This chapter starts off with an interesting twist, "When Jesus was born, Behold Magi came from the east."
I think about the beholds that we have today. Behold a plane has crashed killing all passengers aboard. Behold, a valcano has erupted, leaving a cloud of smoke and ash killing all the villagers in its path. Behold, the president of the United States busted his lip and has 12 stitches.
In those times Jerusalem was the center of attraction and all news traveled from that point.
Today the world is the center of our awareness and all news originates from it. Yet what captures our attention and is presented to us, is news of disaster, and news of ruin, or news of fame, or news of fortune, or news of greed, or news of lust. Our beholds are quite different.
Yet in those days, the Magi appeared and upset the entire kingdom of Jerusalem. All of Jerusalem was abuzz with answering the question of where was the new king that was born King of the Jews. There was no, CNN, or CBS, or ABC news reports back then. There were no ipads or ipods, or smartphones, or even televisions or radios. There was only word of mouth, and whoever had the biggest mouth to know and tell the latest news was well known and a person of great importance. That person knew what was happening. That person had the latest information. That person was the person to seek out, to get to know, to have in one's company, because they had information ties that kept them informed. That person was the journalist of their time.
So all of Jerusalem was in an uproar because the three kings came seeking the King of the Jews. And Pilate gathered together all his heads of state, his leaders of industry, his counselors, and lawyers, and priests, and scholars, and scribes, in an effort to ascertain what was happening in his kingdom. Fear prevailed and he wanted a solution to the problem.
After his inhouse search for the answer, he decided to secretly meet with the Magi to determine what they knew about this new King. So he questioned with caution, so as to not give away his intentions. And after his meeting, he sent them away, pleading that they send him a message when they had found the place where this new king was born. Pilates intentions were not genuine. Pilate was a dishonest and decietful man. He was cunning and deadly. His heart was filled with malice and was possessed with evil.
But the Magi were wise men and men of the world who were able to discern the guiles of Pilate. Having heard his plea, they set out on their quest and found the infant child. And their hearts were filled with joy and they rejoiced exceedingly. I can not remember the last time I rejoiced exceedingly. Maybe when my favorite football team won?? But this is a different kind of rejoicing. Their rejoicing was like a journey of discovery that they went on searching for a goal. How deep was their desire to find their goal?? How sincere was their search to locate the destination of the star?? How much was their longing that what they sought was real?? How exceeding joy was their joy when they found what they sought??
I think about the beholds that we have today. Behold a plane has crashed killing all passengers aboard. Behold, a valcano has erupted, leaving a cloud of smoke and ash killing all the villagers in its path. Behold, the president of the United States busted his lip and has 12 stitches.
In those times Jerusalem was the center of attraction and all news traveled from that point.
Today the world is the center of our awareness and all news originates from it. Yet what captures our attention and is presented to us, is news of disaster, and news of ruin, or news of fame, or news of fortune, or news of greed, or news of lust. Our beholds are quite different.
Yet in those days, the Magi appeared and upset the entire kingdom of Jerusalem. All of Jerusalem was abuzz with answering the question of where was the new king that was born King of the Jews. There was no, CNN, or CBS, or ABC news reports back then. There were no ipads or ipods, or smartphones, or even televisions or radios. There was only word of mouth, and whoever had the biggest mouth to know and tell the latest news was well known and a person of great importance. That person knew what was happening. That person had the latest information. That person was the person to seek out, to get to know, to have in one's company, because they had information ties that kept them informed. That person was the journalist of their time.
So all of Jerusalem was in an uproar because the three kings came seeking the King of the Jews. And Pilate gathered together all his heads of state, his leaders of industry, his counselors, and lawyers, and priests, and scholars, and scribes, in an effort to ascertain what was happening in his kingdom. Fear prevailed and he wanted a solution to the problem.
After his inhouse search for the answer, he decided to secretly meet with the Magi to determine what they knew about this new King. So he questioned with caution, so as to not give away his intentions. And after his meeting, he sent them away, pleading that they send him a message when they had found the place where this new king was born. Pilates intentions were not genuine. Pilate was a dishonest and decietful man. He was cunning and deadly. His heart was filled with malice and was possessed with evil.
But the Magi were wise men and men of the world who were able to discern the guiles of Pilate. Having heard his plea, they set out on their quest and found the infant child. And their hearts were filled with joy and they rejoiced exceedingly. I can not remember the last time I rejoiced exceedingly. Maybe when my favorite football team won?? But this is a different kind of rejoicing. Their rejoicing was like a journey of discovery that they went on searching for a goal. How deep was their desire to find their goal?? How sincere was their search to locate the destination of the star?? How much was their longing that what they sought was real?? How exceeding joy was their joy when they found what they sought??
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