Holiday Travel, Magi Style

Holiday Travel, Magi Style
By Julie Taylor

Many traditions surround us this Holiday season as we welcome the hope, peace, joy, and love our Savior in Jesus brings to our world. Christmas music can be heard playing in shopping centers, car radios, and personalized playlists. Gifts are purchased, some planned out well in advance, while others in a hurried frenzy not to forget someone on our lengthy list of ‘things to do.’ A symbolic holiday feast is planned, representing a deeper theological meaning and bringing many of us to tables in joyful celebration.

A great deal of preparation goes into ensuring that our holiday, including our feast or celebration, goes well. Not many of us would think to set an extra place for the possibility of a stranger coming to our door. Many a story and many a song have depicted the first Christmas. From Mary and Joseph not being able to find room in a local inn to the humble setting of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, tradition comes alive as it is celebrated with hope, peace, joy, and love.

A group of foreign men bringing uniquely symbolic gifts often accompanies our traditional holiday story. Often lost among the focus of the more mainline traditions, the significance of these mysterious visitors shouldn’t be discounted. The Bible refers to them as ‘Magi,’ and who they were is just as interesting as the gifts they presented.

These individuals were likely scholars or priests with knowledge of astronomy and possibly astrology, who interpreted celestial events as significant. Not only did they associate a landmark celestial event with a divine announcement, but they also felt compelled to be a part of it by paying tribute. From their suspected home in Persia to Bethlehem, these ‘Magi’ traveled approximately eight hundred miles. Camels could typically cover about twenty miles per day on average. Assuming they traveled for about 8 hours a day, they would have invested about six weeks in their itinerary to pay homage to the Christ child. Many of us travel during the Holidays to spend that time with friends and loved ones, but not many of us undertake such a journey.

These foreigners, Gentiles, traveled for several weeks to present gifts to and worship a Savior who was largely rejected by His very own people.

Far from the more practical gifts of the time, such as fine linens, blankets, clothing, or toys, these foreign visitors brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Myrrh was a key ingredient in the holy anointing oil used in the Tabernacle for consecrating priests, the altar, and sacred objects. When burnt, frankincense emitted a fragrant odor, and hence the incense was a symbol of the divine name and an emblem of prayer. It was part of the holy incense formula used to make offerings to God. By its very name, gold needs no definition. However, in biblical times, access to gold was generally limited to a select few due to its rarity and value.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh weren’t just generous and well-thought-out gifts; they were uniquely representative in celebration of the birth of the Messiah.

These Magi weren’t the only people looking for Jesus. King Herod, the Roman-appointed king of Judaea, is portrayed in the New Testament as a tyrant into whose kingdom Jesus of Nazareth was born. And we find that Herod is only the first in an extensive line of people who wanted to kill Jesus (Matthew 2:13). Jesus was rejected by the chief priests, scribes, and the leading men among His own people (Matthew 21:15). He was also rejected by His hometown of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30).

Jesus was rejected by some, celebrated by others, but came to save us all.

Jesus’ teachings challenged societal and religious norms. Instead of bitter revenge, He taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Jesus championed equality and inclusion, dining with sinners and healing people who were ostracized by society. Jesus broke social barriers by interacting with Samaritans and Gentiles, groups typically shunned by Jewish society. He called out the religious leaders of the time, who were practicing the law outwardly but weren’t loyal to God in their hearts. Jesus forgave sins, something it was understood that only God could do.

Jesus’ teachings not only challenged societal norms of His day but are still challenging societal norms in the present day.

Jesus liberates and frees some people but threatens and repulses others. This rejection highlights the struggle between new ideas and established beliefs. The humility and submission to something larger than ourselves that is required on a faith walk with Jesus continues to be a struggle for many. Unlike the Magi of biblical times, some of us are finding the journey to welcome Christ difficult, threatening, and bewildering. How do we pass along the hope, peace, joy, and love to strangers, or even enemies, this season—or any season, for that matter?

Ezekiel 36:26
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

We believe in the hope that God can affect change to any heart at any time. The star that guided the Magi to Jesus represents divine guidance and the hope that God leads us towards truth and salvation. God keeps His promises.

We rest in the peace that the work of Jesus Christ is powerful enough to carry all of us through anything we face. The Magi, who likely came from Persia, represent the Gentiles. Their journey to worship Jesus symbolizes the coming together of different peoples and nations under the peace of Christ.

The birth of Jesus brings joy to the world, as it marks the arrival of the long-awaited Messiah who brings good news and salvation. This offer of salvation doesn’t expire and is available to all who seek it. And we rejoice in the joy of knowing we are never alone, no matter how far we might travel from our faith walk with God.

The inclusion of the Magi in the Nativity story underscores the universal love of God for all humanity, extending beyond the Jewish people to all nations. Deep in our hearts, we feel the love that only God can provide, through the birth, death, resurrection, and return of our Lord Jesus Christ.