After Jesus is Born
1. And when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came Magi from the east into Jerusalem,
2. Saying, “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.”
3. But having heard, Herod the king was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.
5. And they said unto him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for thus it is written by the prophet:
6. ‘And thou Bethlehem, [of] the land of Judah, art by no means the least among the governors of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Governor, who shall shepherd My people Israel.’”
7. Then Herod, privately calling the Magi, precisely inquired of them at what time the star appeared.
8. And sending them to Bethlehem, he said, “Go and search earnestly for the little Child; and when you have found [Him], report to me, so that I also may come and worship Him.”
9. And when they had heard the king they went [out]; and behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them, till it came [and] stood over where the little Child was.
10. And having seen the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11. And coming into the house, they found the little Child with Mary His mother, and falling [down] they worshiped Him; and opening their treasures, they offered to Him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
12. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed into their own country by another way.
As this next episode begins, Jesus has already been born in Bethlehem of Judea, and Herod, a Roman governor, is sitting on the throne in Jerusalem, the capital city. It is at this time that wise men from the east come to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him” (2:2).
Prophecies about a coming king were well-known, not only in Israel, but in distant lands as well. The people who come asking about this new king are the wise men from the east who saw the star in the sky. It was a sign to them that the long-awaited Savior had been born. Their task was to follow that star, trusting that it would lead them to the place of the Savior’s birth.
We do not know how long the journey was. Biblical scholars suggest that it could have been anywhere from two hundred to nine hundred miles and may have taken several weeks or even several months. Much has been said, as well, about celestial navigation, and the importance of using stars to guide our way at night. In the darkness of spiritual ignorance that covered the land at that time, there were some who still searched the skies for signs of the coming king. As Balaam, a prophet from the distant land of Syria, wrote, “I see Him, but not now. I behold Him, but not near. A star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
Speaking in symbolic language, Balaam foresees that Jesus, a descendent of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, will become a great light to all people. His truth will shine like a star, and all people will be governed by His teachings. The government of this new Ruler is signified by the scepter, the royal staff carried by kings. It was a well-known symbol of regal authority and imperial power. 1
Herod’s response
Until this moment, Herod has been comfortable and secure in his role as the supreme ruler of the land. In this regard, Herod represents the destructive habits, attitudes, and behaviors that have been passed down to us through generations. These patterns include arrogance, contempt, anger, hatred, jealousy, and especially the desire to rule over others. We can be sure that whenever we find ourselves in any of these states, especially when we are in the love of controlling others desiring to make them subservient to our will, Herod is present. He is a tyrannical ruler, easily threatened, but not easily dethroned. 2
But now, Herod hears that a child will be born who will be “king of the Jews.” Determined to destroy this new king, Herod consults with the chief priests and scribes, asking them where the Christ is to be born. Turning to the Hebrew scriptures, they say that the Christ will be born in Bethlehem. As it is written, “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd My people Israel” (2:5-6; Micah 5:2).
It is significant that the new ruler who will be born in Bethlehem will also be a shepherd. Not only will He teach His people the divine law, as a king governs His people, but He will also guide, support, and protect them, as a shepherd guides His flock.
Onward to Bethlehem
Now that Herod has been informed about the place of the Christ child’s birth, he tells the wise men to go to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search earnestly for the little Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I also may come and worship Him” (2:8).
Herod, of course, has no such intention in mind. Because his plan is to destroy Jesus, he will not rest until he does so.
Meanwhile, the wise men leave Herod’s presence and continue their journey towards Bethlehem. As long as they are in Herod’s company, the star is no longer in their sight. But as soon as they gain some distance from Herod, they once again see the same star which they had seen in the east. As it is written, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” (2:11).
This time the star goes before them until it stands directly over the place where Jesus lay. There is a significant difference between being led first to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem, and finally to the precise place where they will find Jesus. Representatively, the star that points the way to Jerusalem leads them towards a general understanding of the Word.
But the star that leads onward to Bethlehem, and finally to the house where Jesus is dwelling, represents a journey from a general understanding of doctrine to a specific knowledge about the Lord. It is no wonder, then, that when the wise men again saw the star which first led them to Jerusalem, and then to Bethlehem, and finally to the house where the young Child lay, they rejoiced with such exceedingly great joy. 3
When the wise men enter the house, they see the young Child with Mary, His mother. Then, falling down before Him, they worship Him, offering gifts of “gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (2:11). These three gifts, when taken in order, represent our highest love (symbolized by the purity of gold), the raising of our thoughts heavenward (symbolized by incense rising), and the loving actions of our natural lives (symbolized by the healing nature of myrrh). These three gifts represent our humble gratitude for how the Lord blesses us at every level of our lives. He blesses us with heavenly love, with spiritual faith, and with the power to bring these blessings together in the external actions of our lives. 4
Like the wise men, once we have found the Lord, we see clearly that we should not return to Herod. We have traveled far, passed through Jerusalem, and finally come to Bethlehem to worship the Lord. We know, in some deep way, that Herod will no longer be a central part of our journey. Therefore, it is written that the wise men were “divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod.” We, too, are wise when we choose not to return to Herod, but depart for our own country “another way” (2:12).
A practical application
From time to time, you might find yourself in a confused, troubled, “dark” state. This might be a time when you feel distant from the Lord, or when Herod is ruling in your life. This is the time to remember that the Lord is still present, seeking to lead and guide you. As a practical application, then, when you find yourself distant from the Lord, troubled, or confused, look for a “star” to lead you out of the darkness—some truth from the Word of God. Let it guide you, not only to Jerusalem, but onward to Bethlehem where you will find the Lord. Then, “rejoice and be exceedingly glad” as you again feel the Lord’s love in your heart. 5
Into Egypt
13. And when they had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appears in a dream to Joseph, saying, “Arise and take the little Child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be there until I tell thee; for Herod is about to seek the little Child to destroy Him.”
14. And when he arose, he took the little Child and His mother by night, and departed into Egypt,
15. And was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was declared by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called My Son.”
16. Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the Magi, was exceedingly wrathful, and sent out and slew all the boys that were in Bethlehem, and in all her borders , from two years and under, according to the time which he had precisely inquired of the Magi.
17. Then was fulfilled what was declared by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18. “A voice was heard in Rama, lamentation, and weeping, and much howling, Rachel weeping [for] her children; and she was not willing to be comforted, because they are not.”
19. And when Herod was dead, behold, the angel of the Lord, in a dream appears to Joseph in Egypt,
20. Saying, “Arise, take the little Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel; for they are dead who sought the soul of the little Child.”
God knows that we need divine protection from the wrath of Herod who represents our lower nature, especially our selfish desire to be in control. God therefore speaks to Joseph in a dream, saying “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and remain there until I bring you word; for Herod is about to seek the young Child to destroy Him” (2:13).
At that time, Egypt, was a world center for education and learning. Sometimes referred to as the cradle of civilization, Egypt was renowned for advanced developments in many fields such as agriculture, poetry, and art. Its monumental temples and towering pyramids were architectural triumphs, and there were significant advances in all branches of medicine. Therefore, the sojourn of Joseph and his young family in Egypt represents the need that we all have for learning, not just in science, history, and mathematics, but also in the basics of religion. 6
Religious truth, especially the most basic, can help defend us against the onslaughts of Herod who represents the destructive impulses of our lower nature. He is a despotic ruler, a fierce tyrant who strives to murder everything that is true and good in us, even in its most innocent beginning. As it written, “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem, and in all its districts, from two years old and under” (2:16).
Herod’s destruction of all the male children of Bethlehem two years old and under, represents how evil inclinations can destroy our earliest impulses to learn truth and do the good things it teaches. These earliest impulses are symbolized by the male babies of Bethlehem.
Whenever we fall into states of cynicism and skepticism, refusing to learn or trust the simple teachings of the Word, whenever we find ourselves without the desire to seek the truth, or do what truth teaches, and whenever the distractions of the world lure us away from the quest for wisdom and love, we can know that “Herod” has risen up in our hearts. A massacre has begun. “Herod in us” is striving to murder the innocent and tender qualities that have been born in that place of spiritual nourishment called “Bethlehem.”
The name “Bethlehem” is significant. It comes from two Hebrew words: Beth [בֵּית] meaning “house” and lechem [לֶחֶם] meaning “bread.” Therefore, Bethlehem means “House of Bread”—a place of spiritual nourishment. And because it is the place where Jesus is born, it symbolizes the place where love is born in our hearts. 7
Herod wants to destroy this innocent love. But if we flee to Egypt, as Joseph does with his family, we will be protected. It is the place where our instruction begins. This is a temporary, but essential part of our spiritual development; temporary because we must eventually return to the land of Canaan where the truth will be applied to our lives; and essential, because these basic, natural truths from the literal sense of the Word are the means by which we can be prepared to receive the higher insights that will eventually flow in from above. 8
For most of us, the period of our instruction in basic truths can last for many years, well into adolescence and beyond. In fact, it never really ends. Throughout our lives we will continue to acquire knowledge, both worldly and spiritual. We will, as it were, “go down into Egypt.” And, as we do so, learning truth and putting it into our lives, we will begin to see how the literal teachings of scripture open up like parting clouds, revealing more and more of the interior truths they contain.
Although the Gospel According to Matthew does not tell us how long Jesus remained in Egypt, we can safely assume He was still quite young when He left, for an angel of the Lord came to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the soul of the young Child are dead” (2:20).
A practical application
Sometimes, when we do not get our way, we react defensively or even with fury against those who disobey or disregard our wishes. This is Herod in us, a bully who flies into a rage if his desires are not met or if his authority is challenged. While this might take the form of an angry outburst, or an insulting comment, it can also take the form of stoney silence. Each response is a form of retaliation. As a practical application, then, be aware of states of defensiveness and retaliation that rise up within you when you do not get your way. Try to sense the earliest stages of these patterns as they rise up within you. This is the time to symbolically “flee to Egypt.” In other words, this is an opportunity to learn more about yourself, especially in regard to how you habitually respond when you do not get your way. Ask for the Lord’s help in putting aside old patterns and in learning new, higher responses. Let the Lord grow in you.
Growing up in Nazareth
21. And he arose, [and] took the little Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.
22. And hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judea instead of his father Herod, he feared to go thither; but being warned in a dream, he departed into the parts of Galilee.
23. And coming, He dwelt in a city called Nazareth, so that it might be fulfilled which was declared by the prophets, that He should be called a Nazarene.
Eventually, it is time for Joseph, Mary, and the young Child to leave Egypt. As it written in the Hebrew scriptures, “Out of Egypt I have called My Son” (Hosea 11:1; see also 2:15). This also applies to us. Once we have learned the simple, basic, most literal truths of the Word, represented by sojourning in Egypt, it is time to be further instructed, and to see what is more interiorly concealed within the letter of the Word.
This is a necessary step in our spiritual development. The letter of the Word serves as a literal history of people and places; it is an introduction to basic truth. It does not, however, reveal the full details of our spiritual journey, or provide the kind of discernment we need for the refinement of our souls. Not yet, but that will surely come when we are ready to receive further, more specific, instruction.
Meanwhile, as the divine narrative continues, Joseph is warned by God in a dream that it is not yet time to return to Judea. Though Herod is dead, his son is still in power. And so, Mary, Joseph, and the young Child turn aside into the region of Galilee, into a city called Nazareth. This represents another step on the journey of spiritual development. In the language of sacred scripture, it could be called, “growing up in Nazareth.”
But what does it mean to grow up in Nazareth?
Nazareth of Galilee was a primitive region populated mostly by farmers, fishermen and uneducated tradespeople who knew very little about theology or the laws of the temple. Unlike the well-educated religious leaders in Judea, the people of Galilee were not part of the religious establishment of the time. Many were gentiles from other countries who had come to Galilee for its fertile fields, abundant fishing, and numerous trading opportunities.
Although many of the Galileans had a simple belief in God and knew the Ten Commandments, they were not familiar with the main doctrines taught by the religious leaders or the many traditions of the temple authorities. It is remarkable that almost all of the early disciples came from Galilee. It was not their theological training that made them receptive to the teachings of Jesus—for they had very little. In fact, it might be said that it was the absence of theological training, or to be more precise, the absence of false and misleading theology, that made them receptive to Jesus’ words. 9
Galilee, then, and the city of Nazareth which was in this region, represent the simplicity of heart and the goodness of life among people who are willing to be instructed in the truths of faith. Because their religious principles are simple and uncomplicated—love to the Lord, and charity to the neighbor—these people can readily receive Jesus’ teachings. This represents a state in us where Jesus grows up—a state in which we are willing to receive basic truths simply, uncritically, and with joy. 10
As this episode closes, we learn that Jesus’ growing up in Nazareth is the fulfillment of prophecy, for we read, “And He came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (2:23). In reflecting on this transitional moment in the early life of Jesus, it becomes evident that the simple, most basic truths of love to the Lord and charity to the neighbor that are representatively learned in “Egypt” must be protected and further developed in “Nazareth of Galilee.”
This is a necessary stage in which early truths from the letter of the Word can deepen and develop. It is why we feel a natural desire to protect the innocence of children from corrupting influences represented by Herod and the son of Herod. And it is the same with each of us as we learn new truths from the letter of the Word, and allow these truths to grow within us in a state of simple faith.
A practical application
While Jesus spent His earliest years in Egypt, He grew up, for the most part, in Nazareth of Galilee, “the land of the gentiles.” There is a “gentile state” in each us—a God-given place in us that is designed to receive the things of faith eagerly, and to practice them with joy. It knows that loving God and being charitable to the neighbor is the heart of religion. As a practical application, then, strive to see the good in people whose faith may differ from your own. See them as your sisters and brothers who may be walking a different path but nevertheless love God and are charitable to others. 11
Imibhalo yaphansi:
1. AC 1675:4: “Balaam was one of the sons of the east, or from Syria, where there was a remnant of the Ancient Church…. ‘To see Him, but not now, to behold Him, but not nigh’ refers to the Lord’s coming into the world, whose Human Essence is called ‘a Star out of Jacob.’” See also AC 3249: “That the ‘sons of the east’ dwelt in Syria is evident from the fact that when Jacob went into Syria he is said to have gone ‘to the land of the sons of the east’ (see Genesis 29:1).
2. AE 1022:2: “The Tenth Commandment: ‘Thou shalt not covet (or desire) thy neighbor’s wife, his manservant, or his maidservant, his ox, or his donkey’…. These words signify to will and eagerly desire to subject another to one’s own authority or bidding…. This is the love of ruling over others [amorem imperandi.]” See also AE 1032:2: “Babylon signifies the love of ruling over all things of the world, and also over all things of heaven and the church, and at last over the Lord Himself.”
3. AE 422:20: “The star appeared to those from the east because the Lord is the east; and because they had knowledge respecting the Lord’s coming from representatives that were with them, the star appeared and went before them, first to Jerusalem, which represented the church itself in respect to doctrine and in respect to the Word, and from there to the place where the infant Lord lay. Moreover, a ‘star’ signifies the knowledges of good and truth, and in the highest sense the knowledge respecting the Lord.”
4. AC 1171:5: “The wise men from the east came to Jesus at His birth, and fell down and worshipped Him, and opened their treasures, and offered Him gifts, gold, frankincense, and myrrh, These gifts meant celestial, spiritual, and natural good.” See also AC 4262: “The wise men from the east who came to Jesus just after His birth, brought presents—gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The ‘gold’ signified celestial love; ‘frankincense,’ spiritual love; and ‘myrrh,’ these loves in the natural.” See also AC 9293:3: “Gold, frankincense, and myrrh signify all things of the good of love and of faith in the Lord; by ‘gold’ those of the good of love; by ‘frankincense’ those of the good of faith; and by ‘myrrh’ those of both in things external.”
5. TCR 348: “Faith from truths shines in heaven like a star.” See also AC 9293: “It was known to the ancients that all things correspond and are representative, and consequently have a signification. This is also evident from the most ancient books and monuments of the gentiles. Consequently, they knew that gold, frankincense, and myrrh signify the goods which are to be offered to God. They also knew from their prophetic writings, which were of the Ancient Church that the Lord was to come into the world, and that a star would then appear to them, of which star Balaam, who also was one of the sons of the east, prophesied. This is because a ‘star’ signifies the knowledges of internal good and truth, which are from the Lord.” See also AC 530: “Remains [of goodness and truth] are like some heavenly star, which, the smaller it is the less light it gives, and the larger it is, the more light it gives.”
6. AE 328:16: “Egypt signifies knowledges, but such as are from the letter of the Word, and ‘to sojourn’ signifies to be instructed.” See also AC 1461: “Going down into Egypt to sojourn signifies instruction in knowledges from the Word. This is evident from the signification of ‘Egypt,’ and from the signification of ‘sojourning.” …. In His childhood the Lord was instructed as are other men…. The external cannot be reduced to correspondence and agreement with the internal except by means of knowledges. The external is corporeal and sensuous; nor does it receive anything celestial and spiritual unless knowledges are implanted in it, as in ground; for in knowledges celestial things can have their recipient vessels. But the knowledges must be from the Word…. Hence it may be seen that in His childhood the Lord did not will to imbue Himself with any other knowledges than those of the Word.”
7. AE 71: “In the Word, ‘waters’ signify the truths of faith, as ‘bread’ signifies the good of love. ‘Waters’ and ‘bread’ have this signification because things that pertain to spiritual nourishment are expressed in the sense of the letter by such things as belong to natural nourishment; for bread and water, which include in general all food and drink, nourish the body, while the truths of faith and the good of love nourish the soul. This also is from correspondence, for when ‘bread’ and ‘water’ are read of in the Word. angels, because they are spiritual, understand the things by which they are nourished, which are the goods of love and the truths of faith.”
8. AC 1462:6: “That the Lord when an infant was brought into Egypt, signified the same that is here signified by Abram [instruction in truths from the letter of the Word]; and it took place for the additional reason that He might fulfill all the things that had been represented concerning Him. In the inmost sense the migration of Jacob and his sons into Egypt represented the first instruction of the Lord in knowledges from the Word.” See also AE 386:8: “The term ‘Egypt’ signifies the knowing faculty [scientificum] in a person. Since this belongs to the natural in a person, the phrase ‘the land of Egypt’ means the natural mind.”
9. AC 4760:4: “It is well-known that the learned have less belief than the simple in a life after death, and that in general they see divine truths less clearly than the simple do. The reason is that they consult facts, of which they possess a greater abundance than others, with a negative attitude, and by this destroy in themselves any insight gained from a higher or more interior position. Once this has been destroyed they no longer see anything in the light of heaven but in the light of the world; for facts exist in the light of the world, and if they are not lit up by the light of heaven they bring darkness, however different it may seem to be to them. This was why the simple believed in the Lord but not the scribes and Pharisees, who were the learned in that nation.”
10. AE 730: “Gentiles signify those who are in ignorance of truth, and yet are in the good of life according to their religious principle, from which they have a desire for truths.” See also AE 447:5: “Galilee signifies the establishment of the church with the gentiles who are in the good of life and who receive truths.” See also AC 6990: “In the Word, those who are ‘blind’ also mean gentiles who have no knowledge of the truth of faith because they live outside the church. However, when they have been taught, they accept faith. Those same people are also meant by the blind whom the Lord healed.”
11. AC 4868:2: “Indeed, there are some who believe in simplicity the literal sense of the Word, and yet live according to those things which are of the internal sense, that is in love and charity, and thence in faith—for these are of the internal sense of the Word, and from the literal sense teach these things. This is because the internal and the external sense come together in the two precepts—to love the Lord above all things, and the neighbor as oneself.” See also AC 2385:3-5: “If love to the Lord and charity toward the neighbor were seen as the essential of all doctrine and worship … one church would arise out of many, no matter how greatly the doctrinal and ritual matters differed…. If it were so now, all would be governed by the Lord as one person; for they would be as the members and organs of one body, which, although not of similar form, nor of similar function, yet all have relation to one heart, on which depend all and each in their several forms, that are everywhere varied. Then would each person say, in whatever doctrine and in whatever outward worship one might be, ‘This is my brother, I see that he worships the Lord, and is a good man.’”
