So, as promised. Here is my rendition of this wonderful story. Now, most of it falls straight from the book, however, there are some portions which seemed better in the movie and have therefore melded both into what you read below.
The Fourth Wise Man
“Behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
~Matthew 2:1-2
Alan Arkin and Martin Sheen in "The Fourth Wise Man"
This fictional story, written by Henry van Dyke more than a century ago, tells the tale of a Wise Man, Artaban, most likely an astronomer or astrologer, that decides to join the other Three Wise Men in their journey. In preparation, he sells all his possessions for three precious stones that he intends to give the baby King: A sapphire, “…as blue as a fragment of the night sky”; a ruby, “…redder than a ray of the sunrise”; and a pearl, “…as pure as the peak of a snow mountain at twilight.”
Much like our own journeys through life, what we plan and what God has planned for us are usually not in sync. His journey ends up much different and longer than what he anticipated.
The movie begins with Artaban, played by Martin Sheen, observing the stars and deciding to join the other three on their journey. He joins his father and friends asking who will journey with him to greet the newborn King. One by one, all the others come up with excuses NOT to join him and he finally is left by himself. Only his servant, played by Alan Arkin, follows him on his travels. Continue reading
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