In Old and New Testament times, there was full acceptance of the reality of dreams and visions. The more direct they were, the more they were valued as the revealed word of God.
In the infancy narrative of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus’s early life is the subject matter of five dreams. Four were sent to Saint Joseph. The fifth, which is of vital importance, was sent by God to the three kings, otherwise known as the three wise men, or Magi.
‘But they were warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.’ (Matthew 2:12)
The scholarly scripture commentaries that I have consulted elaborate very little about this dream. Given its extraordinary importance, I find this odd.
In art throughout the ages, there are countless versions of the three kings following the star to Bethlehem, and many more of the Epiphany, glowing with exotic clothing, animals and gifts. As far as I know, in relatively modern times, no attempt has been made to illustrate the kings’ dream.
One has to go back to the Middle Ages in order to find pictures of it. These occur in illuminated manuscripts: all of them are humorous and all of them are tiny. One of the nicest is from the Queen Mary Psalter (England, 1310-20, pictured).
The kings are tucked up in bed together, under a white sheet covered with a golden blanket. They are in their birthday suits, but with their crowns on their heads, and they are lying neatly in layers. One way and another, they don’t look very comfortable.
They are all awake. The senior king on the right is the one who responds to the angel’s sudden appearance – by holding up his left hand as if to ward off the heavenly visitor. The angel is having none of this and points a stern forefinger at him: ‘Pay attention!’
Had the three kings not paid attention, Jesus would have been killed by order of Herod, as a very young baby. There is something touching about this tiny picture, pretty and comical, telling us about an integral part of the story of Christ in a simple and naive way.
Within 30-odd years, the baby that the kings are protecting will have been crucified by the
authorities of the world. On Easter Sunday, he rises from the dead and by his Resurrection becomes the saviour of us all.
Herod’s murderous intention is thwarted, allowing us to rejoice over the birth of the infant king. For a little while, the sense of menace that we experience in our violent and threatening contemporary world becomes irrelevant.
We have a real need to celebrate and have a HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
