At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. —Matthew 11:25
In the days of Herod the King, the scribe Ben Ezra gave up his duties in Jerusalem and withdrew to the southern desert. His plan was to live as a hermit and to spend his remaining years in contemplation of the sacred scriptures of his people.
Ben Ezra wished to turn his thoughts away from what he saw in the city: the greed of the wealthy, the deprivations of the poor, and the oppression of all by the harsh invading Romans. But he could not forget the stories he had so often heard of a Messiah, one sent by God to free Israel and establish a kingdom of righteousness and justice.
Ben Ezra knew that his countrymen expected a mighty warrior who would drive out their enemies with force, bloodshed and violence. Still, he thought, no military commander in history had managed to establish a lasting realm of peaceful stability and prosperity for all. “No,” he thought, “our Messiah won’t be just a soldier.” Would the Messiah perhaps be a great prophet declaring God’s will persuasively to the people? Ben Ezra thought of the many prophets rejected by those who would not listen, persecuted by those who feared them.
Similarly, Ben Ezra concluded that no scholar, no artist, no musician, no builder could hope to remake the minds of their listeners. Ben Ezra was unable to imagine for himself what sort of man the Messiah might be.
After many months in the desert, Ben Ezra began to feel a longing to see his old friends in Jerusalem. Perhaps they could clarify his thinking about the Messiah. He gathered a few possessions and set out toward Jerusalem.
The journey was long and difficult. Ben Ezra walked the rocky roads for many days. One morning close to midday, he chanced upon a small town. He made his way to the inn in the town square in search of a meal and a night’s lodging. The common room of the inn was crowded with town’s people excitedly talking with one another. Ben Ezra asked what the cause of concern might be. A diner replied, “We’re all here to catch a glimpse of the blessed baby.” The previous night, he added, shepherds from the hills had come into town saying angels had appeared to them announcing the birth of the Messiah. They had hurried down to the inn and found a newborn babe and his parents. Everyone in town soon heard the news and all wanted to see the child.
Ben Ezra listened, smiled politely, ate a hasty supper and decided he might be able to cover a few more miles of his journey before nightfall. As he walked along, Ben Ezra thought about the story he had heard at the inn. “How superstitious these country folk are,” he mused. “My sophisticated friends in Jerusalem could never believe such a thing. Still, that baby in Bethlehem will grow up among ordinary people. He will know the blessings and the pains of everyday life. He will learn the Law and the Prophets at his village synagogue. He will understand the needs of our people in a way that an earthly prince cannot. Perhaps those angels sang rightly. Perhaps I failed to see the Messiah. Could I have failed to recognize the savior of the world?”
Heavenly Father, open our minds and hearts to see your wonders. Help us to be free from our misconceptions. Amen.
Guy Johnson