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kclongfamily
Guest
I’ve always wondered, how can the wise men in the East follow the Star in the East and end up in Jerusalem?
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phoage
Guest
The three wise men are usually referred to as magi, a priestly caste of the Persians. The term magi is where we get our work magician. The NAB calls them astrologers. (At the time, astrology was treated as we treat physics.) If that is so, they may have been following, not the path of the star itself, but it’s portents as revealed by astrology.
Also, they are traditionally to have been kings of Sheba (Ethiopia), Egypt, and Arabia none of which are really east of Bethlehem. This is not in the Gospel but is traditional. There are also other traditions as to their names, numbers and where they came from.
Patrick
AMDG
Also, they are traditionally to have been kings of Sheba (Ethiopia), Egypt, and Arabia none of which are really east of Bethlehem. This is not in the Gospel but is traditional. There are also other traditions as to their names, numbers and where they came from.
Patrick
AMDG
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Bruce_Killian
Guest
They were able to do it because the star that led them was the star Jesus identified with Himself the Bright morning star also known as the day star (Rev 22:16; 2 Pet 1:19) The star marked a sign of the lion of Judah receiving a scepter of world rule and then proceeded in the day to head toward Jerusalem. When they got to Bethlehem it went before them during the day, but is the early evening of Passover waited for them over Jesus’ house. See [http://www.scripturescholar.com/StarOfBethlehem.pdf](Star of Bethlehem) and find links to other related articles and YouTube videos.
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kclongfamily
Guest
Thank you for all the answers but my question has more to do with this: did the wise men come from the East? If so, did they follow the star they saw in the East? If so, how could they end up in Jerusalem? Wouldn’t they have to travel west?
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Gorgias
Guest
Read Matthew chapter 2:
(so, yes, they came from the east.)
(So, they saw the star when it rose, and followed it, and it led them to Jesus.)
In other words, the Bible doesn’t say that they followed “the star in the east”.
Think of it this way: if I wanted to travel west, couldn’t I follow a star (i.e., the sun) that rises in the east and travels westward?
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Dlee
Guest
I heard an account that the Magi saw the star and went to King Herod - they had heard that a King was born and assumed it was the grandson of Herod. When they arrived, Herod sent them out to search for the baby born King of the Jews. Al Cresta was interviewing the author of a book about the Magi.
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Shakuhachi
Guest
All objects in the sky rise in the east move across the sky and set in the west.
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Roseeurekacross
Guest
Very big star, seen in the East
When I am in the northern hemisphere, north feels like south though. It’s quite a problem. We have compasses though. They had great navigation in those days
When I am in the northern hemisphere, north feels like south though. It’s quite a problem. We have compasses though. They had great navigation in those days
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otjm
Guest
According to a note in my St Joseph edition of the NAB:“Magi, originally a designation of the Persian priestly caste, the word became used of those who were regarded as having more than human knowledge. Matthew’s magi are astrologers.”
It may be that knowledge of Israel’s writings were known well beyond the borders of the Jewish world. Numbers 24, 17: “A star shall advance from Jacob” (though my notes indicate that meant not an astral phenomenon but the king himself, others could have taken it laterally - and OT writings often can be taken in more than one way.
Mote: Matthew indicates they gave three gifts; he does not say that there were only three Magi. Then, again, it would take quite a bit out of Gian Carlo Menotti’s "Amahl and the Night Visitors:, which I will be listening to.
It may be that knowledge of Israel’s writings were known well beyond the borders of the Jewish world. Numbers 24, 17: “A star shall advance from Jacob” (though my notes indicate that meant not an astral phenomenon but the king himself, others could have taken it laterally - and OT writings often can be taken in more than one way.
Mote: Matthew indicates they gave three gifts; he does not say that there were only three Magi. Then, again, it would take quite a bit out of Gian Carlo Menotti’s "Amahl and the Night Visitors:, which I will be listening to.
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KevinK
Guest
How would you follow a star to a specific spot on Earth anyway?
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Bruce_Killian
Guest
Kevin, It was a very specific star the Bible calls the bright morning star and the day star. It was alone west of the magi low in the sky over the ridge to the west. The upward motion of the magi cancelled out the downward motion of the star verses the horizon. The magi came to Jesus’ home on the ridge early in the evening of Passover. See
grace and peace, Bruce
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