Todays blurb from "Lyrics, Legends & Lore of Christmas. Nativity Scenes In the Eastern tradition, the number of Magi who visit Jesus is twelve. Matthew does not mention these names, either. The names of Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar appear in Christian literature over five hundred years after the birth of Jesus. The Bible does not refer to the men as kings, but only as Wise Men. Bede the Venerable, and eighth century saint described the kings in this way: "The first was called Melchior; an old man, with white hair and long beard; Melchior offered gold to Jesus as to his king. The second, Gaspar by name, was young, beardless, and of ruddy color, offered to Jesus his gift of incense, the reverence due to Divinity. The third, called Baltasar; of black complexion, with heavy black beard, held in his hands the myrrh he brought for Jesus, prefigured the death of the Son of man”. Until the middle Ages, the Magi were assumed to be highly educated scientists, scholars’ medians, or astrologists. These men were thought to be able to interpret dreams and even have power over demons. The idea that the Magi were kings came about in the middle Ages. This originated in earlier biblical prophecies about kings bearing gifts. The Magi were probably noble or royal birth and of some importance in their countries of origin; however, there is no verification of this. Their mode of transportation is also not known. There is nothing in the Bible stating they arrived on camels or by foot. This information was added later. It is said that they got there just after the birth of baby Jesus and found him in a manger, but in Matthew 2:11 it says, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him.” It does not say that they found Him in a stable, but in a house. The words “young child” is used, not newborn. Jesus could have been two to five years old by the time of the visit from the Wise Men. In Luke 2, in reality it was shepherds that visited the infant Jesus in the manger. To order this book, contact me at aliadam206@yahoo
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 14:31:11 +0000
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