The Three Wise Men Legends

Early Christian legends tell of twelve wise men living in the East. Their special treasure was a scroll written by Seth, the son of Adam. On this scroll was written prophecies concerning the Messiah of the Jews and the star which would appear at His birth. This group of wise men devoted themselves to watching for the Messiah's star. From generation to generation, every month, these twelve wise men would ascend into a mountain cave and spend three days purifying themselves in its fountains, searching for the star, and praying to be led to the Messiah. As each man died, his son or other close relative took his place. (According to some, when these men were not being wise men, they were simple farmers and only went up on the mountain for a few days each year after the corn was threshed.)

About the year 6 B.C., the long awaited star appeared. It shone brightly in the shape of a beautiful boy child with a cross glowing behind him. The star-child announced, "The King of the Jews is born in Judea. Go quickly to worship him."

Some say the Christ-Star miraculously enabled the wise men to reach Jerusalem in 12 or 13 days without stopping for food or rest. The journey seemed to last only a day! Others say the journey took about two years during which the Christ-Star taught them the Gospel of Peace and replenished their supplies of food and water so they had no need to stop on the way to Jerusalem. This legend was so popular that Chrysostom included it in his commentaries.

A later legend states that a young shepherdess named Madelon met the wise men journeying to Bethlehem and wept because she had no suitable gift to give a king. Catching the sweet aroma of a lily, Madelon looked up from her tears and found an angel standing before her with a wand made of lilies. As soon as she shared the cause of her sorrow with the angel, it waved its wand, causing the road to Bethlehem to be lined with white Christmas roses. Madelon gathered a bouquet of these flowers as she ran to catch up with the wise men. In Bethlehem, she presented her roses to the Christ Child and His touch caused them to glow with a pink tinge.

In exchange for their expensive gifts, Mary gave the wise men some of the swaddling clothes in which Jesus had been wrapped. She also gave them a little box with a stone in it. The stone was supposed to remind them that their faith ought to be as strong as a rock. Mary must've neglected to tell them that because, thinking this stone was worthless baggage, the wise men tossed it into a well. Whereupon fire from heaven filled the well. The amazed wise men carried the fire back to their own country and built a magnificent cathedral around it so that the people could worship it. Later, they were baptized and, giving all their possessions to the poor, they went about living a life of poverty and preaching the Gospel of Peace until their martyrdom in India

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Bible Study

Matthew 2 – The Visit of the Magi

v. 1 – Magi from the east . . . 

Magicians. The science of the Medes (modern Kurds) and Persians included astrology. Chrysostom speculated that Christ chose to reveal His birth to such men in order to give future sinners hope of forgiveness. 

Deut. 18:12-15 and 18:18 – such practices forbidden. 

Daniel 2:1-49 – wise men also interpreted dreams. 

v. 2 – We saw his star in the east . . . 

Numbers 24:17 – a star shall come out of Jacob. The most likely scientific explanation for the Christmas star is that a triple planetary conjunction occurred in the House of the Hebrews (Pisces) on February 6, 6 B.C. and appeared to be a temporary new star.

v. 11 – On coming to the house . . .presented him with gifts of gold, incense, myrrh.

Isaiah 60:3 – by 6^th century wise men referred to as kings. 

Isaiah 49:7 – kings shall worship. 

Psalm 72:10 – kings offer gifts.

Some even associated them with Shem, Ham and Japheth--the three sons of Noah--and thus with Asia, Africa, and Europe. 

Three Kings – Names, Lands and Gifts

GREEK	HEBREW	LATIN	GIFT	LAND
Apellius	Galgalat	Caspar	Myrrh	Europe
Amerius	Malgalat	Balthasar	Frankincense	Africa
Damascus	Sarachin	Melchior	Gold	Asia

Caspar – from Europe or Tarsus. Myrrh = Signifies Christ’s mortality.

Psalm 45:8, Prov. 7:17 – myrrh. Medicinal: strengthen a child, rid of worms. 

Mark 15:23 – He did not take it. John 19:39-40 – used in burial. 

Balthasar – from Ethiopia, portrayed as black. Frankincense = prayers of the faithful

Song 3:6 – perfumes

Leviticus 2:1-2 – used in worship and prayer. 

Melchior – from Asia or Arabia. Gold = Divinity, kingship

Exodus 25:11; 28:2-30 – gold in temple worship

Exodus 32:2-4 – golden calf. 

The gifts of the wise men were also thought to represent the three items contained in the Ark of the Covenant. Gold symbolized the manna. Frankincense represented the tablets of the Ten Commandments. And myrrh was emblematic of the rod of Aaron.

Their visit is commemorated on the feast of the Epiphany (Twelfth Night or January 6). In Epiphany season, besides the wise men, we celebrate three other great events in the life of Christ 

• Christ's baptism in the river Jordan by John  
• the miracle at Cana where Jesus changed water into wine (Bethany); and 
• the feeding of the 5000 men along with their wives and children with five loaves of bread 

At one time Epiphany was celebrated in the west in much the same way as Christmas is now. It still is in Eastern countries. Even today, in such countries, the wise men or their camels bear Christmas gifts for the children each year. In Czechoslovakia, the initials of the magi's names are written over the entranceways of houses to celebrate Epiphany.