“We three kings of orient are” is another Christmas song that combines a rich legend (like names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) about the magi and some nice theology. Here it is. Go ahead, Steph, tell us something about it…
\nWe three kings of Orient are
\nBearing gifts we traverse afar
\nField and fountain, moor and mountain
\nFollowing yonder star
\nO Star of wonder, star of night
\nStar with royal beauty bright
\nWestward leading, still proceeding
\nGuide us to thy Perfect Light
\nBorn a King on Bethlehem’s plain
\nGold I bring to crown Him again
\nKing forever, ceasing never
\nOver us all to rein
\nO Star of wonder, star of night
\nStar with royal beauty bright
\nWestward leading, still proceeding
\nGuide us to Thy perfect light
\nFrankincense to offer have I
\nIncense owns a Deity nigh
\nPray’r and praising, all men raising
\nWorship Him, God most high
\nO Star of wonder, star of night
\nStar with royal beauty bright
\nWestward leading, still proceeding
\nGuide us to Thy perfect light
\nMyrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
\nBreathes of life of gathering gloom
\nSorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
\nSealed in the stone-cold tomb
\nO Star of wonder, star of night
\nStar with royal beauty bright
\nWestward leading, still proceeding
\nGuide us to Thy perfect light
\nGlorious now behold Him arise
\nKing and God and Sacrifice
\nAlleluia, Alleluia
\nEarth to heav’n replies
\nO Star of wonder, star of night
\nStar with royal beauty bright
\nWestward leading, still proceeding
\nGuide us to Thy perfect light.
\nSo, what’s the point? Clearly — they are witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah.
\nTheir witness, as “magi” (probably astrologers) who are notoriously pejorative in Jewish literature, contrasts with the witness of those who should have known better: Herod’s court. What to learn? God raises up witnesses from all over the place, and not always from folks we’d prefer.
\nTheir witness reveals that the Messiah is not just Savior of his people (Israel; 1:21) but also king of the Jews who will rule also Gentiles. This is a rich theme in Matthew, once again climaxing with the commission to mission at the end (28:16-20).
\nTheir witness emerges from a heart and mind that is sensitive to God’s leading — the star and the providential words of God to return home without going back to Herod.
\nTheir witness is attended by worship and even extravagance — they offer to the king gifts fitting for a king.
\nWe don’t know how many there were — three is just a guess and a tradition. What we know is that witness to Jesus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
“We three kings of orient are” is another Christmas song that combines a rich legend (like names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) about the magi and some nice theology. Here it is. Go ahead, Steph, tell us something about it…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":298,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent"],"yoast_head":"\n