THE YOUNG JESUS
by Charlene & Friedhelm Dohmann

The Adoration of the Magi

The "Wise Men" wandered on. Who were these men and from which countries were they coming? Since centuries legends were woven around these fascinating figures. There was talk about three to twelve travelers. Later scriptures described them as kings and in Medieval times they even received names: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. Most scholars assume they came from Persia or Babylon. Some however support the idea their home must have been the desert area of Arabia or the country in the southwest of the Arabian peninsula, which was ruled once by the queen of Sheba.

Matthew calls them "Magi", the wise men or astrologers in the Living Bible, who came from the East to follow the star in the West. "Magi" saw themselves as followers of the Persian prophet Zoroaster, an important early prophet and founder of a religion, who proclaimed an implacable dualism, which was found in the opposition of the evil spirit against the good God. He combined astrology with his religious teachings. As followers of Zoroasters doctrine, the Magi were watchful about every unusual event in the sky.

Ancient astrology was greatly respected as a tool of the time. Roman emperors, Greek philosophers and scientists or the simple Jewish farmer, who trusted the stars to know when to put seed in the ground, all were convinced of the effectiveness of astrological observations, sampled over generations. The early evening and twilight hours were very important, people were still awake. In lieu of calendar and wrist watch, everybody "watched" the sky. A new-moon started a new Jewish month.

Matthew describes only, that the Wise Men followed the star which they had seen in (from!) the east and that this star guided them to Jesus and Mary. They fell down before the child, worshiped him and presented him with precious presents: Gold, incense and myrrh. The symbolic values commonly assigned were: Gold counted as a sign of Kingship, incense as symbol of the divinity and the myrrh, a substance, pointed to a someone doomed.

Matthew does not give us further details about the event. He tries to show how the birth of Jesus the attention of scholars and prophets drew. Luke describes the birth through the praises of angels and the shepherds filled with awe. Matthew gives his scriptures special weight with the appearance of the wise men and their association to ancient knowledge.

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