Difference between revisions of "The Magi"

 

The Magi <ref name="term_6166" />

<p> ''''' mā´jı̄ ''''' ( Μάγοι , <i> ''''' Mágoi ''''' </i> (&nbsp; Matthew 2:1 , &nbsp;Matthew 2:7 , &nbsp;Matthew 2:16 , "Wise-men," the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version, "Magi" the Revised Version margin)): </p> 1. Originally a [[Median]] Tribe: <p> Were originally a Median tribe (Herodotus i. 101); and in Darius' [[Inscriptions]] <i> ''''' Magush ''''' </i> means only a member of that tribe. It was one of them, Bardiya, who pretended to be Smerdis and raised the rebellion against Cambyses. <i> ''''' Rabh ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Magh ''''' </i> in &nbsp; Jeremiah 39:3 does not mean "Chief Magus," but is in [[Assyrian]] <i> ''''' [[Rab]] ''''' </i> <i> ''''' mugi ''''' </i> (apparently "commander"; compare <i> ''''' rab ''''' </i> <i> ''''' mugi ''''' </i> <i> ''''' ša ''''' </i> <i> ''''' narkabti ''''' </i> , "commander of chariots"), having no connection with "Magus" (unless perhaps Magians were employed as charioteers, Media being famous for its Nisean steeds). The investment of the [[Magi]] with priestly functions, <i> possibly </i> under [[Cyrus]] (Xen. <i> Cyrop </i> . viii), but probably much later, was perhaps due to the fact that [[Zoroaster]] ( <i> ''''' Zarathuštra ''''' </i> ) belonged, it is said, to that tribe. They guarded the sacred fire, recited hymns at dawn and offered sacrifices of <i> ''''' haoma ''''' </i> -juice, etc. [[Herodotus]] i. 132) says they also <i> buried </i> the dead (perhaps temporary burial is meant as in <i> ''''' Vendı̂dâd ''''' </i> , Farg. viii). They were granted extensive estates in Media for their maintenance, and the <i> ''''' âthravans ''''' </i> and other priests mentioned in the Avesta may have been of their number, though only once does the word "Magus" occur in the book (in the compound <i> ''''' Môghu ''''' </i> - <i> ''''' thbish ''''' </i> , "Magus-hater," <i> Yasna </i> , lxv. 7, Geldner's edition). The Magi even in Herodotus' time had gained a reputation for "magic" articles (compare &nbsp;Acts 13:6 , &nbsp;Acts 13:8 ). They also studied astrology and astronomy ( <i> rationes mundani motus et siderum </i> (Amm. Marc., xxiii. 6, 32)), partly learned from Babylon. </p> 2. The Magi at Bethlehem: <p> These latter studies explain why a star was used to lead them to Christ at Bethlehem, when our Lord was less than two years old (&nbsp;Matthew 2:16 ). No reliable tradition deals with the country whence these particular magi came. Justin Martyr, Tertullian and [[Epiphanius]] fancied that they came from Arabia, founding their opinion on the fact that "gold, frankincense and myrrh" abounded in Yemen. But the text says they came not from the South but from the East. [[Origen]] held that they came from Chaldea, which is possible. But [[Clement]] of Alexandria, [[Diodorus]] of Tarsus, Chrysostom, [[Cyril]] of Alexandria, Juvencus, Prudentius and others are probably right in bringing them from Persia. Sargon's settlement of [[Israelites]] in Media (circa 730-728 Bc (&nbsp;2 Kings 17:6 )) accounts for the large [[Hebrew]] element of thought which Darmesteter recognizes in the Avesta ( <i> SBE </i> , IV, Intro, chapter vi). Median astronomers would thus know Balaam's prophecy of the star out of Jacob (&nbsp;Numbers 24:17 ). That the [[Jews]] expected a star as a sign of the birth of the [[Messiah]] is clear from the tractate <i> ''''' [[Zohar]] ''''' </i> of the <i> ''''' Gemârâ ''''' </i> and also from the title "Son of the Star" ( <i> ''''' Bar ''''' </i> <i> ''''' Kōkhebhā ''''' </i> ) given to a pseudo-Messiah _ (130-35 AD). Tacitus ( <i> Hist </i> . &nbsp;Jeremiah 39:13 ) and Suetonius ( <i> Vesp </i> . iv) tell us how widespread in the East at the time of Christ's coming was the expectation that "at that time men starting from [[Judea]] would make themselves masters of things" (compare Virgil, Ecl. iv). All this would naturally prepare the Magi to follow the star when it appeared. See also [[Astrology]]; [[Astronomy]]; [[Divination]]; [[Magic]]; [[Wise Men]]; [[Zoroastrianism]] . </p> Literature. <p> Herodotus; Xenophon; Amm. Marcellinus; Strabo; Spiegel, <i> Altpersische Keilinschriften </i> ; Geldner, <i> Avesta </i> ; Muss-Arnolt, <i> Assyrian Dict </i> .; <i> Bdb </i> ; <i> [[Re]] </i> . </p>

 

== References ==