Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
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alastairblake
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Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
Just wondering if we have any good ideas as to who these men may have been. the Jr. High aged guys I help with are looking at Matthew 2 today as part of a December reading, and I wish I had more to tell them about the wise men.
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backwoodsman
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Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
Some believe they were the legacy of Daniel. In any case, they probably would've been depending on Daniel's prophecy for the timing of the Messiah's birth.
Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
I never heard this about them being Daniel's legacy. Makes sense. I like it.
TK
TK
Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
Some believe they were the legacy of Daniel. In any case, they probably would've been depending on Daniel's prophecy for the timing of the Messiah's birth.
Certainly possible as they may have been from Persia which conquered Babylonia so the Persians may have been familiar with Dan 9 and when the Messiah was expected. The wise men received some help locating the Messiah from the Angel apparently.
Certainly possible as they may have been from Persia which conquered Babylonia so the Persians may have been familiar with Dan 9 and when the Messiah was expected. The wise men received some help locating the Messiah from the Angel apparently.
Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
Anyone who follows Christmas tradition knows the "wise men" were kings. (We Three Kings of Orient are, etc.) Doesn't every Christmas play have them wearing crowns? 
The Greek word translated as "wise men" in the King James Version is "μαγοι" and means "magicians". Not only were they not kings, but there is no scriptural evidence that there were three of them. The Greek word was used of Zoroastrian leaders who continually consulted the night skies for guidance.
Christmas tradition seems to have a life of its own and varies considerably from the gospel accounts of Christ's birth. Once while I was an elementary school teacher, each teacher was asked to have his pupils act out some part of the "Christmas story". This was not part of a concert; it was just an activity within the school with only the pupils and teachers present.
I was assigned "the wise men". I broke with tradition, and tried to follow the gospel accounts. Instead of kings, I had them dress like magicians who looked to the stars for guidance. Each one of the TEN actors wore a white robe with a large yellow star on the front. I didn't know how many magicians there were, and I had to make a choice, and so I chose ten.
Don't ever break with tradition unless you are prepared to face the consequences. One father came to the school to talk to me. He was livid with rage. He said, "Anybody knows there were three wise men. How could you do such a thing?" I replied that there was no biblical indication that there were three, and he said he was going to find out. He asked every pastor in a nearby town (population about 9000) how many wise men there were. Every one of the pastors were honest. They all said they didn't know, and that the bible didn't say. But what power tradition has!
Christmas plays also have the "wise men" coming to the stable just after Christ's birth. They are usually standing there along with the shepherds. However, in the gospel account of the "wise men", Jesus is called a "child" rather than an "infant" or "baby". Also, they do not arrive at a stable but at a house. The event is believed to have occurred when Jesus was about two years old.
The Greek word translated as "wise men" in the King James Version is "μαγοι" and means "magicians". Not only were they not kings, but there is no scriptural evidence that there were three of them. The Greek word was used of Zoroastrian leaders who continually consulted the night skies for guidance.
Christmas tradition seems to have a life of its own and varies considerably from the gospel accounts of Christ's birth. Once while I was an elementary school teacher, each teacher was asked to have his pupils act out some part of the "Christmas story". This was not part of a concert; it was just an activity within the school with only the pupils and teachers present.
I was assigned "the wise men". I broke with tradition, and tried to follow the gospel accounts. Instead of kings, I had them dress like magicians who looked to the stars for guidance. Each one of the TEN actors wore a white robe with a large yellow star on the front. I didn't know how many magicians there were, and I had to make a choice, and so I chose ten.
Don't ever break with tradition unless you are prepared to face the consequences. One father came to the school to talk to me. He was livid with rage. He said, "Anybody knows there were three wise men. How could you do such a thing?" I replied that there was no biblical indication that there were three, and he said he was going to find out. He asked every pastor in a nearby town (population about 9000) how many wise men there were. Every one of the pastors were honest. They all said they didn't know, and that the bible didn't say. But what power tradition has!
Christmas plays also have the "wise men" coming to the stable just after Christ's birth. They are usually standing there along with the shepherds. However, in the gospel account of the "wise men", Jesus is called a "child" rather than an "infant" or "baby". Also, they do not arrive at a stable but at a house. The event is believed to have occurred when Jesus was about two years old.
Paidion
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.
Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.
Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
In the novel "Ben Hur" the wise men are from different parts of the world (egypt, babylon and and third place I cant recall) and they each had a separate prophetic vision and they meet up on the way to see the child and share their similar visions.
All speculation, of course, but interesting nonetheless.
TK
All speculation, of course, but interesting nonetheless.
TK
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alastairblake
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Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
Paidion, thanks! and yeah, I myself have noticed the lack of evidence for 3. and I have heard them described as astrologers too. and them visiting when Jesus was a child instead of an infant. I very much agree. 
!
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alastairblake
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Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
it would be cool to know how these men heard/found Jesus. thanks for the comments!
Re: Matthew 2, wise men, from the east, etc.
I think the Wise Men could have very likely been Essenes, who were notoriously famous for their wisdom, use of herbs in healing, gifts of prophecy, as well as having a somewhat developed astronomy-astrology. Evidence for the latter is in the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered at Qumran, about 10-15 miles East of Jerusalem.