The Magi

“We three kings of Orient, are. Bearing gifts, we travel afar. Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.

I have known the words to this Christmas song since childhood, and yet the magic and underlying message of the story didn’t really occur to me until recently. Here is the story of the three kings and the birth of Jesus.

Once upon a time, in Bethlehem of Judea, King Herod heard that a royal child was to be born, and that a glorious star, later called the Star of Bethlehem, would shine over his crib. He sent for wise men, called Magi, from the East, who were experts in astronomy, and instructed them to follow the star and report back to him so that he could find this new king and destroy him.

The wise men, reported to be three in number, had seen the star, and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, they followed it until it stopped above a stable in Bethlehem where the baby Jesus lay. In their wisdom, they saw the love and worth of this baby and gave him the gifts they had brought. An interesting part of the story is that they then returned home without reporting to Herod, so it is possible they saved the baby Jesus’ life.

This year I began to look into the place from which the wise men came. There are many stories, but here is the one that seems most likely. The title, Magi, is plural for a Greek word, Magus, used as a title for Zoro astrian Priests, who were, by the way, some of the world’s experts on Astronomy. Many nations have claimed title to these Magi, but for me there is little doubt that they came from Iran, and from an area south of the city of Tehran. The gifts they brought are symbolic of what happened to that tiny babe. Gold, for strength and power, Frankincense, for wisdom and myrrh, for suffering. What the babe gave to the world was a life full of lessons of love, and he died on the cross because of the jealousy of men.
His final words were, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

December 25th, on our calendar is two days away and it warms my heart to believe that there is a connection between your people and mine that goes back to this event 2000 years ago. A star led the Magi West. I am looking for a star today that will bring us all together in peace.

Merry Christmas!