Don Friesen
One night in the fall of 1981 a camel was wandering alone in the Somalian desert, hundreds of miles from anywhere and anyone. That same night a Belgian engineer was driving across the same desert, in the same location. Alas, for the camel, the two collided, but the incident also made a great impact on the engineer. He was hospitalized for three months in a hospital located in a refugee camp. Three months gave the engineer a lot of time to observe and to reflect upon the plight of the Somalian refugees living there. He decided he wanted to help them, and since the Belgian government's family assistance program was a generous one the engineer decided to adopt some of the refugees. And since the Belgian law in 1981 did not stipulate how many one could adopt, the engineer legally adopted 30,000 refugees!
The case ended in the Belgian courts with a predictable ending, but the story is a wonderful illustration of the impact camels can have upon one's imagination. Indeed, the camel story included by Matthew early in his Gospel has had no less impact upon imagination. We don't even know if the Magi who came from the East came by camel. Theological and literary imagination have added layers of detail to the story, later tradition adding to the Gospel account that the Magi were three in number and that their names were Casper, Melchior, and Balthasar. The idea that the Magi were kings first appears in the writings of the second-century Tertullian (160-235), based on his reading of the psalms (Psalm 72:10) and Isaiah. (Isaiah 60:2) A rudimentary description of the Magi, which greatly influenced future artistic depictions, appeared in the sixth-century document attributed to the Venerable Bede (672-735), who described Melchior as old, white-haired, and bearded, Casper as young, ruddy, and beardless, and Balthasar as black-skinned and thickly bearded. (David Jeffrey, A Dictionary of Biblical Tradition in English Literature) The Bede went on to interpret the gifts given to the Christ child, and in his literary wake followed medieval plays, Milton, Donne, Yeats, T.S. Eliot, and other literary lights, all captivated by this, the second story in the New Testament.
Just as the camel in the Somalian desert made quite an impact upon the Belgian engineer, so the story of the Magi – with or without camels – made a great impact upon the Christian tradition. Like a stone dropped into a pond sets off larger and larger concentric circles, "until the entire surface of the pond is drawn into and reflects the initial movement of the stone" (Peter Gomes), so the story of the Magi sets the tone for the development of Christianity that follows in the New Testament.
Circle 1: Isaiah Tosses a Pebble into the Pond
The first stone to drop into the sacred pond was dropped by the Old Testament prophet, Isaiah. The pebbles Isaiah tossed into the pond of history were always beautiful pebbles, nicely polished, with elegant phrases and literary flourishes. Isaiah waxed poetic:
Isaiah waxed poetic about the hope of a homecoming, but the truth was that Jerusalem never at any time attained the magnificence described by Isaiah. Isaiah speaks of the dawning of a light so compelling that it attracts foreign kings to its brightness, but sixty years after Isaiah tossed this pebble into the pond Jerusalem remained a sparsely inhabited place, lacking even a wall, without which it did not qualify as a city. (Nehemiah 2:3-5, 17) No city or temple as envisioned by Isaiah was ever built, and so Isaiah's pebble made but a hint of a ripple in the pond of salvation history. Our passage from Isaiah 60 is ecstatic in tone, and universal in scope and intent, but it could hardly be heard above the din of complaints from those who had been dragged into exile.
Circle 2: Matthew Enlarges the Circle
The impact of Isaiah's prophetic pebble, however, continued to be felt, as it rippled across the centuries, finding resonance in Matthew's story of the Magi. A strange story to follow Matthew's genealogy, for the Magi would not be found on any Jewish genome map! Who were these people? Matthew tells us that they were from the East, and some say that they were men of science, sky scientists who studied and understood astronomy. They knew every nuance and change that occurred in the heavens. They were fascinated with the stars and constellations of stars. We often call them "wise men," but they were not entirely wise. What is striking is their candour and openness, particularly in their discussions with Herod. Almost naive – so they may have beenscientists – they seem to anticipate no difficulty in asking Herod about the birth of a rival king!
Remember that Daniel, in the Old Testament, was promoted to the rank of Magi when he served the Persian Empire in the East. Some think that the Magi were members of a religious caste, one of the six tribes of Media, who retained their power after the conquest of the Medes by the Persians. This perspective comes from the second-century Clement of Alexandria (150-211/216), along with the observation that the Magi were also the teachers of the Persian kings.
Others say the Magi may have come from Babylon, and that the literature of the large Jewish community resident there may have influenced their studies of the heavens. The Magi were probably learned men, wealthy, and highly respected in their Gentile culture.
What is clear from Matthew's story is that the appearance of the Magi caused no little ripples among the powers-that-be! Herod pretended to be a learned colleague, very interested in the quest of the Magi, but unknown to them he was a ruthless tyrant, murdering his wife, three of his sons, his mother-in-law, a brother-in-law, and an uncle – not to mention a host of non-relatives – all because he was paranoid someone would topple him from power.
The appearance of the Magi threatened Herod, but it was also a poke in the eye of Rome, which had appointed Herod. If these were very high-ranking political-religious advisors to the rulers of the Persian empire, they had come a long way to submit to a king who was neither Roman nor Herodian! It's ironic that these eastern visitors may have come from the very places we fear and fight at the present time.
There's another irony in the fact that after establishing Jesus' Hebraic genealogy, it is not the chief priests and scribes who discern the advent of the important event to take place in Bethlehem, but foreigners, from another religion! The Hebraic scholars are only brought on side by Herod for his own panicked purposes.
What is clear is that the small ripple caused by Isaiah's prophetic pebble has grown larger in the introduction to Matthew's Gospel. The ripples of Isaiah's prophecy are enhanced by Matthew's story, for these mysterious figures from the East reflect the aspirations articulated by Isaiah that one day the wise and the powerful would come to Zion to acknowledge the God of Israel. Matthew is telling us that the best of the world's wisdom acknowledges the Christ. This is not an idle conjecture, for other strands of the tradition speak far less favourably of the Gentiles, anticipating their submission and divine vengeance! Matthew tells us that the Gentiles will share in the blessings of Israel.
The New Testament begins with a story that foreshadows the expansion of the mission of Israel to the Gentiles, articulated by Matthew at the conclusion of his Gospel. (Matthew 28:18-20) The ever-widening circle of witness expands considerably with the New Testament Gospel! That the Magi were drawn by creation to the Creator, the God of Israel, is a revelation of major proportions. People from all over the world identify Jesus as their Lord and King. Not only was Jesus' birth in accordance with Old Testament prophecy, it was also recognized by revelation others in the world understood.
If the Magi are the beginning of the widening circle of individuals who witnessed the good news of the Messiah's birth, the circles of witness grow ever wider as the Church – as recorded in the book of Acts – announces the good news in every major centre of the Near Eastern world, which brings us to our third concentric circle of witness – the testimony of the Apostle Paul.
Circle 3: Paul Stretches the Limits!
The story is told that one day Michelangelo (1475-1564) went into the studio of his younger colleague, Raphael (1483-1520), and finding him gone, left without leaving his name. Before he went, however, he took a piece of chalk and wrote on Raphael's canvas the word, "amplius," meaning "greater" or "larger". Raphael's design, according to Michelangelo, was too limited. His vision needed to expand.
Well, if the witness of Matthew was already an expansion of Isaiah's vision, the Apostle Paul ratchets it up several notches. In our reading from Ephesians Paul declares that God's revelation in Jesus Christ is not only of international and trans-national significance and appeal, it has cosmic proportions and significance!
The scope of Paul's vision is breathtaking. In Ephesians he talks of the "mystery (that) ...has now been revealed, ...(how) Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body...." (Ephesians 3:5-6) Paul writes of the "boundless riches of Christ" (3:8), of the "God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God ...might ...be made known to ...rulers and authorities...." (3:9-10) Paul speaks of the "eternal purpose that (God) has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord...." (3:11)
Paul conveyed similar things to the Philippian congregation, writing, "God ...highly exalted (Jesus) and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord...." (Philippians 2:9-11, RSV) And to the Colossian congregation Paul wrote, "(Christ) is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; ...for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, ...whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him. ...in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven...." (Colossians 1:15-20)
The small pebble the prophet Isaiah tossed into the pond of sacred history becomes in Paul's writings a sweeping tribute to the cosmic lordship of Christ. Paul claims for Christ supreme power over the universe and over any supernatural forces that affect human destiny. In the Risen Christ we have nothing less than the creative purpose that shaped the universe and the meaning of its existence. In Christ, says Paul, we have the unifying principle that underlies the entire cosmos. Paul's sweeping perspective defies pigeon-holing Jesus into some narrow slot alongside other wares in the marketplace of spiritualities.
Paul's portrayal of Jesus is a lofty and grand one. This is something far beyond earthly kingship, something that makes all earthly kings appear to be but minor tin despots. The eighteenth-century artist, Johann Heinrich Dannecker (1758-1841), was asked by Napoleon to paint Venus for the Louvre, but he declined. He was offered an enormous sum to do it, but still he declined, which angered Napoleon, and he demanded a reason. "I have just painted Christ," answered Dannecker, "and I can never lower my brush to paint such an inferior subject as Venus."
An Ever-widening Circle of Christian Witness
What began with the very private annunciation of the angel to Mary, and then to Joseph, touches an ever-expanding cloud of witnesses. The circle gets bigger and bigger and bigger, until in the last book of the Bible the Gospel reaches every corner of the earth. It is a vision of the Risen Christ, encouraging his persecuted community. Despite dissent from within and pressure from without, despite natural disasters and imperial oppression, the witnesses to Christ's lordship remain faithful, proclaiming that Jesus is Lord because he was a servant!
When the Magi arrived at the Bethlehem stable, "they were overwhelmed with joy. ...they knelt down and paid him homage (and) ...offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matthew 2:10-11) That image has been an inspiring symbol of worship for countless generations. They were drawn by the light, and responded to the mystery by bowing before that which cannot be achieved or attained, only sought, acknowledged, and adored.
May the light of this mysterious revelation of God in Christ call forth the same response of worship in us. May the circles of God's deep love surround us and draw us into the Christian community in ways that transcend our differences. The New Testament tells us that there is no limit to the resources from which God can supply our needs. Our prayers and aspirations for the year ahead should be based, not upon the poverty of our own imagination and attainments but upon the infinite love and grace of God. May we discover, as we journey through the year ahead, that whatever challenges we face, God will amply supply our needs, deepen our experience of His Spirit, and call forth our worship.
"Lift up your eyes and look around; ...they come to you.... you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you. A multitude of camels ...shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord." (Isaiah 60:4-6)
Isaiah tossed in a nicely turned pebble, but the truth of it was that to those who first heard it, it sounded more like a rock thrown into the "Slough of Despond". (John Bunyan) Thud! Splat! Isaiah was a smooth talker, but those who heard him hardly heard him at all, for they were overwhelmed by their dark experience in Babylonian captivity. They were exhausted from trying to scrape a bare subsistence from the soil of a homeland that was not their own.
Quotations of Scripture are from the New Revised Standard Version, unless otherwise noted.