The Biblical Magi (Wise Men from the East)

 

 

                                                      

In the New Testament is an account of “wise men” who visited the infant Jesus. They came from the east and travelled far distances to pay homage to Him. Early Christian scholars described them as kings, but the book of Matthew in the New Testament never implied that they were rulers of any kind. They were called as “wise men from the east.” They are also called magi. The Bible did not give the exact number of how many of them were. Western Christians gave their number as three to match with the number of gifts that were given to the infant Jesus while Syriac Christians put the number at twelve.

Magi were priestly advisers to kings who were also astrologers or the people who studied and observed stars and their movements and interpreted their meanings. They were also associated with predictions and occults. The English word magic is derived from the word magi.

The magi were identified as Gaspar or Caspar who came from India, Melchoir from Persia, and Balthazar from Arabia. These magi were also probably adherents of pre-Christians religions that were practiced in the ancient Middle East region such as Zoroastrianism and paganism, and they might also have knowledge of Jewish Biblical prophecies. Their sight of a particular star that they considered as a sign of the birth of a new king was a call for them to pay him homage.

They went off for the journey and came over to King Herod in Jerusalem to ask him where the newborn king was. King Herod became troubled in the thought that the infant they were looking for may one day replace him as king.  He then summoned the chief priests and scribes of the people to ask them the whereabout of the Christ. They then answered him in Bethlehem of Judea as foretold by the prophets. Herod relayed to the magi that information and added that after their visit they should return to him to know his location and to honor him. The magi then followed the star of the infant that they also saw in the east. The star which is called the star of Bethlehem stopped right there in the house where the infant Jesus was. There, they met Mary, the mother of Jesus. They bowed down to the infant Jesus and worshipped Him. They then opened their treasure chests and presented to him the gift of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. After the homage, the magi returned to their places taking a different route thereby defying the order of King Herod because they were warned by God in a dream that the king had a sinister plot to the infant.

When Herod knew that he was tricked by the magi, he became furious and ordered that all children in Bethlehem with age two and under should be killed.

In the Christian tradition the date of visit by the magi to the infant Jesus is named as Feast of Epiphany. It is twelve days after Christmas and falls in January 6. It is also called Three Kings’ Day. Orthodox Christianity celebrates the feast in January 19.

The symbolism of the Magi’s gifts is gold- the kingship of Jesus to the Jews, frankincense- the divinity of Jesus as a Son of God, and myrrh- the human side of Jesus that he is also mortal like all humans.