The Nativity stories are found in the first two chapters of the gospels of Matthew and Luke. Fed by the pious Christmas carols and Christmas paintings, we usually mix up and harmonize the events from the two different traditions. For example, we have sung The First Noel for many many years. Yet, it was only during the 2011 Mid-night Mass that I discovered that the second stanza is unbiblical! The carol began with the shepherds keeping watch in a cold winter night. Moving into the second stanza, the carol talks about the shepherds seeing a bright star in the east.
They looked up and saw a star
Shining in the East beyond them far
Well, forget about whether Jesus was truly born on December 25 for the moment, the story of shepherds appears only in the gospel of Luke but the Star of Bethlehem only in Matthew. Shepherds never physically appear in Matthew. They are only allured to (Matthew 9:36, 25:32, 26:31). For ages, people assumed that the Star of Bethlehem was an astronomical phenomenon. If the Magi saw it, all other people would be able to see the same star. However, current theories about the Star of Bethlehem have given up the astronomical interpretation. Scholars tend to think of the star as an astrological sign. If such was the case, the Star of Bethlehem would only catch the attention of experts --- astrologists, which suits the description of Magi. These astrologists saw the rise of a very significant royal sign in the eastern heaven and came to Judaea to adore the new born king, so the gospel says. Matthew does not tell us how many Magi came. He only told us that they offered Jesus three gifts --- gold, frankincense and myrrh and our ancestors jumped to the conclusion that there were three Magi. Wasn't it possible that one team of Magi came together from the East and brought along three meaningful gifts. However, old thinking habits die hard. They even invented three names for these three kings --- Balthasar, Melqon (Melchior) and Gaspar (Caspar) and many others as well. They did not stop there. There are even ethical legends of the fourth Magi, called Artaban. Had Matthew fixed the number of Magi to three, there would not have been room for other authors to create stories with a moral. Sometimes, it is good NOT to be too exact, too perfect.
Since Matthew has left us room for imagination, we might offer reasonable explanations as to why the Magi took the trouble to search for the new born king. Thinking in conspiracy theory, I suggest the Magi were actually spies sent by the king of a highly civilized eastern nation to collect information about this new born king. That the news of a new born king aroused fear in Herod the Great is understandable because his throne was immediately threatened. The news also shook the people in Jerusalem because they feared that Herod would kill their new born babies (Matthew 2:3), just like what he eventually did to the babies in Bethlehem. So, the Nativity story of Matthew is full of royal intrigues. Therefore, I speculate that the mission of the Magi was less than innocence. They were sent to chart the exact location of this new born king, to find out whether he was peace-loving or not, whether his nation was a powerful and resourceful one. The three gifts would perhaps be a decoy to cover their real purpose or to bribe greedy local officials to extract information. (Ask Matthew how the Holy Family made use of the gold and frankincense.) In fact, the Magi did not need to be warned in a dream not to report to Herod (Matthew 2:12). Weren't they supposed to be wise men? What they saw in Jerusalem and heard from the tone of Herod's instruction must have gone down in their sub-consciousness, only to re-emerge in their dreams to tell them to return in another route, perhaps to collect more military information of Judaea and the Roman Empire. Again, Matthew was careful not to include an angel in their "dream" either because the Magi did not know any angelic creatures in their culture or because Matthew did not want to be so repetitive in his writing style. "The angel of the Lord" has been repetitively mentioned in every dream of Joseph except one (Matthew 1:20, 2:13, 19, but not in 2:22)!
Matthew wrote the Nativity story with an agenda. His audience were Jewish Christians and Matthew tried to show them that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for. For the Jews, the Messiah would be a descendant of David, a king chosen by God. Therefore, in the Nativity story, the major players whom Matthew chose were kings while shepherds were too lowly to be included. Furthermore, one of his many devices was to show that Jesus' birth fulfilled 5 (or 6) Old Testament prophecies. The story of the Magi from the east fulfilled one such prophecy (or two) (Numbers 24:17, Micah 5:2): that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (and that a star would rise to indicate his arrival on earth). Then, we read of the escape to Egypt (Hosea 11:1) and the massacre of the Holy Innocent Infants (Jeremiah 31:15), all aiming at prophecy fulfillment.
Conspiracies or prophecies, we marvel at the grand plan of God. Nothing on earth is too debased to be His instrument. God would make use of astrological signs to reveal Himself to the astrologists. He would turn their spying mission into a pilgrimage. He would turn their decoy (bribe) into meaningful gifts. As for those who reject God, nothing on earth can be miraculous enough to convert them. But God does not give up. He continues to get involved in our history to invite us to partake in His eternal life. In the end, the star remains what it is --- Signum Fidei (a sign of faith). We have our part to play to reach for the star.
Dear Lord, we praise You for Your wisdom and love. May we accept Your kingdom with humility and be SIGNUM FIDEI for our brothers. Amen.
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