The First Worshippers: Shepherds and Wise Men

January 4, 2009

Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 2: 8-20

Exordium: The flower is set in a garland of leaves to set it off and accent its beauty. So Adam was surrounded by lovely trees and pools of water and luscious food – to highlight the fact that he was the first man made in the image of God.

Explication: And Jesus Christ, the second Adam, was not born isolated and  alone but God circled Him with a garland of people, events, and miracles to highlight His coming into the world.  His advent must be marked, surrounded, celebrated and believed always.

Today, Epiphany, we celebrate the garland God has put around His coming. As far back as St. Augustine in the fourth century AD the church has helped this day to be a festive one, and thanked God for its meaning. Let us explore together some of the meaning of these happenings which garlanded the birth of our Saviour.

I.    THE GARLAND WAS GOD SURROUNDING THE CHILD WITH SIGNIFICANCE

The Wise Men from the East: they represent intelligence, science, learning, and a Gentile view point. They were Zoroastrians who had developed a spiritual monotheism and a purer ethics than were found in the other heathen religions.

As astrologers they studied the stars to understand the world. They knew that God had placed the stars far above man’s reach in the sky – and set them in the majesty and mystery of the heavens.

Astrology in its searching is an expression of mans’ need. They had learned some things through the teaching of Daniel. For example that a star was to come out of Jacob and signal the advent of a spiritual leader. They saw that star, brilliant and beckoning to them, and they followed it across the deserts. God did not put the manger in the same town where they were. They were brought a distance to show the homage that the new born Saviour deserved.
The star led them as far as Jerusalem and then by the guidance of the Scriptures they began their journey toward Bethlehem by faith in the Word of God as it is found in the prophecy of Micah. The Scribes in Jerusalem had cited these to them.