One cold winter night the Good King Wenceslas looked out and saw a poor man in need. Though the winter storms raged on, the king’s heart was warmed with compassion, and he set out to help the poor by bringing them food and wood to last through the cold. Though his servant was tempted to turn back, the saint’s goodwill kindled in him the drive to trek onward, seek out the poor, and bestow on them a blessing from the king’s abundance. At least that’s how the legend goes.
In 1853 the Christmas hymn “Good King Wenceslas” that keeps this legend alive today was penned by John Mason Neale. It takes place on the Feast of Steven, which is considered the “second day of Christmas”. This was a day dedicated to the virtue of giving and giving to the poor, very fitting for the legacy of Wenceslas. The song tells the tale of the good King Wenceslas and a servant going out into the cold to bless the poor. The lyrics to the song tell of his legend as follows:
Good King Wenceslas looked out On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about Deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, Gath'ring winter fuel.“Hither, page, and stand by me. If thou know'st it, telling:
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he lives a good league hence, Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence By Saint Agnes' fountain.”“Bring me flesh and bring me wine. Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine When we bear him thither.”
Page and monarch forth they went, Forth they went together
Through the rude wind's wild lament And the bitter weather.“Sire, the night is darker now, And the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how, I can go no longer.”
“Mark my footsteps, my good page, Tread thou in them boldly.
Thou shalt find the winter's rage Freeze thy blood less coldly.”In his master's steps he trod, Where the snow lay dinted.“Good King Wenceslas” by John Mason Neale.
Heat was in the very sod Which the Saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, Wealth or rank possessing.
Ye who now will bless the poor Shall yourselves find blessing.
But after hearing this song many might ask, “Who was the real king Wenceslas, and did his character live up to what is sung about him”? Wenceslas lived from 907 to 935 AD. He was the Duke of Bohemia, and he is remembered for being a good ruler though his reign was short-lived. His connections to the greater scope of church history are widely unknown and surprisingly interesting. His grandfather and possibly his father had been converted to Christianity by Saints Cyril and Methodius when they reached Bohemia on their missionary journey to the Slavs in 863. Though his mother was pagan, Wenceslas himself either converted to Christianity or received it from birth. He even worked to bring German priests into Bohemia to Christianize the kingdom further.
Though he is known as the good king, Wenceslas did not live in good times. His father died when he was only 13 years old and his pagan mother was steward of Bohemia until he turned 18. These were trying times for the kingdom of Bohemia as the royal family were constantly jockeying for power among each other. As legend and history tell us, Wenceslas banished his pagan mother to try to stabilize the kingdom and rule it with Christian mercy and justice.
The Christian Virtue of Giving
Though he lived in dark and cold times, Wenceslas remained a warm shining light to the people of his country and us today. Though many of the events in his life are shrouded in mystery still, the skeleton of his story remains consistent among the legends and historical accounts. Wenceslas was a good ruler who was loved by the people of Bohemia and had their approval as their leader even at his young age. It is said that he would leave his castle to give to the poor out of his abundance, and, in some accounts, he would even go barefoot in the bitter cold. His upright and generous lifestyle is an example of truly Christian virtues. The Scriptures tell us countless time to give to and bless those who have less than us:
Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed,
-Proverbs 22:9 ESV
for he shares his bread with the poor.
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
-Luke 3:11 ESV
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
-James 1:27 ESV
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
-James 2:14-17 ESV
The Reason Why We Give Joyfully
Sadly the King’s reign would not last long. There are various accounts of his death, in one telling three conspirators killed him while on his way to church, and in another he was killed by his brother Boleslav the Cruel. Whichever is true, history tells us that he was assassinated. It is believed that he was killed because his pagan family wanted control of the throne and wanted to end the Christian influence in the kingdom. But this would not be the end of Christian influence in Bohemia and Wenceslas’ continued Christianization of Bohemia would reap the benefit nearly 500 years later. In the 1400s another king Wenceslas harbored John Huss in Bohemia, a man who would eventually be martyred for his teachings against the corruption of the Catholic Church for many of the same reasons Martin Luther would around 100 years later.
This hymn that remembers his noble deeds is not just a reminder for us to give generously in this Christmas season, but it is also a reminder of why we give in the first place. Because we first received the greatest gift of all, Christ Jesus. The Scriptures tell us of the gift of Christ:
6 For to us a child is born,
-Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon[a] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called[b]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest,
-Luke 2:10-14 ESV
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
Merry Christmas
While I do hope you will have a generous heart this Christmas season, I pray that you don’t forget Christ is the reason why you can give joyfully. Just as much as Wenceslas is a reminder for us to give to others, we should remember that the true reason we give in this season is that God gave us His son, freely and with no condition, so that all who believe in Him and accept Him may receive God’s gift of the blessing of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Even though we do not know all the details of Wenceslas’ life, this Christmas hymn always thaws my heart and kindles in me the truly Christian desire to bless those who have less than I. Not just because Wenceslas did, but because of what God gave us in the gift of His son over 2000 years ago, the true spirit of Christmas, Jesus Christ.
As a little gift to you, I want to share this modernization of the old tune by Rend Collective. They play the song in an upbeat manner and add a little tag to it that often plays in my head throughout the Christmas season.
”By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:16-18 ESV
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