. The History behind the Three Kings/Wise Men/Magi in the Christmas Story. Registered charity 232759. Tradition says that there were three and that their names were Gaspar/Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar/Balthazar, but since the Bible does not say, we have no way of knowing whether the tradition is accurate. Typically we think of three, because three gifts were brought; however, the Scripture does not necessarily describe an exact number. Another fact: the wise men did not come at Jesus’ birth but came later, perhaps as much as two years later since Herod ordered the slaughter of all Jewish male babies age two or younger. We don't know with certainty. Even most of the non-religious (or non-Christian) among us recognize the symbolism of the nativity scene: it depicts the biblical account of three wise men from the east who rode atop camels and followed a star to Bethlehem, bearing gifts for the newborn Christ child who lay in a manger. For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” We saw the star that shows he was born. The Wise Men who visited Jesus when he was a “young child” (Matthew 2:9) were Parthian nobility and /or priests (who were called the “Magi)”. Had the Wise Men arrived 12 days after Jesus’ birth, as suggested by tradition, Mary and Joseph would have received the precious gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Bible actually doesn't specify how many. Eight days later according to Mosaic custom, Jesus was taken to the temple to be circumcised and given His name. i) The Bible does not say that the wise men were three nor does it mention their names. The wise men arrived long after Jesus’ birth. The biblical Magi , also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, were – in the Gospel of Matthew and Christian tradition – distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They have all been added over the years from sources outside the Bible. 2 Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea during the time when Herod was king. Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem Wise men visit Jerusalem Matt. . Did Pelosi ‘Remove’ Gender-Specific Words from Use in the House of Representatives? … They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition. The Wise Men actually visited the child Jesus with His mother, Mary. However, it was Bible scholars who came up with the number 3. Varasdi, J. Allen. Did Members of Congress Provide ‘Reconnaissance Tours’ Before Capitol Riots? The Bible is silent on this matter, referring only to ‘wise men’ that travelled from the East, and yet it has become common practice in books, schools, plays, and more to identify three wise men as being present at the birth of Christ. . © Copyright and permissions Privacy policy Cookie policy Terms and conditions Safeguarding summary Pension Scheme, British and Foreign Bible Society operates in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.And we also work with a network of local Bible Societies around the world. Actually, the bible says that "some" wise men visited the baby, but not how many. Why Are the Wisemen Included in the Nativity Scene? The three gifts presented to Jesus Christ carry more meaning then what merely appears on the surface. 241-242). Why did God move them to travel so far to see Jesus? These men were learned astronomers or astrologers from somewhere in the East (maybe Persia or … This passage indicates that the wise men didn’t arrive until quite some time after Jesus’ birth. Matthew 2:1 reveals that the magi came to Jerusalem and subsequently visited with Herod after Jesus had been born. After Jesus was born, some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem. Gold How many wise men were there? Seems odd that a pastor in rural Texas would be the first to get the... Will January 2021 Feature a Full ‘Wolf Moon’? We infer 3 because there were 3 gifts they brought to Jesus. The scholars came up with 3 because of the number of gifts that were given to Jesus. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Did Marine Corps Tell Pelosi, ‘We Don’t Work For You’? . Were Panic Buttons Removed From Democratic Lawmaker’s Office Prior to Insurrection? 2 Jesus was born in Bethlehem [] near Jerusalem [] during the reign of King Herod. Matthew 2:1-12 (English Standard Version) 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? It has generally been assumed that the wise men (or magi) were three in number because Matthew 2:11 makes mention of three gifts: “. The order of events following Christ's birth to the time He went to reside at Nazareth is much disputed. Few Christians realize how powerful these Wise Men/Magi really were in the geopolitical circumstances into which Jesus was born. King Herod told an undefined number of wise men to travel an awfully long way but we just don’t know how many. From Matthew 2:5 we learn that our Lord Jesus was still in Bethlehem when the wise men from the East visited Him and offered their worship In Matthew chapter 2 and verses 8,11,13,14,20 &21 the Inspired writer is addressing Jesus as young child eight times. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989. ‘Evidence’ Supports Story of Wise Men Who Visited Baby Jesus, Scholar Says 10,691 Screen shot. ISBN 0-345-35985-2   (pp. American Thinker joined the likes of Newsmax in issuing a correction to various claims it... A photograph of someone carrying a bust of Abraham Lincoln out of the White House... Is the Donald J. Trump State Park in New York Real? We saw it rise in the sky in the east and have come to worship him.” The Bible says that three wise men traveled from afar on camels to visit the infant Jesus as he lay in the manger. Scripture does not say how many wise men there were, but it is generally assumed there were three since they brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him . The wise men came “into the house,” not the stable, and they saw a “young child,” not a newborn. Three Arabian princes followed a star to find baby … The Wise Men Visit. The traditional view presented in films, such as The Nativity Story, is that the wise men saw Jesus on the night of His birth, but this is highly unlikely. You’ve probably heard about the 3 wise men who visited Jesus, just after his birth. Early church traditions actually suggested that there were twelve wise men, but we have no idea. Nothing in the Bible says the wise men rode camels (or any other animal); they may have made their journey from the east on foot for all we know. iii) The wise men were learned people coming from the East iv) The wise men did not visit Jesus in the night of His birth. I think there are at least four reasons: They show that Jesus was not just for the poor (illustrated by the shepherds), but the wealthy as well. To sum up: we know from the Bible that wise men came from the east, that they followed a star to Bethlehem to find the Christ child, and that they brought him gold, and frankincense and myrrh. The truth is, the Bible contains virtually none of these details. Much archaeological, textual, linguistic, and scientific evidence backs up the historical existence of the “Wise Men” described in Saint Matthew’s gospel, a scholar asserts. We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”3When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. There were at least two, but there is no indication other than that. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Thomas D. Williams, Ph.D. 24 Dec 2018. The chief point of controversy is respecting the time of the visit of the Magi, or three wise men, to baby Jesus. The tale goes that upon the arrival of the wise men, Jesus was presented with three gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. If this can be determined, the other events may be easily arranged. The following is an excerpt from The MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Matthew 2. It is a common misconception that the wise men visited Jesus at the stable on the night of His birth. As Santa Claus and his reindeer are to the secular celebration of Christmas, so the three wise men and the creche are to the religious celebration. Matthew doesn’t say how many wise men came from the east, doesn’t mention their names, and doesn’t provide any details about how they made their journey. Somewhere in upstate New York, gigantic signs advertise this park. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on WhatsApp Share by email. Our website uses cookies to improve your online experience. They head to King Herod's palace to sell their exclusive merchandise to the wealthy in the royal court. When the wise men came to him looking for the Messiah, he asked them when the star had appeared (Matthew 2:7). (They were most likely learned men, perhaps astrologers.). The Visit of the Wise Men . Nowhere in the Bible does specify the number of wise men who came to visit Jesus. Everyone knows the legend of the three wise men's visit to Bethlehem as retold every Christmas. The idea of three wise men probably comes from the fact that they brought three gifts. Since the number of wise men is unknown, so too are the number of each gift given to Jesus. And despite the familiar lyrics of the Christmas carol “We Three Kings,” no biblical source depicts the three wise men as kings. Does an Impeached US President Lose Benefits? Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem . 2:1-6 Some months after Jesus is born, in 5 or 4BC, a group of foreign merchants selling exotic goods arrives in Jerusalem from the east (see 2 on Map 4 ) . Did Three Kings Really Visit the Baby Jesus? 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