Matt.1:18 states Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph. What did that mean? Among the Jews, it was a formal ceremony, with the gift of a ring and other jewels. The time between the engagement (pledge) and marriage was usually a year. During that time the bride-elect remained in her parent’s home, and at the end of the engagement period she would go to live with her husband, and consummating the marriage. All communications in the meantime were conducted through a friend of the bridegroom. Matt.1:19-24 tells us Joseph was a righteous man. When he heard that Mary was pregnant, and knowing it was not his baby, he had plans to quietly divorce her. The engagement was legally binding, and that would have been an option----or he could have had her stoned to death. Jewish girls of that period usually became engaged when they were twelve or thirteen years old. If she became pregnant before the consummation with the one she was pledged, she would face public disgrace. An angel visited Joseph and said “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matt.1:20-21. Joseph obeyed the angel and married Mary. Mary was a virgin, and her baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Who were the wise men? The word used in Matthew 2 for magi is plural, but we don’t know how many there were. There are three gifts mentioned so people have assumed there were three, but that is not stated in the Bible. The magi were astrologers, not kings. The Bible states they came from the east. The only known Magi priests East of Judea, at the time of Christs birth, were in ancient Media, Persia, Assyria, and Babylonia. There is no proof of what country these men came from. Magi are generally associated with occult studies, even in our modern world. However, these magi were different. There is no indication that they practiced sorcery or claimed magical powers. Their recorded conduct is sincere and worshipful. They appear to have researched the Old Testament and believed it’s prophecies about the Messiah. The magi did not appear till possibly two years after the birth of Jesus. Jesus is called a young child, and states they visited Him at a house Matt.2:11. Herod ordered the killing of male children in Bethlehem of those 2 years and younger, according to the information given to him by the magi. Therefore there was no star shining over the manger when Jesus was born. The magi came later, following the star. Was there any significance in the gifts that the Magi brought to the Christ child? All three were offerings, and gifts given to a king. Myrrh being commonly used as anointing oil, frankincense as a perfume, and gold for its value. Gold is hard to find and that makes it very expensive. The Wise men believed that a new king had been born. Matt.2:1-2 Gold was often given to kings. Frankincense was burned on the altar of the temple by the priests The smoke drifted upward and the Jews believed that God smelled smoke, and was pleased. It was also a picture of the prayers of the people, that were offered to God. There are a number of referenced in the Bible about this. The Wise men gave Jesus a gift which was used by the priests. Myrrh was used as an embalming ointment and as incense in funerals. Myrrh was made into a beautiful and expensive perfume. In Jesus day even very poor people would buy it when someone they loved had died, to anoint the body. The myrrh symbolized the death of Jesus. His whole purpose of being born was to die, for our sins. No wonder we call Him our Savior.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:29:54 +0000
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