Epiphany - Three Kings Day

The Wise Men

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biblical_Magi

Today (January 6th) is “The Epiphany” - the feast of the Three Kings - the Magi - the Wise Men. This feast is celebrated twelve days after Christmas.  

Let’s start with the scripture - from Matthew 2

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written:

“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So, he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15 where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. “

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So, we have the scripture story.  There have been traditions that have built up about this story.  The traditions have names for them: “Balthasar is often represented as a king of Arabia, Melchior as a king of Persia) and Gaspar as a king of India."  According to Wikipedia, there are different names in different societies: “In contrast, many Syrian Christians name the Magi Larvandad, Gushnasaph, and Hormisdas.” “In the Eastern churches, Ethiopian Christianity, for instance, has Hor, Karsudan, and Basanater, while the Armenian Catholics have Kagpha, Badadakharida, and Badadilma”.  It is very probable that the magi/kings/wise men were not Jews.

Three is associated with the wise men as there were three gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh).

The common concept is that they were astronomers, wise is the knowledge of the skies - maybe even astrologers.  Generally speaking, some Christians think that the ‘stars telling the future’ is contrary to the Christian message, but here we have three (very likely) non-Jewish people (probably men - women wouldn’t travel like this) seeing something in the skies that fit into their studies as being the birth of a great king!

To a skeptic - you have three men/astronomers from three areas (Arabia, Persia, and India in the western tradition) - all seeing the star and all starting out - and somehow coming together and traveling together following the star.  Travel might have been interesting - as (presumably) the star could only be seen at night.  There were roads (not like American interstate roads) and travelers even as far back as Joseph being sold into slavery to traders (Genesis 37).  Yes, they had to be worried about thieves (you wouldn’t want to tell too many people you are carrying treasures - and gold.  

Throw in some travel issues - they would need provisions for the road.  One source suggested that camels could cover about forty miles in a day if they were carrying about 200 kg (or about 440 pounds).  If you take the concept that one came from India - that is about 2,400 miles - and at 40 miles a day, that would be about 60 days (or about two months).  But, could they travel 40 miles every day?  (Would you butt get tired of riding on a camel?)  Might you need a day off?  So, let’s say 90 days or three months; then another three months going home - so six months on the road to see a baby?  That is pretty good dedication.  They would have to be wealthy men to travel for six months in a year - and maybe lucky not to be robbed (thinking of the Good Samaritan story).  

And, as wise men/kings/seers/magi - they looked for the new king in the center of Israel - Jerusalem - not in a rural hamlet like Bethlehem.  (At least the Biblical account says ‘house’ not stable!!!)

Back to the story - God can work miracles - and help such travelers to reach Bethlehem (and return)

And, a final interesting point.  In November 2018, I took a Rhine River cruise.  One of the stops was at Cologne, Germany.  The Cathedral at Cologne has a crypt that supposed has the remains of the wise men.  Sources suggest that the original crypt was in Constantinople, then given to Milan and finally taken to Cologne Germany.  

None-the-less, today is Three King day.  In some Spanish based cultures, this is the day for giving of gifts!  

May your travels guide you to the star. May the gift of life, love, joy, and peace be with you today (and always). (And, may gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh be yours too!!)

Hugs!!

Karen

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