This short narrative tells of the group of magoi or magi that visited the recently born Jesus. The prestige and reputation of the Magian priests of Mazda are nowhere clearer than in the Christian story of the Three Wise Men. Flowers, Ph.D., states in his book Original Magic: The Rituals and Initiations of the Persian Magi that: This means that when Jesus was born, Zoroastrianism was still strongly practiced in Persia. More specifically, they were said to be from the Orient or the East of Palestine.įrom the 1st millennium BCE (B.C.) and until the 7th century CE (A.D.) when Muslims invaded, the Persians, although of diverse ancestry, practiced what is now known as Zoroastrianism, states the Britannica Encyclopedia.Īnd, according to Biblical Archeology, the majority of scholars place the birth of Jesus in 4 B.C. The Three Wise Men were PersianĪncient texts and beliefs place the origin of the Three Wise Men in either Persia (Iran) or adjacent lands. Where the Wise Men were said to come from might be the reason why in many places they are still referred to as Magi. Still "Magi" persists in some denominations that the Wise Men are given. They were of noble birth, educated, wealthy, and influential. These Wise Men were not magicians in the modern sense of performing magic. The Greek term "Magoi" designates men of various educated classes. Many consider that "Magi" is just a reference to "wise men". Throughout the ages scholars, theologists, and devotees alike have struggled with the term "Magi" whenever it is referred to Melchior, Gaspar, and Baltazar defending that the three did not practice magic at all but were just well-educated men. Translated literally it is The Three Magi Kings. ![]() This is because in Spanish the title of The Three Wise Men is "Los Tres Reyes Magos". You might have noticed that in this article "Wise Men" and "Magi" are used interchangeably. Image Credit: Lifeway Research Wise Men vs Magi ![]() He is representative of Africa, as well as the concept of maturity. The second Magi represents the Asian races and youth.īaltazar, with his black skin, is sometimes portrayed with or without facial hair. Gaspar is often shown with brown hair and a brown beard. He represented the white European races from the north, as well as the concept of old age. Melchor was described as an old, white man with a white beard. The three main Wise Men were described with different characteristics representing different parts of the world that were known at that time. In the VIII century, the Magi were depicted as kings and also got their names: Melchior (Melchor), Gathaspa (Gaspar or Casper), and Bithisarea (Baltazar). ![]() Second-century paintings from the Santa Priscila catacombs presented the Wise Men as three noble Persians, states National Geographic. Later on, in the third century, a theologist and writer named Origins proposed that there had been three Magis who visited Jesus because of the three gifts that were presented to the baby. ![]() The concept of the Three Magi took form throughout time, having been added to by philosophers, artists, and scholars.Īccording to National Geographic, the Three Wise Men first appeared as a priestly caste from Media and Persia. Image Credit: Pixabay How The Three Wise Men Came To Be? Let us find out who the Wise Men were and where did this tradition come from. We also know about how there was a fourth Wise Man, Artaban, who got lost and arrived after Jesus' death.īut is that all there is to this story? Were there really three Wise Men that went to see Jesus? Were they truly just researchers of knowledge and well educated? We all know the story of how the Three Wise Men traveling with the guidance of the Star of Bethlehem and gifting baby Jesus myrrh, gold, and incense. On the evening of January 5, all the children go out to gather grass or hay to give the camels or horses (depending on which version of the story you look at) of the Three Wise Men, and then go to bed dreaming of the presents the Three Wise Men would leave them the next day. The tradition of the Three Wise Men or the Three Magi has been celebrated for centuries in different parts of the world on the day of January 6.
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