THE THREE KINGS (MAGI) AND THEIR GIFTS The term Magi is a specific description given to us by St. Matthew of the Three Kings identity. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, tells us that Magi is the name of the royal priestly order of the Medes. Magi were a class of Zoroastrian priests in ancient Persia who practiced astrology, medicine and magic — and were renowned in the ancient world for their wisdom. A legend of wise men honoring the baby Jesus was the equivalent of academic certification, despite the fact that astrology was forbidden among the Jews. The wise men gave to the Christ child gold, frankincense (a tree resin producing fragrant smoke when burned) and myrrh (a tree resin perfume with antiseptic & pain-killing properties) — the first Christmas presents. All were luxury items that only the rich could afford (see below). This was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 60:6 of the Gentiles coming with camels to bring gold and incense in praise of the Lord. The revelation of the Divinity of Christ to the Gentiles (the Wise Men) was an Epiphany (a word now associated with a sudden realization of a fundamental truth). The Epiphany is now widely celebrated in many Western countries as Three Kings Day or The Twelfth Day based on the tradition that the Magi found Jesus twelve days after his birth. (Joseph and Mary might not be expected to remain in a stable for 12 days.) The tradition of gift giving in many countries, remains on the Epiphany. Early in Medieval times legends arose of the Three Wise Men in art & literature which described them in detail. These legends are the product of artistic imagination without grounding in historical documentation, but are treated as seriously as other Christmas traditions. Melchior was an elderly Arabian king with a long white beard who brought gold. Balthasar was a young Moor (North African from the Algeria/Morocco area) who brought myrrh. Caspar (or Gaspar) was a man from the Far East bringing frankincense. Sometimes Caspar represents Europe, Balthasar represents Africa and Melchior represents Asia. There is a huge variation in the identities of these three, as to which one symbolizes a particular race, age or culture. This romantic image could symbolize that Christ was a gift to all Gentiles of the known world. But according to Matthew 2:1, they all came to Jerusalem from the East. Kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents; Kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts: and all the kings of the earth shall adore Him, all nations shall serve Him. (Psalm 71:10-11) The Roman historians Virgil, Horace, Tacitus (Hist. 5:13), and Suetonius (Vespas., 4), bear witness that, at the time of the Birth of Christ, there was throughout the Roman Empire a general unrest and expectation of a Golden Age and a Great Deliverer. It is certain that the Magi Kings were familiar with the great Messianic prophesies. But as Pope St. Leo the Great declares, there must have been some special Divine Revelation whereby the Kings knew that His Star meant the birth of a king, that this new-born King was God Himself, and that they should be led by His Star to the exact place of the God-King’s Birth (St. Leo, Serm. 34 on the Epiphany, 4:3). The sudden appearance of a new and brilliant star only suggested to the Magi the birth of an important person, not a divinity. Yet the Kings came to Bethlehem to adore Him, that is, to acknowledge the Divinity of this newborn King. God in His infinite mercy had revealed to them the true identity of the Infant King they sought. Jerusalem was a journey of between 1000 and 1200 miles. Such a distance may have taken any time between three months and a year by camel, depending upon the route and the places where a caravan would stop for trade. The arrival of the eastern Kings caused a great stir in Jerusalem; everybody, even King Herod, heard of their pious quest, And King Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3). Following the Star some six miles southward to Bethlehem, the journey of the Magi Kings finally came to an end. And entering into the place, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored Him: and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matt. 2:11) Previously, both Jewish and Roman tradition had viewed kneeling and prostration as undignified, although for Persians it was a sign of great respect, often showed to the king. But inspired by these verses, kneeling and prostration were adopted in the early Church; and kneeling has remained an important element of Christian worship to this day. The prophetic gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were gifts fit for a King. Together, the three types of gifts represent the three roles of Jesus the Messiah: His kingly office is represented by gold, His divinity by frankincense, and His manhood by myrrh. They offered him incense as their God; gold as their King; and myrrh, as Man, subject to suffering and death. Also, its clear that the providence of God is seen in these gifts. It provided the means necessary for a long and expensive flight into Egypt, and to sustain Joseph, Mary and Jesus in a foreign land where they would stay for a considerable time. Tradition tells us that the Relics of the Three Magi Kings were discovered in Persia through the zealous efforts of St. Helena, mother of the first Christian Emperor, St. Constantine. Having been brought to Constantinople by the Empress, the relics were then transferred to Milan in the fifth century. The German Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick I, brought these sacred relics to Köln (Cologne), Germany, in 1163. Since that time the Cathedral of Köln was built to house the magnificent reliquary which contains these relics. The Catholic faithful of nine centuries have continued to venerate these first adorers of the Redeemer from the Gentile world. The city crest for Köln, (Cologne), Germany continues to acknowledge the importance of the Three Kings to the building of their great cathedral and the development of their city.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 21:41:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015