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We Three Kings

The three wise men, magi or kings have met the Christ child and bestowed their symbolic gifts. Christmas is officially over and the liturgical season of Epiphany has dawned upon us.

The Visit

¹Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

²Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

³When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

⁴And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

⁵And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

⁶And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

⁷Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

⁸And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

⁹When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

¹⁰When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

¹¹And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
~Matthew 2:1-12

The wise men from the East came to worship the newborn King of Kings. But why? They are seen to symbolize the inclusion of Gentiles in Jesus’ mission and eventual reclamation of mankind to God.

The Kings

We three kings of Orient are
Bearing gifts we traverse afar.
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.

Glorious now behold Him arise,
King and God and Sacrifice.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Sounds through the earth and skies.
~The Three Kings

I haven’t seen any corroboration of this idea but in my personal opinion, the three kings represent the nations who came of the three sons of Noah. Shem, Ham and Japheth fathered a variety of nations who, in my humble opinion, are then represented in the persons of the magi who came to worship Christ.

Caspar

Born a king on Bethlehem’s plain,
Gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever, ceasing never
Over us all to reign.
~Gaspar

Eldest of the trio, the white-bearded wise man bears the gift of gold to recognize the infant Christ’s role as the promised King. I hazard a guess that Caspar is meant to be a descendant of Japheth.

Melchior

Frankincense to offer have I.
Incense owns a Diety nigh.
Prayer and praising all men raising.
Worship Him, God on high.
~Melchior

Middle-aged Melchior brings frankincense to the Christ child to recognize the divine nature of the Word made Flesh. I believe that Melchior meant to be a descendant of Shem from outside of the House of Israel.

Balthazar

Myrrh is mine: Its bitter perfume
Breaths a life of gathering gloom.
Sorrowing, sighing, bleeding dying,
Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.
~Balthazar

Balthazar is the youngest of the Magi who brings Myrrh to the Lamb of God in symbolic recognition of the final and perfect sacrifice. He seems to me to be intended as a descendant of Ham.

Wise Men Still Seek Him

The shepherds were told to find the newborn Christ by an angelic choir, but the Magi had kept an eye on the signs of the times. They were seeking Him even before Jesus was born. The nations of the world were looking for the divine beacon of Hope. Let the dawn of this new year give you the inspiration to seek for ways to make a better world through the grace of God and to be His hands on Earth.