Advent Day 17

“And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:11 ESV)

In Matthew’s Gospel, we begin by seeing the birth of Jesus through the eyes of Joseph. Later in Matthew’s writing, we see that view become the view of the Magi. We follow their journey to Jerusalem, where we witness God’s providence. We see the prophet Micah's prophecy revealed and the star's appearance. We see them continue to follow the star in faith.

The Magi arrived at a specific house in Bethlehem. One of the most printed Christmas cards is probably Mary holding Jesus, also called the Madonna and Child. However, Matthew does not portray this scene that way. He tells us what the Magi saw with their eyes, “the child with his mother.” Matthew was deliberate in this portrayal. We know this because he used this four times in his portrayal. He is small and helpless, but he is the focus. Matthew also points to the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Micah. Undoubtedly, this was done to remind us of the words of Isaiah, probably one of the most quoted Christmas verses:

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting 

Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV)

This is the child the magi saw with their own eyes. I wonder if they asked the new parent if there were other prophecies about the child. Did Mary and Joseph even consider the prophecies they most certainly knew from studies? Did they see their child's future in the prophets' scriptures? There are many things to consider about every view of those involved in this story.

Maybe Paul thought of this when he wrote about the light of the gospel shining in the darkness in the face of Christ. This small and helpless child was the child who was God in the flesh. He was full of the power of God, the wisdom of God, and the mercies of God. It did not come to him later. He did not grow into becoming God. He was born endowed with all the power of God. He was God. I cannot help but think of 1 Corinthians 1:25, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men.”

I imagine all of this was more than the Magi could take in. They still did not know everything about this child, his purpose, and who he was. The Magi brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These were not ordinary gifts. Gold symbolized Jesus' kingship, frankincense, his priestly role, and myrrh, his sacrificial death. They did not come to feed this child; their gifts were not gifts for a child but for a king. They came to worship. Even though this child was visited in poverty, in scraps of clothing, they gave their gifts out of the faith they had established and God had cultivated over their journey. They gave their gifts to the child, not the parents. They laid their gifts before him.

The message for us is clear, isn't it? When we truly see Christ, when we recognize who He is, our lives are transformed. We will fall down before Him, not with tangible treasures, but with the treasures of our lives. We will offer Him a life of devotion, sacrifice, love, and forgiveness for others. Everything we hold dear, we will lay before Him. This recognition of Christ is not just a moment, but a life-altering experience that empowers us to live in His light.

Do you do that? Have you done that? Have you thought about that? As we approach this Christmas season, let us reflect on the Magi's worship and the significance of their gifts. Let us consider how we can lay our lives before Christ in worship and service.

Grace and Peace!

Sinclair Ferguson, The Dawn of Redeeming Grace”, The Goodbook Company, 2021.