Read Matthew 2:1-12 with your family.

Did you know there is absolutely nothing in the Bible about the names of the Magi, or how many of them arrived in Bethlehem, or even if they were only men? Nothing.

The story of the Arrival of the Magi (short for “magician” in Latin, because they knew about science, and most people thought science was magic) is not very long. They came with gifts, visited herod and asked for directions, arrived in a house in bethlehem to visit Mary and Jesus, gave the gifts, and then decided they did not like Herod’s attitude so they went home another way.

we assume we know the story Because of the nativity plays many faith communities perform every year, but those plays tell the story that is mostly legends about the Magi from the Middle Ages, not the story from the bible.

In truth, this is what we know about The Magi: they were scientists, perhaps doctors, but Definitely believed that the stars held messages that people needed to hear. The name we give that now is Astrology, and it was a very serious study in jesus’ time.

The gifts of gold, Frankincense and myrrh, were gifts that were given to kings. They were not practical, but rather symbolic of the power kings had in that part of the world at the time of Jesus. Gold was to show the wealth and power of the king. Frankincense and myrrh were tree sap from different trees, dried, ground up and put in oil to be used in worship services. Frankincense was used to make Incense or smelly smoke, and myrrh was used in oil that was then put on the forehead of the person who was Behind honoured, usually someone just named King.

These wise people, scientists, Magi were making a statement that the world recognized Jesus as the Anointed king, the messiah, who was born to rescue the hebrew people from the romans.