Who were the mysterious Magi of the Christmas story? Were they historical figures or early religious myth? What does the story of the Magi mean for the people of today’s world?
The Stuff of Legend
The story of the enigmatic travelers from the East has fascinated the world for centuries. In some parts of the world, the Magi gained legendary status. In his book the Mystery of the Magi, Dwight Longenecker traces the story of the birth of Christ from history to legend to myth. An ancient popular script that appeared in the middle of the second century was the Protoevangelium. This was an apocryphal writing also known as the Gospel of James (not the same as the canonical Letter of James). In this fanciful story, Mary rides a donkey and the mysterious light that appears at the time of Christ’s birth was so bright that all other stars were dimmed.
Other ancient writings link the Magi of the Christmas story to Persian magicians or Zoroastrian prophecy. Gnostic writings, a mix of Christian teachings with pagan rituals, Jewish occult practices, and secret divine knowledge, fueled the idea that the Magi were Persian magicians. This idea was popular in Syria and Persia from the third to seventh centuries.
Another apocryphal writing, The Revelation of the Magi, tells the story from the point of view of the Magi themselves. In this tale, written between the fourth and seventh century, the Magi travel from the mythical land of Shir in the Far East. The story reveals the mystical treasure of Seth, son of Adam, hidden in a cave and passed down from one generation to the next. Each subsequent generation of Seth’s family is tasked with protecting and preserving the treasure to one day be given to the Christ child. The bright and shining star is their cue to begin their journey to present their treasure to Christ. The star magically appears to them as a tiny child, aids them in travel, and becomes the Christ child at the end of the journey.
Matthew’s Account of the Magi
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NIV.
Matthew’s account of the Magi visit is simple and to the point. He doesn’t say they were kings. He doesn’t say there were three of them or that they traveled from far away. Matthew doesn’t say they rode camels. In fact, according to the text, the Magi were not present with the shepherds on the night of Christ’s birth. They appeared at a house to Mary and her child (not an infant). Fearing the claim of a king of the Jews, Herod sent soldiers to kill every child two years old and under based on the time when Jesus was born according to the Magi (Matthew 2:16).
The Mystery Remains
So, who were these strangers? Where did they come from? Where did they go after they worshipped the young king and presented their gifts?
No one knows.
Scholars can only make educated guesses. The title of magi meant that they were astrologers, magicians, or sorcerers. This caused alarm in Jerusalem because each of these practices was punishable by death in Israelite society.
Magi were common in many ancient cultures of the world. The historian Herodotus mentions magi that came from a region that is now modern Iraq and Kurdistan. These magi were tribal shaman, soothsayers, astrologers, and medicine men. There is evidence from other historians like Pliny, Tacitus, and Jerome that magi priests were known to offer animal sacrifices, practice magic arts, foretell the future, interpret dreams, study the stars, and heal the sick with herbal medicine.
All we know from Matthew’s account is that the Magi “came from the East” and that they went a different route back to their home country (2:12). In ancient colloquial terms to a Palestinian Jew, the phrase “from the East” likely meant the Arabian desert. Other scholars suggest their country of origin as Babylon, Persia, or Parthia. Longenecker suggests that the Magi came from the Nabatean people who built the city of Petra.
The Mystery Deepens
How did a group of non-Jewish priests decide to travel possibly as far as nine hundred miles because they saw a star in the sky? What did they know of the prophesied Messiah of the Jews?
The Magi had apparently been exposed to Old Testament prophecies taught within Jewish colonies that were founded across parts of the ancient world. Over the centuries, conquering nations like Egypt, Persia, and Babylon carried captives away from Palestine. These captives made their homes in the new nations and carried on their Jewish teachings and traditions.
In his gospel account, Matthew is writing to Israelites familiar with Old Testament prophecies. The belief that a Messianic king would come from the line of David in Judea traveled far outside of Israel’s borders. Gentiles (non-Jews) were also looking for the king that would come and bring peace to the earth.
The Magi’s declaration that they were looking for the king of the Jews and they had seen his star alludes to the prophecy of Balaam in Numbers 24:17. “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel.” When Herod asks his experts where the Messiah is to be born, they quote Micah 5:2. “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.”
The Magi were led by the star to find Christ.
What Do the Magi Teach the People of Today?
We can’t know with certainty this side of eternity who the Magi were, where they came from, or why they followed a star in the sky. We don’t know what happened to them when Matthew’s gospel account ends. But we can learn from them.
First, we see from the story of the Magi that the worship of Christ makes evil people enraged and violent.
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” Matthew 2: 16-18.
Secondly, we see that God has included all people of the world in his plan of salvation from the beginning. God told Abraham that all peoples on earth would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 22:18). Through the offspring of Abraham, the Israelites became a nation that carried the story of God and the promise of Christ to a world looking for peace. The promise of the King that would bring peace and salvation has always been for everyone.
What better way for Matthew to make it clear to his fellow Israelites that salvation in Christ is for the entire world than to tell the story of the non-Jewish, mysterious, astrologers from a distant land who were the first to announce to the city of Jerusalem the birth of the Messiah, the true King of the Jews?
When we think of the Magi in our modern Christmas story, may we remember that God sends His love into the corners of the universe. The story of God’s love in Christ finds people in all places and walks of life who are yearning for the peace that only He can provide. Jesus is and always has been a gift to the world.
For further reading:
Mystery of the Magi, The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men by Dwight Longenecker, Regnery History, 2017.
Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem by Brent Landau, Harper Collins, 2010.
Copyright @ TA Boland 2023
Image: Unsplash
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