A Thought for Epiphany, January 6, 2016

Wednesday: 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 (ESV; Matthew2:1).

            I’ve made the point before and I’ll probably make it again. The correct term is magi, not wise men. These are not men in the mold of Solomon; they are men who try to read signs in the stars. They have a wisdom of a sort but it is a decidedly pagan sort of wisdom. (The Greek word is only used in Daniel, where it’s in close connection to enchanters and diviners, and in Acts, where it’s translated ‘sorcerer.’)

            Yet these are the men who came looking for Jesus, these are the ones whom God attracted—not Herod who claimed to be king of the Jews nor chief priests nor the teachers of the law.

            What does this mean? Well, it certainly demonstrates that God’s grace in Christ is for all people. And it points out that true wisdom, that is, the wisdom that understands God’s unique plan and purposes in Christ, is not a wisdom that we acquire for ourselves. It comes by the revelation of the Holy Spirit, operative through the Word.

            Today is Epiphany, so we’re thinking about the story today. This verse and the whole story it’s part of will be the basis of my sermon this weekend. We’ll learn more then.