Fraternity-Testvériség, 1973 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-10-01 / 10-12. szám
English Section ®fje Wyctt <§tftő Contrary to popular belief, we do not know how many wise men went to Bethlehem; but we do know the three kinds of gifts they brought. According to the tradition of the Western Church, there were three wise men; the Eastern Church hold the number to be twelve or thirteen. The fact is that we cannot be certain of the number of the wise men, nor the country from which they came, nor their status in society. The tradition that they were kings (“We Three Kings of Orient Are”) dates from the fifth or six century. From the Gospel of Matthew we may infer that they were men of wealth; came from somewhere east of the Holy Land; were interested in religion and astrology; and brought three kinds of gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We may safely assume that their gifts enabled Joseph and Mary to pay the expenses of their flight into Egypt as they fled with their child from the wrath of King Herod. Each gift represents something of high value in the Christian interpretation of life. The gift of gold represents the royalty of Christ. Jesus Christ is the real king of the souls of men. “The kingdoms of the world go by In the purple and in gold; They rise, they flourish and they die And all their tale is told. One kingdom only is divine, One banner triumphs still; Its king a servant, and its sign A cross upon a hill.” The gift of frankincense represents the deity of Christ. He is more than man; he is the God-man. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld bis glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.” To the end of time we must proclaim to all nations that the Child of Bethlehem is the Redeemer of the world. “Frankincense to offer have I; Incense owns a deity nigh; Prayer and praising, all men raising, Worship Him, God on high.” The gift of myrrh represents the healing power of Christ. Myrrh is a gum resin from a shrubby tree which grows on the Arabian peninsula. From most ancient times it was known and appreciated for its medicinal properties. It is astringent, stimulant, and antiseptic. On many streets we read the sign, “Dead End. ’ There is one highway that is still open. It is the way of Christ. He calls us to receive him as King and Savior, and then to discover as we walk the road of spiritual adventure with him that he can bless our souls with joy and hope and peace. These are the symbolic meanings of the three gifts of the wise men: The message of the gold is the royalty of Christ; of the frankincense, his divinity; of the myrrh, his healing power. Is not this the gospel? Is not this the good news? As we prepare for 1973 Christmas, the news media conveys to us the bad news of experts and specialists forecasting an energy crisis, fuel shortage, blackouts and even the possibility of the renewal of the Middle East war. As we listen to the dark and pessimistic news, it is good and helpful to recall the symbolic messages of the three gifts presented at the first Christmas: God is not dead, but alive, and his divine purpose is to build his Kingdom on earth. Concerning the divinity of Christ from the Bible, we read the message of joy: “Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people, for this day is born to you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Placing our faith in the healing power of men, we often overlook or forget the greatest healer of mankind as he plants love in our hearts, peace in our minds and the gift of everlasting life in our spirits. Rt. Rev. Arpad George THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA wishes you a blessed Christmas and a happy, peaceful New Year. 13
