Topic: The Magi Or Wise Men

"The birth of our Lord was announced in a supernatural manner not only to Jews by the angelic message to the shepherds, but also to Gentiles, for 'Wise-men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw his star in the east, and are come to worship him' (Mt 2:1,2). The word which has been rendered 'wise men' in the King James Version and the English Revised Version (the American Standard Revised Version 'Wise-men') is 'Magi.' These, according to Herodotus, were originally a tribe of the Medes (Herodotus i.101) and from their supposed skill in divination, the term was applied to the learned and priestly caste among the followers of Zoroaster; they were thus in principle worshippers of one only God, and rejecters of polytheism and idolatry. The simple creed and high morality, which Zoroastrianism in its purest form professed, were well adapted to prepare its faithful disciples to receive a further revelation, and we may reasonably believe that the wise men who had been thus guided to worship the new-born king of the Jews had been faithful to the light afforded to them, for 'in every nation he that feareth him (God), and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him' (Acts 10:35)."

Source: Erdman's Bible Encyclopedia, 1939, Erdman Publishing
Contributor: E. W. G. Masterman

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