{"id":4932,"date":"2009-12-18T11:39:50","date_gmt":"2009-12-18T11:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/2009\/12\/christmas-words-15-magi.html"},"modified":"2009-12-18T11:39:50","modified_gmt":"2009-12-18T11:39:50","slug":"christmas-words-15-magi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2009\/12\/christmas-words-15-magi.html","title":{"rendered":"Christmas Words 15: Magi"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

“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.  <\/p>\n

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain
Following yonder star<\/p>\n

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to thy Perfect Light<\/p>\n

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain
Gold I bring to crown Him again
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to rein<\/p>\n

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light<\/p>\n

Frankincense to offer have I
Incense owns a Deity nigh
Pray’r and praising, all men raising
Worship Him, God most high<\/p>\n

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light<\/p>\n

Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume
Breathes of life of gathering gloom
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb<\/p>\n

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light<\/p>\n

Glorious now behold Him arise
King and God and Sacrifice
Alleluia, Alleluia
Earth to heav’n replies<\/p>\n

O Star of wonder, star of night
Star with royal beauty bright
Westward leading, still proceeding
Guide us to Thy perfect light.<\/p>\n

So, what’s the point? Clearly — they are witnesses to Jesus as the Messiah.<\/p>\n

Their 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.<\/p>\n

Their 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).<\/p>\n

Their 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.<\/p>\n

Their witness is attended by worship and even extravagance — they offer to the king gifts fitting for a king.<\/p>\n

We 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

<\/span><\/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.   We three kings of Orient areBearing gifts we traverse afarField and fountain, moor and mountainFollowing yonder star O Star of wonder, star of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":70,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-advent"],"yoast_head":"\nChristmas Words 15: Magi - Jesus Creed<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2009\/12\/christmas-words-15-magi.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christmas Words 15: Magi - Jesus Creed\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"“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. 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