Advent: 11 Days to Go
Correction: In this installment of our Christmas adventure, the journey of the Magi...
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
--Matthew 2:1-6 KJV Bible
The "Magi," sometimes described as wise men, were learned men from an eastern country, possibly Arabia, Persia, or Mesopotamia, but the exact location is uncertain. The term "Mage"--the singular of "Magi"--is thought to designate an order of priests and philosophers which belonged originally to Perisa and Media, and who were extensively distributed over the region of the Euphrates. Those of this order described in the book of Daniel were astrologers and magicians. These persons were experts in the study of the stars. We do not know how many made the journey, but tradition says that there were three--one for each gift that was brought.
It is not certain what "star" the Magi saw. The appearance in the night sky of a new “star,” in the form of a nova, supernova, or comet would have been well documented by the cultures of the time that studied the stars, but no such record exists. The “star” may have been an astronomical event such as a conjunction of the planets. One example around that time was a triple conjunction of Jupiter around the star Regulus, against the backdrop of the constellation of Leo the lion. Because of its brightness, the "wandering star" Jupiter was considered the king of the planets. Also, the bright, "regal" star Regulus was considered a symbol of kingship. And the constellation Leo had long been considered in certain cultures as a symbol of the "Lion of Judah." An event such as this might suggest to those in the know that there was a new leader among the Jewish people. After making preparations, representatives were sent to pay homage to this new king. They naturally made their way to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish government and the logical location for a king.
In welcoming these honored guests to his palace, King Herod was probably honored, but also quite troubled. The last thing Herod wanted to hear was that he might no longer be king. To answer the question of the Magi, and to satisfy his own curiosity, Herod consulted the scribes. The scribes belonged mainly to the party of the Pharisees. The scribes functioned as members of a highly honored profession, being professional students and defenders of the law, both scriptural and traditional. They gathered around them students whom they instructed in the law. The scribes were also considered lawyers because they were entrusted with the administration of the law as judges in the Sanhedrin.
The scribes directed Herod to the words of the prophet Micah, who foretold that God's Messiah would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). This answer confirms that the Jewish leaders were well aware of the prophecies regarding God's Messiah.
Next time, Herod tries to use the Magi...
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1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
--Matthew 2:1-6 KJV Bible
The "Magi," sometimes described as wise men, were learned men from an eastern country, possibly Arabia, Persia, or Mesopotamia, but the exact location is uncertain. The term "Mage"--the singular of "Magi"--is thought to designate an order of priests and philosophers which belonged originally to Perisa and Media, and who were extensively distributed over the region of the Euphrates. Those of this order described in the book of Daniel were astrologers and magicians. These persons were experts in the study of the stars. We do not know how many made the journey, but tradition says that there were three--one for each gift that was brought.
It is not certain what "star" the Magi saw. The appearance in the night sky of a new “star,” in the form of a nova, supernova, or comet would have been well documented by the cultures of the time that studied the stars, but no such record exists. The “star” may have been an astronomical event such as a conjunction of the planets. One example around that time was a triple conjunction of Jupiter around the star Regulus, against the backdrop of the constellation of Leo the lion. Because of its brightness, the "wandering star" Jupiter was considered the king of the planets. Also, the bright, "regal" star Regulus was considered a symbol of kingship. And the constellation Leo had long been considered in certain cultures as a symbol of the "Lion of Judah." An event such as this might suggest to those in the know that there was a new leader among the Jewish people. After making preparations, representatives were sent to pay homage to this new king. They naturally made their way to Jerusalem, the center of Jewish government and the logical location for a king.
In welcoming these honored guests to his palace, King Herod was probably honored, but also quite troubled. The last thing Herod wanted to hear was that he might no longer be king. To answer the question of the Magi, and to satisfy his own curiosity, Herod consulted the scribes. The scribes belonged mainly to the party of the Pharisees. The scribes functioned as members of a highly honored profession, being professional students and defenders of the law, both scriptural and traditional. They gathered around them students whom they instructed in the law. The scribes were also considered lawyers because they were entrusted with the administration of the law as judges in the Sanhedrin.
The scribes directed Herod to the words of the prophet Micah, who foretold that God's Messiah would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). This answer confirms that the Jewish leaders were well aware of the prophecies regarding God's Messiah.
Next time, Herod tries to use the Magi...
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