Birth of christ video shorts5/29/2023 ![]() (The Jewish Bible/Old Testament says that the Jewish prophet Daniel was made 'Chief of the Magi' by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, during that time, because Daniel was so wise and learned.) The Magi would have known about the prophecies of a special Jewish Savior (also known as the Messiah) from when the Jews had been held captive in ancient Babylon several hundred years before. No one really knows what the new star in the sky was, and there are many theories including comets, supernovas, a conjunctions of planets or something supernatural! Find out more about the star in the Star of Bethlehem page in the Christmas Customs section. ![]() ![]() They had seen an unusual new star in the sky, and knew that it foretold the birth of a special king in Israel. They would have also probably been very rich and held high esteem in their own society and by people who weren't from their country or religion. They were certainly men of great learning in all sorts of topics. The magi would have followed the patterns of the stars religiously. However, in those times astronomy and astrology were part of the same overall studies (and 'science') and went hand in hand with each other. Today we'd call them something like astrologers. This was the title given to priests in a sect of the ancient Persian religions such as Zoroastrianism. Magos/Magus comes from the old Persian word 'Μάγος' or 'Magupati' (chief of the Magi). The word used to describe the Wise Men in the original Greek in Matthew is 'Magos', 'Magus' in Latin, or 'Magi' in English ('magi' is where the english word 'magic' comes from). Important people like the Wise Men would have ridden horses. They also probably didn't ride camels, because they were generally only used for carrying goods in those times. The number of Wise Men being 'three' comes from the three gifts they brought with them: but however many there were of them, they probably would have had many more servants with them. So the connection to 'kings' have also come from those verses. There are also two passages in the Jewish Bible/Old Testament (Isaiah 60 and Psalm 72) which speak of 'kings' visiting a new important person and evening bringing Gold and Incense with them. ![]() One theory is that they might have been Kings of the Yemen, as during this time the Kings of Yemen were Jews. Although they are often called the 'Three Kings', the Bible does not say how many there were, or that they were kings. The History behind the Three Kings/Wise Men/Magi in the Christmas StoryĪfter Jesus was born, Wise Men came to look for Him, probably from an area which is now in either Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, or an area in what's now southern Turkey, northern Syria. Being warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they went back to their own country another way. Then, opening their treasures, they offered gifts to him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child, and when you have found him, bring me word, so that I also may come and worship him.”Īnd they, having heard the king, went their way and look, the star which they saw in the east went before them, until it came and stood over where the young child was. Then Herod secretly called the wise men, and learned from them exactly what time the star appeared. And they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written through the prophet, ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are in no way least among the rulers of Judah for out of you will come forth a ruler who will shepherd my people, Israel.’” And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he asked them where the Messiah would be born. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, look, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him.”Īnd when King Herod heard it, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
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