Sermon Tone Analysis
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I am surprised by the lack of detail in the Christmas story.
Luke and Matthew are both rather vague in their accounts.
We place far more emphasis on their accounts then they seem to.
We end up with a Christmas story that has more detail and facts then the one we read in the Bible.
We have a nice wooden stable with a star over it, an inn keeper and three wise men
It is unlikely Jesus was born in a stable, as we imagine it - cave or a house
It is unlikely there was an innkeeper
It is unlikely there was a star the night Jesus was born
It is unlikely the wise men arrived at Jesus’ birth and that there were only three of them
We don’t know where exactly the wise men came from, how many there were or how old Jesus was when they visited
We don’t know where exactly the wise men came from, how many there were or how old Jesus was when they visited
We don’t know where exactly the wise men came from, how many there were or how old Jesus was when they visited
We don’t know the exact date of Jesus’ birth (likely not December)
It is not wrong to add some of these details to our story, some of these things are possible, we simple do not know from the text.
2 Warnings
Don’t give Biblical weight and authority to information not given in the Bible
While it is OK to speculate and try and fill in some detail, those details do not carry the same weight as the information given in the text.
We do know Mary was a virgin, we do know Mary and Joseph were from Nazareth and traveled to Bethlehem, we do know Jesus was visited by Magi from the East, we do know King Herod tried to kill Jesus
These facts carry weight and are more important because the Spirit of God moved Matthew and Luke to include them in the account.
It can be tempting at Christmas to find some detail of the story we have missed before or some strange truth we never knew
To preach a sermon on the “theological significance of the stable” or the “three characteristics of the three wise men” is to wander outside of the scriptures into conjecture.
Instead
We must even be careful about information we know from history but is not given in the Bible.
There is a reason Matthew and Luke included the information they did
I’m going to give you some historical information about King Herod this morning that is not found in the Bible but is historical fact.
Trust the information the Bible gives as sufficient
The facts that we have are all that we need in order to be all God wants us to be.
Sure, there are questions I have and it would be nice to have a bit more information but God gave us all we need.
Instead of trying to find out what information is missing we should seek to understand what God has given us.
Why did Matthew and Luke include the details they did?
How does the information Matthew and Luke include fit with the purposes of their letters?
- the nativity accounts are only part of a larger narrative
How does the information given help us to see Jesus and transform us into His image?
What I’ve said here applies to any passage of scripture but I find we tend to wander a little more at Christmas than other times of year because of the familiarity of the story.
This includes the Christmas story and it is true no matter how many times you read a passage or how familiar you are with it.
Setting
Timing - “now after Jesus was born...” - This passage fits in chronologically after - How long after we do not know.
I would guess some where between 6-18 months.
How long after we do not know
How long after we do not know.
I would guess some where between 6-18 months.
People involved - “Herod the King” - Herod the Great.
Herod was not a Jew, he was an Edomite (from Esau).
He was therefore not the rightful King of the Jews.
Rome had placed him as King, he was therefore under Rome’s authority.
Herod is known as a Master builder, building and financing many temples, palaces, fortresses and even harbors.
He is also known for his desire for control and power.
He “murdered his own wife, several sons, and other relatives” (ESV) who he thought were trying to overthrow him.
The Jews hated Herod because he was not a Jew and he was loyal to Rome.
In an effort to appease the Jews he began a remodeling of the temple.
While his renovations were impressive he did not win the Jews favor.
Herod reigns from 37 - 4 BC.
He is not to be confused with his son Herod Antipas who tried Jesus and had John the Baptist beheaded.
“Wise men from the east” - a more accurate translation might be “magi”.
Best guess is these men were from Babylon although we cannot say for sure.
The term magi “by this time is applied to a wide range of people whose practice included astrology, dream interpretation, study of sacred writings, the pursuit of wisdom and magic.”
(ESV) So we don’t really know where they are from nor what they do, a good guess would be that they were involved in some study of the stars because they had followed one.
What we do know is that they are important and distinguished men.
We normally think they were three wise men but the text doesn’t tell us how many.
They gave three gifts (hence 3 wise men).
It is very likely that due to their status and distance of travel that a large entourage is with them.
Could be as many as 40 people including servants and guides.
Location - So when Matthew says they came to Jerusalem, it would have caught the attention of people there, it’s a big deal.
So when Matthew says they came to Jerusalem, it would have caught the attention of people there, it’s a bug deal.
What Happens
If there presence there wasn’t enough their question only heightens the buzz
“Where is he who is born king of the Jews?” - There is a really important word in their question - “born” - in other words “where is the legitimate King!” Herod was not the rightful King, he wasn’t even Jewish.
These Magi who aren’t Jewish either come asking for the rightful King.
These aren’t other Jews trying to stir a revolt.
- They want to worship this new King.
The text doesn’t say they go to Herod.
The star they have been following has led them to Jerusalem.
They assume the King has been born there.
Wouldn’t a King be born in the capital city?
I think they also assume it would be common knowledge - So they start asking around the city and word reaches Herod.
How do you think Herod would respond to such a question?
“troubled” - “cause great distress, trouble, disturb”
After all Herod has done to protect his throne the rightful King has apparently now been born
It is both interesting and sad that Matthew writes Jerusalem was troubled too.
We would expect Herod to be troubled but Jerusalem should have rejoiced.
They knew what this meant.
Notice v. 3 - “the Christ” - the magi came looking for the King, Herod and the people rightly connected that this King was the Messiah
Herod assembles the religious leaders, why? - So he can find out where this King is! Why?
So he can kill him.
Herod has one motive self-preservation.
He and he alone will be King, he will have no rivals.
The religious leaders rightly discern that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem!
So now Herod has a location, but what vital piece of information is he missing?
The age.
Notice he “secretly” (v.
7) meets with the wise men.
Herod is a schemer, a deceiver.
He flat out lies to the wise men in v. 8.
He pretends like he wants to worship the Messiah too.
Ps
rov 5:3-4
Prov 26:
Not only is he a schemer and a deceiver and wicked but he is also deceived.
He is blinded to the truth before him.
Herod knows this child is the Messiah and therefore, the rightful king of the Jews.
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