Isabel De La Calle

Mrs. Cereghino

JH Literature

22 February 2022

The Other Wise Man, Written Response #1

The gifts of Artaban were accepted because, without ever seeing Him, he gave them to Jesus through his

works of mercy towards his brethren. His three gems – a sapphire, a ruby, and a pearl – that he had

bought to give to the newborn king, ended up being given away to help his brethren. He showed his first

act of clemency when he assisted an agonizing man on the side of the road instead of being on time to

meet the other Magi who were in search of the king. The sapphire was the first gem, and he sold it for

his journey across the desert as he needed cash to buy camels and provisions. He gave the second gem

to a soldier to save the life of an innocent child about to be slaughtered. After that, hearing that the king

had fled to Egypt, he started a new journey to find him, in which he “fed the hungry, and clothed the

naked, and healed the sick, and comforted the captive.” Even though Artaban did not find the king, he

helped all the people he saw in need. The last jewel, a precious pearl, he gave to save a young girl from

slavery, knowing that the king was near and that he could have given it to him instead. At last, the world

started to shake, for the son of God had died on the cross. A heavy tile fell from the temple striking

Artaban on his head. In his agony, he heard God tell him that he had helped him when he was in need.

Artaban did not realize this, for he had never seen His face before. Then, Jesus said: “Verily I say unto

thee, in as much as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto

me”