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I
have recently been reading "In Xanadu" by William Dalrymple, in which the
travel writer follows the footsteps of Marco Polo in the Middle East. I
found some interesting paragraphs about the Three Wise Men, which I thought
might be relevant since we have just celebrated Epiphany.
They apparently set out
from a city called Saveh in Persia,
and were called Jaspar, Melchoir and Balthasar. It is related that “in old
times three kings of that country went away to worship a prophet that was
born, and they carried with them three manner of offerings, gold,
frankincense and myrrh; in order to ascertain whether that prophet were God,
or an earthly King, or a Physician. For, said they, if he take the gold,
then he is an earthly king; if he take the incense then he is God; if he
takes myrrh he is a physician.”
It then goes on to give an
account of the beginnings of Zoroastrianism. Having accepted their offerings
the child is said to have given the Magi a small closed box containing a
stone. “What the gift of the stone implied was that this Faith which had
begun in them should abide as strong as a rock. For He well knew what was in
their thoughts. Howbeit, they had no understanding at all of this
signification of the gift of the stone; so they cast it into a well. Then,
straightaway a fire from heaven descended into that well wherein the stone
had been cast.
And when the kings beheld
this marvel they were sore amazed and they greatly repented that they had
cast away the stone; for well they then perceived that it had a great and
holy meaning. So they took of that fire, and carried it into their own
country, and placed it in a rich and beautiful church. And there the people
keep it constantly burning and worship it as a God and all the sacrifices
they offer are kindled with that fire.”
The writer comments that
“the word 'Magi' used by St Matthew in his Gospel does not actually mean
'wise men'. The Word is Persian, and so stands out in the Greek of the
Gospel. Its meaning is specific. It is the name of the ancient Zoroastrian
priestly class. The Gospel text simply reads 'Some Magi came to Bethlehem
from the East'. St Matthew's original audience would have understood that
this meant a visit to Bethlehem of the fire-worshipping priests from Persia”.
Another sidelight is found
in the mosaics of St Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, “where the Magi are shown
wearing trousers and pointed felt caps - the distinctive dress of the
ancient Persians.”
In the Persian wars of the
7th century many buildings were destroyed and only one structure was spared
- the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Some writers think that this was
because “over the doorway of the church was placed a huge mosaic showing the
three Magi worshipping the Christ Child, all three are shown in Persian
dress”.
William Dalrymple ends by
saying "most Biblical scholars today understand St Matthew's story to be
symbolic rather than historical. None of the other Gospels mention the visit
of the Magi and today it is generally interpreted as a symbol indicating
that all pagan religions would bow down before Christianity.
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