9th Day of Christmas, 2021 - The Message of the Magi Story

They are a part of every Christmas pageant even though — according to the Biblical narrative — they arrived in Bethlehem well after the birth of Jesus — maybe as much as two years after his birth (Matthew 2:16). Regardless of when they arrived, their story is a vital part of the Christmas story. It proclaims a message that lies at the heart of the Christmas (i.e., gospel) story.

The story of the magi is found in the Gospel of Matthew — the gospel written for a Jewish audience (Jewish Christians after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E.) with a distinctively Jewish message. The gospel presents Jesus as the long-awaited Jewish messiah, the son of David (Matthew 1:1) … the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law (Matthew 5:17) … one who was greater than Moses … the one to whom all authority on heaven and earth has been given (Matthew 28:19) — which makes the story of the magi so unusual. It is a story about Gentiles — foreigners from a distant land.

While the story is about Gentiles, it is a distinctively Jewish story. It reflects a major theme in the promise of the messiah. The gospel writer included the story of the magi in his gospel because it reflected the fulfillment of that messianic expectation.

This particular messianic expectation was that the Gentiles would be drawn to the LORD. They would come, seeking to learn the ways of the LORD. As a result, all of the earth would be “full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea,” Isaiah 11:9. Forsaking their old ways of thinking and living, the peoples of the world would embrace the ways of God. The kingdom of God would come on earth as it is in heaven. This God-shaped world would be filled with shalom — peace and abundance. (This vision of what-will-be is a part of the final vision in Revelation. See Revelation 21:22-24; 22:5.)

This expectation is expressed clearly and repeatedly in the book of Isaiah.

·         I will give you as a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth Isaiah, 49:6.

·         On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples;

the nations shall inquire of him …

He will raise a signal for the nations, Isaiah 11:10, 12.

·         In days to come the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. 

³Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.”

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 

⁴He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into plowshares,

and their spears into pruning hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more, Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-4.

The inclusion of the Gentiles was a vital — yet commonly overlooked — part of the messianic expectations. The gospel writer used the story of the magi to foreshadow its fulfillment in the life and ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus.

This understanding was at the heart of Paul’s message and missionary work among the Gentiles. He called it a mystery, previously hidden but now revealed by the Spirit: “the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,” Ephesians 3:1-6. (Also see Ephesians 2:11-22 and 1 Peter 2:4-10.)

The story of the magi proclaims the heart of the gospel: “outsiders are included!” God’s love extends to and embraces everyone. The old us-them paradigm of the world has been exposed as false … set aside as life-depleting. “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus,” Galatians 3:28. In the kingdom, everyone belongs! Everyone is valued! Everyone has a place! All are welcome!

The Christmas story of the magi calls us to set aside our identity as “outsider” … “other” … “unlovable.” It invites us to stop living as an outsider to God’s love and grace. It calls us to accept God’s love for ourselves. It calls us to claim our place in God’s family. It calls us to embrace our identity as a beloved child of God.

But the story of the magi also calls us to move beyond the us-them, better than-less than thinking and relating that is an inherent part of our human condition. Peace on earth is not possible as along as we view those who are different from us through the lens of anxiety, fear, and scarcity. Viewing another as “other,” thinking we are better than them only contributes to the brokenness and alienation of our world. (Of course, we deny that we are better than another but our attitudes toward them refute our denial. The arrogance associated with thinking we are better than another is subtle, lying outside our conscious awareness. This kind of us-them, better than-less than thinking is an indication that we have not fully claimed our identity as a beloved child of God and don't yet know how to live out of that reality.) The story of the magi calls us again to embrace the ways of God that views and values, accepts and embraces every person as a beloved child of God … even when they don’t act like it. 

The magi represent all the peoples of the earth who make their way to Jerusalem, seeking to learn the ways of the LORD. May we be one of them!