In my last post I somewhat took apart the traditional understanding of the place where Jesus was born, showing by the application of good hermeneutical principles that it certainly wasn’t in an inn.
In the next few posts I am going to turn our attention to The Enigma of the Magi, those mysterious visitors from the east who came to Bethlehem, and around whom there are even more misunderstandings and sentimental traditions than apply to the non-existent inn.
Challenging these elements of the nativity story feels a bit like telling a young child that Santa doesn’t actually exist; but if we are going to be faithful to the inspired text of Scripture, we must believe and teach what it says – and only what it says.
So, over the next few posts I will look at such issues as:
- who were the Magi?
- how many Magi were there?
- where did they come from?
- what brought them to Bethlehem?
- what gifts did they bring and why?
- when did they come to Bethlehem?