How Many Wise Men Visited the Baby Jesus
No nativity scene is complete without the 3 wise men presenting their gifts to infant Jesus, a gigantic star hovering over a stable bathing them in light. It's such a beautiful moving-picture show, majestic kings kneeling in the hay with the shepherds among the oxen and cattle, all adoring a baby in a manger.
Except that isn't what happened.
Who were the wise men really? Where did they come up from? Did they always meet the stable? And were there really iii of them?
The answers may not exist what you think.
What Does the Bible Say almost the Wise Men and the Christmas Story?
The wise men are mentioned in Matthew two.
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born male monarch of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him'" (Matthew 2:1-ii).
Matthew goes on to record their search for Jesus. They went to the courtroom of Male monarch Herod and asked him where they would find "the male monarch of the Jews" that had been born. Herod chosen together the chief priests and teachers of the law, who adamant that, according to the Old Testament prophecies, the Messiah would be built-in in Bethlehem.
They discovered Jesus in a house (notably, non a stable) in Bethlehem according to the prophecies and brought him gifts. God and so warned them in a dream not to let King Herod know where Jesus was, so they returned home without telling Herod, who was secretly plotting to kill Jesus.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Robert Thiemann
Who Were the Wise Man/Magi in the Christmas Story?
The Greek word μαγοι (mάgoi) is translated as "wise men" or "magi" depending on the English translation. This give-and-take was originally meant to refer to a form of Farsi wise men that were something like priests, interpreters of special signs, and peculiarly astrology.
Eventually, the word came to exist used for anyone who had supernatural knowledge or ability, or a magician. The same give-and-take is used in Acts 13:vi to depict the fake prophet Bar-Jesus. It could even hateful a deceptive person; the NIV translates the give-and-take to "sorcerer" in describing Bar-Jesus.
Mάgoi as used to refer to the wise men is probably in line with the offset definition. Similar these Farsi wise men, the magi were interested in astrology (they followed a star) and they were from the east (the direction of Babylon/Persia).
Sometimes the magi are referred to as kings, just the Bible never calls them that.
How Many Wise Men Were There in the Christmas Story?
The Bible never says how many magi there were. There were at to the lowest degree two, merely there is no indication other than that. The idea of three wise men probably comes from the fact that they brought three gifts. Early church traditions actually suggested that in that location were twelve wise men, just nosotros have no idea.
What Was the Star They Followed in the Christmas Story?
No 1 is exactly sure what star the wise men followed, or whether it was even a "star" in the strictest sense at all.
Some have suggested a supernova. Others accept suggested a comet. Many theories concern a specific massing of planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, inside of meaningful constellations, like Pisces.
There are many astronomical happenings that could potentially fit the pecker due to the meanings planets and constellations had for ancient astrologers. For case, Jupiter and Saturn were planets of rulers, and Pisces was associated with State of israel. When these iii came together in 7 B.C., some scholars postulate that this could have been what the magi saw. At that place are other such theories involving various other planets and constellations. You can read about some of them here.
Others, notwithstanding, believe that the star was a supernatural manifestation that tin can't be explained scientifically.
Any the star was, the important affair is that it led the wise men to Jesus.
Why Did the Wise Men Bring Jesus Gifts in the Christmas Story?
The wise men believed that Jesus was "the male monarch of the Jews" whose nascence had been portended by a powerful sign in the skies. They expressed a desire to worship Him (Matthew two:2).
We don't know enough about the wise men to know exactly why they plant a king of the Jews so of import. Was the sign in the heavens so powerful? Had they heard the importance of the Messiah from eastern Jews? (Many Jews remained in Babylon/Persia afterwards the Babylonian exile of the 6th century B.C. and did not render to Israel.) Since God afterwards appeared to them in a dream, had they learned of Him in another fashion?
In the finish, they traveled from distant and brought Jesus gifts because they believed He was a king and worthy of worship.
Why Did the Wise Men Bring Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh in the Christmas Story?
These three gifts were very plush, and thus the very best, fit for a king. These were also traditionally imported from the Arabian peninsula or Africa, which means the wise men were bringing the best of their homeland.
Christians now indicate to more symbolic reasons, which the wise men may or may not accept originally intended.
Gilded is a symbol of divinity, pointing to Christ'south identity every bit the Son of God.
Fragrant frankincense was oft burnt as an offer to God. This could symbolize the fact that Jesus would requite Himself upwardly every bit a sacrifice.
Myrrh was a spice used in embalming. It symbolizes bitterness and suffering. This could symbolize how Jesus would grow upwards to suffer and die.
How Sometime Was Jesus When the Wise Men Came in the Christmas Story?
Contrary to traditional birth scenes and Christmas pageants, the wise men virtually likely did not arrive to come across Jesus in the manger. Most scholars believe Jesus was a year or 2 former by the time the wise men visited.
The earliest the wise men could take visited would be a couple of days after Jesus' nascence; since the celestial announcement to the shepherds implies that Jesus was born at dark, it'south highly unlikely that the wise men obtained an audience with Herod, and then with the chief priests and teachers of the police force, in the centre of the night. They would also have to travel the vi miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where they and so found Mary and Jesus at a firm.
Withal, a yr or two passing is non unlikely. At the betoken the wise men reach the business firm in Bethlehem, the word Luke uses to describe Jesus ways "immature kid," implying He may no longer have been a baby. Herod was also aware of the time the star appeared, courtesy of the wise men, and when he tried to have Jesus killed to protect his own power, he had all the baby boys two years and younger killed. Jesus escaped only because an angel told Joseph to take the family abroad to Arab republic of egypt to hide.
Jesus' exact historic period thus isn't known, simply He most likely was not a newborn.
Why Was the Wise Men's Visit Significant for Jesus' Nativity in the Christmas Story?
The wise men, regardless of where they came from specifically, came from distant. Jesus' nascency wasn't only important for the Jews; it was important for all the earth.
The wise men honored Jesus' kingship and reign long before most realized who He was. The angels appearing to shepherds showed that God cared about the lowly; the magi from the due east gave Jesus the worship equally a king that He deserved, showing a glimpse of His majesty. This fabricated King Herod and then fearful for his own power that he tried everything to kill Jesus—and failed.
The wise men were vigilant. When they saw the signs of the coming rex, they gathered precious treasures and set out to find Him. They sought Him earnestly, and when they plant Him, they worshipped Him. May we follow their example.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/kevron2001
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Appearance resource library centered around the events leading upwardly to the birth of Jesus Christ. We promise these articles assist you sympathise the meaning and story behind of import Christian holidays and dates and encourage y'all equally you lot have time to reflect on all that God has done for united states through his son Jesus Christ!
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