Matthew 2:1-3 (ESV)
The Visit of the Wise Men
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
In the story of Jesus, most people are familiar with the visit of the wise men. You can’t drive past most nativity scenes without seeing these very well dressed and designed characters, each carrying some type of small, but important, package for Jesus. We really don’t have many ways to relate to this scene in our own lives. If you think about the town you are leaving in receiving a visit from the State Department, or, better, the State Department from another country, that might put this story in perspective. Wise men of that day were the most revered. They didn’t just show up in a town, much less Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem was under Roman dominance. King Herod was not really a King, but more like a Governor over a providence. But, to those in the region, that made him Rome’s man. When the wise men show up and proclaim that Jesus, the Messiah (King of the Jews) was just born, Herod takes notice. As does all of Jerusalem. Even though God sent His son, Jesus, to save all mankind from their sins, the Jews saw Jesus as a King who would deliver them from Rome in general and Herod, specifically. Herod was not a nice man. Understanding that Jesus was born to take away the sins of the world would make a visit by Wise Men a reason to celebrate. But, to Herod it was a threat to his power. To the Jews it meant redemption from the power over sin. To Herod it meant a possible demotion of power over men. That is the thing about the Gospel message of Jesus dying for our sins. To some it is deliverance. To others it an inconvenience. Jesus comes to offer acceptance, so that we have a way to God. But, most in our world see Jesus as a disturbance of their life and way of living. Jesus demands we change our life for Him and the Father. The world does not want to change. Jesus demands we submit to Him. The world does not want to submit and give up control. The Wise Men came to announce Jesus birth. Like then, so, too, now: For some that is glorious news, but to most it is an inconvenient truth.
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