Dangerous Good News
Matthew 2:1-12
Ok, so maybe I’m cheating a bit here. I mean, this isn’t technically the beginning of Matthew’s gospel, but the story of the magi only appears in Matthew, and I would rather talk about it than attempt to write a devotion based on the genealogy in Matthew 1. Sue me.
The gospel of Matthew contains almost nothing of what we have come to expect from a “Christmas” scripture. There are no shepherds. There is no manger. Even Mary and Jesus take a back seat because Matthew chooses to center Joseph and his struggles with marrying a woman who is pregnant with a child that he knows is not his. And then we get this extended story of the magi.
The magi have become quite central to our celebration of Christmas–they feature prominently in decorations and nativity scenes, they have their own banger of a hymn, and there may not be any presents under the tree if we had not established the practice as a memorial of the gifts of the magi. For all their contributions to our annual celebrations, Matthew doesn’t give us much information about these wise men.
In fact, they come off as rather buffoonish. We are told that they are following astronomical signs that have led them to believe that a new king had been born. So they go to Jerusalem to ask Herod, the current king of Israel, about the birth of his replacement, which is an extraordinarily naïve thing to do.
Why is the question about a newborn king so personally and politically frightening for King Herod? Because in the Roman Empire, Rome alone appointed legitimate provincial kings, such as Herod. At times, unsanctioned “kings” emerged through popular uprisings, but Rome swiftly executed them as illegitimate and treasonous. Herod is terrified because news of a new king either meant that Rome had replaced him and he’d be getting his “termination” letter soon, or that he had a popular uprising on his hands.
Herod is no fool, but he is not unique either. He immediately employs the playbook of every tyrant throughout history. He gathers his political allies together and they come up with a plan–it’s important to note that while the scripture says he gathered the priests and legal scholars, these were not independent positions, but rather political appointees. They decide to lie to the magi and make them unwitting spies. The magi are later warned about Herod’s intentions and do not return to Jerusalem on their way home, but Herod is undeterred. He may not know exactly which child they visited, but he’s the king so he decrees that all male children are to be seized and killed.
Scheming, spying, lying, and lynching. And this is a Christmas story?! Why is this in the Bible?
The story of the magi gives us more than an excuse to give gifts each Christmas. Their interactions with Herod highlight just how threatening the gospel can be to those in power. Christ calls us to repentance and self-sacrifice in a way that the wealthy and powerful will always oppose. Good news is only truly good if it is good for everyone, and the beginning of Matthew reminds us that we should expect resistance to this message of peace and goodwill to all.
Rev. Ryan Young
