The King of Kings among Kings Image courtesy lostXhop3
Matthew 2:1 – 12
Americans do not like kings. From King George of England to the pretentious monarch of 2025, Americans have never liked kings. Jefferson penned a Bill of Rights to deny a the possibility of a king. President George Washington retired after two terms to squash any notions of a king for the USA. President Franklin Roosevelt, despite accusations of kingship, took great pains to maintain the democracy. And it’s inscribed in the Constitution: NO KINGS.
America does not like kings. We have no patience with people telling us what to do. Let me tell you something you may not know. In our beginning as a nation, American Revolutionary War historian, Gordon Wood tells us the colonists shattered the intricate ties of obligation, deference, and respect that bound culture to monarchs.
At the top of the dome of the state-house in Providence, Rhode Island (a city precious to Baptists) stands an eleven-foot-statue called “The Independent Man.” That, according to Wood, is the symbol of America. This is the home of independent-minded individuals who disrespect authority.
There’s a movement in America now called “No Kings.” There have been massive protests on “No King’s Day.”
And here we in church with a gospel text – Matthew 2:1 – 12 – full of kings. Our lesson begins: “In the time of King Herod.” It ends with at least 3 kings of the Orient crowded into the humble dwelling of the King of kings.
We don’t like kings and our text is full of kings – at least five of them. When Scripture and culture clash we have a problem. It’s a good problem especially when we are aware. This is one of the primary purposes of Scripture: to confront us with our prejudices, fears, insecurities, and false beliefs and call us to repentance. That’s the Bible’s word for “change of mind.”
If you have ever wondered if the story of magi is historically real, let me say that no matter what decision (historical or literary creation) you reach, attention to the text will heighten your expectation of them. We are not preparing for a history examination; we are examining our hearts and Matthew is our Doctor. I’m not going to deal with the historical debate, but there are good reasons for accepting as well as good reasons for doubting the historical reality.
I am going to deal with what this story meant to Matthew and muse about why he is the only gospel writer to think the Magi were worthy of inclusion. And more to the point, what does this story mean to the church?
Matthew is not emphasizing Jesus as King, but Jesus as the new Moses. The parallels between the birth of Jesus with the birth of Moses are important: the decree of death from a wicked king, flight to escape the decree, the slaughter of innocent children, and the return after the death of the wicked king.
A New Testament scholar suggests the most convincing parallel for the Magi is Balaam of Numbers 22 – 24. He is employed by King Balak to curse Israel and instead he blesses Israel. And in Numbers 24:17 we read, “A star shall come forth out of Jacob.”
We can feel assurance that Matthew points back to Moses and tells his congregation, “Jeus is the new Moses” sent to set God’s people free.
A larger purpose of Matthew is to point us forward to the passion and death of Jesus. Jesus is called “king of the Jews” in verse 2 and the “Messiah” in verse 3.
Jesuit NT scholar Daniel J. Harrington summarizes the themes in reference to Jesus as the suffering servant of God. “The Magi come from the East to Jerusalem and ascertain where the King of the Jews is to be born. His birth at Bethlehem is determined from Micah 2:5 and 2 Samuel 5:2. The flight into Egypt comes out of Hosea 11:1. The slaying of the innocents relates to Jeremiah 31:5. Everything about Jesus is according to God’s will.
Since the purpose of Matthew is to make disciples for Jesus, his evangelical theme presents the Magi as models for Gentile believers. Matthew’s Gospel ends with “make disciples of all Gentiles.” Here Matthew says the disciples “paid homage” to Jesus.
This is important because the Magi who sincerely wish to pay homage to the “king of the Jews.” The magi represent all Gentile believers. They represent us. The gospel is intended to be shared with all people.
You may be thinking, “Nice story preacher.” But now we get to the hard part. Jesus is born into Herod time – a king who thinks he is in charge of everything. This gives us a political crisis. Rulers always assume they are in control because they assume everything is determined by power.
If you identify with those now in power, you should be aware of the dangers of power. After all, power is intoxicating. Americans, for example, believe this is the American time because we claim to be the most powerful nation in the world. We think the only story that matters is the American story.
What if the American story contradicts the Christian story? What if power is a lie? What if God’s assertion “not by power nor by might” really is the truth?
I have always thought Will Campbell was onto to something when he wrote: “We just can’t quite trust the power of the Gospel message. Just this once I wanted to rely only upon the gospel. And am likewise more and more convinced that it is all we have to offer as the Church.”
Campbell emphasizes the scandal of his idea by placing the following conjecture in the mouth of T. J. Eakes, his African American friend and interlocutor:
When you think about it, there’s something pretty selfish about trying so hard to
get my rights. Maybe the Christian thing …. is to be handing over the rights I already
have. Jesus said don’t resist evil. If the policeman hits on one side of the heard to turn
to the other side and let him hit that too. I’m telling you that as I read the Book,
Brother Jesus is asking us to give up power not get more. Go tell’em Brother Will. Go tell
[white folks] to get rid of some of their power …. And when your folks drop their power
I’ll tell mine to let it lie where it fell. Not to pick it up. Cause if they do they’re in a peck
of trouble.
Political power is a lie for the people of Jesus. Soon or late, the powerful always show their true hearts. Herod, according to Matthew was “frightened” and when the king is scared, “all Jerusalem is scared with him. Herod, the man with the most power, but according to Matthew, he gave the magi a “secret mission” because he didn’t want to worship the new born king; he wanted him dead. Herod “was infuriated” and in his fury he flexed his muscle. This scared little man of fear and insecurity signed an executive order to kill all the children in and around Bethlehem “who were two years old or younger.”
Do you pause when you realize what unrestained power can do when it uses the word of God to do violence? Herod acted on what the magi and his own prophets – the prophets of Israel – had told him was written in the word. Listen, be careful because you can really make a mess reading the Bible.
No one likes the story of the murder of children in Bethlehem but it challenges the sentimental version of the Christmas story. Jeus is born into a world that kills children, our world. And children continue to be killed to protect the powers and principalities. The later resurrection does not change what the powerful do. The children are not less lead. Their parents are not any less bereaved. The resurrection of Jesus allows us to stop lying about the world of violence where innocent ones perish.
Do you dare look at what happens when secular, political, godless power does as it pleases? Listen to the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
We are called to oppose the violence of the powerful. St. Paul puts it exactly right: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God.”
The powerful are often stone-cold killers, but they are never as powerful as they think. Sometimes they are ruled by this dark passions. They make decisions according to emotions of anger, fear, and revenge. The powerful are always impatient.
And into the time the powerful think they control, God, in the fullness of time, at exactly the right moment, gives us Jesus. The power that either kills, imprisons, or co-opts enemies now has to deal with a movement, “a kingdom,” says Stanley Hauerwas, “whose citizens refuse to believe that violence will determine the meaning of history. The movement that Jesus begins is constituted by people who believe that they have all the time in the world, made possible by God’s patience, to challenge the world’s impatient violence by cross and resurrection” rather, in my mind by deportation and war.
I doubt if you believe the birth of Jesus is a threat to an empire as powerful as the USA. Rather you think the birth of Jesus confirms our rightful place as the people in charge. But if this is true, it is my calling to tell you one thing: “You have missed the boat, the train, and the plane.”
Warren Carter says, “The gospel constructs an alternative world. It resists imperial claims. It creates an alternative community and shapes an anti-imperial agenda.” No wonder John the baptizer preached, “Repent.” No wonder Jesus opens his gospel with “Repent the kingdom of God is at hand.”
We can not move from this spot until we repent. It’s a tough task, but it is ours. You may not want to do it. You may prefer to stay in the idolatrous alliance of secular politics and presumed Christian faith, but if you really wish to follow Jesus, the first step forward is to change your mind and then your allegiance.
Then you can join Jesus in resisting the Herod’s of our culture. And you can stop being scared by the fear of Herod. This is the fear that possesses our culture. We are scared because our rulers are scared. Only the gospel can save us now. “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “Don’t be afraid.”