December 16 - The Nativity:  A Who’s Who

Herod

This is one evil dude.  He built a mountain (yes, a man made mountain) on which to build his castle.  Why? Just to make sure the people of Bethlehem knew his superiority. When Herod heard of Jesus birth he sent the wise men out to get the full scoop.  Worried about a new king usurping power from his own offspring, Herod’s real plan was to have the child killed.

Family and Friends:  I have many sons and even more wives.  I had three of my sons and one of my wives executed.  Yeah, I’m the “execute-my-own-family” kind of mean.

Voted most likely to:  throw a “hissy-fit” if he doesn’t get his way.

Favorite Song:  Bad to the Bone, by George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Latest Facebook Status Update:  idc, deal with it

Remembered as:  A heinous murderer and no kind of king.

More important to remember:  December 28th is called the Feast of the Holy Innocents, the day we commemorate the little children two years and under who were slaughtered by the evil King Herod.

Wise Man #2

Par of the group AKA:  “The Magi,” “The Three Kings,” “We Three Kings,” and “Kings from the East”

Not-so-wild assumption:  That there were three. Since three gifts were given, many have assumed that there were three kings.  The Bible never gives a number.

It would be more accurate to describe these “kings” or “magi” as astrologers.  They were priests who paid particular attention to the stars and were widely regarded as scientists, thus the label “wise” men.   The word “magic” is a derivative in the English language for “magi.”

What makes them “super cool”:  They were really double agents.  Herod sent them on a “seek and kill” mission, but they were so sure of this baby’s divinity that they returned no information to the evil Herod.

Favorite Song:  Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Latest Facebook Status Update:  Jesus? We never saw a baby named Jesus.  (wink, wink)

Where are they now?  

Our nativity scenes don’t always get this story right.  The actual story from the Gospel of Matthew is one of political intrigue, deceit, and escape.  It ends with the Holy Family escaping for their lives to Egypt. But there is one thing that we see clearly in every nativity scene, the magi visit the Christ child and despite any threats from Herod, worship the “light of the world.”