What does scripture say?
What is a wise man?Context is everythingIn New Testament, Greek “Magos”Can mean magician, astronomer, scientist, doctor, etc.True meaning usually derived from textActs 13:6 – Bar-Jesus (Elymas)Hebrew “Chakam”Wise men – 124 timesCunning – 10 timesUnwise – 2 timesWiser – 2 timesSubtle (shrewd) – 1 timeNot the same as sorcerer (Kashaph) or magician (chartom)Wise men in Old Testament
Pharaohs had wise men AND sorcerersGenesis 41:8Exodus 7:11Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men – Daniel 2:2Magicians – occult knowledgeSorcerersConjurers – astrologersChaldeans – smartest people in the land (compare Bohemian)There were men who were wiseTheir virtues were extolledDeuteronomy 1:13-15Proverbs 13:20; 29:8Wisdom in the New Testament
Compared to foolish – Matthew 7:24-27Their wisdom compared to God’s majesty – Romans 1:20-23Wisdom desirable for a Christian – Romans 16:19; Ephesians 5:15But not in one’s own eyes – Romans 11:25Not in the wisdom of this world – I Corinthians 1:20What about the magi?
Translations divided between “magi” and “wise men”Transliteration versus translationSelection of “wise men” over other possibilitiesDodging the issue by transliterationSimilar to “baptism”What happenedMatthew 2:1-12Matthew 2:6 – This is a quote from Micah 5:2.Took place “… after Jesus was born in Bethlehem …”Not the night of His birthWise men from “the East”Likely Persia (Iran)One-way trip of 800-900 milesDaniel 9:24-27Written in PersiaTimeline givenBalaam’s prophecy? Numbers 24:17Were they Jews?Many had remained after the captivityAt the time, outnumbered Jews in Judea“His star” was their signal of the eventWent to JerusalemBegan inquiring whereabouts of JesusStated intent to worship HimHerod’s troubleScribes and priests understood prophecy of MicahHerod got the timing of Jesus’ birth from appearance of starHerod’s lie – intent to worshipWise men go, find, give, worshipStar indicated where Jesus wasThey rejoicedThree gifts or gifts of three things?GoldValuable, could fund journey to EgyptRepresentative of royalty, divinityFrankincenseSap from the Boswellia tree – Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, South Africa, IndiaAlso valuable in tradeUsed in offerings (see Leviticus 2:1-2 – grain offerings)Exodus 30:34 – Kept in the testimony of the tabernacleSymbolic of Jesus as high priest?MyrrhSap of Commiphora treePurification ritual – Esther 2:12Anointing tabernacle, high priests, kingsBitter taste – Mark 15:23Embalming – John 19:39-40Aided in Jesus’ escapeHow did they know not to go back to Herod?Herod’s subsequence action – Matthew 2:16-18What can we say about the wise men?
Read, understood, believed God’s wordSought Jesus – despite great effort involvedSaw Him as God – to be humbly worshippedSaw Him as valuable – opened their treasures to HimIn conflict of commands – Herod and GodChose to obey God
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