The Magi

                                                                                                          

     The 6th of January comes the day AFTER the 12th Day of Christmas.  This is celebrated by western Christians who use a structured calendar as the coming of the Magi or Wise Men.  There is recognition that Jesus may have been up to 2 years old when the Wise Men came, since evil King Herod sought to kill all the baby boys in Bethlehem up to that age.  Also, the account refers to Jesus as a "child" (though that culture, like ours, sometimes called babies "children"), and the family was in a "house."

     This day on the church calendar is called "Epiphany", which means a "shining forth."  Obviously, that refers in one sense to the star which shone forth.  It also refers to Christ's divinity, His "God-ness", shining forth.  These mysterious visitors from the east took the message of this new King far outside the region of Bethlehem.  Epiphany is a whole season where the Bible readings in church refer to ways His divinity shone forth, though He often kept it to Himself.  

     Who were these mysterious visitors from the East?  The term "Magi" may give us some clues as to who these men were.  "Magi" is a close rendering of the Greek term for the Wise Men in Matthew chapter 2. In Greek, the singular is "magos", and the plural is "magoi."  The word derives from the Old Persian word "magus."  

     According to some sources, the term entered the English language via Latin around AD 1200.  In English usage, the term seems have shown up in literature prior to being used in an English translation.  Some relatively modern literature includes T.S. Elliot's poem "The Journey of the Magi" and O. Henry's short story "The Gifts of the Magi" [which is not about the Wise Men at all].  There are links to both below.   The rare English usage in a Biblical translation is the New International Version, but only to describe the Wise Men in Matthew Chapter 2, not in other usages where "magos" appears in original Biblical languages.  

     The term magus first emerged as a tribe of the Median people.  The Medes were close relatives of the Persians and banded with them to form the empire which conquered Babylon and continued overlordship of the Jews for about two-hundred years (539-334 BC).  The Magi conducted sacrificial duties and delved into the occult, that is, "otherworldly" supposed special knowledge that falls outside whatever the practitioner's mainstream religion is. Magi came to generally be seen as keepers of all kinds of special knowledge. This includes astronomy/astrology and the medicine of the day. 

     The early Median Magi were pictured as tall, wearing flowing robes and tall, conical hats.  (As Nativity sets were developed in medieval Europe, the Wise Men were still pictured as tall and thin, adding to their sense of mystery.)  They wore white robes.   

     The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that the term was used, generally, by the aristocrats of the Median people.   If so, it seems the usage had expanded some.  These were considered men who could interpret dreams.  Internal strife between the Medes and the Persian emperors led to the Magi's status being reduced. 

     At one time in its usage, it specifically referred to Zoroastrian priests.  (Zoroatsrianism is a Persian religion that has somewhat mysterious origins and is named for its founder, Zoroaster.  When, exactly, it began is unclear, but it was on the horizon during the Jews' exile in Babylon, which was conquered by Persia.)   By New Testament times, the mystery religion Mithraism had arisen in Rome. Though dedicated to the Greco-Roman god Mithras, the god's original name and many of the practices were derived from Zoroastrianism.  It appears that occultic priest-astronomers connected with this religion were called "Magi."

     In Greek, the word began to morph into the concept of "magician", as we know it. This usage entered Latin, also.  Early Church Fathers, including Justin, Origen, Augustine and Jerome translated "magos" as "magician", not distinguishing the Wise Men from others referred to by this term.  The same term is used for Simon the Magician and Elymas the Sorcerer in Acts chapters 8 and 13.

     Jeremiah chapter 39 refers to Nergal-Sharezar as the "rab mag" ("chief magus"), blending Hebrew with an alliteration of Persian. Some believe that Daniel held a similar title.  However, Daniel seems hesitant to have written of himself using this term, either to keep from offending those magi who were Median or to emphasize his Jewishness and identity as a worshipper of Yahweh.  In any case, those jealous of Daniel were referred to as satraps, not as magi. 

     Matthew chapter 2 discusses the Magi studying the stars. This led early English translator John Wycliffe to translate the word as "astrologers."  At that time, there was no distinction between the concepts of "astrologer" and "astronomer."  Up through the Protestant Reformation, Christians considered that God might be speaking to them through astronomical events and did not necessarily consider "astrology" to be witchcraft nor the occult. 

     Legends grew about the Wise Men.  They were often referred to as "The Three Kings" and assigned names and ages.  They were most certainly not kings.  And we don't know how many there were: only that there were three gifts.   There were at least two because the plural term is used.  At the height of trying to make the Wise Men represent all people, they were said in some legends to be exactly 60, 40 and 20 years old, with one being Caucasian, one Black, and one Asian.

      They were given various names, also.  The most common names circulating in European traditions, were Caspar (or "Gaspar" from the Persian "Jasper", a precious stone), Melchior, and Balthazar, who is most commonly considered the Ethiopian, or Black, Wise Man.  Ethiopian Christians named them Karsudan, Hor, and Basanater.  Syrian Christians named them Larvandad, Homisdas, and Gushnasaph. 

     Speculation began that each of the three gifts was highly symbolic. This symbolism is spelled out in the carol "We Three Kings of Orient Are" (also linked below).  Gold is said to honor a king.  Incense (or frankincense) is said to be honoring the Baby Jesus' divinity, since incense is used in Temple worship (not just in the ancient Jewish faith and some forms of Christianity, but in all kinds of religions).  Myrrh was an ancient spice often used in the burial of bodies; therefore, this was said to note the eventual sufferings and death of the Christ.  While Jesus was offered wine mixed with myrrh at His crucifixion and buried with a mixture that included myrrh, this expensive item was also used among the living.  Myrrh was used in perfumes, anointing oils and medicines.  At any rate, some of these costly items may have been sold or exchanged to pay for the journey into Egypt, made necessary by mad King Herod's wish to destroy Jesus, and the subsequent resettling in Nazareth.  Jesus, as an adult, certainly identified Himself as having no real worldly possessions. 

     The Bible does not mention the camels often pictured in nativity scenes. This idea likely comes from the Old Testament prophecy from Isaiah 60, thought to refer to the Wise Men.  The presence of camels make sense, though, with them being common pack and travel animals in the Middle East of Jesus's day.  

     The Wise Men don't always seem so "wise."  Why did they blunder right into Herod's domain, asking openly about the new King of the Jews?  Herod the Great was a massively jealous, psychopathic man (something known to history.)

     After visiting the Holy Family, the Magi disappear from legitimate history. Old legends spun stories that Thomas, who was the apostle to India, met up with the Wise Men on his travels East.  [The idea that Thomas was an apostle to India may not be fictitious of itself, though; there are also very old stories in India that he established the first Christian churches there, those in existence long before the British colonized.)  Lew Wallace wove their story into Ben-Hur.  Another fictional story invents a fourth Wise Man.  It's quite possible, though, that they had passed away before Jesus started His earthly ministry. 

• Magi: very technical explanation from BibleGateway's Encyclopedia of the Bible
• Maier, Paul L.  First Christmas:  The True and Unfamiliar Story.  (Harper & Row, 1971; Pp. 64-68)
• New World Encyclopedia Online
• The Christmas Star
• O. Henry: "The Gift of the Magi"
• T.S. Elliot: "Journey of the Magi"
• We Three Kings

O Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem How still we see thee lie: 

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep 

The silent stars go by; 

Yet in thy dark streets shineth 

The Everlasting Light; 

The hopes and fears of all the years 

Are met in thee tonight. 

For Christ is born of Mary, 

And gathered all above, 

While mortals sleep, the angels keep 

Their watch of wondering love. 

O morning stars, together 

 Proclaim the holy birth! 

And praises sing to God the King, 

 And peace to men on earth. 

How silently, how silently 

The wondrous gift is giv'n; 

So God imparts to human hearts 

The blessing of His heaven; 

No ear may hear His coming, 

But in this world of sin, 

Where meek souls will receive Him still 

The dear Christ enters in. 

Where children pure and happy 

Pray to the blessed Child: 

Where Misery cries out to Thee, 

Son of the undefiled; 

Where Charity stands watching, 

And Faith holds wide the door, 

The dark night wakes, the glory breaks, 

And Christmas comes once more. 

O Holy Child of Bethlehem! 

 Descend to us, we pray, 

Cast out our sin, and enter in, 

Be born in us today; 

We hear the Christmas angels 

The great glad tidings tell; 

O come to us, abide with us,  

Our Lord Emmanuel*!

  --Father Phillip Brooks, Episcopal priest, 1868

*Emmanuel (or Immanuel) is Hebrew for "God with us" 

Father Brooks was inspired to write this hymn by a trip to the Holy Land. 

The tune this is most often sung to in the United States, "St. Louis", was penned rather hastily at the author's request by his organist, Lewis Redner.  The tune "Forest Green" used in the UK and the Commonwealth is an adaptation of a folk tune.  Ralph Vaughn Williams made the adaptation and set this hymn to that tune in 1906.

Hymnary.org O Little Town of Bethlehem

Philadelphia Encyclopedia "O Little Town of Bethlehem"

Hymnology Archive "O Little Town of Bethlehem

And Death Shall Have No Dominion*

[to commemorate All Saints Day, November 1st] 

And death shall have no dominion.* 

Dead men naked they shall be one 

With the man in the wind and the west moon; 

When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone, 

They shall have stars at elbow and foot; 

Though they go mad they shall be sane, 

Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again; 

Though lovers be lost love shall not; 

And death shall have no dominion. 

And death shall have no dominion. 

Under the windings of the sea 

They lying long shall not die windily; 

Twisting on racks when sinews give way, 

Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break; 

Faith in their hands shall snap in two, 

And the unicorn evils run them through; 

Split all ends up they shan't crack; 

And death shall have no dominion. 

And death shall have no dominion. 

No more may gulls cry at their ears 

Or waves break loud on the seashore; 

Where blew a flower may a flower no more 

Lift its head to the blows of the rain; 

Through they be mad and dead as nails, 

Heads of the characters hammer through daisies; 

Break in the sun till the sun breaks down, 

And death shall have no dominion.* 

--Dylan Thomas, 1933 [Welsh; now in public domain] 

 *Romans 6:9-- "Since Christ has been raised from the dead, the dead die no more; death has no dominion over him.

"Supermoon" Rising Over a Cemetery in Missouri

A Harvest of Manliness

 (Boaz & Ruth) 

      This month, the blog has an essay again rather than a poem.  The idea of "harvest" in the early chapters of Ruth can lend itself to autumnal thoughts.

      For men, especially Christian men, worried about society losing its masculine edge and becoming too feminized, reviewing the story of Ruth & Boaz can channel such thoughts in helpful ways. 

"Boaz and Ruth" James Faed (Scottish), 1855

     What makes Boaz a good masculine role model? He supports Ruth with kindness and supportive strength 💪 without 💖 ❤️ taking away her agency.  She went out on a limb to visit at night.  He did not take advantage of her. He also provided cover so she wouldn't be shamed. 

     Andrew Tate (whom I hope not too many so-called Christians follow) is completely opposite to Boaz in this regard. Far too many of the leaders whom voters elevated to prominent US positions in November 2024, hoping they'd bring back a "masculine vibe", are completely incapable of Boaz's type of masculine energy. A lot of them will make up stuff about what happened with women, in fact, and make predatory behaviors the mark of being a man. 

      Testosterone doesn't require you to constantly fight, demean, dominate or belittle. The only 'fight' Boaz got into happened when the closer kinsman refused to marry Ruth. In my mind's eye, I see a bit of testosterone flare there, even as he uses the legal system of the day to make his point. 

      Some of the current so-called pro-masculine movements seem all about taking away women's agency. That doesn't seem truly strong to me-- it seems like fear clothed in a false front of strength. And that is the same pattern that makes bullies.

September Harvest

 

After the blizzards and after the drifts, 

after the snowbanks and temperature shifts... 

After the blossoms from light colored buds, 

after the rainstorms and after the floods... 

After the heat from the high summer sun, 

after the grain that is ripe for autumn... 

come September harvest.

The Veteran in a New Field; Winslow Homer, 1865

When old farmer Elmer is out on his field, 

reaping the harvest with plenteous yield, 

reminding me fully of lost, lonely souls, 

that we need to harvest from Satan's controls. 

To he who repents and to he who believes, 

to all who accept Him, to all of the sheaves... 

come September harvest. 

The harvest is plenty with laborers few 

but these are the souls that we need to get to. 

If we love our neighbors as we ourselves love - 

(you must know by now what I'm speaking of...) 

For though this big world is in stark opposition, 

we recommit fully for this great commission... 

come September harvest. 

 ---Louis Gander, 2012 

Gander Story Poems

 This poem won first place for the September 2012 poetry contest. This Christian poem may be used within Christian ministries for any non-profit purpose without requesting permission. Please remember to mention the author of this poem when using.

August

This was its promise, held to faithfully: 

The early morning sun came in this way 

Until the angle of its saffron* beam
Between the curtains and the sofa lay, 

And with its ochre** heat it spread across 

The village houses, and the nearby wood, 

Upon my bed and on my dampened pillow 

And to the corner where the bookcase stood. 

Then I recalled the reason why my pillow 

Had been so dampened by those tears that fell-

I'd dreamt I saw you coming one by one 

Across the wood to wish me your farewell. 

You came in ones and twos, a straggling crowd; 

Then suddenly someone mentioned a word: 

It was the sixth of August, by Old Style***, 

And the Transfiguration of Our Lord****. 

For from Mount Tabor**** usually this day 

There comes a light without a flame to shine, 

And autumn draws all eyes upon itself 

As clear and unmistaken as a sign.*****

But you came forward through the tiny, stripped, 

The pauperly and trembling alder grove, 

Into the graveyard's coppice, russet-red******, 

Which, like stamped gingerbread, lay there and glowed. 

 And with the silence of those high treetops 

Was neighbour only the imposing sky 

And in the echoed crowing of the cocks 

The distances and distances rang by: 

There in the churchyard underneath the trees, 

Like some surveyor from the government 

Death gazed on my pale face to estimate 

How large a grave would suit my measurement. 

All those who stood there could distinctly hear

A quiet voice emerge from where I lay: 

The voice was mine, my past; prophetic words 

That sounded now, unsullied by decay:

'Farewell, wonder of azure and of gold,

Surrounding the Transfiguration's power: 

Assuage now with a woman's last caress 

The bitterness of my predestined hour! 

'Farewell timeless expanse of passing years!

Farewell, woman who flung your challenge steeled 

Against the abyss of humiliations: 

For it is I who am your battlefield! 

'Farewell, you span of open wings outspread, 

The voluntary obstinacy of flight, 

O figure of the world revealed in speech, 

Creative genius, wonder-working might!'

--Boris Pasternak [author of Dr. Zhivago], 1890-1960

*saffron-- orangish yellow 

**ochre--  deep orange-y brown

***adjusted calendar:  Pope Gregory XIII adjusted the calendar in 1582.  Due to the way leap days had been inserted, there had been "seasonal creep."  About 11 days were taken out of the calendar, readjusting dates, and leap days were no longer inserted in years that are divisible by 100 (i.e. 1700), unless they are also divisible by 400 (i.e. 2000).  

   Protestant-dominated countries were slower to adopt the calendar. Great Britain and its colonies adopted the Gregorian Calendar in September of 1752.  You may have heard that Washington's birthday 'moved'?

   Eastern Orthodox countries were even slower to adopt the new calendar, which most did for purely civic, non-church purposes. Within Orthodox churches, the 'old calendar' is often still used.

****Feast of Transfiguration/Mt. Tabor.  Eastern Orthodox churches celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration on the 6th of August.  Lutherans used to use this date, also. Transfiguration is the event where Jesus shone forth brightly on a mountaintop.  Many Christian traditions suggested this was Mt. Tabor.

      Roman Catholics set the date as the last Sunday before Lent. This is when Lutherans now celebrate it. This makes sense, as the event was one of the final ones before Jesus travelled to Jerusalem to give His life for the world.

*****August giving way to autumn.  Not really a factor where I currently live but it is in many places.

******russet red coppice--  russet is a dark-brown color with reddish or even orange tinges; a coppice is an area where trees have been cut down to stumps, often to encourage the growth of other plants or trees

America the Definitely Beautiful

 

Happy 4th of July!  

Continental Divide in Colorado
from a few years ago

Now Thank We All Our God

                    

Now thank we all our God, 

With heart and hands and voices;

Who wondrous things has done, 

In whom this world rejoices. 

Who from our mothers' arms 

Has blessed us on our way 

With countless gifts of love, 

And still is ours today. 

1st Mother's Day

O may this bounteous God 

Through all our life be near us; 

With ever joyful hearts 

And blessed peace to cheer us;

And keep us still in grace 

And guide us when perplexed; 

And free us from all ills

In this world and the next. 

Composite image: as if my daughter and I are at the same youthful age in heaven

All praise and thanks to God 

The Father now be given; 

The Son, and Him Who reigns 

With Them in highest heaven: 

The one eternal God, 

Whom earth and heaven adore; 

For thus it was, is now

And shall be evermore. 

--Rev. Martin Rinkart, ~1636; translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1855

    Rev. Martin Rinkart was a German Lutheran pastor during the 30 Years War. The war was a series of conflicts between Roman Catholic and Protestants across Europe from 1618 to 1648.  The conflict raged across much of Europe but was particularly devastating in the German provinces.

     Pastor Rinkart wrote this hymn as the war was nearing its end.  He had been exposed to some of its tremendous horrors, including disease, which often grows out of warfare.  Still, he wrote this hopeful hymn.  It is based on Wisdom of ben Sirach 50:22-24, from the Apocrypha. The Apocrypha are books that are considered Scripture by Roman Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox but not Lutherans and other Protestants.  Martin Luther had said these books were worth reading, though not canonical Scripture.  Yet Rinkart wrote his hymn based on one of these passages. 

     This is one of my all-time favorite hymns.  Sometimes it is nice to read hymns as poems.  This year, it is posted for Mother's Day, initially, because of the reference to "mothers' arms." 

The Destin Log: Story Behind the Song

Biblical Winters

 

[Young Elihu to Job & company]

"God's voice thunders with marvelous things;

He does great things we cannot deeply know.

For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,'

And to the shower of rain, Be mighty rain torrents'...

From the Breath of God ice is given,

     And the broad waters are frozen."  (Job 37:5, 6, 10)

Praise Yahweh from the earth:

Fire and hail, snow and clouds, 

Strong wind doing His will...

Let them praise the Name of Yahweh,

For His Name alone is exalted;

His splendor is above the earth and heavens. (Psalm 148: 7a, 8, 13)

He sends forth His command to the earth;

His word runs swiftly forth.

He dispenses snow as wool;

He scatters hoar-frost as ashes.

He hurls His hail as fragments--

Who can stand before His icy cold?

He sends forth His word and melts them;

He causes the wind to blow,

         and the waters flow.  (Psalm 147: 15-18)

[Yahweh says]

"For just as the rain comes down

     And the snow from the heavens

     And does not return there

     Without watering the earth,

Causing it to bring forth and sprout

     So that it yields seed to the sower

      And bread to the eater,

Thus is My Word which goes forth from My mouth:

It does not return to me void,

But does what I delighted

And advances those things for which I sent it."  (Isaiah 55: 10-11)

"Come, now, let us reason together.

Though your sins are like scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red as crimson,

They shall be [white] like wool."  (Isaiah 1:18)

[King David leads us in saying]

"Cleanse me with hyssop* and I shall be clean;

Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  (Psalm 51:7)

(original translations c.m.b.)

*Ezov, the hyssop of the Bible-- a flowering herb in the mint family, which was used for cleansing. The plant was used to "sprinkle" liquids.  A hyssop stalk was used to life a sponge to Jesus' lips as He hung on the cross, to give Him something to wet His lips as He thirsted.

[Thee God I come from, to Thee go]

                                                           

Thee, God, I come from, to thee go,

 All day long I like fountain flow 

From thy hand out, swayed about 

Mote-like* in thy mighty glow.         

Hopkins in his early years

What I know of thee I bless, 

As acknowledging thy stress 

On my being and as seeing 

Something of thy holiness.     

Once I turned from thee and hid, 

Bound on what thou hadst forbid; 

Sow the wind I would; I sinned: 

I repent of what I did. 

Hopkins as a young priest

Bad I am**, but yet thy child.

Father, be thou reconciled. 

Spare thou me, since I see 

With thy might that thou art mild. 

I have life before me still 

And thy purpose to fulfil; 

Yea a debt to pay thee yet: 

Help me, sir, and so I will. 

Hopkins in later years

But thou bidst, and just thou art, 

Me shew mercy from my heart 

Towards my brother, every other 

Man my mate and counterpart.

--Gerard Manley Hopkins, S.J., 1885

                                                                 

*speck-like

**should not be taken as a call to wallow in poor self-esteem; rather, this recognition of original sin helps us understand the lack of perfection in all of us and our need for God's forgiveness.  We all want to go off our own ways, and we are not naturally altruistic and loving towards others. 

Gerard Manley Hopkins: Poetry Foundation

Prayer Answered by Crosses

 

I ask’d the Lord, that I might grow

In faith, and love, and ev’ry grace,

Might more of his salvation know,

And seek more earnestly his face.

‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray,

And he, I trust has answer’d pray’r;

But it has been in such a way,

As almost drove me to despair.

I hop’d that in some favour’d hour,

At once he’d answer my request:

And by his love’s constraining pow’r,

Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this. he made me feel

The hidden evils of my heart;

And let the angry pow’rs of hell

Assault my soul in ev’ry part.

Yea more, with his own hand he seem’d

Intent to aggravate my woe;

Cross’d all the fair designs I schem’d,

Blasted my gourds*, and laid me low.

Lord, why is this, I trembling cry’d,

Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?

“‘Tis in this way,” the Lord reply’d,

“I answer pray’r for grace and faith.

“These inward trials I employ,

“From self and pride to set thee free;

“And break thy schemes of earthly joy,

“That thou mayst seek thy all in me.”

     --John Newton (1725-1807); author of "Amazing Grace" and many other poems & hymns  

*Book of Jonah:  God dried things up to prove a point to Jonah about Jonah's hardness of heart towards the Ninevites

The Lord Will Provide

Though troubles assail 

And dangers affright, 

Though friends should all fail 

And foes all unite; 

Yet one thing secures us, 

Whatever betide, 

The scripture assures us, 

The Lord will provide. 

The birds without barn 

Or storehouse are fed, 

From them let us learn 

To trust for our bread: 

His saints, what is fitting, 

Shall ne’er be denied, 

So long as ’tis written, 

The Lord will provide.

We may, like the ships, 

By tempest be tossed 

On perilous deeps, 

But cannot be lost. 

Though Satan enrages 

The wind and the tide, 

The promise engages, 

The Lord will provide. 

His call we obey 

Like Abram of old, 

Not knowing our way, 

But faith makes us bold; 

For though we are strangers 

We have a good Guide, 

And trust in all dangers, 

The Lord will provide. 

When Satan appears 

To stop up our path, 

And fill us with fears, 

We triumph by faith; 

He cannot take from us, 

Though oft he has tried, 

This heart–cheering promise, 

The Lord will provide. 

He tells us we’re weak, 

Our hope is in vain, 

The good that we seek 

We ne’er shall obtain, 

But when such suggestions 

Our spirits have plied, 

This answers all questions, 

The Lord will provide. 

No strength of our own, 

Or goodness we claim, 

Yet since we have known 

The Savior’s great name; 

In this our strong tower 

For safety we hide, 

The Lord is our power, 

The Lord will provide. 

When life sinks apace 

And death is in view, 

This word of his grace 

Shall comfort us through: 

No fearing or doubting 

With Christ on our side, 

We hope to die shouting, 

The Lord will provide.

 —John Newton (1725-1807) from Olney Hymns, 1779 [author of "Amazing Grace"]