Jesus And The Wise Men
Children's Resources
Spotlight On Jesus
Readers' Theater For Children's Church
Characters
Narrator
Luke
Mary
Joseph
Magi 1
Magi 2
Magi 3
Matthew
Angel
Questions
1.
Why did Joseph and Mary stay in Bethlehem after Jesus' birth?
2.
Who were these wise men?
3.
What gifts did they give the Christ child?
4.
Why did the wise men not return to Herod?
5.
Why did Joseph and Mary go to Egypt?
Narrator: Matthew has been gathering information for writing his gospel. We find him talking with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Luke: Why did you stay down in Bethlehem after Joseph registered for the census and after you had given birth to Jesus? I should think you would have returned to your home up in Nazareth.
Mary: We stayed in Bethlehem for two reasons. There were nasty rumors circulating around in Nazareth about who was the father of Jesus. Few believed that I was still a virgin, that Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit.
Luke: So to avoid the scandal you stayed in Bethlehem?
Joseph: There was another reason. Herod was building the temple in Jerusalem. That's only six miles from Bethlehem. The work was steady; the wages were good, and the hours were better than running a business of your own. As a carpenter, I was able to find a job working on the temple. We found a home in Bethlehem and settled down.
Luke: How long did you stay there?
Mary: A little over a year. Then a group of astrologers arrived from Persia. They were priests of the Zoroastrian religion. They believed you could predict the future by studying the stars. I remember the surprise I felt when they arrived from far away.
Magi 1: Several months ago we saw a sign in the heavens, telling us of the birth of a new and great king in Israel.
Magi 2: Naturally we traveled to your capital, Jerusalem. We went to the palace of King Herod, and inquired about the birth of the new monarch, expecting it to be one of his children.
Magi 3: The king was anything but pleased about our inquiry, though he pretended to be happy.
Magi 2: He's old and sickly; highly suspicious that someone is plotting to seize his throne. We were told that several people had already been executed because of his fears.
Magi 1: He told his priests to search their sacred books and discover where this special king might be born. He sent us here to Bethlehem to search out this new baby.
Magi 3: He said he wishes to come and honor the child, but frankly I have my doubts that he really wants to "worship" the child.
Magi 1: From his blood-thirsty reputation, we suspect he has other plans for this new king.
Magi 2: He told us to return to him, but we're not doing that. We're leaving immediately for Persia, not northward through Jerusalem but eastward, to Jericho, then across the Jordan River, and up the highway on the eastside, back to Persia.
Magi 3: But first, our purpose in coming. We have brought gifts of tribute, fit for a king. We bring the child gold, frankincense, and myrrh. May they please him as he grows to adulthood. We honor him as a monarch sent from heaven.
Magi 2: But now, farewell, dear lady, kind sir, and we urge you to beware of Herod. He will stop at nothing to protect his throne.
Magi 1: Last night we had a most troubling dream, warning us to flee from the king. He has evil plans, and especially for your son. We urge you to also leave, and very soon.
Matthew: From what I've heard about Herod, that was good advice.
Joseph: That night I also had a most disturbing dream.
Angel: Joseph! Joseph! Wake up! Your family is in danger. The king is sending troops to search for and destroy the child.
Joseph: What can I do?
Angel: Take your child and your wife and go down to Egypt.
Joseph: But I know no one in that land.
Angel: Thousands of Jews live in the seaport of Alexandria. There you can find people who will help you. Now, get up and leave, immediately! Herod's troops are already on their way.
Matthew: Obviously you did escape.
Mary: Only in the nick of time. By morning the soldiers arrived and slaughtered several boy babies up through the age of two. We found a home and work in Egypt. We stayed a little over a year. When King Herod died, we returned to Israel, but not to Judea. Herod's son now ruled there. We went back to Nazareth. Joseph reopened his carpenter's shop. There we raised Jesus and the rest of our family.
Matthew: Surely God was working, even through those tragic events. God fulfilled the promises of scriptures and protected the Messiah from harm. God's plans cannot be thwarted, not even by a powerful and half-crazed king.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
Narrator
Luke
Mary
Joseph
Magi 1
Magi 2
Magi 3
Matthew
Angel
Questions
1.
Why did Joseph and Mary stay in Bethlehem after Jesus' birth?
2.
Who were these wise men?
3.
What gifts did they give the Christ child?
4.
Why did the wise men not return to Herod?
5.
Why did Joseph and Mary go to Egypt?
Narrator: Matthew has been gathering information for writing his gospel. We find him talking with Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Luke: Why did you stay down in Bethlehem after Joseph registered for the census and after you had given birth to Jesus? I should think you would have returned to your home up in Nazareth.
Mary: We stayed in Bethlehem for two reasons. There were nasty rumors circulating around in Nazareth about who was the father of Jesus. Few believed that I was still a virgin, that Jesus was born of the Holy Spirit.
Luke: So to avoid the scandal you stayed in Bethlehem?
Joseph: There was another reason. Herod was building the temple in Jerusalem. That's only six miles from Bethlehem. The work was steady; the wages were good, and the hours were better than running a business of your own. As a carpenter, I was able to find a job working on the temple. We found a home in Bethlehem and settled down.
Luke: How long did you stay there?
Mary: A little over a year. Then a group of astrologers arrived from Persia. They were priests of the Zoroastrian religion. They believed you could predict the future by studying the stars. I remember the surprise I felt when they arrived from far away.
Magi 1: Several months ago we saw a sign in the heavens, telling us of the birth of a new and great king in Israel.
Magi 2: Naturally we traveled to your capital, Jerusalem. We went to the palace of King Herod, and inquired about the birth of the new monarch, expecting it to be one of his children.
Magi 3: The king was anything but pleased about our inquiry, though he pretended to be happy.
Magi 2: He's old and sickly; highly suspicious that someone is plotting to seize his throne. We were told that several people had already been executed because of his fears.
Magi 1: He told his priests to search their sacred books and discover where this special king might be born. He sent us here to Bethlehem to search out this new baby.
Magi 3: He said he wishes to come and honor the child, but frankly I have my doubts that he really wants to "worship" the child.
Magi 1: From his blood-thirsty reputation, we suspect he has other plans for this new king.
Magi 2: He told us to return to him, but we're not doing that. We're leaving immediately for Persia, not northward through Jerusalem but eastward, to Jericho, then across the Jordan River, and up the highway on the eastside, back to Persia.
Magi 3: But first, our purpose in coming. We have brought gifts of tribute, fit for a king. We bring the child gold, frankincense, and myrrh. May they please him as he grows to adulthood. We honor him as a monarch sent from heaven.
Magi 2: But now, farewell, dear lady, kind sir, and we urge you to beware of Herod. He will stop at nothing to protect his throne.
Magi 1: Last night we had a most troubling dream, warning us to flee from the king. He has evil plans, and especially for your son. We urge you to also leave, and very soon.
Matthew: From what I've heard about Herod, that was good advice.
Joseph: That night I also had a most disturbing dream.
Angel: Joseph! Joseph! Wake up! Your family is in danger. The king is sending troops to search for and destroy the child.
Joseph: What can I do?
Angel: Take your child and your wife and go down to Egypt.
Joseph: But I know no one in that land.
Angel: Thousands of Jews live in the seaport of Alexandria. There you can find people who will help you. Now, get up and leave, immediately! Herod's troops are already on their way.
Matthew: Obviously you did escape.
Mary: Only in the nick of time. By morning the soldiers arrived and slaughtered several boy babies up through the age of two. We found a home and work in Egypt. We stayed a little over a year. When King Herod died, we returned to Israel, but not to Judea. Herod's son now ruled there. We went back to Nazareth. Joseph reopened his carpenter's shop. There we raised Jesus and the rest of our family.
Matthew: Surely God was working, even through those tragic events. God fulfilled the promises of scriptures and protected the Messiah from harm. God's plans cannot be thwarted, not even by a powerful and half-crazed king.
Read the questions again, and prompt answers from the children.
