Journey of the Magi
[Originally published in Broadside, George Mason University’s student newspaper in 1996.]
Upon the dreary desolate road, a few court advisers from Mesopotamia travel westward to Jerusalem. A great supernova in the night sky guides them on their journey, and stalled this journey is, as the men pause in Jerusalem to question its king, Herod the Great, on the impending mystery of their journey.
"Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?" they question, "For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
Clearly taken aback by this supposed "King of the Jews," Herod, the king of Jerusalem himself, becomes troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. In a confused hurry, the great Herod gathers all the chief priests and scribes of the people together into his omniscient, authoritative chamber.
"Who is this Christ!?" he inquires in helpless shock. "And where is He to be born?"
Those learned in the ancient Scriptures immediately respond, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'"
In a state of rabid anxiety, Herod secretly calls the Mesopotamian travelers to him to determine from them what time the great, supernatural star appeared in the night sky. He then sends them all to Bethlehem, expressing, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
Tickled to be on their way to Bethlehem and to be continuing their ever momentous mission, the travelers depart the king to make their short trip to Bethlehem. And behold, the star which they had seen in the East advances before them until it reaches and looms over where the young Child is.
Ecstatic at the sight of the star, the weary travelers celebrate in an almost insane joy. With large smiles holding up their journey-ridden faces, the men enter the house and see the young, now one-year-old Child along side His mother, Mary. Overwhelmed at the sight of the young Boy, they fall down and worship Him.
The men then pull treasures out of their bundled luggage. The gifts are opened and presented to the Child: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
After their wondrous meeting with the Messiah, the men leave and are later divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod. Herod doesn't really want to come worship the Child, but rather deceived the travelers and, instead, desires to slay the Child Messiah. So, the court advisers (or wise men as they are sometimes called) depart for their own country a different way than they came.
They head eastward with a new radiant joy molded onto their faces, with a little more pep in their walk and with a little less luggage on their backs. The wise men from Mesopotamia have accomplished their great task. They have seen and worshiped the new "King of the Jews"; the prophesied Son of God; Jesus Christ, the Messiah.