The Holy Spirit and the Magi by Graham Kings

The Holy Spirit and the Magi

by Graham Kings, Bishop of Sherborne

based on a sermon preached at All Saints Margaret Street, London,

6 January 2009, when he was vicar of St Mary Islington

The season of Epiphany is about journeys. I love the story of Nevill Mott, Master of Caius College, Cambridge and former Professor of Physics at the University of Bristol. He was on a train from London to Bristol when he simultaneously remembered three things: first, he was no longer Professor of Physics at Bristol but at Cambridge; second, he had gone to London by car and not by train; and third, he had been accompanied by his wife.

Journeys are indeed experiences of learning. In his 1927 poem ‘The Journey of the Magi’, T S Eliot put the first four lines, in quotation marks. Why?

‘A cold coming we had of it,

Just the worst time of the year

For a journey, and such a long journey:

The ways deep and the weather sharp,

The very dead of winter.’

[T S Eliot, The Complete Poems and Plays of T S Eliot (London: Faber and Faber, 1969), p. 103

Many people assume it is because one of the wise men is speaking. Actually, it is because Eliot is quoting a sermon by Lancelot Andrewes (1555-1626), Bishop of Winchester, preached before King James I at Whitehall on Christmas Day 1622:

A cold coming they had of it, at this time of the year; just the worst time of the year, to take a journey, and specially a long journey, in. The wayes deep, the weather sharp, the dayes short, the sun farthest off in solstitio brumali, the very dead of Winter. [Lancelot Andrewes, XCVI Sermons by the Right Honourable and Reverend Father in God, Lancelot Andrewes, Late Bishop of Winchester (London: 1661) p. 86]

I had been looking for a copy of that sermon for years, since I first studied Eliot as a sixth former in 1972, when I found the book Andrewes’ XCVI Sermons (London: 1661) in a bookshop in Charing Cross Road a few years ago.

The year before writing his poem Eliot had written a fascinating article ‘Lancelot Andrewes’, published in The Times Literary Supplement, 23 September 1926, and cited that quotation of Andrewes’. It seems to be that his study of Andrewes was part of his journey towards conversion to Christ and baptism in 1927. In that essay, he stated:

In both Hooker and Andrewes – the latter the friend and intimate of Isaac Casaubon – we find also a breadth of culture, an ease with humanism and Renaissance learning, which helped to put them on terms of equality with their continental antagonists and to elevate their Church above the position of a local heretical sect. They were the fathers of a national Church and they were Europeans. [T S Eliot, Selected Essays (London: Faber and Faber, 1932) p. 343]

Andrewes’ sermon was on the Shepherds and the Magi. The story of the Shepherds is narrated by Luke and of the Magi by Matthew. I wonder what the story would have been like if Luke had written it and not Matthew.

One of the special theological emphases of Luke is the Holy Spirit. Where in the story of the Magi by Matthew is the Holy Spirit? He is not mentioned.

Matthew mentioned the Holy Spirit in chapter one, ‘Mary was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit’ (v 18), and the Angel spoke to Joseph and said ‘The child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit’ (v 20), but not in chapter two concerning the Magi. It may be worth exploring – and it is just an exploration, not a finished study – the story as, perhaps, Luke may have written it.

There had been a drought of the Spirit for many years in Judaism before the filling of people with the Holy Spirit, reported by Luke in his early chapters: John the Baptist in the womb (1:15), Elizabeth (1:41), Mary (1:46-55), Zechariah (1:67-79), Simeon (2:25-35), Anna (2:36-38) and Jesus (3:21-22).

It may be that we could imagine Luke narrating the story of the Magi as being specifically led by the Spirit in four ways.

1. Finding that Star

The Magi were doing their regular job, looking at the stars, and were awakened by a particular one. Let us think about what we do during the day, our usual activity at work or at home. It may be that sometimes we have particular insights: not all will be from the Holy Spirit and they are worth testing, but some may be. Let us be attentive.

2. Preparing for a Journey

What to take? Gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. For whom? They did not leave it for a last minute dash down Oxford Street, but were prepared. How do we prepare for meeting Christ in the service of Holy Communion? What does the Holy Spirit encourage us to bring? Ourselves, our whole beings: mind, body and spirit in community.

3. Overwhelmed with Joy

The theme of joy in the Spirit rings out in the gospel of Luke. The Magi were surprised on finding a different sort of King and overwhelmed with joy. In Luke’s birth narrative there are many canticles or songs: the Magnificat, the Benedictus, the Nunc Dimittis – it seems that Luke wrote most of Morning and Evening Prayer...There are echoes of Hannah’s Song (1 Samuel 2: 1-10) in the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) and of the Servant Song of Isaiah (49:1-6) in the Nunc Dimittis of Simeon (Luke 2:25-35). Which song of the Hebrew Scriptures may Luke have echoed in the mouths of the Magi? Perhaps Psalm 72:10-11?

May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles

render him tribute,

may the kings of Sheba and Seba,

bring gifts.

May all kings fall down before him,

all nations give him service.

In our moments of joy, let us draw on hymns, psalms and echoes of Scripture, inspired by the Spirit.

4. Warned in a Dream

The Magi left for their own country by another road, having been warned in a dream. Luke may well have linked the Holy Spirit to that dream. In Acts chapter 10, Luke describes the story of other gentiles: Cornelius, the Roman centurion, and his household.

While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.’ (Acts 10:19-20)

These were stories of huge surprises on both sides: Luke about Cornelius and Peter; Matthew about the Magi and Mary. Then, during Peter’s sermon, the Holy Spirit fell on Cornelius and his household (Acts 10:44). Luke described first the setting up of the encounter by the Spirit and then the coming of the Spirit into their lives. This is an important distinction in our discussions about people of other faiths: the Spirit inspires all sorts of people in the setting up of encounters with the living Christ and longs to come into the lives of people of other faiths when they respond to him.

What of our own routes home? Why don’t we consider going back a different route from our churches some days. It would have been a major mistake for the Magi to return to Herod. It may also be a mistake for us always to return the same route home from church.

Conclusion

So we have seen four possible ways in which Luke could have drawn out the significance of the Holy Spirit in the journey of the Magi.

Journeys are indeed learning experiences. Lancelot Andrewes wryly compared the travelling of the Magi to what may have been our response:

Our fashion is to see and see again, before we stirre a foot: specially, if it be to the worship of Christ. Come such a journey, at such a time? No: but fairly have put it off till the spring of the year, till the dayes longer, and the wayes fairer, and the weather warmer: till better travelling to Christ. Our Epiphany would sure have fallen in Easter-week at the soonest. [p. 87]

I remember going on a long journey in July 1991, to meet Paulo Lobur. He was an elder of the Turkana ethnic group in Kenya, who lived at Alamach, near Isiolo, in a semi arid area, north east of Mount Kenya. I went with Peter Ekai a Turkana student of mine from St Andrew’s College, Kabare, which is in the fertile southern foothills of the mountain. Before he responded to the gospel, Paulo had been a traditional religionist, who believed in the High God of Turkana tradition. Peter translated Paulo’s blessing of us both, which echoed his tradition, transformed by the Holy Spirit:

Apa, you help me because you are the only source.

Forgive me because I have not made any idol to resemble you.

Give blessings to these men, all the time, night and day.

Send away evil spirits to go far from them.

The vehicle they are travelling in – may it be safe.

All people are yours.

Because you are everywhere, help those on journeys, wherever they are.

These two brothers who are still learning – help them and strengthen their sight for what is needed.

Bless their families.

Peter and I were very moved and, on returning home another way, we remembered the story of Melchizedek blessing Abraham in Genesis chapter 14.

Maybe, the Magi blessed the Holy Child as part of their worship of him?

Dr Graham Kings is the Bishop of Sherborne and theological secretary of Fulcrum