The Magi’s Journey


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In this message we be consider the story of the wise men found in Matthew 2:1-12. The Christmas story is not the only place in the Bible where we bump into this mysterious caste of foreign priests known as the Magi. For example, they are mentioned in the Old Testament books of Daniel and Esther as wise men who could give supernaturally derived counsel, wisdom and insights to the rulers of their day. They were practitioners of an ancient form of astrology. Interestingly, the same exact word that is translated “wise men” or “magi” in the Christmas story is translated as “sorcerer” in Acts 13:6 to describe a wicked, false prophet named Bar-Jesus. This man was also known by his Arabic name, “Elymas,” which means “wise.” So this man was a Magi, a sorcerer, named “wise.” All of this background information begs the question; Who exactly were these Magi who came to pay worshipful homage to Jesus in Matthew 2?