The Three Kings * The Star of Bethlehem * The gifts of the Magi * Eight Gifts That Don�t Cost a Cent * Should Christians Give Gifts? * Why "Christmas"?

They are sometimes called "Magi" or "Wise Men." The word "magi" come from the Greek word used in the New Testament "magoi" which means magician. But the "magic" that these wise men practiced was probably closer to natural science than magic. The Magi are sometimes called Kings or Wise men because Magi were often hired by Kings because of their great wisdom to administer their kingdoms.

The Bible simply says that wise men came from the east following a star. Many ancient peoples believe that a new star in the sky signaled the birth of a great king(Matthew 2:1-12). Somehow these scholars concluded that the Star of Bethlehem signaled the birth of the King of Kings, Jesus. Where the Bible leaves off, tradition fills in the gaps.

First of all there is no mention of camels in Matthew (Of course it doesn't say they weren't riding camels either). Here tradition has taken its cue from other scriptures. Many believe that Isaiah was foretelling these kings arrival when he said, "the young camels of Midain and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring Gold and Frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord." Of course Matthew reports that the wise men brought gold, francisence and myrrh.

Whether they actually came from Midian and Ephah and Sheba on camels or not is unclear. Because Sheba was in north Africa, one of the Kings is often depicted as being African. *How many kings were there? Tradition says three. The Bible however doesn't give us a definite number. Three is often the assumed number because three gifts are mentioned. Tradition even gives these three Kings names: Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. What is clear is that they had come from foreign lands in a day when long distance travel was not easy.

Finally, the wise men are usually depicted as arriving on the night that Jesus was born. In truth they probably arrived a few years after Jesus' birth. Matthew says that they went to a house not a stable to bring their gifts. It also says that Herod ordered all the children two year and under killed based on when the Magi said the star appeared. So based on this we can guess that Jesus was about two years old when the Kings came.

Don't run to your Nativity scene to throw your Kings and their camels away! The truth that Jesus is the King of Kings is what is important about the story of the Three Kings so their statues deserve to be at the manger. They represent all the Gentiles that have come to believe in Jesus.

It�s the light that led the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. We have seen it depicted in art and movies and fiction. It is often portrayed as a bright star that moves in the sky to show the Wise Men where to find the baby Jesus.

But what does the Bible really say about the star of Bethlehem?

First of all it does not say that is was bright. In fact there is reason to believe that it was not very bright. There is no indication that anyone saw it other than the Wise Men. One of the things that Wise Men or Magi did was to map the stars. They thought they could predict the rise and fall of kingdoms from observing the stars. So the star only had to be bright enough to be visible for the Wise Men to take notice of it. Since only they seem to have noticed it would seem that it could not have been much brighter than an average star.

Most of the time we imagine the Wise Men seeing the star night after night during their journey until it led them to the baby Jesus. Actually from Matthew�s report it would seem that the star appeared twice. It appeared a first time in the sky and based on its position they concluded that it signaled the birth of a king in Israel. So at first they did not follow the star as one would follow an arrow pointing the way, but they allowed the meaning of the star. When they arrived in Israel they went straight to the King, Herod, to see the new prince that the star signaled. It was only after they left Herod that the star appeared again. It was then that the star appeared to lead them to the Christ Child.

What was the star of Bethlehem was?

One suggestion is that it was a Supernova. A supernova is the explosion of a star. When a large star dies it goes supernova and a supernova can be so bright that it appears in the daylight. Supernovae have also been known to get bright, then dim, and get bright again. From the point of view of the Magi it may have appeared, disappeared, and then appeared again. But it would not have moved in relation to the other stars.

Another possibilities is that it could have been a conjunction of planets. A conjunction is when one planet passes in front of another. The Wise Men would have tracked the visible planets like Jupiter and Mars and there were a couple of rare conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn about the time Jesus was born. The Wise Men would have been familiar with Astrology and might have interpreted a conjunction of planets as having special meaning. Most other people would not have noticed it at all especially the scribes and Pharisees who rightly considered Astrology to be a form of idolatry. Two different conjunctions in the same area of the sky could also have appeared as one light appearing, disappearing and then reappearing. It would also have moved from night to night.

Another possibility is that the star of Bethlehem could have been a comet. A comet would have appeared to move and would have been bright enough to be noticed. The tail could also have appeared to point to a particular house in Bethlehem.

The other possibility is that is was not an astronomical phenomenon at all. Instead of a natural event, it could have been a supernatural miracle. God could have sent an angel or some other light to draw the Wise Men to Israel and eventually to Jesus.

So what was it: a supernova, a conjunction, a comet or a miracle? I don�t know. And the Bible doesn�t tell us enough to figure it out. But what it does tell us is significant. Learned men from the east came to Jerusalem seeking Jesus. These were not believers in God. They were not Jewish. They were even practitioners of a superstition that was in violation of the laws of God. And it was a heavenly light them led them to Jesus.

Why does Matthew go to the trouble of identifying the specific gifts that the Magi gave? One possibility is to demonstrate that this event is a fulfillment of prophesy. Isaiah had said that Gentiles would come bringing Gold and Frankincense. While this is part of what the Holy Spirit is leading Matthew to do, there is more. If that were his only motive in naming the gifts he would not have mentioned Myrrh. He might have written �Gold, Frankincense, and other gifts.� You see Myrrh is not mentioned in any prophesies that I know of. So there must be some other significance to these gifts!

I like the way the song puts it �Born a King on Bethlehem�s plain, Gold I bring to crown him again.� We often speak of the wise men as kings when actually they were philosophers and magicians. But the idea that Jesus is the King of kings is expressed in their arrival. The gold is a symbol of Jesus' Kingship.

Of course Jesus had no need of a Gold crown to demonstrate to the world his kingship. Partially because his Kingdom was not of this world. He was not a Monarch like Caesar or Cleopatra who ruled for a short time over a limited territory. Jesus was there at creation and was King of the entire universe. And as the King of Kings he would wear a crown on earth - a crown of thorns.

The first gift: gold, draws our attention to these truths.

Frankincense was used in worship. It was made from the sap of the frankincense tree. In Old Testament Judaism it was used in a number of different ways to worship God. It was one of the ingredients in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:34). It was also burnt as part of the cereal-offering(Lv. 6:15) and placed on the showbread in the tabernacle(Lv. 24:7).

This gift demonstrates Jesus' priestly roll. But it also suggests that Jesus will be more than any earthly priest. Like earthly priests he would go before God interceding on behalf of the faithful. He would also offer a sacrifice for the sins of the world.

Some would also suggest that this gift reveals that Jesus himself is worthy of worship. The Gold shows that he is a King but the Frankincense reveals that he is God in the flesh. Not only will this child lead people to worship God. He himself will also be worshipped.

This is the strangest and most shocking of all the gifts. Of course like Gold and Frankincense, Myrrh was a valuable commodity. But it was used mainly as for anointing the dead. When the first gifts were presented to the child Messiah, I am sure Mary and Joseph nodded in approval and understanding. But when the last gift was presented they probably looked puzzled.

Who would give embalming fluid to a King much less a child king. But the gift was prophetic just like the others. Jesus was the King of kings as the Gold suggested and he was the great high priest and God incarnate as the Frankincense proclaimed. But Jesus had also come to die.

I remember singing the hymn �What child is this?� in an Episcopal church. The refrain in most hymnals goes: �This, This is Christ the king whom shepherd�s guard and angels sing.� The refrain for the first two verses was the same in the Episcopal hymnal. But the refrain for the last verse was different and it shocked me with its profoundness when I sang it: �Nails, spear shall pierce him through the lamb of God for me for you.� Jesus� death as the lamb of God slain for the sins of the world is the truth behind the gift of Myrrh. That was God�s goal in sending Jesus: that by sending His Son to live a perfect sinless life He would have the only worthy sacrifice to pay for the sins of the world.

Each of the gifts of the wise men reveal something about who Jesus is and what he came to do. The gold shows that Jesus came to rule the hearts of people as the King of kings. The Frankincense speaks of Jesus� role as our great high priest making offerings for the faithful and that Jesus came as God in the flesh - the object of our worship. And the Myrrh reminds us that Jesus came to die - for the sins of the world. He came to die for your sins and my sins.

We have all seen the perversion of Christmas by values of materialism. Principally the emphasis some people have of receiving. Perhaps it would be best if we Christians remember the words of our Lord, "It is more blessed to give than to receive"(Acts 20:35). Giving gifts is not a participation in the commercialization of Christmas unless our motive for giving is to receive. If however our motive is to give then we are simply following the example of our Heavenly Father who "Gave his only begotten son so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."(John 3:16)

The Gift of Listening

But you must REALLY listen. No interruption, no day dreamming no planning your response. Just listening.

The Gift of Affection

Be generous with appropriate hugs, kisses, pats on the back and handholds. Let these small actions demonstrate the love you have for family and friends.

The Gift of Laughter

Clip cartoons. Share articles and funny stories. Your gift will say, �I love to laugh with you."

The Gift of a Written Note

It can be a simple �Thanks for the help� note or a full sonnet. A brief, handwritten note may be remembered for a lifetime, and may even change a life.

The Gift of a Compliment

A simple and sincere, �You look great in red", �You did a super job" or "That was a wonderful meal� can make someone's day.

The Gift of a Favor

Every day, go out of your way to do something kind.

The Gift of Solitude

There are times when we want nothing better than to be left alone. Be sensitive to those times and give the gift of solitude to others.

The Gift of A Cheerful Disposition

The easiest way to feel good is to extend a kind word to someone, really it's not that hard to say, Hello or Thank you.

The name "Christmas" comes from the words "Christ" and "Mass," which is the name of the mass or worship service held to celebrate Christ's birth. So not only is Jesus the reason for the season, but worship of Christ is the reason for the name of the season.