Many children know the story of the three wise men journeying from afar to give gifts to the baby Jesus. In popular culture, they have been painted as foreign kings who followed a wild star so that they could present a child with the least child-friendly gifts imaginable. What this sanitized version presents is far from what Matthew’s Gospel offers. In it, we discover a radical story of the least likely champions honoring and protecting God-With-Us in the midst of danger. It invites us to consider not only how God serves as a light during dark times but also how we might respond to Jesus’ birth in a spirit similar to that of the magi. In this lesson, children will explore the Epiphany story wondering how they mirror the generosity and courage of the wise men from the East.
Starting off
Begin your time with the children by asking them to share what they know of the Epiphany story. Who are these men from the East who visit Jesus? Why do they travel from far away to greet the baby Jesus? What gifts do they give him? Why do they select these gifts? Encourage the children to freely share their prior knowledge, even if it is at odds with Scripture. Then, ask them for their opinions about the story. What do they think of the wise men? What is their opinion of the gifts that they give Jesus? Is this story as important as the story of Jesus’ birth?
Prepare to read aloud Matthew 2:1-12. Tell the children that the story they will hear takes place after Jesus’ birth. In it, they will hear about King Herod. Herod ruled over Judea at the time when Jesus was born. He was known as a cruel leader. He was also paranoid, constantly worried someone would take his power from him. When he hears that there is a child being called “the king of the Jews” (Jesus), he decides to take action.
Explain the children will also hear about “wise men from the East” in the reading. These wise men most likely lived in the nation of Persia (modern-day Iran). Their home was around 800 miles from Bethlehem. They may have been astrologers or they may have been priests in the Zoroastrian tradition, an ancient religion that was quite different than the Judaism that the Israelites practiced. In other words, they were unlikely people for God to guide to the baby Jesus.
Exploring the passage
Read aloud Matthew 2:1-12. After reading, note that Jesus was born in a dangerous time. Ask the children to recount what made it so dangerous. Then, share that despite the risk, God sends a star that the wise men see and follow. What is unusual about these particular people following this star? Why do they take a long and possibly difficult journey to Bethlehem? Encourage the children to wonder what their trip must have been like. What did they encounter along the way? Why did they continue on? What conversations might they have had as they traveled?
Then, discuss what the wise men from the East did when they reached Bethlehem. How did they act when they saw Jesus? What did they give him as gifts? Tell the children that each of these gifts had meaning. Gold was a gift that would have been given to a king. Frankincense was a tree resin that priests would burn during rituals in the Jewish temple. Myrrh was another tree resin, but it was used in perfumes or oils that would be rubbed on a dead body as it was prepared for burial. Ask the children to wonder why the wise men chose these particular gifts for the baby Jesus. What might they have been saying about this special child?
Relating the passage to our lives
Share with the children that this story took place a long, long time ago, so the particular people, places, and gifts in this story might not mean as much to us as they did to the people living in that time. Tell them that together you’re going to reimagine the story as if it was taking place today.
Begin by asking the children to brainstorm modern-day “wise men from the East.” Remind them that they were people who had little to no connection with the religion and culture that Jesus was born into. They were unlikely candidates to celebrate and honor him. Who would fit this description today? Note that they do not have to come up with particular individuals, though they may. Rather, they should think of the type of person who is most like an ancient wise man.
Next, have the children imagine the journey that their contemporary “wise men” would go on to reach baby Jesus. What would their trip be like? Who or what might they encounter? Who would they need to protect Jesus from?
Finally, ask the children to come up with a list of gifts that the new “wise men” might give Jesus. Encourage them to think of gifts that connect to Jesus’ life. What could they give him that shows he is God Among Us? What gifts might demonstrate that Jesus was the King of Kings? How could a gift reflect something that Jesus did during his earthly ministry?
If you have time and the inclination to do so, you could have the children act out their new Epiphany story or they could create a picture book or comic strip version of it to share with others.
