The Wise Men: Who They Were and How They Came to Jerusalem
()
About this ebook
There is a spirit that believes, and yet inquires. In this spirit let us inquire, Who were those Pilgrims, who, when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of Herod the King, came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews, for we have seen his Star in the East? And how were they moved by a Star to undertake their long pilgrimage?—a pilgrimage no less instructive, if its causes were better understood.
St. Matthew calls them Magi. The English translation of the Bible, by substituting for this title Wise Men, leaves their secret untold. For by their title St. Matthew tells who those strangers were.
If, in some historical memoir, we find it written, that in the reign of George III. there came to London, Brahmins,—we know their country and their character; we know they were natives of India, and of its sacred caste; know their complexion, dress, and manners, their religious opinions and customs. Of such effect is St. Matthew’s note of the pilgrims to the Holy City.
He opens their story with a brief introduction, where one great fact—even the birth of Jesus—is stated in fewest words, where some historical and geographical knowledge is taken for granted; and it is in keeping that in this, his description of the strangers is by their title, only. This, too, is brief; but portraiture in the flowing style of romance, or with the minuteness of a child’s history book, would be out of place in a gospel. A title is, more or less, a description. To call men Mandarins, is to describe them; and thus the title Magi here stands for pages, in more diffuse and less suggestive writers; for when St. Matthew calls these foreigners Magi, he tells their nation, and their character. Their title introduces them as Persians of the sacred or priestly order of Persia.
Related to The Wise Men
Related ebooks
Politics, Conflict, and Movements in First-Century Palestine Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHistoricity, Incorporation and Fund Development: A Broad Look at the Christian Faith Based Sector Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSigns of the Times: Pastoral Translations of Ministry & Culture in Honor of Leonard I. Sweet Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings'Genesis 3 Christianity': And a Look Beyond It Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Biblical Approach To Church Finances: Christian Discipleship Series, #20 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cross or Prosperity Gospel: Persecution and Martyrdom in the Early Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWork as Worship: How Your Labor Becomes Your Legacy: Conversations Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Final Straw: A Study in the Gospel of Mark Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5ChurchLeaders Pastoral Pocket Guides: Faith & Baptism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRenewal Through Restoration: An uncommon call to Christian discipleship Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTurning Over a New Leaf Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Virgin Birth of Our Lord Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Spirit and the Secular: A Study on the Holy Spirit and Church Planting Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsQuick Guide: Salvation Script Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLiving Lord, Empowering Spirit, Testifying People: The Story of the Church in the Book of Acts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Four Chairs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPower Shifts: Five Forgotten Strategies For Expanding God's Kingdom Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy Nonprofits Fail: Overcoming Founder's Syndrome, Fundphobia and Other Obstacles to Success Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5WISDOM FROM A SAGE: My Six-Decade Journey with God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAdventures in Fishing for Men: A Humorous Satire of Christian Evangelism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsChurchLeaders Pastoral Pocket Guides: Communion Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Church in Disorienting Times: Leading Prophetically Through Adversity Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTruth Standing on Its Head: Insight for an Extraordinary Christian Walk from the Sermon on the Mount Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLegend and Legacy: Expository Series, #22 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Road to Kingship: 1–2 Samuel Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPaul Planted, Apollos Watered, but God: Vulnerable Weakness in Ministry and Mission Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGreen Shoots out of Dry Ground: Growing a New Future for the Church in Canada Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Problematic People Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFour Ministries, One Jesus: Exploring Your Vocation with the Four Gospels Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDiscovering the Mission of God Supplement Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for The Wise Men
0 ratings0 reviews