When did the wise men visit Jesus?
In the centre spread dedicated to the book by Pope Benedict about the infancy of Jesus (November 22), Reuters reporter Philip Pullella wrote that the author discusses “the story of the wise men who the Bible says paid tribute to the infant Jesus in the manger in Bethlehem”.
Although I have not read it yet, I have no doubt that Benedict did not discuss such a myth in his book for the wise men could not have visited Jesus while he was still a baby in the manger and this is nowhere written in the Bible.
In Matthew’s gospel, we find that when King Herod resolved to kill infants under two years of age, after he met with the wise men, an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and warned him to flee to Egypt. Joseph left that very night.
Luke’s gospel also tells us that Jesus was presented in the temple, which, according to Jewish custom, would take place upon the passage of 40 days after birth. Since the Holy Family remained in Egypt for about three and a half years, the presentation must have taken place before they went there.
Since they fled on the same night that Herod resolved to kill the infants – that is, at the time that the wise men had visited Jesus – it follows that their visit must have taken place at least 40 days after his birth, probably as much as a year later.
I doubt that Mary would have kept her child in a manger for 40 days, if not much longer, until the wise men got there.
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Alex Ellul
Nov 25th 2012, 09:08
If Jesus was born in these modern times He would not be visited by any wise men. There aren't any left. Look at the mess we've done to the economy, to the environment, to everything we touch. It's the inverse Midas touch. Every piece of gold we touch turns into mud.
Pule' Carmel
Nov 24th 2012, 21:54
Sorry folks , it was all a story fttted to an astrological phenomena. The three magis were three stars.
There were so many persons, born of a virgin mothers, as Horus, Mithra. all had 12 appostles, crusified and resurrected. Read the history of religions and they all commenced from " explaining astrology!" Have not enough word to explain it all with such restriction by the new limit of words
Victor Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 16:13
There is no historical evidence that |herod orderedcthe massacre of the babies in bethlehem. it is recorded though that he killed his own children Alexander and Aristobulus. The story of the massacre of the innocents was probably written as a parallel account of the killing of the first born in Egypt by the pharaoh.
Alfred Grech
Nov 24th 2012, 14:22
Amadeo, I have always known that the Magi did not visit Christ in the manger. For some reason, we put the Magin in our presepji but that is not correct.
Pauline Peterson
Nov 24th 2012, 12:50
The Plain Truth was not a Jehovah's Witnesses publication.
The Bible says "wise men" (who were astrologers - magi) but doesn't mention how many there were.
Matthew 2:10 tells of these men who eventually came to the house where Jesus now lived with his parents. Jesus was not a baby now.
Victor Rodenas
Nov 24th 2012, 17:56
The Bible mentiones three presents (gifts) not three Magi.
John Caruana
Nov 24th 2012, 12:06
I am no biblical scholar but Matthew 2:1–12 makes a reference to the visit and is quite detailed. The massacre of the under 2 year old was ordered after the threewise men did not return to Herod
Paul Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 15:58
There is no historical record of the mentioned killing of the'innocents', just as there is no historical record of a census conducted under Emperor Augustus. These were events interjected by the evangelist in order to reconcile certain prophecies with the claim that Jesus was the messiah. Signs in the sky were also used denote the birth of someone great (eg Julius Ceasar).
J.C. Borg
Nov 24th 2012, 11:36
Some years ago, I used to receive 'The Plain Truth', if not mistaken, issued by the Yehova Witnesses. Their aim, seemed to be put in doubt everything we Catholic believe, without giving any proof. Finally I wrote to the sender that I do not want to receive anymore their pamphlet as I fully believe what our Church say and do not want anyone to throw ONLY doubt at our believe. It was stopped.
Paul Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 16:02
Did you ever bother to check the historical facts of the events/persons mentioned in the Gospels? The gospel is not a reliable source of history because the authors had an agenda to prove that Jesus was the messiah.
Mr leo attard
Nov 24th 2012, 22:10
@paul pulis there is truth in the Bible, sometimes or often it is hidden in metaphor. for example, there is Noiah's flood. other cultures speak of a flood. now the idea of a big boat holding specimens of all the animals in the world is a metaphor for -- what? i dont think we should take it literally. Imagine an alien culture being told 'Animal Farm' is historical -- it is an allegory of a truth
Victor Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 10:54
I've long wondered why they are called wise. Was it wise to go to king Herod to ask the whereabouts of the new born king?! The last person to ask was indeed king Herod who obviously saw in this new born a threat to his power as would any king.I think it would be more appropriate to call them the three naive men!!
Gerry Cowie
Nov 25th 2012, 15:48
Victor, you may also have read in the gospel stories that the three WISE men were warned not go to back to Herod once they had found Jesus. They WISELY went back home by another route! Not sure why you avoided mentioning that whilst trying to be jovial about it.
Pippo de Marco
Nov 24th 2012, 10:43
Don't worry about it Amadeo, I'm sure that Joe will explain it to us shortly.
Victor Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 10:10
The Pope cannot bring any proof of the gospel stories as there is simply no proof except the gospel itself. Everything else is conjucture and tradition.
Victor Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 10:09
Of the four evangelists only matthew mentions thesupposed visit by the magi. the story is clearly symbolic as was the custom of writing in those days.There is also doubt if jesus really was born in bethlehem.Jesus was most probably born in Nazareth If a census was really held, the people would not have been ordered to go to their place of origin. imagine the whole roman empire on the move!
Victor Laiviera
Nov 24th 2012, 16:56
" imagine the whole roman empire on the move!"
Why? In those days people did not move about as much as we do now, for many reasons - one of them the difficulty, expense and danger of travel.
Even in Malta, as recently as 30 or 40 years ago, you could find people who had never been out of their own village, not even to go to Valletta.
Victor Pulis
Nov 24th 2012, 18:07
Precisely Victor Laiviera.
Please choose the reason of your report below: