Late to the Party?

During the final weeks of the old year, there were many parties and other celebrations which commemorated the birth of Jesus Christ – at least in our circles. For many other people, the parties were more about the onset of winter and the arrival of a new year. But for us, Christ was at the center. So, with many of our church friends, we attended our school’s elementary Christmas program, the Sunday school program, a Christmas Choir Cantata, the Christmas Home Tour, and a house party. To ensure good parking places and good seating – not to mention politeness to those hosting the events – we made a point of arriving on time, or even early. It was the right thing to do!

Likewise, the shepherds were on time to their Christmas party. They made it on time, of course, because they were in nearby fields when Jesus was born, and they were summed by what you might call a “singing telegram.” (And yes, you can still send them!) You can almost hear the angel’s words as recorded in Luke 2 announcing the birth and commanding the shepherds to go and see for themselves: “Stop shaking and get off your duffs and go check out the stable . . .” Well, actually, it was more like, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12) They made it to the party on time, and got to see their newborn Savior with his mother Mary and Joseph. That just started their celebration, for we are told that they went from there, glorifying and praising God for what they saw. Party hearty!

But for some people, some very important people, you might say they were late to the party, They didn’t make it there for the blessed event because they began their journey far to the East. These “latecomers” were the wise men – magi as the Bible text of Matthew 2 calls them – who also received word of the birth. Their notice was by way of a special star that rose, signalling the birth of the Messiah – the King of the Jews. Whether the star appeared at the moment of Jesus’ birth, and it took a while for the magi to prepare for their trip, or whether the magi set out as soon as the star appeared later on, we don’t know  – the Greek words in verse 2 can be translated either as “For we saw his star when it rose,” or “For we saw his star in the east.” – though I favor the first translation based on what happened later. Either way, they saw the star, knew its significance, and set out to see Christ, and to bring him gifts to bless and honor him. So in their case, the “baby shower” came after the birth! And how many magi were there? Answer all together now, “We don’t know; all it says is that they brought three kinds of gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Correct! The names often ascribed to the magi – Balthazar, Melchior, and Gaspar (or Caspar) – come from an Armenian tradition and not from the Bible.

The evidence that they arrived long after the birth is found in Matthew 2.

1. The first point is found in verse 11: “And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.” House, not stable. There’s no mention of the manger, so it is obvious some time has passed with Mary and Joseph staying in Bethlehem with the infant Jesus until the time was right to leave.
2. The second point is the Greek words used to describe Jesus: Luke calls him a brephos (baby), while Matthew uses the term, paidiov, (little child). This difference implies some aging between the two events.
3. When King Herod decided to kill Jesus to remove any potential rival to his throne, he ordered the murder of all the boys in Bethlehem, and in the region around it, who were two years old or under. Why that range? Verse 16 tells us that age was “according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.” which meant from when the star first appeared. This event is called the “Massacre of the Innocents,” and those murdered boys are considered the first martyrs for Christ.

Since the wise men weren’t at the stable, does that mean we have to clean up our manger scenes and get rid of the (always) three wise men figures, their camels, and their gifts? You can if you want, but I’ll keep them in our nativity sets, especially the one made of balsa wood that I hand-carved for our first Christmas, 43 years ago. Because even though the magi were late for the first party, they threw an incredible second party when they finally got there! And the point of the manger scenes is to celebrate Christ taking on flesh and becoming one of us, regardless of who got there or when.

There’s also a special reason to celebrate the arrival of the wise men, and that is the fact that the magi were Gentiles – non-Jews – to whom the Savior was revealed, and who came to find and worship Christ as King. Their arrival is celebrated today, January 6, and is the start of the Church season known as Epiphany. Epiphany means “manifestation,” or “appearing,” and marks the revealing of Christ as the Son of God to the world, including both Jew and Gentile. During this season we mark the arrival of the wise men, the ministry of John the Baptist and the baptism of Christ, Jesus’ first miracle at Cana, Peter’s confession of Jesus as Christ and Son of God, and Christ’s Transfiguration before his closest disciples. Together, these events signify Christ’s true identity and nature.

There’s another reason for the delayed arrival of the wise men to Bethlehem, and it leads me to the opinion that maybe the magi weren’t late after all: maybe they arrived perfectly on time and according to God’s plan. For their job was not only to announce that the kingship of Christ would be for the whole world, it was also to provide the material riches they bestowed on Jesus and his family. Sure, their gifts had powerful, symbolic meanings, but they were also valuable resources that would provide for Jesus and his earthly parents during the years they fled to Egypt. The magi also indirectly triggered the escape by informing Herod about Jesus’ birth without returning to Herod to tell him Jesus’ specific location. Their gifts kept Jesus safe until Herod died, and fulfilled the prophecy that God would call his Son out of Egypt (Matthew 2:15).

So in God’s plan, the shepherds had one role, the wise men another, and you and I have still another. The story of the wise men should encourage us all in our faith, for no matter how “late” in life we come to believe, God has a place for us in his eternal house, and he promises that the party will be absolutely AWESOME!

And now may the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Matthew Chapter 2