The birth of Jesus drew some unexpected guests from a faraway land, Magi or magicians, from the East. These wise men are not Jewish in ethnicity, they were Gentiles. In Matthew’s rendition of Jesus’ birth narrative, he wants you to know that Jesus is for everyone. And everyone can learn from the Magi how to honor and worship Jesus, the better gift.
An Unlikely List
We all have an interest in where we came from. We are also interested in other people’s stories. We ask each other, “Where did you grow up?” and “Who are your parents?” Yet, sometimes we may withhold some details in our family tree or the events surrounding a loved one’s conception and birth. Not Matthew. In the opening of his gospel, he stuns the world with an unlikely list of names found in Jesus’ family tree. There is no pattern of righteous, just a list of everyday people. Matthew wants us to see what kind of people God chooses to work with. I am surprised and yet I’m not.