Sometimes, we crave more information, more anecdotes, more details about a given person or event told of in scripture. No event so fits this description more than the birth of Jesus, which is recorded in just two of the four gospels. If added information isn't in the text itself, people may simply make things up to improve the story.
Such is the case with the Wise Men, mentioned only in Matthew. The scriptures do not specify a number of these individuals, though they are referred to in the plural. No homeland is mentioned, no names are included, and the notion of them visiting Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the Bethlehem stable is also no doubt untrue, though it's easy to misunderstand without a careful reading.
What do we know about this little sub-story? The Wise Men are described as coming from the East, which isn't much help, since East of Judea could be as far as China. But they had some knowledge that the star they observed was related to the Israelite teaching of a future Messiah. Perhaps immediately, they set out to confirm this event.
We don't know where they started from or how long it took to get organized for this trip, but it would have been impossible for them to have arrived on the night of Jesus' birth. One clue that they traveled a long distance was their lack of knowledge about Herod's role in Judea. In modern terms he would have been the dictator of a Roman "puppet" state. Like all such rulers, he would have had no use for a competitor, either grown or an infant. Asking Herod about any new "King of the Jews" now seems very dangerous, even to the Wise Men themselves. Herod decided to enlist the aid of these foreigners, since his own advisers had done nothing to bring this matter to his attention.
No details are given, but the travelers achieve their goal of seeing for themselves what had taken place, though this probably took place back in Nazareth. We can only wonder at the reaction of Joseph and Mary, who are just starting to become used to unusual things happening in their lives. The gifts (gold, frankincense and myrrh) are delivered, but then never mentioned again. Was their value used to finance the flight into Egypt? Possibly. The Wise Men avoid trouble with Herod by following the instructions of a dream, completing their role in the scriptural record, though Herod curses them for skipping out of the country without aiding his lethal plan for removing this tiny threat to his power.
The lesson we may take from the Wise Men may not be electrifying, but it could prove useful. If, upon observing the star, they had merely turned knowingly to one another and said "Oh, it must be that great thing prophesied by the Jews. How wonderful!", we would know nothing of them today. Sometimes an event is so large that we must do all we can to be a part of it, lest the opportunity be lost forever.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Rehoboam, Old Testament
We just observed Fathers Day. The scriptures are full of stories of family relationships. Many turn out well, but others end badly. This is in the latter group.
Upon the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam assumed the title. We don't know what he was thinking at the time, but it's possible that he saw the job as more of a collection of perks to be enjoyed by himself and a few cronies. We don't know how old he was when he became king, but he spoke and acted for himself, and was therefore probably fully grown.
A matter was raised soon after the official coronation by representatives of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel (excluding Judah and Benjamin). They wanted tax relief, and felt that it was justified by the conditions of peace and prosperity of that time. Perhaps they were simply tired of seeing huge buildings (the temple and the king's palace) constructed with money collected from them.
Rehoboam listened, but he evidently had not been advised or prepared to respond immediately. He promised an answer in three days.
He met with a collection of his father's advisers, who counseled the new monarch to agree to the peoples' wishes in order to gain their loyalty. This was apparently not the advice Rehoboam sought, and he set up another meeting, this time with younger men with whom he was more familiar. Their advice (perhaps offered because they knew him well) was the opposite of his fathers advisers'. "You're the king. They're nothing, and you should take the opportunity to remind them just who is boss."
The follow up meeting took place, and Rehoboam not only declined the request of lighter taxes, but added a little vulgarity which doesn't translate well in most English Bibles. We can only guess what he was thinking and expecting. Would he need more money for future military campaigns? Would other temples be built? Did the new king envision an even greater palace of his own? Did he expect the ten tribes to simply knuckle under to their new ruler?
Rehoboam certainly didn't foresee the disastrous response to his decision. It was nothing less than the partition of the nation, with ten tribes forming the new nation Israel with its capital in Samaria to the North, and the other kingdom (Judah) retaining Jerusalem and territory in the south.
No serious effort to reunite the two kingdoms was ever made, and this division proved disastrous. Instead of one rich, strong country there were now two middling states. Both were obliged to make alliances from time to time, and the leadership if Israel, in particular, was unsteady. Both countries saw an increase in idolatry, and the people of both largely ignored prophets called to reclaim them as believers. Both were eventually taken into captivity under the worst circumstances. Both Rehoboam and the first king of Israel, Jeroboam I, were despised long after their lives ended.
Perhaps these events would have happened sooner or later no matter who was king, but Rehoboam should have been prepared for the job by his father Solomon, who, for whatever reason, neglected this part of his duties. Millions suffered over hundreds of years as an indirect result of Solomon's failure.
Upon the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam assumed the title. We don't know what he was thinking at the time, but it's possible that he saw the job as more of a collection of perks to be enjoyed by himself and a few cronies. We don't know how old he was when he became king, but he spoke and acted for himself, and was therefore probably fully grown.
A matter was raised soon after the official coronation by representatives of ten of the twelve tribes of Israel (excluding Judah and Benjamin). They wanted tax relief, and felt that it was justified by the conditions of peace and prosperity of that time. Perhaps they were simply tired of seeing huge buildings (the temple and the king's palace) constructed with money collected from them.
Rehoboam listened, but he evidently had not been advised or prepared to respond immediately. He promised an answer in three days.
He met with a collection of his father's advisers, who counseled the new monarch to agree to the peoples' wishes in order to gain their loyalty. This was apparently not the advice Rehoboam sought, and he set up another meeting, this time with younger men with whom he was more familiar. Their advice (perhaps offered because they knew him well) was the opposite of his fathers advisers'. "You're the king. They're nothing, and you should take the opportunity to remind them just who is boss."
The follow up meeting took place, and Rehoboam not only declined the request of lighter taxes, but added a little vulgarity which doesn't translate well in most English Bibles. We can only guess what he was thinking and expecting. Would he need more money for future military campaigns? Would other temples be built? Did the new king envision an even greater palace of his own? Did he expect the ten tribes to simply knuckle under to their new ruler?
Rehoboam certainly didn't foresee the disastrous response to his decision. It was nothing less than the partition of the nation, with ten tribes forming the new nation Israel with its capital in Samaria to the North, and the other kingdom (Judah) retaining Jerusalem and territory in the south.
No serious effort to reunite the two kingdoms was ever made, and this division proved disastrous. Instead of one rich, strong country there were now two middling states. Both were obliged to make alliances from time to time, and the leadership if Israel, in particular, was unsteady. Both countries saw an increase in idolatry, and the people of both largely ignored prophets called to reclaim them as believers. Both were eventually taken into captivity under the worst circumstances. Both Rehoboam and the first king of Israel, Jeroboam I, were despised long after their lives ended.
Perhaps these events would have happened sooner or later no matter who was king, but Rehoboam should have been prepared for the job by his father Solomon, who, for whatever reason, neglected this part of his duties. Millions suffered over hundreds of years as an indirect result of Solomon's failure.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Jacob, The Book of Mormon
Jacob was one of two younger brothers of Nephi. He was born in the wilderness after the family's departure from Jerusalem. This must have been a difficult time for them because they were obliged to be as unobtrusive as possible. The scripture, in fact, mentions no contact at all, either in the wilderness or after the crossing of the ocean, with any other people, Israelite or Gentile.
This means that, as far as we know, Jacob spent his life exclusively with members of his extended family, who may never have numbered more than a few hundred during his lifetime. It is easy to see how Nephi would be the greatest influence on his thinking, and would have presented the main example of a life spent in serving the Lord through laboring on behalf of those around him.
Jacob's teachings are similar to Nephi's in one other way. Nephi made a point of speaking and writing "plainly", only rarely speaking in metaphors or teaching symbolically in the fashion of Old Testament prophets. When he did use figures of speech, he was always quick to include an explanation of the lesson's meaning to his audience. What's more, he saw this type of instruction as the model his successors would use thereafter.
Jacob's teachings followed this pattern. On one occasion he apologized for having to speak against sins he had noticed creeping into the community instead of speaking of love and eternal happiness. He had little use in speaking of "gray" areas of conduct, but drew clear lines between righteous and lives diminished by pride and adultery, two sins he specifically rebuked.
He also spoke about things that might seem unusual for a person whose own education had been informal. He recognized the value of education, but warned that it may cause people to be subject to pride. Riches, he said, should not be sought for the purpose of mere accumulation, but for the good of those with less. His record, like other Book of Mormon prophets, carried an unmistakable Christian message even though his own life preceded Jesus' ministry by more than five hundred years.
This means that, as far as we know, Jacob spent his life exclusively with members of his extended family, who may never have numbered more than a few hundred during his lifetime. It is easy to see how Nephi would be the greatest influence on his thinking, and would have presented the main example of a life spent in serving the Lord through laboring on behalf of those around him.
Jacob's teachings are similar to Nephi's in one other way. Nephi made a point of speaking and writing "plainly", only rarely speaking in metaphors or teaching symbolically in the fashion of Old Testament prophets. When he did use figures of speech, he was always quick to include an explanation of the lesson's meaning to his audience. What's more, he saw this type of instruction as the model his successors would use thereafter.
Jacob's teachings followed this pattern. On one occasion he apologized for having to speak against sins he had noticed creeping into the community instead of speaking of love and eternal happiness. He had little use in speaking of "gray" areas of conduct, but drew clear lines between righteous and lives diminished by pride and adultery, two sins he specifically rebuked.
He also spoke about things that might seem unusual for a person whose own education had been informal. He recognized the value of education, but warned that it may cause people to be subject to pride. Riches, he said, should not be sought for the purpose of mere accumulation, but for the good of those with less. His record, like other Book of Mormon prophets, carried an unmistakable Christian message even though his own life preceded Jesus' ministry by more than five hundred years.
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