Being a Magi

Matthew 2:1-12

Each week, after the Sunday sermon is finished, I look at the texts for the following Sunday, reading them through several times. When I go to bed, I let my mind play with them, repeating some of the verses or at least parts of the story to see what pops up as a highlight this year.

I was doing that with the Gospel text, using a meditation tool I learned many years ago. I asked myself, “Who am I in the story?” And the same answer kept coming for the next few days: I am a Magi.

Let me ask – how many of you have been a magi or king in holiday plays? How many magi are there?  Do you remember their names? Are these trick questions? Yes! … Eastern tradition states that there were 12 magi. Western Tradition has stated that there were 2 or 3. Usually we think of 3 magi, and each magi came representing a different region: Caspar or Gaspar of India, Melchior of Persia/ Babylon, Balthasar of Arabia / Syria.

Matthew reports 3 gifts but does not specify how many magi there were, and he only says they came from the east, but not from any particular place. Many scholars today believe they came from Persia, which was a region of Parthia, which was a rival kingdom to Rome.

If a contingent of leaders from Parthia entered Jerusalem, they would have been a large group, surrounded by a military detachment. Imagine when our Senators Congresspersons travel! They do not go alone!

These magi and their company would have been feared by the citizens, and yet welcomed immediately into Herod’s court, where Herod himself would have talked with them. He would have known who these folks were – powerful leaders, and the Parthian King’s representatives.

… Because of the Babylonian conquest and the removal of the people of Israel to the east, Persians were very aware of the Jewish religion. Only some of the Jews returned home; many of them stayed in Babylon. The stories of the Prophet Daniel, Esther, and Nehemiah were known and studied because they were written in Persia. A large portion of the book of Daniel was written in Persian.

I was surprised to read that “Magi” is a Persian word, from magoi. The magi were advisors and dignitaries in the court of the Persian king. They were priests in the Zoroastrian religion, and actively looking for an event such as the birth of Jesus.

According to Wikipedia, Zoroastrianism is one of the world’s oldest religions. It is monotheistic, has a good-and-evil dualistic cosmology, a belief in free will and judgment after death, a concept of heaven, hell, angels, and demons.

It is easy to see influences of Zoroastrianism on Judaism, Buddhism, and Greek philosophy. Zoroastrianism is a forerunner religion to Islam, which reveres Jesus as a prophet and honors Mary as one of the most righteous women to have ever lived. Perhaps this visit by the magi is part of the reason.

So, why did the Magi travel to visit Jesus and leave him gifts? For the purpose expressed in Matthew: to worship him.  From their studies, they knew he was more than a king. They knew he was God.

… Since I am always trying to find places where women are missing from the story, I wondered if it was possible that there were women among the Magi who traveled to Bethlehem. I found that it was indeed possible. Those who know ancient languages explain that the term Magi could refer to both male and female sages.

There is also the possibility that Matthew thought about the visit from the Queen of Sheba, a woman seeking wisdom, who brought gifts fit for a king. Having leaders from Parthia visit Jesus would remind readers of that time of the similar story.

As I looked up this particular question, I found this predictable quip – “Of course there was a woman with them. They stopped to ask for directions!”

… So, OK. The Magi probably were a large group of religious leaders, both women and men, surrounded by soldiers to guard the people and the treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They came to worship baby Jesus, which they would do only if he were indeed God. I can now find my place among them. I can see myself visiting the holy family and worshiping baby Jesus.

And, so what difference does this story make in our everyday lives? Here, we can refer to the traditional interpretation – they were non-Jewish people who came to worship Jesus. They saw him as more than a human baby; they saw him as divine. The family welcomed these foreign visitors and gladly accepted their gifts.

From the beginning, Jesus welcomes foreigners and values them. During his lifetime, he frequently interacts with non-Jewish people, with women, with children, even though the culture discouraged such activity. He treats jew and non-Jew, poor and wealthy, powerless and powerful with the same respect – even though he challenges the attitudes of the wealthy toward the poor. With the rare exception of the Canaanite woman, Jesus connects with all people as equals.

Aren’t we called to do the same? As we begin a new year, let’s be sure we are following Jesus’ example of welcoming all, whether we are at home or far away. And let’s be modern Magi, worshiping Jesus whether we travel 5 miles, or 5,000 miles from home.

Amen