The Three Kings, or Magi, are mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew 2:1-12. Few details are given about these men in the Bible, and most of our ideas about them actually come from tradition or speculation. Scripture does not say how many wise men there were, but it is generally assumed there were three since they brought three gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Show The Three Kings
The three Kings recognized Jesus Christ as the Messiah while he was still a child, and traveled thousands of miles to worship him. Matthew says only that these visitors came from "the east." Scholars have speculated that they came from Persia, Arabia, or even India. They doggedly followed a star that led them to Jesus. By the time they met Jesus, he was in a house and was a child, not an infant, implying they arrived a year or more after his birth. Three Gifts From Three KingsThe gifts of the Three Kings symbolize Christ's identity and mission: gold for a king, incense for God, and myrrh used to anoint the dead. Ironically, the Gospel of John states that Nicodemus brought a mixture of 75 pounds of aloe and myrrh to anoint Jesus’ body after the crucifixion. God honored the wise men by warning them in a dream to go home by another route and not to report back to King Herod. Some Bible scholars think Joseph and Mary sold the wise men's gifts to pay for their trip to Egypt to escape Herod’s persecution. StrengthsThe Three Kings were among the wisest men of their time. Discovering that the Messiah was to be born, they organized an expedition to find him, following a star that led them to Bethlehem. Despite their culture and religion in a foreign land, they accepted Jesus as their Savior. Life LessonsWhen we seek God with sincere determination, we will find him. He is not hiding from us but wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us. These wise men paid Jesus the kind of respect only God deserves, bowing before him and worshiping him. Jesus is not just a great teacher or admirable person as many people say today, but the Son of the Living God. After the Three Kings met Jesus, they did not go back the way they came. When we get to know Jesus Christ, we are changed forever and cannot go back to our old life. Names of the Three KingsMatthew reveals nothing of these visitors' ancestry. Over the centuries, legend has assigned them names: Gaspar, or Casper; Melchior, and Balthasar. Balthasar has a Persian sound. If indeed these men were scholars from Persia, they would have been familiar with Daniel's prophecy about the Messiah or "Anointed One." (Daniel 9:24-27, NIV). The designation "Magi" refers to a Persian religious caste, but when this Gospel was written, the term was loosely used for astrologers, seers, and fortunetellers. Matthew does not call them kings; that title was used later, in legends. About 200 AD, nonbiblical sources started calling them kings, perhaps because of a prophecy in Psalm 72:11: “May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him.” (NIV) Because they followed a star, they may have been royal astronomers, advisers to kings. Key VersesMatthew 2:1-2 Cite this Article Format mla apa chicagoYour Citation Zavada, Jack. "Meet the Three Kings - Wise Men From the East." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/three-kings-wise-men-from-the-east-701082 (accessed December 6, 2022). Where in the Bible does it mention the Three Wise Men?Matthew 2:11 is the eleventh verse of the second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The magi, dispatched by King Herod, have found the infant Jesus and in this verse present him with gifts in an event known as the Visit of the Wise Men.
Who are the 3 wise men in the Crown?According to the Bible, the Wise Men were three middle eastern kings— Gaspar, Melchior, and Baltasar—who felt compelled by God and a new star in the sky to go to Jerusalem and bring gifts to the son of God who was to be born.
What were the 3 gifts of the wise men?The magi knelt down for the baby Jesus and “offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Their gifts are possibly an allusion to Isaiah's vision of nations rendering tribute to Jerusalem: “A multitude of camels shall cover you.
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