December 20 2020 “Herod - The Last Straw” Matthew 2.1-14 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

 December 20 2020  “Herod - The Last Straw” Matthew 2.1-14 Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Matthew has recorded the birth of Jesus for us. Matthew was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples known to work as a tax collector for the Roman Empire. The Jewish community probably resented Matthew as much as some Americans resent the Internal Revenue Service. For most, the taxes are too high and those who resist may encounter hefty fines and even imprisonment for tax evasion.

Matthew tells us that Herod, whose salary was paid by taxpayers, was king when Jesus was born. Herod, as you may recall, was not a first name. It was the name and the title of the dynasty, just as the Caesars represented a dynasty, as in Julius Caesar, the feared and hated dictator assassinated by 3 senators, who, led by Brutus, stabbed Caesar 23 times. His adopted son Caesar Augustus was the first Roman Emperor. 

The dynasty of the Caesars ruled the Roman Empire while the Herod dynasty served under them as governors and local civil servants of the smaller Jewish territory states of Israel. In the little towns like Bethlehem, word was that Jesus was to be born soon and that he would rule over all Israel and his kingdom would never end. Those prophetic words were not just a nice announcement. They were an act of treason, perceived as an attempt to overthrow the government. Really, though, God is always struggling with humanity to rule and reign with truth and justice.  

Matthew does not specify which Herod was king or, more likely a mayor than a king, but it was Herod Antipas that ruled when Jesus was born. There were many Herods. Herod the first, called Herod the Great (72-4 or 1 BCE) lived just before Jesus was born. Herod Archelaos (23 BC -18 AD) was fired by Caesar August and relieved of his duties in Judea. Herod Antipas (20 BC – 39 AD), ruled the Jewish community in Galilee of Judea when Jesus lived and was crucified and he became cozy with Pontius Pilate, the governor of the broader territory of Judea. 

Herod Agrippa 11 BC- 44 AD sat before one of the Apostle Paul’s 6 court cases after Paul was arrested for disturbing the peace with the gospel, just as communities today are being arrested, terrorized and persecuted for being Christians around the world. 

After Jesus was born, some wise guys came around asking for this King Jesus. Of course, in certain governments, babies and children have royal titles and the rights to a certain throne which become more official after they turn a certain age. 

Verses 1-3 tell us:  

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.

We are left to wonder just how wise these wise men could be to spread the word that they were looking for a king when the Roman government, known for keeping their subjects in line with cruelties such as crucifixion, had already provided a king. Were they radicals or were they travelers from a distant land that did not completely understand the norms and customs of the day?

There are details that are helpful when we cross each other’s cultural boundaries. I tutored in a mathematics lab with tutors and teachers from Chile, Africa, Russia, the Caribbean, and India. One tutor decided to participate in the holiday tradition of sharing Christmas cards. So, he gave all the tutors a Christmas card, but it was not signed. He understood that it was nice to give cards, but he did not understand that it was customary to sign your name on them. Another example is when a Tanzanian priest stayed in my home for a couple of days and he was cooking a meal on the gas stove. He was using foil instead of a pot as if it were a campfire. A Korean colleague in seminary seemed disturbed and full of dread, turning pale whenever conversations arose around the less than conservative theologians who were mentioned. I wondered what kind of painful politics would meet him in his country. The look on the face of a Nigerian atheist seeing a beautiful picture of a cloud white Jesus in the background of a baby blue sky, was sheer hatred. Without prayer, how could we ever survive the cultural challenges before us? While living in an International house, I made an enemy of a Chinese acquaintance when I offered to paint her fingernails. Her sense of appropriate physical distance was different from mine. We learn as we go along.

When Herod Antipas heard about this King called Jesus, he had a meeting to study the situation. He may have been a Methodist at heart. We love our meetings. Matthew says in verses four and five:

4 When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied,…

All politicians want to know as much as they can about their opponents and their people. So, he called a meeting. He pretended to be in alliance with his Jewish constituency. Herod pretended he wanted to find out where Jesus was so that he could worship him like the others.

Herod lied. He said he wanted to know where Jesus was so he could worship him, but he really planned to kill him as the rest of chapter 2 tells us. 

For a Christian, realizing there are those who want to kill Jesus is the last straw. Lying about worshipping Jesus is the last straw. Anything evil is the last straw. The last straw transforms us, propels us into a place where God changes us and makes us new! The last straw inspires us and motivates us to do something good in order to overcome something evil!

Indeed, the magi or wise men had enough wisdom to follow the star until they found Jesus. Verse 10 says :  

10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

The wise men were wise enough to follow the star, to follow their dreams, and to follow God’s will most of all, in order to make something good happen. The reason they went home by another route was to avoid reporting the whereabouts of Jesus to Herod Antipas because they knew he wanted to kill Jesus. They wanted no parts of that evil intention. They could have gone to Herod with the information he so badly wanted. It could have given them some political clout and capital. They could have received a nice bit of change in exchange for turning Jesus into the royal authorities. Instead, they were wise enough to decide to do good rather than evil. 

It is wonderful that the Christmas season inspires us to counter many of the evils of poverty, homelessness, and hunger. It has not always been that way. 

 In the 1600’s England, the *Puritans banned Christmas. They did so for a combination of reasons, including to discourage those who used the day to get drunk and start fights or just so they could avoid having another holiday when none of their workers could produce.

The anti-Christmas sentiment was still going on 100 years later when John Wesley was preaching in England. So, Christmas was not as important as it is for us. Interestingly enough, the first Annual Conference of what is now the United Methodist Church was called the Christmas Conference held on Christmas Eve in 1784 in Baltimore, Maryland – home of some of the free and land of the brave.  

Today, we would not think of having our Annual Conference during Christmas, but back then, people were free because they were not celebrating Christmas like we do toda. My, how times change. In the blink of an eye, what we do can last for centuries.

In spite of Christmas not being the highlight of the American year until around 1870 or so, Charles Wesley, Pastor John’s brother who as a musician celebrated with a special service including the well-known hymn he wrote entitled “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.”   

The Wesley’s too were focused on the idea of transformation, being made new, being born again so that we can serve God with all of our heart, our mind and our soul. Christmas transforms us until we see ourselves not just as owners of God’s blessing, but as faithful stewards of all that God gives us, not hoarding but helping one another. Or, as Rev. John Wesley purports in his covenant prayer: I am no longer my own, but thine. Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering. Let me be employed for thee or laid aside for thee, exalted for thee or brought low for thee. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal. And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, thou art mine, and I am thine. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.