the interview, but I do think that I was trying some lines on them that I wished that I had used several interviews ago in similar situations. “So, gentlemen, are we on the same path here? Seeking the truth, leaving out the extra-curricular sensationalism and telling the truth about your glorious experience?” I felt the tensions easing a bit. These poor guys had been run through the proverbial journalistic ringer and felt a deep distrust. I wanted them to feel a trust in me and a confidence that I wouldn’t distort the facts.
There was a long pause at the end of my last sentence. Each man looking down at the table, or twisting their mugs around, stalling to answer me. Finally, Azariah spoke. “We went into the town that night, all excited, pumped up from the angelic visit. Yes, we left the flocks in their care, how could we not?” He waited for a response from me. My shrugged shoulders showed him that I was listening and answering his question. He went on, “They, the messengers, told us that He wasn’t in the hotel. That the couple had gotten there way too late to get a room, if they were willing, the only place available, that would provide some comfort for a very pregnant woman, was out in the stable. I guess the thinking was that at least there was some soft hay to lie her down in. When we arrived, the stable was full, not of people, but animals. The dad, his name is Yoseph, the mother, her name is Mary, were cuddling the new baby, and another contingent of angels was there, too. As we recalled the prophets’ words that the messiah would be born in Bethlehem, we rejoiced. Our glorious experience of being witnesses to the birth of the new king of Judah gripped us. We had to run out and tell the world. We ran through the streets of Bethlehem shouting and rejoicing. People were yelling at us. Guess I can’t blame them ‘cause it was in the middle of the night, but our excitement about a fulfilled prophesy, well, they had to be told. For weeks after that night, there was a buzz around the marketplace. People of the town were marveling about how they noticed that the strange star in the heavens was beginning to fade. Funny thing, this issue wasn’t just a local event either. You’ll have to talk with Melchior about that, too.” After a moment’s pause, he added, “It was then that we should have retired. We really weren’t needed to watch the sacrificial sheep any longer, as Yaohan stated a couple years ago at the Jordan River, ‘behold, the lamb of God.’ We don’t need sheep any longer. We have the lamb that God sent.” With that, everyone fell silent again. The only sounds were that of the tavern buzzing around us.
I took advantage of the break Azariah took to collect his thoughts and asked, “Who is Melchior, another shepherd?”
“No,” began Azariah. “Melchior is an interesting story. He is a member of the Persian sect of Magistanes, the Persian government. Apparently they studied and were knowledgeable of the Hebrew Torah and other books of the Prophets that were brought along during the great captivity days in our nation’s history. This was a group of socially well placed people who, during the time of the prophet Daniel’s’ days, and the captivity of our people in Babylon, came to know the scriptures and studied the God whom Daniel served. Being well acquainted with scriptures and being students of the stars, they could see our heavenly friend from Persia. It was simple for them to put two and two together. So, they came to Bethlehem when Yeshua was about two years old. The star we told you about had tipped him and his colleagues off. They could see it that far away and having knowledge our scriptures, they were aware of the prophecy that spoke of a star that would appear to announce the messiah. You see we were only shepherds but we knew the star thing was a phenomenon, that it wasn’t a normal heavenly object.”
“Now, hold on just a moment before we go on,” I cut in. “I want to know more about this fella Melchior showing up. How did you know he was here? How do you even know his story? Did he make friends with you? Isn’t a trip from Persia to Judea rather risky? Especially thirty years ago?” I riddled them with questions, and they appeared eager to respond.
The waitress made another pass by the table and pretended to ignore us. Hananiah looked up at her and rather gruffly said, “Hey, can’t you see that our mugs are empty? What’s it take to get refills, all around,” his hands motioning to all the cups placed on the table.
She stopped, looked directly at Mishael and said, “Would you like more Jerusalem tea sir?”
Embarrassed, Mishael sheepishly replied, “Well, as a matter of fact yes, please. And may we have more for my friends too, especially Mr. Stanton. He’s traveled a long way to visit with us and has much of area’s finest soils coating his throat. Thank you Ariel.” She gave Mishael a nod, glanced around at all the men at the table, who were giving her a visual assent to wanting more to drink and stopped at Hananiah’s eyes. Then, without saying a word she pivoted to the right and headed back towards the bar.
“Oh,” I broke the awkward silence, “you know her Mishael?”
“We all do,” he commented, then all eyes turned to Hananiah. “Especially Hananiah. Years ago they married. But, after the night of our glorious experience and the months of grief we received from the townsfolk, well it was eventually too much for her. We all stuck to our stories through the years; how could we not, we lived it. And even Melchior’s eventual move to Nazareth from Persia, following the growth of the young Yeshua, didn’t convince her that we were witnesses to the birth of the prophesied coming one. She couldn’t take the pressure and told Hananiah that it was either going to be her in his life or the “mistress” of his glorious experience. In her mind there wasn’t room for two in their marriage.”
“Okay, that’s enough information for Mr. Stanton here,” broke in Hananiah. “This gentleman is here to get the facts on the Meshiach, not the sordid details of my life.” Disgust and embarrassment registered on his face.
“That was a sad and needless event too, sorry Han, I have to add a little here to fill in some blanks,” added Azariah. “There is no discounting the fact that the Magistanes from Persia added fuel to the frenzy fire, and King Herod’s outlandish response to their presence. May his soul squirm throughout eternity for his atrocities!”
“Are you referring to the time that he had all the two year old male children killed? Throughout all of Judah, right?” I added, “and these Magistanes, what did they want?” I knew that I had studied this in school, but I couldn’t remember all the details. Perhaps I could get a refresher from these men. It certainly couldn’t hurt my background research.
Hananiah liked to talk. And, seemingly fully recovered from the affront on his personal life, he began a slow and deliberate response. “Many things have changed since those days, what with the tight Roman rule we have now. But in those days the Magistanes of Persia, as we used to know them, were assigned the responsibilities of both priestly duties and governmental responsibilities. Actually, they were dubbed, or nick named ‘king makers,’ since they were responsible for choosing and electing a king to a realm. The Romans have changed all that, but people seem to forget the old ways. Anyway, they told us that they had studied our scriptures and prophets since the days of our national captivity. Apparently, our prophet Daniel, had a greater impact during his days as a prisoner than ever imagined. But, it was Zoroaster, who was a student of the Hebrew Prophet Daniel, who incorporated the Hebrew prophecies of a coming Meshiach into his writings, called the Zend Avesta. Have you heard of that movement?”
Leaving me space to answer I quipped, “Of course I have. Zoroastrianism is the state religion of Persia.”
“Okay, good,” he continued. “So, these religious, yet government men, having read the prophesies, saw the star that we’ve told you about, and they saw it as a sign from God that another king needed to be anointed to a throne.” Barely taking a breath he continued, he was in a groove now and really couldn’t be stopped with questions. So I let him proceed. I was quite fascinated that Persian or Babylonian priests would give value to Hebrew scripture, but it would appear that that the Magistrates shared that information with the people of Jerusalem during their state visit.
“They entered Jerusalem in full regalia. Mounted cavalry, a huge cavalcade of men, horses, camels and banners, headed straight for Herod’s palace. By the looks of it, Herod wasn’t aware of their schedule, as there was no indication of a welcome mat for them. But the crowds pressed in on them as they performed their royalty march. It was a sort of gait and pace that was reserved exclusively for coronation