Written in the Stars

No maps? No camels? How did the wise men find their way?

On January 6th, your calendar may have told you it was Epiphany. Google “epiphany,” and you’ll probably see exquisite paintings of three kings holding gifts in front of a manger.

Beautiful, yes? Accurate? No.

Who were the Magi?

First of all, the visitors from the Orient weren’t kings. They were “wise men” and there were probably more than three. When they arrived at their destination, they didn’t tie their camels outside a stable, and they didn’t find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. But that’s beside the point.

Really, who were they and what were they doing there?

The label “wise men” is a translation of the Greek word magi (singular: magus). Consult Merriam-Webster and you’ll find that one definition is indeed, “one of the traditionally three wise men from the East paying homage to the infant Jesus.” But the definition at the top of the list is “a member of a hereditary priestly class among the ancient Medes and Persians,” and synonyms listed are “magician” and “sorcerer.” Dictionary.com adds the synonym “astrologer.” Egads! Who let them into the stable?