Who were the wise men? When it comes to the wise men, there are many conflicting beliefs and ideas about who they were and where they came from. As well as the star that they followed or when they arrived at Bethlehem.
Throughout history, the details of events have changed over time.
This can happen due to misinterpretation, translation errors, or thanks to an embellishment made to bring the story to life.
Here we will see the most plausible explanations about who the three wise men really were and their connection with esotericism
.
Who were the wise men really?
How many wise men were there?
They are sometimes known as Los Tres Magos or Los Tres Reyes Magos. Actually, the Bible is pretty silent about who they were or how many of them were there. It is commonly accepted among Western branches of Christianity that there were only three men. This is based solely on the number of gifts presented.
Many Eastern branches of Christianity have a number of twelve or more. Eastern interpretations might help explain why they are sometimes referred to as the three wise kings. The fact is that both interpretations could be considered true.
It would be safe to assume that the three men who presented the gifts to the infant Jesus were the leaders of the group(s).
Or they were the ones who received the honor and responsibility of carrying and presenting the offerings.
One thing we do know for sure is that three gifts were presented: Gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
.
Who were the wise men From where?
The Magi were members of an order of Persian priest-astrologers known as Magi, who would study and interpret the stars.
The magicians as a whole, in particular the wise men mentioned in the Bible. He may rightly be considered among the early Christians
They read and believed the words of God
They looked for Jesus Christ and waited for his arrival.
They recognized the authority of Jesus and accepted him as King of kings
They put their faith and trust in God and Jesus
They put God before themselves and obeyed his commandments instead of men
It is for these reasons that they are truly known as sages.
The term Magi itself had several meanings closely related to esotericism:
An ancient class of priestly scholars who specialized in astronomy and astrology during biblical times.
Someone who possessed occult knowledge and power over astrology, divination, spiritual meditation, and dream interpretation.
A magician or wielder of magic.
Some English translations of the Bible have even resulted in magicians simply being called astrologers.
.
Who were the wise men? Where did their names come from?
The names of the three wise men mentioned in the Bible were never reviled in the New Testament.
However, traditions and legends identify men as:
Caspar (Latin) or Galalath (Hebrew)
Balthazar (Latin) or Malgalat (Hebrew)
Melchior (Latin) or Sarachin (Hebrew)
Although they came from Persia collectively. They individually originated from different nations, and Caspar is said to hail from the Indo-Parthian Kingdom.
This would mean that their actual race or ethnicity will remain unknown, and the actual identifications of the sages are largely based on speculation.
.
How did the wise men know which star to look for?
To this day there have been many debates as to which star marked the birth of Jesus Christ and had guided the wise men to him.
Some believe it was Jupiter or Mars, or perhaps an alignment of the planets.
Others, a shooting star that crossed the heavens or one that crossed the moon while it was a full moon or a new moon.
Either one would not be remarkable enough on its own to stand out.
The star should also be something that was not visible in Bethlehem at the time.
The birth of Jesus was unknown to the people of Bethlehem before the arrival of the Magi.
A theory that makes more sense would be based on the star’s own motion.
The celestial stars move across the sky from east to west and never change.
The star the wise men followed moved north across the night sky.
This would have stood out more to these biblical astrologers and would have been seen as the sign announcing the birth of the Messiah.
Since only a miracle could produce a star traveling north, they would have followed it until it settled over Bethlehem.
.
Were they there at the birth of Jesus?
It is a common misconception that the wise men were present at the birth of Jesus Christ.
This belief has been produced thanks to the nativity scenes that constantly represent them around their manger together with the shepherds and their flock.
However, this is not the case, as the wise men arrived in Bethlehem days, weeks, months, or possibly even years later.
As stated in Matthew 2:1, the wise men visited Jesus Christ in a house, not in a stable.
.
The meaning of gifts
The three gifts presented to Jesus Christ have more meaning than what simply appears on the surface.
EITHERriver
A precious metal that has had immense value throughout the centuries.
It is commonly associated with wealth and importance.
Presenting Jesus with gold. The wise men were declaring their belief that Jesus was the King of kings.
They were also acknowledging their priestly role.
The gold could have been used to help smuggle Jesus out of Bethlehem to escape King Herod.
Frankincense – (Boswellia Sacra)
Aromatic gum resin used in perfumes and incense.
Incense is used during prayers.
Presenting Jesus with incense. The wise men were declaring their belief that Jesus was our great high priest.
They were also acknowledging him as the son of God and his own divinity.
Myrrh – (Commiphora Myrrha)
An aromatic plant resin used as an anointing oil during embalming.
By giving Jesus the myrrh. The wizards were acknowledging that she was here to die for us, to suffer for us, and that she was a sacrifice for us.
Giving myrrh may seem like an offensive gesture, but Jesus’ life was foretold throughout the ancient text, and the magi were more aware of the importance of its use.
.
Ritual of the wise men
Ritual of the wise men #1 This ritual is to bring a lot of love, money, have peace in your home and have relief from any suffering. Write the names of the Magi: Baltazar, Melquior and Gaspar, one next to the other in pencil on the upper door of the entrance of your house. Mentalize:
“Just as they brought so much light to our Master Jesus, they bring good energy home, protecting all the members of my family. Amen»
.
Ritual of the wise men #2 This ritual of the wise men is to have money all year round. First, put a pomegranate inside a red cloth bag and offer it to the 3 Kings. Then place it behind the door of the room. This ritual should be done only on the day of the Three Kings, January 6.
.
Ritual of the wise men #3 Take a pomegranate and take 9 seeds asking the 3 Magi, Baltasar, Belchior and Gaspar, that this year that begins you have a lot of health, love, peace and money. Then, take 3 of the nine seeds and store them in your wallet so you never run out of money. The other 3 are swallowed. And the last three that you have left you throw back by making the order you want.
.
Ritual of the wise men #4 Open a bottle of sparkling wine and fill your glass. Take cellophane or just gold paper and cut it into a square that can be very small (5cm by 5cm) and leave it on the table near you.
Cut a pomegranate in half. Grab your glass of sparkling wine and greet Mago Baltazar by saying something like «Save San Baltazar» by raising your glass. And then, take a sip of sparkling wine. Put some pomegranate seed in your mouth and clean it until only the seed remains, with no pulp around it. Then, take the seed and place it on the gold paper.
Pick up the cup again and say hello to the Magician Melchor and repeat the whole process. Do the same with Wizard King Gaspar. When you put the 3 seeds on the paper, fold it so that it is neatly folded and closed and keep it in your wallet in a place that is all year round, quiet and untouched.
The following year when you go to redo this ritual, bury the old paper in the garden, do the ritual and put it in your wallet to attract good energies throughout the year.
.
also know