During this time of the year, Christian pageantry continues to
present the Christmas story in a beautiful and simple fashion. The
reenactments of the events surrounding Jesus' birth bring smiles to both
the participants and the spectators. From the Children's presentation
to the professional theatrical displays, the message of the birth of our
Savior is accepted with open hearts. There is no disputing over
doctrines or interpretations. There is no disagreement as to the role
the Shepherds and Wise Men played in this glorious event. What a
blessing to see the Church come together in harmony and resolve!
Tradition has always been the catalyst to Biblically based initiatives. But what happens when those traditions fail to truly represent what the Scripture teaches? Whenever a question is raised as to the contents of a tradition, people simply respond with, "That is the way it has always been." Traditions have become the "sacred cow" to so many people.
There is no question that a number of Wise Men came to worship and pay homage to the new King of the Jews. But the question is, "Where did they find Jesus?" Was it in Bethlehem, as tradition has taught us, or could it have been in Nazareth? To find the answer, all one has to do is read the Scripture. The Gospels of Luke and Matthew put together the chronology of the events surrounding Jesus' birth.
Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. When the Census degree was issued, they journeyed to Joseph's ancestral village of Bethlehem to register for taxation purposes. Upon arriving, Mary soon gave birth to Jesus. Outside of Bethlehem, there were Shepherds tending to their sheep. An Angel appeared to them to announce the birth of the Savior of the world. After the visitation, the Shepherds quickly went into the village to see the baby about which the Angel had spoken. Eight days after Jesus' birth, Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem to be circumcised. Returning to Bethlehem, Mary waited for 33 more days until her purification was completed. (Refer to Leviticus 12.) They then returned to the Temple for the dedication of Jesus. The sacrifices were offered, Simeon and Anna spoke their prophesies over the holy family, and then Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to their home in Nazareth.
About a year and a half later, a number of Magi arrive in Jerusalem requesting information about the infant who was born the King of the Jews. They state they had seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. King Herod finds out that Bethlehem is the place where this King would be born. The Wise Men leave the palace and start for Bethlehem. Almost immediately, they see the star that they had identified months before. They rejoiced in seeing the star again and followed its guiding light. To their amazement, the star was leading them in the opposite direction of Bethlehem. They are lead to Nazareth and to the house where the Savior was. Upon seeing Jesus, they fall down and worship the King of Kings. To accentuate their adoration, they leave costly gifts with the family. Finally, they leave the residence and, being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, set out on their homeward journey by a different route.
Theologically, it is not a big deal when and where the Wise Men found Jesus. The important thing is they came and worshipped Him. I think we take too much liberty in embellishing Biblical recounts, but there is no harm done as long as we don't change the message. When we build upon Biblical interpretations that are not based on factual accounts, we open the door to delegitamizing the Scriptures. The purpose of this article is to get the reader to examine God's Word. I urge everyone to read Luke 2:1-39 and Matthew 2:1-12 and, when finished studying those verses, draw your own conclusion. May this Christmas season be a time of worship and adoration. As we exchange gifts, let us never forget the greatest Gift of all!
Tradition has always been the catalyst to Biblically based initiatives. But what happens when those traditions fail to truly represent what the Scripture teaches? Whenever a question is raised as to the contents of a tradition, people simply respond with, "That is the way it has always been." Traditions have become the "sacred cow" to so many people.
There is no question that a number of Wise Men came to worship and pay homage to the new King of the Jews. But the question is, "Where did they find Jesus?" Was it in Bethlehem, as tradition has taught us, or could it have been in Nazareth? To find the answer, all one has to do is read the Scripture. The Gospels of Luke and Matthew put together the chronology of the events surrounding Jesus' birth.
Joseph and Mary lived in Nazareth. When the Census degree was issued, they journeyed to Joseph's ancestral village of Bethlehem to register for taxation purposes. Upon arriving, Mary soon gave birth to Jesus. Outside of Bethlehem, there were Shepherds tending to their sheep. An Angel appeared to them to announce the birth of the Savior of the world. After the visitation, the Shepherds quickly went into the village to see the baby about which the Angel had spoken. Eight days after Jesus' birth, Jesus was taken to the Temple in Jerusalem to be circumcised. Returning to Bethlehem, Mary waited for 33 more days until her purification was completed. (Refer to Leviticus 12.) They then returned to the Temple for the dedication of Jesus. The sacrifices were offered, Simeon and Anna spoke their prophesies over the holy family, and then Joseph, Mary, and Jesus returned to their home in Nazareth.
About a year and a half later, a number of Magi arrive in Jerusalem requesting information about the infant who was born the King of the Jews. They state they had seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him. King Herod finds out that Bethlehem is the place where this King would be born. The Wise Men leave the palace and start for Bethlehem. Almost immediately, they see the star that they had identified months before. They rejoiced in seeing the star again and followed its guiding light. To their amazement, the star was leading them in the opposite direction of Bethlehem. They are lead to Nazareth and to the house where the Savior was. Upon seeing Jesus, they fall down and worship the King of Kings. To accentuate their adoration, they leave costly gifts with the family. Finally, they leave the residence and, being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, set out on their homeward journey by a different route.
Theologically, it is not a big deal when and where the Wise Men found Jesus. The important thing is they came and worshipped Him. I think we take too much liberty in embellishing Biblical recounts, but there is no harm done as long as we don't change the message. When we build upon Biblical interpretations that are not based on factual accounts, we open the door to delegitamizing the Scriptures. The purpose of this article is to get the reader to examine God's Word. I urge everyone to read Luke 2:1-39 and Matthew 2:1-12 and, when finished studying those verses, draw your own conclusion. May this Christmas season be a time of worship and adoration. As we exchange gifts, let us never forget the greatest Gift of all!