epiphany year b - matthew

Matthew 2:1-12

In the time of King Herod,

     after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,

          wise ones from the East came to Jerusalem, ²asking,

               “Where is the child 

                    who has been born king of the Jews?

                    For we observed his star at its rising,

                         and have come to pay him homage.” 

³When King Herod heard this,

     he was frightened,

     and all Jerusalem with him; 

     ⁴and calling together 

          all the chief priests 

          and scribes of the people,

          he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 

     ⁵They told him,

          “In Bethlehem of Judea;

               for so it has been written by the prophet: 

                    ⁶‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

                    are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;

                         for from you shall come a ruler 

                              who is to shepherd my people Israel.’” 

     ⁷Then Herod secretly called for the wise ones

          and learned from them the exact time 

               when the star had appeared. 

          ⁸Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,

               “Go and search diligently for the child;

                    and when you have found him,

                         bring me word 

                              so that I may also go 

                              and pay him homage.”

⁹When they had heard the king,

     they set out;

     and there, ahead of them,

          went the star that they had seen at its rising,

               until it stopped over the place where the child was. 

          ¹⁰When they saw that the star had stopped,

               they were overwhelmed with joy. 

          ¹¹On entering the house,

               they saw the child with Mary his mother;

               and they knelt down and paid him homage.

               Then, opening their treasure chests,

                    they offered him gifts 

                         of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 

        ¹²And having been warned in a dream 

               not to return to Herod,

                    they left for their own country by another road.

Queeries for the text

How many magi were there?

Were the wise ones really magicians?  Witches and wizards?  Did their descendants know Harry Potter?

How long does it take to travel from the Far East to Bethlehem?

If Herod hadn't noticed, were Mary and Joseph planning on raising Jesus in Bethlehem?

Does that mean they found a home to live in during Jesus' first couple years of life?

Why do powerful men feel so threatened by those who are most vulnerable?

What do you do with awkward gifts?

Did Mary keep the frankincense and myrrh as they fled to Egypt as undocumented refugees?

What are your queeries?