Does the Bible Say “We Three Kings of Orient Are…?”

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the had star 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 at its rising, 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 2:1-2, 7-12

There are many theories about who these “Wise Men” were and from where they traveled. The textual references call the men “Astrologers” or “Magi”. They have traditionally been referred to as “Kings”. They most likely came from Persia, but there are at least five other countries that claim the “Wise Men”. The number of “Three” has been the tradition because they brought three gifts. But that does not mean that there were only three – there may have been three hundred. We just do not know.

The Bible does not clear up the conjecture. So, as is often the case, the writers of songs and stories have set the number at three and called them Kings or Magi. You see, in the absence of “hard facts”, people will create their own for the sake of simplicity. And yet, this does not really change the significance of the visitation. Their presence in the story remind us that the birth of the Christ child was a world-wide, world-shattering phenomenon – crossing religious and political boundaries. It seems Jesus was shaking things up from the very beginning, from his birth – up to his death and resurrection – which, thank the Lord, was not the end.

Pastor Dave

Does the Bible Say “G-d Helps Those Who Help Themselves?”

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

“For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm, the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place, you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds; the song of the ruthless was stilled.” Isaiah 25:4-5

Most people have heard the saying: “God helps those that help themselves.” You can read the Bible from cover to cover and you will not find this saying on the pages – no matter what translation you read. In fact, what I have told people is just the opposite is true about G-d: “G-d helps those that cannot help themselves”. This phrase “God helps those who help themselves” appears to have originated in ancient Greece and may originally have been proverbial. It is illustrated by two of Aesop’s Fables. Although it has been commonly attributed to Benjamin Franklin, the modern English wording appears earlier in a work by Algernon Sidney, who as a contemporary of John Locke, are considered cornerstones of western thought.

The passage is popular in part because it is a reflection of cherished American values: individual liberty and self-reliance, pulling oneself up with their bootstraps. But it is not biblical. In fact this passage contradicts the biblical definition of goodness: defining one’s worth by what one does for others, like the poor and the outcast. In fact, it says in Leviticus 19:9-10:
“Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ‘Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God.”

The bible calls us to love our neighbor, to forgive limitlessly, to pray for our enemies, and to put away worry, and not judge. In these ways we trust G-d to see us through, and look to share out of our abundance.

Pastor Dave