What Did the Three Kings Have to Do With Baby Jesus
No birth scene is complete without the three wise men presenting their gifts to babe Jesus, a gigantic star hovering over a stable bathing them in light. It'south such a cute picture, 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 actually? Where did they come up from? Did they ever see the stable? And were there actually three of them?
The answers may not be what you recall.
What Does the Bible Say almost the Wise Men and the Christmas Story?
The wise men are mentioned in Matthew 2.
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the eastward came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? Nosotros saw his star when information technology rose and take come up to worship him'" (Matthew two:one-ii).
Matthew goes on to record their search for Jesus. They went to the court of Male monarch Herod and asked him where they would notice "the king of the Jews" that had been born. Herod called together the chief priests and teachers of the law, who determined that, according to the Onetime Testament prophecies, the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
They discovered Jesus in a house (notably, not a stable) in Bethlehem co-ordinate to the prophecies and brought him gifts. God and so warned them in a dream not to permit King Herod know where Jesus was, and then they returned abode without telling Herod, who was secretly plotting to kill Jesus.
Photo credit: Unsplash/Robert Thiemann
Who Were the Wise Human/Magi in the Christmas Story?
The Greek discussion μαγοι (mάgoi) is translated as "wise men" or "magi" depending on the English language translation. This discussion was originally meant to refer to a class of Persian wise men that were something like priests, interpreters of special signs, and peculiarly astrology.
Eventually, the discussion came to be used for anyone who had supernatural knowledge or ability, or a sorcerer. The same word is used in Acts 13:6 to draw the false prophet Bar-Jesus. It could fifty-fifty mean a deceptive person; the NIV translates the discussion to "sorcerer" in describing Bar-Jesus.
Mάgoi as used to refer to the wise men is probably in line with the first definition. Like these Farsi wise men, the magi were interested in astrology (they followed a star) and they were from the due east (the management of Babylon/Persia).
Sometimes the magi are referred to equally kings, but the Bible never calls them that.
How Many Wise Men Were There in the Christmas Story?
The Bible never says how many magi in that location were. At that place were at least two, but 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 there were twelve wise men, but nosotros have no idea.
What Was the Star They Followed in the Christmas Story?
No one is exactly certain what star the wise men followed, or whether information technology was even a "star" in the strictest sense at all.
Some take suggested a supernova. Others accept suggested a comet. Many theories business organization a specific massing of planets, such as Jupiter and Saturn, inside of meaningful constellations, similar Pisces.
There are many astronomical happenings that could potentially fit the neb due to the meanings planets and constellations had for ancient astrologers. For instance, Jupiter and Saturn were planets of rulers, and Pisces was associated with Israel. When these 3 came together in seven B.C., some scholars postulate that this could take 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 hither.
Others, however, believe that the star was a supernatural manifestation that can't be explained scientifically.
Whatever the star was, the important thing 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 birth 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 found a king of the Jews so of import. Was the sign in the heavens and then powerful? Had they heard the importance of the Messiah from eastern Jews? (Many Jews remained in Babylon/Persia after the Babylonian exile of the 6thursday century B.C. and did not return to Israel.) Since God later appeared to them in a dream, had they learned of Him in some other way?
In the end, they traveled from afar and brought Jesus gifts because they believed He was a king and worthy of worship.
Why Did the Wise Men Bring Gilded, Frankincense, and Myrrh in the Christmas Story?
These three gifts were very costly, and thus the very all-time, fit for a king. These were as well traditionally imported from the Arabian peninsula or Africa, which means the wise men were bringing the all-time of their homeland.
Christians now indicate to more symbolic reasons, which the wise men may or may not accept originally intended.
Gilt is a symbol of divinity, pointing to Christ's identity every bit the Son of God.
Fragrant frankincense was often burnt as an offer to God. This could symbolize the fact that Jesus would requite Himself up as a cede.
Myrrh was a spice used in embalming. It symbolizes bitterness and suffering. This could symbolize how Jesus would grow upward to suffer and die.
How One-time Was Jesus When the Wise Men Came in the Christmas Story?
Contrary to traditional birth scenes and Christmas pageants, the wise men near probable did not get in to see Jesus in the manger. Most scholars believe Jesus was a year or two old by the time the wise men visited.
The earliest the wise men could have visited would be a couple of days after Jesus' birth; since the angelic announcement to the shepherds implies that Jesus was born at night, it'due south highly unlikely that the wise men obtained an audition with Herod, and so with the chief priests and teachers of the law, in the middle of the night. They would likewise take to travel the half dozen miles from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, where they then establish Mary and Jesus at a business firm.
However, a yr or ii passing is not unlikely. At the indicate the wise men reach the house in Bethlehem, the discussion Luke uses to describe Jesus means "young child," implying He may no longer take 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 ain power, he had all the baby boys two years and younger killed. Jesus escaped merely considering an angel told Joseph to take the family abroad to Egypt to hide.
Jesus' verbal historic period thus isn't known, but He most likely was not a newborn.
Why Was the Wise Men'due south Visit Significant for Jesus' Birth in the Christmas Story?
The wise men, regardless of where they came from specifically, came from afar. Jesus' birth wasn't just important for the Jews; information technology was of import for all the world.
The wise men honored Jesus' kingship and reign long before near realized who He was. The angels appearing to shepherds showed that God cared nigh the lowly; the magi from the east gave Jesus the worship as a king that He deserved, showing a glimpse of His majesty. This made Male monarch Herod so 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 king, they gathered precious treasures and set up out to observe Him. They sought Him earnestly, and when they establish Him, they worshipped Him. May we follow their example.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/kevron2001
This commodity is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resources library centered around the events leading upward to the nativity of Jesus Christ. We promise these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind of import Christian holidays and dates and encourage y'all as you take time to reverberate on all that God has done for united states of america through his son Jesus Christ!
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Christmas Bible Verses & Scripture Story
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