Magi

In Christianity, the magi are a group of men who traveled to Bethlehem from "the East" to pay homage to the infant Jesus. The magi are alternately and informally known as the "three kings" or the "three wise men" and are popularly remembered for bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Yet, their identities and social statuses and even the actual number of magi who visited the newborn Jesus have all been the subject of debate throughout history.

The only explicit mention of the magi in the canonical scriptures of the New Testament is found in the Gospel of Matthew. In numerous passages of the Old Testament, the magi are referenced in prophecies that appear to anticipate their visit, as described in the Gospel of Matthew, with striking accuracy and detail. Most contemporary scholars believe that the author or authors of the Gospel of Matthew were aware of the Old Testament references to kings who would offer gifts to the newborn Messiah and deliberately composed the gospel to fulfill the earlier prophecies.

Background

Several Old Testament books contain explicit references to the magi, and their arrival in Bethlehem was foretold by the prophets Balaam and Isaiah. In the Book of Numbers, Balaam speaks of the coming Messiah, or savior, stating that his arrival will be marked by a star. In the Book of Isaiah, Isaiah names the gifts the magi will bestow upon the infant Messiah, stating that caravans will bring visitors bearing gold and frankincense from distant lands. Psalm 72, contained in the Book of Psalms, makes several predictions related to kings paying tribute to the coming Messiah and even names the lands from which these kings will come. Varying English translations of the passage cite Arabia, Sheba, Seba, and Tarshish and also mention "distant shores" or "isles." Isaiah's prophecies specified the lands from which the caravans would come; in addition to Sheba, Isaiah names Midian and Ephah. As with many ancient places mentioned in biblical passages, scholars and historians are unsure exactly where these lands were located.

Catholic dogma favors a literal interpretation of the visit of the magi as described in the Gospel of Matthew, while secular interpretations tend to regard it as a fictitious episode in a series of tales designed to build a legend around the birth of Jesus. Apocryphal Christian scriptures, which relate to the life and deeds of Jesus but are not included in canonical versions of the Bible, contain other examples of such tales.

Overview

The biblical account of the magi is given in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12). It states that the magi were guided from lands in the east by a star, which brought them to King Herod in Jerusalem. Herod's chief priests then sent the magi to Bethlehem, where they found and venerated the infant Jesus and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The magi then left to return to their homeland by an alternate route, for they had been warned in a dream about the nefarious intentions of Herod, who regarded Jesus as a threat to his throne and wanted the magi to reveal the exact location of his birth so he could be slain.

Gold, frankincense, and myrrh all have unique significance. Gold was the traditional gift for a king; frankincense was the traditional gift for a priest; and myrrh was used as an embalming ointment for the dead. Thus, the entire life and purpose of Jesus is covered by these symbolic gifts: Jesus would become a great spiritual leader, the King of the Jews, who would die for the salvation of humankind.

The etymological origins of term magi merit mention. Magi is the pluralized form of the Latin word magus, which means "skilled magician" or "astrologer." In Greek, the original language of the Gospel of Matthew, the root word is magos, pluralized as magoi, which has a range of meanings that shed light on the possible identities of the biblical magi. The primary definition of the Greek term magos refers to an educated class of Persian priests, whose scholarly pursuits included astronomy and astrology. Alternately, magos can be defined as a practitioner of occult arts, including astrology, divination, and dream-reading, or a person who pretends to hold such powers for the purposes of personal gain. Among Christian scholars, the prevailing interpretation of the term concludes that the magi were likely high-ranking Persian priests who were especially adroit at astrology and were thus able to understand the importance of the star said to have guided their journey to Bethlehem. This is the reason the magi are commonly referred to as "wise men."

Yet, the magi have also been described as kings, an idea popularized by the well-known Christmas carol "We Three Kings." Early Christian scholars sought to identify the magi as kings, likely to align the Old Testament prophecies of kings who would pay tribute to the Messiah with the account given in the Gospel of Matthew. Around the beginning of the third century, the Christian author Tertullian argued that Persian priests held a social status on par with kings, which would seem to resolve this apparent disconnect.

The number of magi who visited Jesus has been the subject of controversy. Some early works of Christian art depict two magi, while others show four. Prevailing traditions of Jesus's era suggest that the magi would have visited in a group of twelve, but early Catholic authorities in the West standardized the number at three. Over the centuries, many efforts have been made to ascertain the identities of the three magi. Around the eighth century, the Greek chronicle Excerpta latina barbari referenced the magi as Bithisarea, Melchior, and Gathaspa. The Roman Catholic Church officially acknowledged their names as Balthasar, Caspar, and Melchior beginning in the seventh century.

According to Catholic literature dating to the Middle Ages, the magi met again in the year 54 to celebrate Christmas and died shortly thereafter within a few days of one another. Balthasar was said to have been 112 years old at the time of his death, while Caspar's age was stated as 109 and Melchior's was given as 116. The identities of the magi and the details of their lives, however, have never gained unquestioned, universal acceptance.

Bibliography

Ashby, Chad. "Magi, Wise Men, or Kings? It's Complicated." Christianity Today, 16 Dec. 2016, www.christianitytoday.com/2016/12/magi-wise-men-or-kings-its-complicated. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Bible Scholar Brett Landau Asks, 'Who Were the Magi'?" Biblical Archaeology Society, 26 Dec. 2023, www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/bible-scholar-brent-landau-asks-who-were-the-magi. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

Hoehner, Harold W. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. Zondervan, 2010.

Landau, Brent. Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem. HarperCollins, 2010.

"Magi." New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, 1910, www.newadvent.org/cathen/09527a.htm. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Matthew 2:1–12." Bible Gateway, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+2%3A1-12. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

Saunders, William. "The Magi." Arlington Catholic Herald, www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/the-magi.html. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

"Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?" Biblical Archeology Society, 27 June 2024, www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/jesus-historical-jesus/why-did-the-magi-bring-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.