Luke tells us of shepherds and singing angels. But Matthew tells us of King Herod and the “magi.” We often call them “wise men,” but the title of magi (a term used quite unfavorably in Acts 8 and 13) tells us they are likely practitioners of some dark spiritual magic and/or astrology. They are from east of Israel, which could mean anything as far as geography goes, but at least means they are not fellow Israelites, nor worshipers of Israel’s…

Let us ponder a question, one so obvious we may forget to ask it. Why do we need Jesus? If a quick and simple answer springs to mind, maybe we can push deeper. Yes, we need Jesus, but why? What is it about Jesus that we can’t live without? What hole would be left in our lives if Jesus were suddenly absent from them? This question is important as we enter Matthew’s Gospel because Matthew, through his genealogy and through…

For Christmas we turn to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, who tell us the events surrounding Jesus’ birth. But we can find a word on Christmas in Mark’s Gospel too. To do so, we turn not to a manger, but to a boat. Jesus and his disciples are out upon the Sea of Galilee when a doozie of a storm threatens to capsize them. While the disciples anxiously try to remedy the situation as best they can, Jesus lay…

The Gospel of Matthew opens with the genealogy of Jesus, although it’s a list of names most of which we are unfamiliar with and may be tempted to skip over. It may be a good little bit of historical information, but what does a list of names actually have to offer us? However, don’t we have some appreciation for our own family trees? What might be uncovered when we study our own family histories? If our own family trees contain…