The Wiseman-a Christmas "tradition"

[jmwhalen]

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so"(emphasis mine). Acts 17:11

Scriptural reading Matthew 1:18-2:23 and Luke 2:1-2:52

I write the following to demonstrate how a very simple, "fifth grade English" truth in the":...scripture of truth...."(Daniel 10:21) can be distorted, or, more accurately, falsely presented. The reason? People 1.are lazy and are being "spoon fed" by their pastor, priest, "reverend", T. V./"favorite T. V. evangelist", teacher............. and refuse to read the Bible, or 2. don't care about the truth("...cast down the truth to the ground...."-Daniel 8:12). There is no alternative answer.

Consider the traditional story of the so-called "...wise men from the east..."(Matthew 2:1). The traditional "spin" given this story is that 3 wise men arrived on camels and visited the Lord Jesus Christ while he was a baby in a manger with the shepherds looking on. The only part of this statement that is true is that wise men did come from the east(Mt. 2:1)- they came to worship him and present him gifts befitting the King(Mt. 2:11). However, the following facts from the Bible are clear, and these facts need no "MBA from heaven" to understand:

-The Bible does not tell us how many wise men came from the east, nor are they named(the names Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar are from legend/tradition). The "3 Wise men" most probably derives from the 3 gifts given to the Lord Jesus Christ of "...gold, frankincense, and myrrh"(Mt. 2:11).

-Nothing in the Bible says that the wise men rode camels on their journey(they most probably rode horses)

- The Bible does not say that the wise men found the "baby Jesus" in a manger with shepherds looking on. In fact, the wise men did not visit the Lord Jesus Christ until approximately 1-2 years after he was born, and they visited him in a "house", not in the manger(obviously the shepherds were not there)! The reasons:

When the arrived they did not find "...the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger"(Luke 2:12). Notice carefully the biblical account given in Mt. 2:8-11:

" And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh."

-notice the Lord Jesus Christ at the time of the wise mens' visit was a "young child"(said 3 times in scripture to emphasize this truth) , not "the babe" of Luke 2:12 whom the shepherds visited

-notice that the wise men visited the Lord Jesus Christ to worship him and present gifts, they did so in "...the house...."(Mt. 2:11), not in the manger

Thus, the scriptural account is that "... the star...."(Mt. 2:9) came over the place where the young child was, not over the place where the baby was. And when the wise men came into the house they saw the young Lord Jesus Christ, the "young child", with Mary his mother(no mention of Joseph)-they did not come into a stable/manger, nor did they see a baby.

It is interesting to note Luke 2::22-24:

" And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons."

It was a requirement of the Mosaic law that a certain # of days had to pass before a new mother could make the required sacrificial offerings to complete the rite of her purification per Leviticus 12:2-8(so much for the heresy of the Roman Catholic Church that Mary was sinless-apparently no one told Mary!-"...when the days of her PURIFICATION(emphasis mine) were over..."/"If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be UNCLEAN(emphasis mine) seven days...."Lev. 12:2)-these laws state that 40 days of purification were required for a male child, and 8 days for a female. The law required that 2 offerings were to be brought to the priest at the temple door. A yearling lamb was to be sacrificed as a burnt-offering unto the LORD, and either a young pigeon or a turtle dove as a sin-offering. If the family was poor and could not afford the yearling lamb, they could substitute 2 turtle doves or 2 young pigeons, one for the burnt-offering and the other for! the sin-offering(Lev. 12:8). These requirements show that it was 40 days after the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ that Mary and Joseph came to the temple to present him unto the LORD, and they obviously were poor, because they offered sacrifices for Mary's purification in accordance with the provisions in the law for the poor(just to show that I am an "equal opportunity offender", so much for that "name and claim it"/ prosperity gospel" heresy). I make note of this for the following reason: this indicates that the wise men had not arrived at the time of purification. Had they already arrived, the family would not have had to offer only "...A pair of turtledoves,or two young pigeons"(Luke 2:24)-they would have had the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh given to them by the wise men!

Also note that Herod murdered all male children "...from two years old and under...."(Mt. 2:16). Both Herod and the wise men calculated the Lord Jesus Christ's birth from "...what time the star appeared...."(Mt. 2:7), i.e., the day Christ was born the star began shining. This explains Mt. 2:16 and the timeline-the wise men were following the star for perhaps1-2years when they arrived in Jerusalem(not Bethlehem-Mt. 2:1). Thus, when they arrived, the Lord Jesus Christ was a "young child", not a "babe". Herod, to be safe, had all male children under 2 killed-he also believed this "...King of the Jews...."(Mt. 2:2) was "...the young child...."(Mt. 2:8), perhaps as old as 2 years!

"...speaking the truth in love...."(Ephesians 4:15), and

in Christ,

John M. Whalen

[apothanein kerdos]

So? What's the doctrinal significance? You left out the important part that they were most likely mystics and astrologers, seeing as how the Greek word magos can have three seperate meanings. THe first is in reference to Persian preists/astrologers, the second is to oriential astrologers, and the third is to pagan astrologers. Either way we cut it, they were astrologers from Persia or even further....bet they don't teach that in Sunday school.

[cag7800]

this is also the way i believe.

[jmwhalen]

So? What's the doctrinal significance? You left out the important part that they were most likely mystics and astrologers, seeing as how the Greek word magos can have three seperate meanings. THe first is in reference to Persian preists/astrologers, the second is to oriential astrologers, and the third is to pagan astrologers. Either way we cut it, they were astrologers from Persia or even further....bet they don't teach that in Sunday school.

____________

Often times the Holy Bible employs sarcasm to communicate a point(for example: Amos 4:4; Isaiah 17:3; Malachi 3:15; I Cor. 4:8-10; Job 12:1,2,6; Nahum 2:8...). Therefore, regarding your comment: Thank you for your edification and encouraging words.

"What I have written I have written." John 19:22

In Christ,

John M. Whalen