The Festival of the Epiphany, Cycle B
“Wise Ones Still Seek Him!"
January 5, 2003
Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church
Lessons: St. Matthew 2:1-12
As this is the festival day of the three wise men, I thought I’d do a little research—to learn what, exactly, makes the wise men, wise—so wise, in fact, that they travelled a great distance to find the Christ child. Traditionally, the three wise men are called, “Magi”—so first, I looked up the word, “Magi”. Unfortunately, the definition in my abridged Webster’s said, “Magi—the three wise men of the Gospel of Matthew”. That, I already knew. Next, I looked up the word, “wise”—and there, I found: “having the power of discerning and judging rightly; having knowledge; learned; experienced; cunning; too smart; impudent; rude”. Well, there’s some insight there—but that’s a definition of “wise” from a worldly point of view. Wise—as in knowing the right information, having the right knowledge, making the correct choices; and then, of course, wise, as in wise guy, or smart-aleck. Still, I wasn’t sure that shed much light on the wise—men, and their quest to find Jesus. I wanted to know—what drove these men; why were they so determined; why were these Magi, from the far east, interested in a Jewish child born to humble, poor parents in a stable in Bethlehem? And then I remembered something about the wise men that I’d received on a Christmas Card—maybe that would provide some insight. So I dug through the cards, and there it was, from one of our old friends. Maybe you’ve seen it...it says,
“If the three wise men had been wise women, they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought practical gifts and—there would be peace on earth.”
I don’t know—although I’m sure some of you would agree with that sentiment—it still doesn’t answer our questions. I still want to know—what made the wise men, wise? Were they really astrologers, keyed in to the stars, and to that one star that led the way? Were they really Phoenecian priests who were familiar with the Old Testament prophecies? Were they kings, or princes, or advisors to kings and princes? Does wisdom lie in the ability to ask directions, to arrive on time, to bring practical gifts, and bake a casserole? I want to know—not as an academic exercise, and not just to fulfill my curiosity. I want to know, because whatever it was that made those wise men wise—maybe it will make us wise, as well!
As always when looking for helpful wisdom, I then turned to Dr. Martin Luther, who again, didn’t disappoint me. He wrote, about wisdom, “all the wisdom of the world is childish foolishness, in comparison with the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ.” Consider that, if you will—all the wisdom of the world is childish foolishness in comparison with the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ. Could Luther be saying, that all those definitions I looked up, about worldly wisdom—that all our human assumptions, about wisdom being in things like—college degrees, and gender, and social position—that those notions of wisdom, are as nothing compared to simply—seeing Jesus Christ, and acknowledging Him—as Son of God, and Savior of the world. Could it be that St. Matthew intentionally told us nothing more about these fellows, than that they were wise—because he was suggesting they were wise, because they followed the star, and travelled a long distance, and trusted God to lead them, not to a palace, and an earthly ruler, but to a stable, and a baby? There’s part of me that wishes very much, that Matthew had filled in more of the details about these men—told us where they were from, exactly, and how they came to know Jewish prophecy, and what sort of celestial occurance, or oddity led them, step by step, to the Christ child. But maybe that would lead us, only, astray. Maybe that would lead us to revere the wise men, and to acknowledge them, and their knowledge, intellect, and position. Maybe St. Matthew told us all that we needed to know—that these men, were wise, in that they trusted God, and followed God’s star—to Jesus—where they acknowledged Him, as Messiah, as Lord, come to shepherd his people. Although Luther was certainly not opposed to book learning, and university study, and academic degrees—what he does, is point us, not to human knowledge and achievement—not to human wisdom and intellectual pursuit—but to Christ. Always, Luther points us to Christ. And is that not also, what St. Matthew is pointing us to, as well? Matthew’s account of the Epiphany, the revealing of the Christ child, to Gentile visitors from outside Judea—serves no purpose other than, to point not just Jews, but all people, to the Christ. So that Matthew’s message is not so much different from that contemporary saying, “Wise men, and women, still seek Him!” Or maybe it’s better said, “Wise are the men and women, youth and children, Jews and Gentiles, Arabs and Americans, rich and poor, kings and paupers, doctors and taxi cab drivers, who still seek Him!” Because in seeking Jesus, is true wisdom. St. John of the Cross, who also lived in the sixteenth century said it a little differently, when he said, “all the wisdom of the world and all human cleverness, compared with the infinite wisdom of God, is sheer and extreme ignorance.” Which means, once again, “wise are the ones, who seek Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ!” Wise are the ones who trust, not their own intelligence, not the guidance and instructions of Herod—but the leading, guiding star of God, taking us, not where we might go, and not where we might expect—but to a baby, born in a stable, laid in a manger, with humble human parents, and barn animals all around. This would seem, as St. John of the Cross has it, “sheer and extreme ignorance—because the wisdom of the world and human cleverness would never put the Messiah in such a place. But the infinite wisdom of God is greater than the childish foolishness of the world. And we are wise, when we follow, not the wisdom of the world, but God. We are wise, when we seek, not ourselves, not our own power and glory and success—but Christ. We are wise, when we seek for ourselves, not treasure and wealth and position—but Christ, and offer to him, not just gold, frankincense and myrrh, but ourselves, and all that we have, and are. Because true wisdom, as we learn from the wise men—is not to be found in who we are, or what we become, or what we have accumulated—but in seeking and finding, Jesus Christ; in paying homage to Jesus Christ; in offering Him, our greatest gifts and treasures.
And the question for us is, are we, indeed, wise? Do we, who consider ourselves wise in the ways of the world—do we, who take pride in our human cleverness—still seek the Christ child? Will we, who put so much time and energy into amassing gold, frankincense and myrrh, willingly give it to the baby, born in a stable? If true wisdom comes from seeking Him—are we wise—men and women? Are you?