\u201cin the days of Herod the king<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Matthew dates the birth of Christ as between 37 B.C. and 4 B.C., the reign of King Herod.<\/p>\n

\u201cbehold<\/em>,wise men<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Note that the number three is not mentioned. The number may have developed because they offered three gifts (v. 11).<\/p>\n

Nor is it stated that these men were kings. That they were said to be kings was probably due to Psalm 72 where it is written, \u201cMay the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts; may all kings pay him homage<\/em>\u201d. See also Is. 49: 7; 60: 10.<\/p>\n

They are not given names but later three names became associated with them: Caspar, Balthasar and Melchior. Again, with time, Caspar was described as an African.<\/p>\n

They were described in Greek as \u201cmagi\u201d. At one time learned Persian priests were called \u2018magi\u2019. Later, the name was applied to people skilled in the occult such as magicians. They were probably astrologers or astronomers because they studied and interpreted the stars which they saw in the heavens. The title also came to refer to interpreters of dreams. This is not asserting that they saw the star in a dream or dreams.<\/p>\n

\u201cfrom the East<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Mesopotamia was known as the centre of the science of astrology. It would be a very likely place for the origins of the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d. We are not told and it really does not matter. It does not affect the meaning of the passage.<\/p>\n

\u201ccame to Jerusalem<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jerusalem was the centre of the Jewish religion. It was common expectation at the time that the Messiah\u2019s coming was imminent. Jerusalem was a good place to make enquiries from people who would be expert in knowing about and locating the new born king.<\/p>\n

2 \u201cWhere is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018Where is he who has been born king of the Jews?<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Jews did not refer to the \u201cKing of the Jews<\/em>\u201d. Instead they would call him \u201cthe Christ\u201d or \u201cMessiah\u201d or \u201cKing of Israel\u201d. Gentiles alone would refer to \u201cthe King of the Jews<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

In verse 1, King Herod was described as the king. Now the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d state that another king has been born and so a threat to Herod. The title \u201cking of the Jews<\/em>\u201d will be imposed on the cross when Jesus will be crucified (Mt. 27: 11, 29, 37).<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018For we have seen his star in the East<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 The \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d refer to \u201chis star<\/em>\u201d because it was common belief in several places that each person had his or her own star. This applied particularly to people who were destined to achieve great status in later life.<\/p>\n

It is not said that they followed the star or that it guided them. They saw it and interpreted its meaning and that knowledge led them to Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

A star that rose in the east, disappeared for some time (two years because Herod had all children of that age killed), re\u2013appeared over Jerusalem, moved southwards, stopped over a particular house in Bethlehem, and then disappeared, is most unlikely. Why? Because stars do not change orbit. Also, because such a phenomenon would have received great publicity at the time and subsequently, by a people who studied stars, even in daily life. In fact there are no such records.<\/p>\n

What then is meant by \u201ca star\u201d, \u201chis star<\/em>\u201d? Most likely it was a heavenly sign that appeared, perhaps from a \u2018reading\u2019 of the stars. In their studies to understand the phenomenon the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d could have heard that a Messiah\u2013King was expected in Judea and they set out for Jerusalem to investigate. There they perceived another heavenly sign that led them to Jesus. They understood then that Jesus is from heaven. In verse 15 God will refer to Jesus as \u201cmy Son<\/em>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Since the second century altars in Catholic Churches and in many other Christian denominations are on the eastern side of the building as the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d saw the star \u201cin the East<\/em>\u201d. Mt. 24: 27 adds: \u201cFor as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man.<\/em>\u201d This verse, of course, refers to Christ\u2019s second coming at the end of time.<\/p>\n

\u201cand have come to worship him.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 This is a theme in Matthew and will be mentioned 12 times in his Gospel, three of them in this chapter (vv. 2, 8, 11).<\/p>\n

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, \u201cIn Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: 6 \u2018And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.\u2019\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Herod the king heard this<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The text does not say that the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d had met with Herod and consulted him in their enquiries. He was told of their quest.<\/p>\n

\u201che was troubled<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Why? Because he saw the new\u2013born king as a threat to his kingship. The throne\u2013bearer of over thirty year is frightened by a new\u2013born baby!<\/p>\n

\u201cand all Jerusalem with him<\/em>\u201d \u2014 This refers to the people of Jerusalem and obviously it does not mean that every single person \u201cwas troubled<\/em>\u201d. Herod was detested by the Jews and so their \u201ctrouble<\/em>\u201d or worry would have been that Herod would be even more treacherous and they would suffer as a consequence. He was a ruthless king, killing more than half of his ten wives and many of their children. Anyone who appeared to be a threat was eliminated.<\/p>\n

\u201cand assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Those assembled by Herod formed the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the Jewish religion, numbering seventy\u2013one members.<\/p>\n

They will be assembled again at the Passion (Mt. 26: 1\u20135; 57\u201366) when there is fear that Jesus is a threat to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey told him, \u201cIn Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet: \u2018And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 This prophecy is composed of Micah 5: 2 and II Sm. 5: 2; I Chr.11: 2, 8.<\/p>\n

Even the enemies of Jesus can be his witnesses as Matthew shows when he has the Sanhedrin proclaim that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.<\/p>\n

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; 8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, \u201cGo and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThen Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared; and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, \u2018Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.<\/em>\u2019\u201d \u2014 Herod\u2019s hypocrisy is seen in stating that he will worship the new\u2013born king. His actions following the departure of the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d without returning to inform him (Mt. 2: 16\u201318), show his duplicity.<\/p>\n

9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; 11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshipped him.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they had heard the king they went their way<\/em>\u201d \u2014 None of the leaders of the Jewish religion nor any Scripture scholars, who knew the purpose of the visit of the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d, were sufficiently interested to join them.<\/p>\n

\u201cand lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was. <\/em>When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy<\/em>\u201d \u2014 They experienced a really intense joy (Mt. 28: 8 describes the joy of the women on being told by the angel that Jesus had risen). This is an encouragement to those who seek Jesus.<\/p>\n

\u201cand going into the house<\/em>\u201d \u2013The Holy Family is now in a \u201chouse<\/em>\u201d, not a stable, and not yet gone back to Nazareth; the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d had been sent to Bethlehem to find the child.<\/p>\n

\u201cthey saw the child with Mary his mother<\/em>\u201d \u2014 The child takes precedence. See also Mt. 2: 13, 14, 20, 21.<\/p>\n

\u201cand they fell down and worshipped him.<\/em>\u201d \u2014 A frequent theme in Matthew\u2019s Gospel (Mt. 2: 3, 8, 11, 4: 9, 10; 9: 18; 15: 25; 14: 33; 18: 26; 20: 20; 28: 9, 17).<\/p>\n

The Gentiles accept the child as \u201cking of the Jews<\/em>\u201d, the Messiah, and they worship him as the divine Messiah. The Jewish leaders did not accept him and persecuted him with the massacre of the Holy Infants (Mt. 2: 13\u201315) and the flight into Egypt (Mt. 2: 16\u201318).<\/p>\n

Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThen, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh<\/em>\u201d \u2014 These are gifts regarded as suitable to present to God or to kings.<\/p>\n

Is. 60: 6, 11 and Psalm 72: 10\u201311 may have been the foundation of the naming of the three gifts. Here are three quotations: \u201cMay the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts<\/em>\u201d (Psalm 72: 10). \u201cA multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Mid\u2019ian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.\u201d<\/em> (Is. 60: 6). You will note why camels are depicted as travelling with the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d. They are not mentioned in Matthew\u2019s Gospel. \u201cYour gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut; that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession.\u201d <\/em>(Is. 60: 11)<\/p>\n

These quotations might also suggest that the \u201cwise men<\/em>\u201d were from Arabia or the Syrian Desert.<\/p>\n

It was only in later centuries that popular devotions associated gold with Jesus\u2019 kingship, frankincense with his divinity and myrrh with his burial.<\/p>\n

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way<\/em>\u201d \u2014 Dreams were regarded as means of divine communication. Matthew mentions them in Mt. 1: 20; 2: 13, 19. God intervenes to save Jesus.<\/p>\n

APPLICATION<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. The first information to look for in every passage of the gospels is the knowledge it gives us of Jesus Christ. To know more about Jesus and to be drawn closer to him is the \u201cGood News\u201d. The central message of the passage we are reflecting on is that Jesus is the expected Messiah, a Hebrew name for the Greek \u201cChristos\u201d and the English \u201cthe Anointed\u201d. All Jews expected the Messiah because that was the great promise in the Old Testament. It was clear that the Messiah would be the descendant of King David and would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5).<\/p>\n

Over the years the concept of the Messiah changed and the Jews, because of their political status as colonised by the Romans, developed the notion, unfounded in their scriptures, that the Messiah would be a political leader. They looked forward to being liberated from the Romans.<\/p>\n

When the \u201cwise men\u201d who were gentiles, non\u2013Jewish people, referred to the Messiah as \u201cKing of the Jews\u201d Herod corrected them and sent them to find \u201cthe Christ\u201d after he had been informed by the Jewish authorities that it would be in Bethlehem that the Messiah would be born. They went off and found the Child and offered their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, representing that they were in the presence of one who was a king (the Messiah\u2013King), one who was divine whom they came to worship, and one who would give his life in death for the salvation of the world.<\/p>\n

2. The passage presents a very vivid contrast that is meant to provoke readers to take sides. On one hand there are the \u201cwise men\u201d, non\u2013Jews or Gentiles. They do not have the sacred scripture, God\u2019s word to the Jewish people, to guide them. They must depend on their studies of nature and science and an unusual sign or star in the heavens provokes them to research. They question and seek answers and their research and eagerness produce results. They discover the answer to all their questioning and searching and find the Divine Child, the long\u2013promised Messiah. Their faith is strengthened and they fall down on their knees and worship him.<\/p>\n

On the other hand are the Jewish political and spiritual leaders who study and research God\u2019s word in the sacred scriptures but are indifferent to its true meaning. Yet they were the ones whose vocation it was to bring all Jews closer to God and holiness. They were so involved in the wrong way that religion became for them a secular subject as it were and they lost its true meaning.<\/p>\n

Serious readers who seek for the meaning of this passage are forced to take sides and choose. Will we join the \u201cwise men\u201d and seek to have our questions answered? This will demand time and searching but it will lead to finding Christ as the Divine Messiah\u2013King who came to save us and the whole world.<\/p>\n

Much of the world\u2019s questions and problems are based not on spirituality or the questions discussed by religion a few decades ago. The questions have changed and now are more concerned with humanity and its problems. The secular world, and its allies the social media, propose secular solutions. When Herod the political leader and the members of the Sanhedrin heard the news of the birth of the Messiah, they displayed either hostility or indifference. Herod\u2019s plan was to destroy new life and the source of life. The Sanhedrin was indifferent and could be branded by its new name of tolerance. Their fundamental attitude had become, \u2018what is best for me?\u2019<\/p>\n

That indeed is the immediate question for each of us \u2014 which side shall I join, the \u201cwise men\u201d or the Jewish leaders of the time?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

TEXT \u2014 Matthew 2:1\u201312 \u2014 The Three Wise Men Wise Men arrive 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 2 \u201cWhere is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5412","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5412"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7311,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5412\/revisions\/7311"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.stmarys-tallaght.ie\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}