Those who are in the habit of reading the Holy Scriptures consecutively again and again, are often greatly rewarded by finding some gem of purest radiance, which they had failed to discover in a previous reading. One such struck the writer very forcibly, and he would like to pass on the thought to others. If you will turn to Matthew 2, you will find a phrase repeated five times in that chapter: “The young Child, and His mother.”
As one’s eye rested on this repeated phrase, the thought immediately arose, that in a general way the phrase on our lips would invariably be, “a mother and her child.” Surely a mother is always more important in our minds and takes precedence over her young child. But see how carefully Scripture puts it the other way. What a rebuke to the mariolatry, the worship of the Virgin Mary, as practised in Roman Catholic circles!
Then the wise men, who came from the East to Jerusalem, were guided by a star in their search for the infant Jesus. They did not ask for the Virgin Mary, but enquired: “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him” (Matt. 2:2). When they came into the house where He was, “they saw the young Child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped HIM” (Matt. 2:11).
The mother, “highly favoured” and “blessed … among women”—as she was highly honoured indeed to be overshadowed by the Holy Spirit of God, so as to be the mother of our Saviour according to the flesh—was not the object of their search. Why did these wise men worship the Babe? They recognised Him as being born King of the Jews. Was He not the One foretold before by the prophet Isaiah as being the Child born, the Son given, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace? Would ever a Child be given such names by heaven were He not “God manifest in the flesh”? (1 Tim. 3:16).
The wise men presented gold and frankincense and myrrh. In the Tabernacle in the wilderness we find gold greatly used in the make-up of the articles used therein, symbolically setting forth the absolute deity of our Lord, that He was from all eternity, the uncreated Creator of all things, and their Sustainer. Frankincense was an ingredient in the holy anointing ointment with which the Tabernacle and its furniture were anointed. Does this not set forth the fragrance that ever ascended to God from Him, whose every word was music in the ear of heaven, whose every footstep was pleasing to God? Myrrh, too, was used as an ingredient in the holy anointing ointment, myrrh which needs to be bruised in order to release its fragrance. Was not our Lord “bruised for our iniquities”? (Isa. 53:5). Were they not bitter aloes and bruised myrrh that Nicodemus brought wherewith to anoint the dead body of our Lord? Surely these gifts have their meaning, however much or little the wise men understood of their significance.
These wise men worshipping our Lord, and offering Him gifts when He was a Babe in His mother’s arms, and in His perfect Manhood dependent on her for every need, present a very beautiful sight. Yet how significant and arresting it is to note in the sacred narrative, that the Child not only is mentioned before the mother, but is also the Object of worship as being infinitely above her, as God is above us all.
When Herod sought to encompass the death of Jesus by destroying all the children from two years old and under, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, and bade him: “Arise, and take the young Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt” (Matt. 2:13). Note, how the angel, too, is careful to put words in that special order, emphasizing the wonder of our Lord’s incarnation. By night Joseph took the young Child and His mother, and departed into Egypt.
In process of time Herod died and Archelaus reigned in his stead. Again the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph saying, “Arise, and take the young Child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead that sought the young Child’s life” (Matt. 2:20). Again the words are carefully put in this order.
Does not inspiration shine brightly on the sacred page? Is it not beautiful to see the careful way in which Scripture guards the honour of Jesus? We get here the reverence of the messengers of heaven, as well as the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the sacred record, which is so very striking.