Know and believe

Monday, May 17, 2021

Know and believe

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea during the time of King Herod. But the magus, from the Orient came to Jerusalem and said : Where is the newborn King of the Jews ? Indeed, we have seen his star in the Orient and we have come to worship him. When King Herod heard of this, he was troubled and all of Jerusalem with him. He assembled all the chief priests and law scholars among the people and asked them where the Messiah was to be born. They said unto him : In Bethlehem in Judea : for this is what was written by the prophet : And thou, Bethlehem, land of Judah, surely art thou not the smallest among the chief cities of Judah, for out of thee shall come a leader who will take care of Israel, my people. Matthew 2:1-6

In this passage, three groups of people are confronted with the birth of Christ.

The magus of Jesus' day were scholars who observed the stars and the planets. The Bible has retained the faith of those men who, driven by a supernatural phenomenon, seek the true King. Attentive to cosmic phenomena, they observed a star which serves as a landmark to go to pay homage to the Messiah, the king of the Jews. They may have little information about him, but the Spirit of God has spoken to them and they believe. They have this inner certainty that motivates their journey and their desire to come and worship.

People's religious leaders know a great deal about the Messiah, as many prophets have spoken of him. They cite the passage from the Old Testament which answers the question of the Magi and Herod. But they don't believe what the prophet said just happened. They do not even think of accompanying the wise men to Bethlehem. Their hearts are not touched and they remain locked in their own importance.

King Herod, king of Judea, ally of the Romans, is a politician troubled by this birth, because he fears for his throne. He does not dispute the prophecy about where the Messiah is to be born and sees this child as a competitor to be eliminated quickly.

One can know the contents of the Bible without believing in its spiritual significance. This was the case with religious leaders. The magus give us an example of a spiritual process. The Christian, even one who knows little about the Bible, puts faith in his message and commits his whole being to God in a living and true relationship. It is the result of the action of the Spirit of God in him.

Source (Pleasing the Lord)