When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great gladness. And when they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Miriam; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew 2:10-11, TLV
The Magi’s Arrival. I was an adult before learning that the “three Wise Men” weren’t present at Jesus’s birth in the stable. All the movies that filled me with such awe, even our church plays were wrong. Our little nativity scene — that I made at the ceramics shop on the naval base while hubby was overseas — included the magi. There was no drummer boy who played his little heart out — which was disappointing because I loved that song.
No, it was simply Miriam (Mary), Joseph, Yeshua (Jesus), various smelly animals, and a few — equally smelly — shepherds.
The magi arrived some days — perhaps weeks or months — later. The presumably three men arrived to find the Child in a house. Was the little family in Nazareth or Bethlehem? Scholars disagree, but I lean toward Bethlehem. Once the census was over, there would be plenty of room to house the family in a home.
Where and preciously when isn’t as important as the fact that GOD brought these Gentiles to His Son. The first inkling that Yeshua’s birth was significant — not only to Israel and the Jewish people, but also the nations, the Gentiles.
When King Herod heard, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had called together all the ruling kohanim [priests] and Torah [Pharisees] scholars, he began to inquire of them where the Messiah was to be born. So they told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet [Micah]:
‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a ruler
who will shepherd My people Israel.’” (vss. 3-6 quoting Micah 5:1-2, TLV)
So, the question begs to be answered: Why the inaccuracies? Why promote the inaccuracies? I don’t know. Maybe it was more dramatic to show the juxtaposition of humbleness and royalty? Because who wants to just see a bunch of scruffy shepherds at such a momentous occasion?
When I did learn the truth, I struggled with what to do about those three figures in our family nativity. I didn’t want to promote the false narrative with our young daughter and I didn’t want to throw the little guys away. My solution was to place the magi in another room and move them closer each day after Christmas.
Eventually, with all our moves from California, Missouri, and Kansas, several pieces of the nativity broke — a kneeling shepherd, one of the brightly painted magi. Our dog ate Baby Jesus — Bad dog! (And very sick dog.) I wrapped the remaining pieces and threw them away.
But the Story remained. The Full Story of our Savior’s birth, ministry, miracles, teachings, sacrifice, death, resurrection, and return to His Father. The miracle of His work continuing through the efforts of His followers — some smelling of fish — to the world. That’s the true Story. The one we can share to everyone.
