Coming up to Christmas, we’ll likely hear a lot about the Three Wise Men (or “We Three Kings of Orient”), and I wondered what you all thought of them.
First, it is really interesting to note the myths that have grown up around these figures. The only Gospel that mentions them is Matthew (I think), and he does not mention how many there were – there were 3 sorts of gifts, so likely that is where the traditional “three wise men” derived from.
Also, it doesn’t look like they showed up on the night of Jesus’ birth: “After” Jesus’ birth they arrived in Jerusalem to find King Herod, to ask about this baby, as they had seen a star that announced the birth of the King of the Jews. Seems likely they arrived within Jesus’ first two years, as this is the age of babies has killed in his attempt to kill Jesus, when he realizes the ‘wise men’ aren’t coming back to tell him where the baby is.
What really interests me is what these men represent. They are called “Magi” in Matthew, who where, according to some sources, a preistly group from Persia (today’s Iran) of the Zoroastrian religion. If you believe in the Bible, why might God have prompted these Zoroastrian priests with his guiding star to come and pay tribute to the King of the Jews. If you are not a bible-believer, what do you take the point of this addition to the Gospel stories to mean?
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wisdom41% Voted for by mellilot, a12, ohsweetie970, insanepyro6, ohsweetie2788.
Would they not have been meant to show that Jesus was hailed by more than just Jews as the son of a King? If taken literally it would be understood that God wished the world at large to know of his son’s arrival and so set the star their to tell those watching. If taken to be a myth it would be a representation of how the wise of the world concede to the jewish God. Something akin to the idea of Solomon being the wisest king etc.
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Oftenly Soothsayers' augurs come true.16% Voted for by Mujtaba H Zaidi, Dancing Doll.
Jesus Christ is the holy messenger and prophet of Almighty God. His birth was one of the greatest and wonderful incidents of the world. So, if the Magis had visited the king, it is no surprise. In the same way, it is also possible that God would have sent these three.
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3...Voted for by Glamorous.
3 magi or astronomers that spotted an unusual star and somehow knew it would lead them to the Savior so they followed it bringing gifts of gold, frankensence, and myrr. Wich upon their arrival they gave to the Baby Jesus. Then went back an alternate way so they would not have to tell the king they had found the Christ child. << but you would have known that if you had read the Bible…
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not sure whatVoted for by rksweetpunk.
I dont know if they are actually supposed ‘represent’ anything, but you are correct with the common misconceptions in the Church. Glad to see someone does research (not meant to sound sarcastic)
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Supposed to suggest an important personVoted for by dauer.
The story of the three magi is supposed to be suggestive of the three who visited Abraham to tell he and Sarah that they would have a child. This type of allusion is common in this sort of literature. This is why Jesus bears even more in common with Mithras, another Roman dying god.
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January 6Voted for by jonesz12.
Somebody mentioned this and they are correct, these magi, were like astronomers, they studied the patterns of the stars and all that crap. The traditional day in the church for the Magi to visit is actually on January 6th, which is the day of Epiphany, not the night of Jesus' birth. This is where the 12 days of Chrismas came from. Jesus birth until the visit of the Magi. In truth, this visit may have taken 2 or 3 years after Jesus birth, the time line is uncertain. And you are correct there are three gifts, not three wise men mentioned. There could have been 40 for all we know.
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