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The Star Of Bethlehem Leading the Magi To The Cave Of Treasures

The Star Of Bethlehem Leading the Magi To The Cave Of Treasures

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According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea at the time of King Herod and some Magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem to inquire where the new-born King of the Jews was to be found. They had seen his star and had come to worship him. Upon hearing those words, King Herod and all Jerusalem with him were disturbed. The king consulted the high priests and the scribes and he was informed that the place where the Messiah would be born, as was written by the prophet ( Micah; 5: 1), was Bethlehem of Judea.

Coin of King Herod the Great 38-4 BC (CCO)

Coin of King Herod the Great 38-4 BC (CCO)

Herod secretly summoned the Magi, questioned them about the time of the star's appearance and sent them to Bethlehem, urging them to inform him where the baby was, so that he too could follow to worship him. The Magi left and the star preceded them, until it stopped over the place where the baby was, whom they saw with his mother Mary. They bowed down, worshiped him, opened their caskets and offered him their gifts: gold, incense and myrrh. The Gospel story concludes by specifying that after being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they returned to their country by taking another route.  In this short narration, no reference is made to either the year of Jesus' birth, nor to the identity of the Magi, and no detail is provided that allows anyone to know what the star consisted of.

Adoration of the Magi by Andrea Mantegna (1495 ) Getty Centre (Public Domain)

Adoration of the Magi by Andrea Mantegna (1495 ) Getty Centre (Public Domain)

From the text it is clear that those mysterious travelers who came from the East (in the Greek text: apò anatolòn) were wise men and of high rank, and that they were is confirmed by the name with which they are designated: Magi. This name reminds one of the priests and dream interpreters who made up one of the tribes of the ancient Iranian population of the Medes, to which Herodotus (fifth century BC) refers in his Histories.

The Apocryphal Gospels

A source of information on the Magi and the star that would guide them on their journey, are some texts included among the Apocryphal Gospels. In a Christian environment the adjective ‘apocryphal’ was initially used to define Gnostic texts written in a hermetic language.

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Alessandra Filiaci is the creator of ‘Tarosofia’, a system of study and creative use of the Tarot and author of several books including I Tarocchi Della Nuova Era. Percorso Spirituale, Divinazione, Applicazioni Ludiche  (2017) and her latest REIKI – Il Cuore La Mente

Top Image: Three Magi mosaic - Sant'Apollinare Nuovo – Ravenna (José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro/ CC BY-SA 4.0)

By  Alessandra Filiaci

 

Comments

Hi All,

I always thought The Magi originated from Babylon or Medo-Persia. I know the Star of Bethlehem seems to be an Astronomers Dream come true what with the Aligning of The Planet's point of view.

Matthew's Gospel this is the Disciple of Jesus whose previous occupation was that of a Tax Collector keeping records is what The Publicans and Tax Collectors did in those days.

Remember how irritated we get when visiting offices to pay our Taxes today and they've possess such an extensive record of our expenses?

Herod the Great death decree to his soldiers Kill every Baby Boy two year's old or younger might give us an age of Christ as a baby.

I know for specific reasons The Gospel of Luke is all but, ignored do too the introduction of The Archangel Gabriel announcing The Birth of Christ to The Shepherds watching over their Flocks in The Field.

Okay I admit Gospel of Luke doesn't give the name of The Angel it's just Gabriel spoke to two people in Luke John the Baptist Father & His younger cousin Mary so it's easy to suspect Gabriel made the announcement of The Birth.

Luke describes the Star Appearing after the Angel's big announcement and more Angels were seen singing until they left just as quickly as they had appeared.

I know under the principle of science in the Field of Astronomy they'll just stick with The Gospel of Matthew's testimony.

That's all I have other than to share I'm a Christian and I have been since I was three years old baptised at five year's old would of been baptised at 3 year's but, the church didn't think, I understood baptism so my mom took me too the Baptist Faith and mom and I were baptized together I was so happy.

The relationship with God is personal to me and is important as breathing to me,

I choose God all the way.

Before I forget; Dr. Henry Louis Gates. Jr who hosts on PBS Finding your Root's, the history of Africa and Many Rivers to Cross (which chronicled the history of Slavery and The Black Experience in America) Reconstruction After Slavery, Life After MLK Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr.

My favorite Speech of Dr. King's (I realize it could be construed as morbid of me) is His Goodbye to The World, message, His "I've Been to The Mountaintop", it's easier to understand when you listen too the Full Speech.

So in February Dr. Henry Louis Gates. Jr next big project this is because February is Black History Month; He's doing an Study of The Black Church in American History.

The trailer looks good when it gets closer; he'll begin showing a little more of the documentary.

Okay, time for me too say Goodbye so until next time Everyone, Goodbye!

Alessandra

Alessandra Filiaci was born in Rome in 1964. At a very young age she discovered the works of W.W. Atkinson and R. Guénon, texts on mysticism and oriental philosophy, Greek mythology, study of symbols, Tarot, astrology, the I Ching. The... Read More

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