Magi Tricks – Part 2
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”...After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh [Matthew 2:1-2, 11].
Because the gifts given to Jesus by the magi were identified as gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, someone assumed that one magi gave gold, another frankincense, and still a third myrrh, making for three magi. But there could just as well have been two magi, with one giving gold and frankincense and the other myrrh. Or both could have given all three varieties of gifts. Then again, there could have been 317 magi with some giving gold and others giving…
Well, you get the point. The Bible doesn’t tell us how many magi came to visit Jesus, so we cannot possibly know the answer to that question. If we assume we know based upon our own wit and wisdom, we will create traditions to take the place of the Bible. And that can’t be a good thing!
Oh, by the way, we began with the question, “How many magi came to see the baby Jesus on Christmas Day?” It’s really a trick question. You see, even if the Bible had recorded that exactly three wise men came to see Jesus, nonetheless the answer is still not “three”.
“Huh?” mumbles a befuddled reader as he shakes his head and looks lost. “Come again, teacher.”
Let’s read some more Scripture and you will understand.
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared…Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi [Matthew 2:7, 16].
It happened like this. Jesus was born and a special star appeared in the sky. During that period of history all the world was watching for the Jewish Messiah to appear. These Gentile easterners, perhaps from Persia, were stargazing, being astronomers and watching for that special star. They saw it, prepared provisions for the long caravan journey to Jerusalem, then arrived two years later. That is the meaning of Matthew 2:16, as quoted above.
So you see, no magi came to see the baby Jesus on Christmas Day. They came two years later! And there was no baby any longer because Jesus was two years old. Aha. Gotcha. Trick questions rule!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Because the gifts given to Jesus by the magi were identified as gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, someone assumed that one magi gave gold, another frankincense, and still a third myrrh, making for three magi. But there could just as well have been two magi, with one giving gold and frankincense and the other myrrh. Or both could have given all three varieties of gifts. Then again, there could have been 317 magi with some giving gold and others giving…
Well, you get the point. The Bible doesn’t tell us how many magi came to visit Jesus, so we cannot possibly know the answer to that question. If we assume we know based upon our own wit and wisdom, we will create traditions to take the place of the Bible. And that can’t be a good thing!
Oh, by the way, we began with the question, “How many magi came to see the baby Jesus on Christmas Day?” It’s really a trick question. You see, even if the Bible had recorded that exactly three wise men came to see Jesus, nonetheless the answer is still not “three”.
“Huh?” mumbles a befuddled reader as he shakes his head and looks lost. “Come again, teacher.”
Let’s read some more Scripture and you will understand.
Then Herod secretly called the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared…Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi [Matthew 2:7, 16].
It happened like this. Jesus was born and a special star appeared in the sky. During that period of history all the world was watching for the Jewish Messiah to appear. These Gentile easterners, perhaps from Persia, were stargazing, being astronomers and watching for that special star. They saw it, prepared provisions for the long caravan journey to Jerusalem, then arrived two years later. That is the meaning of Matthew 2:16, as quoted above.
So you see, no magi came to see the baby Jesus on Christmas Day. They came two years later! And there was no baby any longer because Jesus was two years old. Aha. Gotcha. Trick questions rule!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Numbers: Volume 4 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. For more info please visit these sites to purchase my books:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
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