“Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.”(Matthew 2:1). Here in the second chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew do the Magi make their first and last appearance in the entire New Testament. For the three other canonical Gospels do not mention the wise men, the gifts they offered, nor the star that they followed. Going further, Matthew does not specify how many wise men there were, but tradition tells us that there were three, due to the three separate gifts that they offered to the infant Christ. Traditionally speaking the three wise men came from Persia, Arabia, and Egypt. These three nations or races represent the three son’s of Noah: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Thus through the adoration of the Magi the entire human race worshiped and glorified the incarnate Word of God: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Leaning on tradition, the names and age ranges of the three kings are thus given: Melchior came from Persia and was old, with long white hair and beard. He offered gold which represented kingship. Gaspar came from Arabia and was of ruddy complexion, young and beardless. He offered frankincense, which represented the priesthood. Balthazar came from Egypt or possibly Ethiopia and was middle-aged, dark skinned and with a thick beard. He offered myrrh which symbolized death, as it was an ointment used to embalm the dead. So collectively speaking Christ was given gifts that symbolized His identity as the king of kings, as our great high priest, and also for Jesus’ triumph over death and Hades.
The origin of the Magi that came from Persia dates back to ancient Babylon, where in the 6th century BC, prophet Daniel was elevated to chief of the enchanters after he successfully interpreted the dream of king Nebuchadnezzar. For in Babylon there was a counsel of soothsayers and magicians who advised the king. In fact the word magi is where the word magic derives its origin. When Babylon was conquered by the Persians many Jews tarried in the Persian realm for several years. At this point in Persian history there was a strong Jewish presence in the kingdom, with Jewish citizens holding high political office. As Persia housed the Jewish Diaspora they must have come in contact with Jewish Messianic traditions. So, it is possible that some of the Magi who sought the infant Christ were in fact Jewish descendants from those appointed as Magi going back to the days of the prophet Daniel.
The prophecies of Daniel concerning the coming of the king of the Jews left a lasting impact on the kings of the east. The Magi were also most likely familiar with the prophecy of Balaam that told of the star that would come forth out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17). The magi believed that the stars of heaven had a mystical influence upon those of us here on earth. Therefore they would constantly study the heavenly bodies seeking after the sign of the coming of the Messiah: the king of the Jews, the king of Israel. For these wise men or Magi were a group of priestly scholars, who were held in high status among the Persians. This group of intellectuals were occupied with the study of medicine, philosophy, the natural sciences, astrology, and the interpretation of dreams. These individuals indeed lived up to their title as wise men and Magi.
By arriving in Jerusalem unannounced, the Magi’s presence in the holy city alarmed the citizens of Jerusalem and it also startled king Herod who ruled Judea at the time. For the kings of Persian came with an entire army to ensure their protection, due to the rivalry between the Persians and the Romans that went back for decades. It was even rumored in neighboring lands that the Persians had captured Jerusalem. With a Persian army in Jerusalem who sought to give homage to a child born king of the Jews, Herod was struck with the fear of possibly losing his earthly power and dominion. For as it is written in the Gospel, “When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.” (Matthew 2:3).
Now the traditional birth-date of Jesus Christ is believed to be on December 25, around the year 1 AD. However, some modern scholars believe that Jesus was born in April, 6 BC. Now the Bible states that shepherds were tending their flocks at night when the angles brought them glad tiding of the birth of the Savior (Luke 2:8-15). Now the only time that the shepherds of old kept their flocks at night were in the months April through September, due to the warm climate during this time of year. In turn the shepherds would not have let their flocks out at night in the month of December due to the cold temperatures. So, with what we see here Jesus must not have been born in December. Again some astronomers place the birth of Christ at April 17, 6 BC, while at least one astronomer Dr. Ernest L. Martin, has come to the conclusion that Jesus Christ was born on September 11, 3 BC. Whatever the actual date was for the birth of Jesus, it can be agreed upon by both Bible scholars and scientists that the Magi of old did indeed follow the course of the stars and the celestial bodies as a part of their discipline.
The Magi, being led by the star, followed it until it came and stood over where the young child was [and] when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy (Matthew 2:9,10). Now the fact that this star moved in the heavens can have two different meanings. The first meaning is that this moving star was not a star at all but a planet, like the planet Jupiter for example. The other meaning is that the star was really an angel taking the form of a luminous star which guided the Magi to witness another supernatural event: the birth of the Lord Christ. Since these Magi were already acquainted with mysticism, the supernatural nature of the star of Bethlehem did not frighten them in the least and in fact the very opposite happened, they were filled with joy! So the three kings brought their gifts to the child Jesus and worshiped Him. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way (Matthew 2:12).
Now after the wise men left the holy land and returned to their own country, they disappear from the Biblical narrative. However, though it is not clear how they arrived there, the relics of the three Magi came to rest in Constantinople going as far back to the reign of Constantine the Great. The relics were soon after brought to Milan by the bishop Eustorgius I in 314 AD. The bones of the Magi rested there for several centuries, until 1164 AD when the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa took the relics of the Magi from the church of St. Eustorgio in Milan and brought them to Cologne Germany. Subsequently the remains of the wise men were encased in a golden shrine and ultimately laid in Cologne Cathedral, which was built for the sole purpose of housing the relics of the three Magi. The shrine itself is golden with silver overlays and encrusted with over 1,000 jewels and precious stones: a sarcophagus fit for a king. And just as the Magi traveled from afar to pay homage to the king of the Jews, so also do pilgrims today travel from across the globe to visit Cologne Cathedral in order to give their adoration to the Magi.
References:
ABC’s Of The Bible. (Pleasantville, NY: The Readers Digest Association, Inc., 1991).
Lang, D.M. Lives and Legends of the Georgian Saints. (Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1976).
Martin, E.L. The Stat that Astonished the World. (Portland, Oregon: ASK Publications, 1991).
The Life of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos. (Buena Vista, CO: Holy Apostles Convent, 2000).