From: wross (wross@farmerstel.com)
Date: Sat Dec 26 1998 - 14:09:08 EST
{Trevor}
If the translators selected "wise men" because of the tradition of the
church, which has obfuscated so much else of the background of Matthew 2,
how far do I trust tradition in my own attempts to understand which word to
use.
{Bill}
There is a discussion in Edersheim's "Life And Times of Jesus The Messiah":
"The term Magi is used in the Septuagint, by Philo, Josephus and by profane
writers, alike in an evil and, so to speak, in a good sense - in the foremer
case as implying the practice of magical arts; in the latter, as referring
to those Eastern (especially Chaldee) priest-sages, whose reasearches, in
great measure as yet mysterious and unknown to us, seem to have embraced
much deep knowledge, though not untinged with superstition." Chapter 8
In other words, a Magi could easily be found in the "New Age" section at
Barnes and Nobel. :)
Later he observes:
"They had seen at its 'rising' [Footnote: This is the correct rendering, and
not, as in AV, 'in the East', the latter being expressed byt eh plural of
anatolh, in v. 1, while in vv. 2 and 9 the word is used in the singular.] a
sidereal appearance Footnote: Schleusner has abundantly proved that the word
asthr, though primarily meaning a star, is also used of constellations,
meteors, and comets - in short, has the widest application: 'omne designare,
quot aliquem splendorum habet et emitit' (Lex. in N.T., t.1 pp. 390, 391).]
which they regarded as betokening the birth of the Messiah King of the Jews,
in the sense which at the time attached to that designation."
**** caution: interpretation below this point
I think it is fascinating that they got to Jerusalem via a heavenly signal,
but it was the accuracy and clarity of the prophecies of Scripture that got
them to Bethlehem. There they again saw the astral and were joyful.
Could it have been that the Magi, being involved in witchcraft, were
satanically inspired to go to Herod and thus tip him off and begin an
assassination attempt? Consider Acts 16:
16 And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed
with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by
soothsaying:
17 The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the
servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.
18 And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to
the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.
And he came out the same hour.
Did the gifts that they brought eventually fund Jesus' ministry? Was Jesus
poor, or did he have many royal treasures bestowed on him from birth (that
tempted Judas)?
Is all this any validation of extra-biblical insight into the person and
work of Christ? Or, did satan merely lead his servants in his ways for his
work, and God, providentially, worked in it for good?
These are the kinds of things I think about - scarey ain't it?
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