We Three Kings of Orient Are

 

 “We Three Kings” (original title: “Three Kings of Orient”) is a Christmas carol written in 1857 by John henry Hopkins, an Episcopal rector in Pennsylvania. It is based on Matthew 2:1.

The Bible never says that three kings visited Jesus in a manger on the night of his birth. John and Mark do not mention the incident at all because they talked about Jesus as an adult. Luke talks of the shepherds but not the magi. Only Matthew, in 2:1-16, relates the event, saying that during the time of Herod, who died in 4 BC/BCE, that magi “from the rising of the sun” (the east) arrived to see and worship the king of the Jews, whose star they had seen.

Several questions come to mind:

1.      Who were the magi and how many of them were there?

No one knows exactly who these men were but many later traditions say that they were possibly astrologers from a learned priestly Zoroastrian caste in Persia. They were not occultists but were considered to be masters of the then current understanding of science.                                                     

The idea that there were three wise men possibly derives from the fact that they brought three gifts: gold. Frankincense, and myrrh. Some Christian traditions say that there were twelve magi.

2.      What was the star?

No one really knows. Was it a supernaturally moving star that settled over Jesus’ location? (Matthew 2:9). Was it an otherwise unknown comet? Was it a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (7 BC/BCE) or of Saturn and Venus (6 BC/BCE)? Was it a transient astronomical event like a distant supernova? (The first historically documented supernova observation did not occur until 1006 AD/CE).

3.      Where did the magi visit Jesus?

The wise men came to see Jesus in a house “oikian” (οἰκίαν, Matthew 2:11), not in a manger “phatne” (φάτνῃ, Luke 2:7).

4.      How old was Jesus when the magi arrived?

Luke 2:1-16 describes how, on the night of Jesus’ birth, angels appeared to announce the birth to shepherds who ran to the stable to see the “brephos” (βρέφος). A “brephos” was an unborn child, newborn child, or an infant.

Matthew 2:1-18 relates that that the magi visited the “paidion” (παιδίον) in a house. A “paidion” is a young one, a little one, or a child.

After a message from God warned them about Herod the magi returned home by a different route. Matthew 2:16-18 tells how Herod, in a fit of anger, jealousy, and insecurity about losing his position as king of Judea, ordered what is now known as the massacre of the Innocents. All boys under two years old and younger living in the area in or near Bethlehem were to be slaughtered.

Matthew 2:13-16 tells how God warned Joseph of Herod’s evil plan to kill Jesus. Joseph left for Egypt with Jesus and Mary.

Dangers to your Christian Life

    Dangers to your Christian Life

     Almost every time I am on one of my country's interstate highways I see someone texting on their cell phone while driving at 70 miles per hour (112.654 kilometers per hour). At that speed, the vehicle will travel the length of a football field in a few seconds WHILE THE DRIVER IS LOOKING AWAY FROM THE ROAD!

    This makes as much sense as turning on a chainsaw while entering a room where a baby is sleeping and throwing the chainsaw into the air. It may end well. I may not.

    Many Christians carelessly involve themselves in activities which are just as dangerous as a chainsaw. You may not agree with this list or may be able to add to it. Every item on this list has the potential to cause serious damage to your Christian life. 

   Practicing Cafeteria Christianity in which you take a little bit from here and little bit from there and reject things which make you uncomfortable. There are some things about Christianity which are difficult. Paul had some strong things to say about accepting any changes to the Gospel.

    Dabbling in astrology, Tarot, Ouija boards, automatic writing, divination, the occult, and other practices. These are not harmless children's games.

    Attempting an exorcism. Real demon possession is probably quite rare but Jesus acknowledged that it is real.

    Ghost hunting. The Bible never teaches the existence of ghosts though some people in the Bible obviously did believe in them. The appearances of dead Old Testament saints may have been the saints  actually being physically present. Ghost phenomena (hauntings, poltergeists, etc) may be evidence of the other supernatural beings mentioned in the Bible. Do you really want to find out?

    Practicing Hatha Yoga. The Sanskrit word "hatha" in English translates as "force" and is a system of physical exercises. From a physical standpoint, this is probably excellent for your health, relaxation, stress reduction, and bodily flexibility. When you practice yoga, from a spiritual standpoint, you are dabbling with Hinduism, a totally different religion from Christianity.

    The word "Yoga" is derived from yug, a Sanskrit word meaning "yoking" or "union." There are numerous types of yoga, all of which are focused on yoking or stilling the mind and achieving an inner stillness which contributes to a oneness with the universe, which is sometimes described as "cosmic consciousness."    

    Aligning oneself with extreme political views, whether conservative or progressive. Politics is not the answer; the Gospel is the answer. "Render unto Caesar" assumes that we should have civic and political involvement but our ultimate allegiance must be to Jesus. Secular political parties are ultimately not motivated by Christian principles but by a desire for political power. Real change can only come by reformed hearts, not by legislation.