The Wise Men Went Back Another Way

The Wise Men Went Back Another Way

Matthew 2:11-12 NKJV

11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

   The story is so familiar; a side-light to the whole Christmas story.  The wise men arrive in Jerusalem and go to King Herod and ask him where the King of the Jews was born.  (Not a question King Herod was expecting, I’ll bet.) The King consults his advisors and the name of Bethlehem comes up.  Off the wise men go and find Mary, Joseph and their Child.  They worship this Child and give gifts.  Gold, the traditional gift for royalty; frankincense, a gift appropriate for a priest: and myrrh, a gift not appropriate for anyone being a spice used mostly in burial preparations.  Then we learn that they prayed and were impressed that they should not return to Herod but go home “another way.” 

   Even though their visit with Jesus and His family is traditionally taught as a part of the Christmas Story and shown in the manger, Bible scholars believe that these men from the east may not have seen Jesus until as late as two years after His birth.  Their visit is associated with Christmas, but might not have been actually part of the events.  But there are so many lessons to glean from this story, and I’m glad they are permanently associated with the Christmas story.

   Where we mostly think of the wise men coming and bearing gifts, there is a part of this story I’ve never thought much about before.  First, they came looking for the Messiah.  Most people today, even Christians, rarely “go looking” for God.  Instead, many of us sit around and wait for God to find us.  If the house across the street put up a sign that the Messiah was in residence, most of us wouldn’t stir off our couch to go see Him.   These men were truly wise because they went looking and traveled far to find Christ. 

   And notice that the wise men were nameless in this account?  Tradition gives us names, Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar, but the Bible does not name them.  Why not?  I think it’s because they are not the important ones in this story and want our attention on Christ, not on themselves.  I’m never comfortable with church groups that feature some man’s name in the ministries’ name.  (Make your checks payable to the John Q. Saint Ministries.)   Rather than seek credit for traveling from afar and honoring the child who would one day be revealed as the Son of God, these men remain anonymous.  Sounds like something Jesus would teach; Matthew 6:2 “Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.”

     Then we read that they were warned in a dream not to return to Herod.  When they left Christ, they went home “another way.”  It’s easy to figure out why they were not to return to Herod.  He wanted to kill the Child.  We know that Joseph also had a dream that night and took his family and ran away to Egypt so Herod couldn’t find the Child. 

   But I’d like to think that their lives were changed after they met Christ.  Many people have gone home changed after meeting Christ for the first time.  Those of us who were changed by meeting Christ also went home “another way” than the way we came to Him.  Meeting Christ does that to anyone who is willing to look and see Christ and come near to Him.  Your life was changed and was never the same again.  You began to travel different roads and go different paths. 

   This Christmas season, don’t be afraid to share your experience with someone who hasn’t come to Christ yet.  They need to meet the One Who changes people’s lives and sets them on new roads to travel.

Stephen Cram                            December 9, 2012                       Colossians 2:8

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8