The Magi’s Gifts to Baby Jesus, A New Perspective by Myra Kahn Adams for Town Hall
On Dec. 4, I read Lindy Funkhouser’s email:
“Hello, Ms. Adams. I have enjoyed your messages on Townhall.com. G-d is working through you in beautiful ways. Will you have time to write about the Magi in the near future? Of course, I’m referring to Matt. 2:1-12. Thank you.”
I immediately thought, “Christmas, Magi, what’s not to like?” Besides, on Dec. 4, today’s study topic was known only to God. (See Vol. 142 for how THAT works.)
After telling Lindy that the Magi would be my next study topic, I asked, “Can you tell me what the Magi means to you?” His multi-layered answer was derived from books he had read. Lindy permitted me to repost but wrote, “I waive all claims to the content in these messages.” Remember that when we later read Lindy’s answer.
But first, let’s review the short Magi passage exclusively recorded in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew:
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’”
“When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. ‘In Bethlehem in Judea,’ they replied, ‘for this is what the prophet has written’:
“‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Micah 5:2)
“Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.’”
“After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
