The Gospel for space witches (a sermon for Epiphany 2025)

Photo by David Monje on Unsplash

Have you ever felt out of place?

Like really out of place?

A few years ago, we went to what we thought would be a classy New Year’s Eve party for middle-aged parents.

We put on our dresses, jackets and ties for a mild night out.

What we walked in on, however, was a wild night out!

When our well-dressed clique entered the venue (looking like we arrived from our suburban subdivisions in minivans and station wagons), we found ourselves in a punk rock rager.

Everyone but us had on black leather, chains, and dark lipstick. Some of the men were shirtless. So were some of the women. Every smokey eye pierced us like the studs through many of the ears, lips and noses in the place.

And while they were wearing less clothes than our group, who do you think felt more exposed?

The Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12 tells a similar story:

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star in the east and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him, and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written by the prophet:

‘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.“”

Then Herod secretly called for the magi and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then 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.” When they had heard the king, they set out, and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen in the east, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On 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. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Christians of the 21st century American variety may miss that this story packs a lot more shock value than meets the eye.

In the Bible, “from the east” is often code for alien.

So when the Bible refers to someone as coming “from the east,” picture little green space aliens arriving in a flying saucer.

Then there is the word “magi,” which we may also translate as “astrologers.”

The Law of Moses strictly forbids God’s people from practicing astrology (see Book of Deuteronomy 18:10-14 and Book of Leviticus 19:26), which it equates with witchcraft.

So, then, we may read “magi from the east” as “space witches.”

We don’t often get that from our Nativity story, do we?

Next time you pass a Nativity scene on the front lawn of a church, imagine that you see space witches in place of the magi!

That will give you the picture that I think the Gospel of Matthew intends!

More proof: If you contrast the Nativity story in the Gospel of Matthew with the Nativity story in the Gospel of Luke, you can’t deny that the Gospel of Matthew very much wants you to notice its “space witches.”

For one, the “magi from the east” do not appear in the Gospel of Luke. The fact that the Gospel of Matthew (a very Jewish book for a very Jewish audience), does include these very non-Jewish visitors has to mean something, right?

But also note that, in the Gospel of Luke, God reveals the birth of the Christ to more than a few people (all of them Jewish): Zechariah (1:13-17), Mary (1:26-36), Elizabeth (1:43-45), the shepherds (2:8-20), Simeon (2:25-35) and Anna (2:36-38).

In the Gospel of Matthew, God reveals the Christ only to Joseph before Jesus is born (1:18-25). The next people to learn of the Christ’s birth are the “magi from the east.” The space witches! Outsiders who don’t belong and have no rightful place in the story!

Not only that, but God uses unscriptural means (astrology) to reveal the Christ to them!

Think about it: The same star shone in the sky for every person on earth to see–including the leaders, priests, and theologians of the Jewish people–but only the magi from the east saw the star and set out to find where it would lead them.

This is good news.

When it comes to God, the people of God, and the story of God, you may have a bad case of imposter syndrome. You may think you don’t belong. You may think you don’t know enough to find your way.

The gospel says otherwise. If the magi from the east, space witches, have a prominent place close to the Christ, so do you!

And as the star was there the whole time to lead the magi from the east to the Christ, you can be sure that God is communicating with you even now (maybe you haven’t noticed yet). As Psalm 19:1 says: “The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.”

Last time I looked, the heavens are shining for everyone to see.

Perhaps you haven’t seen the star God lit for you yet, but rest assured: It must be there as surely as the star led the magi from the east to the Christ.

Look up. And keep looking. Search as hard as the magi searched. Ask for guidance and help. God will not disappoint you.

Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany!