The Magi followed a star to find Jesus. Magi, who have often been called the three wise men, traveled from the East to find Jesus and after consulting, and with King Herod in Jerusalem, they arrived in Bethlehem some time after Jesus birth.
The Magi may have come from the area we now call Iraq, and could have had a sizeable armed escort with them.
They have sometimes been called the three wise men or three kings from the East, but the Bible does not call them that. Neither does the Bible mention the number of these Magi.
Tradition has them as three wise men, or kings, and has given them the names of Balthazar, Caspar, Melchior.
The Bible does not mention either the number of these men or their names, but simply declares that they followed a significant new star that they had noted in the heavens, and consulted a Biblical prophecy, to reach Bethlehem, where they found Jesus. The number three comes from how many gifts they brought.
Background Reading: – The Visit of the Magi
1 After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea during the reign of King Herod, wise men arrived in Jerusalem from the east 2 and asked, “Where is the one who was born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2
More Information:
Wise men still seek Him.
Other slides in this module:
- The angel Gabriel spoke to Mary about the birth of Jesus
- Mary got a visit from the angel Gabriel
- Elizabeth got a visit from Mary
- Mary offered a hymn of praise to God
- An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream
- Joseph goes to Bethlehem
- Mary traveled with Joseph on a donkey
- Jesus a newly born baby
- Shepherds keeping watch
- Angels praised God for the birth of Jesus
- Jesus at 40 days old was taken to the Temple
- Simeon blesses Jesus
- Anna the Prophetess
- Magi traveled from the East to find Jesus
- The visit of the Magi to King Herod
- Magi followed the star to a house
- Jesus as a child in a house
- Joseph takes Jesus and escapes to Egypt
- King Herod the Great plans how to kill Jesus
- The return from Egypt to Nazareth
- Jesus about twelve years old
- The cross is still to come
- Questions and Answers 1-11
- Questions and Answers 12-23
- Timeline for Birth of Jesus – The Christmas Story
- Timelines
- Background Information – Birth of Jesus – The Christmas Story
- Resources – Birth of Jesus
- Next Module – Ministry of Jesus » »