The Parthians are coming... to Matthew’s Gospel
Ray Porter
The visit of the Magi recounted in the second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel is one of the more curious parts of the Christmas story.
First, that we find it in this Gospel which is written primarily for a Jewish audience, and secondly, that such pagan astrologers should be lauded as those who come from a distant land to worship the infant Jesus. And then we have the matter of the star, which has excited the imagination of astronomers down the centuries; and that is before we get the accretions of legends and the perversions of countless nativity plays. The symbolism that we attach to the gifts they brought and the echoes that we find of Old Testament prophecies take us away from a consideration of what we might be able to reconstruct from their contemporary historical setting and why their coming so alarmed not just Herod but the whole of Jerusalem.
Durham CU doubles carol services due to demand
Durham University’s Christian Union doubled their carol service capacity this year. For several years the CU needed to close the doors to Durham Cathedral early as their carol services were full. This year, the Cathedral gave them double the time to use the building, so the CU doubled the capacity with two back-to-back carol services.
The Cathedral venue adds a draw for students, particularly at Christmas time, with an almost magical atmosphere. Across the two services, 2,500 students crammed in to sing carols and hear from God’s word. Director of Christians in Sport, Graham Daniels, captured the audience as he spoke from the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, unpacking the passage verse-by-verse with great dynamic enthusiasm.
'Come and behold Him' this Christmas
Emily Lucas
Now that advent has dawned, the time of year has come to warrant talk of Christmas. Favourite traditions, favourite films all evoking memories of Christmas past.
2013 was probably my most memorable Christmas Day as my first child was born during the early hours. However a close second was December 2009 and singing 'O Come all ye Faithful, Joyful and Triumphant' as the opening hymn to mine and my husband’s Christmas wedding.
How to get to the heart of Christmas in conversation
Here’s some good news: this month, for one month only, conversation about the incarnation of Jesus is socially acceptable with pretty much anyone!
Of course it’s not quite that simple, but it’s a huge opportunity that throughout December it’s normal to talk about Christmas. Let me offer two questions and one story that might help those conversations go a little deeper.