Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Matthew 2:7-12

For many Christians, the the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus has become a character in our “children’s story” version of Christmas. Including a group of astrologers in the story might confuse children. A murderous and paranoid king is even harder to include without scaring the young. However, our edits to the story leave an important ethical lesson on the cutting room floor.

The Use of Power

Herod was known for wielding his power. He overtook the position of king by force in 37 BC. He consolidated his power and arranged for the deaths of close relatives who were in line for the throne. Herod’s rule started by a power grab and was maintained through ruthless protection of his throne. The injustice of his rule was overt and unapologetic.

The visiting magicians had a different kind of power. They were educated in astronomy, astrology, and they seemed to have a basic understanding of the messianic expectation of the Jewish people. They had enough economic power to be able to offer gifts of significant worth. These magi also paid attention to, and knew how to, interpret their own dreams—whether delivered through mystical means, or that they knew how to listen to their intuition. Either way, they rightly knew not to return to Herod.

These magicians didn’t seem to know about Herod’s paranoid volatility when they initially sought out their answers. So when this king demands that they return to him with information, it’s an act of rebellion for them to leave by another way. They used the power they did have to subvert Herod’s power. The magi didn’t have any political power to stop Herod’s massacre of the children. They didn’t have influence to convince Herod to worship Jesus. They did what they could, they worshiped Jesus and then kept the information they had from getting into the wrong hands.

Using the Power You Do Have

There will always be people who claw their way to the top, only to abuse their power. Also, there will always be helpless people who can’t get away quick enough from the unjust effects of tyrannical abuse. Do you find yourself in either of these positions? Or are you in the middle—in the position of having a type of power, like the magi?

There are all kinds of power that fall in the middle of these two extremes. Some have influence, intelligence, specialized education, a needed skillset, sharp intuition, endless compassion, financial resources, or many other ways in which we have a facet of power. The person in this middle ground may not be in a position to convince a tyrant to change his or her mind. That doesn’t mean they’re completely helpless either.

A Challenge to Consider

Let this account of the magi challenge you to consider the way in which you have power. How can you wisely use this power for the benefit of the oppressed? Who are the tyrants in your sphere? It may be a system of networks or it may be a person. How can you subvert evil power through action or inaction? You may not be able to stop whole systems of injustice, but you may play a role in one part of the story of redemption.

Who are the people around you who need help? What do you have that you can offer them?

Photo credit: by Inbal Malca on Unsplash

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
    Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name;
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
    and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away empty.
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

Luke 1:41-55

Perhaps this was an answered prayer for Elizabeth, whereas for Mary it was more of a surprise. God saw them both. They were given the great responsibility–to raise a child who would make a difference.

Answered Prayers

It’s hard to know how much they perceived about what their children were chosen to accomplish. The angelic visitation, which Elizabeth didn’t get firsthand, would indicate that this was more than just a blessing of a child (during an era when having children was a measure of a woman’s worth). Mary received more information in her visitation, and Luke tells us she pondered these things in her heart.

What seems clear to me in this passage, is that Mary recognizes that the experience she and Elizabeth are having, recalls the experience of Hannah. Hannah, like Elizabeth, couldn’t have children. She begged God for a child because in her society, not being able to conceive was perceived as God’s judgment. As part of her request, Hannah vows to dedicate her child to service in the temple. God answers Hannah’s prayer. On the day she brings her son Samuel to the temple she sings a prayer, which is similar to Mary’s.

Hannah’s Prayer

It’s possible that Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2 ) was passed down through the generations as a song. There are also similarities in Mary’s song with the prophetic writings of Isaiah 40 and 61. The similarities in her song are likely intentional on Mary’s part. This would mean that Mary was a student of Scripture. She was able to create a song using multiple passages relevant to her and Elizabeth’s situation. This would have been unusual for a woman in this society. This speaks to the kind of woman that God chose to be a mother to Jesus.

What are the overlapping themes in Mary’s song and Hannah’s prayer? Hannah starts out exclaiming, my heart exults in the Lord. She talks about how the powerful and arrogant don’t need God, but that God provides for the weak. The rich have food but God feeds the hungry. Hannah sings about God’s power to exalt people or bring people low. Isaiah 40  repeats this theme poetically by saying the valleys will be brought up and the mountains made low. This text references the strength of God’s arm in verse 10 and goes on to compare the powerful and the weak in verses 23-24. Isaiah 61:8-10  also repeats these themes using language very similar to the language Mary uses in her song.

Preparing Their Hearts

So the songs are similar, why is this important? Mary and Elizabeth are sharing this moment of joy. Later in their lives they will both share the grief of losing a son. They were aware of the prophetic role their sons would live—John as prophet and Jesus, who fulfilled the roles of prophet, priest, and king. Historically the prophets weren’t received well. This awareness gives Mary and Elizabeth context and the ability to prepare their heart for the events to come.

God saw and chose Mary and Elizabeth. Mary knows that she is humble and recognizes the truth of the Scriptures that speak of God defending the weak.

Life can get discouraging when rulers wield their power in a domineering way. Are you weak and in need? Do you have power? How can you recognize the humble people around you and be an answer to someone’s prayer?

Photo credit: by fifi fauziyah on Unsplash