The Ohio Independent Baptist, December 1963

VOL. 3 6, N O . 2 The Ohio DECEMBER, 1963 Independent Baptist • a1 During the Christmas season, one of the traditional television programs is Gian Carlo-Menotti: ' 'Amahl and the ight Visitors.'' the wise men, weary after following the star for a long distance, stop at the home of Amahl and his widowed mother for re t. The crippled Amahl i miraculously healed as a result of his encounter with the three wise men, the 'Night Visitors." Afterwards, all four continue their journey toward the Christ child. Traditional Christmas cards have pictures of the wise men following a star or viewing the Chri t at the manager. Sunday School plays even feature the Magi and the infant Jesus. Alert Christians are quick to ,point out that these representations are false. The Magi went 'into the house and saw the young child" (Matt. 2: 11); not into a manger to see a new born infant. However, the knowledge of this event end right here with many. Further investi– gation into the background and actions of the Magi can bring much spiritual blessing and profit. Who were the Magi? Herodotus stated that the word came from the name of a Median tribe. Abbot-Smith aid that a Magian is "one of a sacred caste, originally Median , who seem to have conformed to the Persian religion while retaining some of their old beliefs" ( G. Abbot-Smith, Manuel Greek Lexicon o f the New Testament, p. 274) . The Oxford Annotated Bible con iders them 'a learned class in ancient Persia" ( p. 1172). Hebrew equivalent The Hebrew equivalent i found two time in the Old Testament. In Jeremiah 39: 3, 13, certain Chaldean of– fi cials under Nebuchadnezzar had thi name. Although the word is used in the New Testament of Simon of Samari a ( Acts 8: 9) and of Bar-Jesus, a Jew of Cypru ( Acts 13: 6, 8), the Magi of Matthew 2 were no doubt Gentile who lived in the East, Babylon or Per ia, probably the latter . Their Gentile background can al o be seen in their question, "Wher e i'l he that i born King of the J cws?" ( 2 :2 ) H ad they been Jew~, they probably would have asked , Wher e is our king?" Their ignorance (?) o f Micah's prophecy may argue for a non-Jewish background , also. However, they may have known it . he reason why tl1ey can1e to Jerusale111 n1ay be because they thought that the ch ild was li vi ng in the capital by this t1n1e. he r ecord si111ply tates that Her d asked his Jewish coun ~clor'l, not tl1e 111 . Wh}' , the11 , were these c11tiles so intere ted in th is Jewi 11 ch ild? What pro111,pted tl1en1 to leave tl1e ·afety of Ll1 eir ovl 11 Jand and to travel son1e 1,000 111 ile~ tl1rough terri tory infested by robbers? 11ly 011c reaso11 will st1ffice . l1e}' were n1en of fai th . rl l1 ey bclie\'ed JOLJ; t l1e}' lJe– lie,1ecf I is Word and pro1r, ise . THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST • • I By Robert Gromacki How did they d em onstrate their fait/1? Fir t, they ~eJieY-ed the record of ancient prophecy · they believed in the Messianic hope of Israel. Jew had lived in Per sia and Babylon for almost six centuries. Brought there by e– buchadnezzar king of Babylon many had remained. Jew had attended positions of prominence durin·g the reign of Babylonian and Persian kings. Several Old Te tament book , written during thi time, record the good relation– ships between Jew and Persians (Daniel Ezra Nehemiah, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah Malachi). In the time of Christ Jews were till in Persia (Act 2: 9 ) . As scholars, the e Magi knew the religious background of the Jew who lived among them. No doubt , they had studied the history of Persia, even in the Jewish records. In Daniel, they read about the history of Gentile nation : Media-Persia, it defeat by Greece, the break up of Alexander's empire into four ection , the ri e of a fourth power , which they probably identified a Rome . (Dan . 8). They aw that the coming of the Me iah could be dated from the Per ian decree to rebuild the wall of Jeru alem (Dan. 9; Neh. 2 ). Through the e per onal and written contact , they n1ay have come to ,place their faith in the God of I r ae1 . The econd manife tation of their faith i that they r_eco nized God ' ign, indicating the advent of Hi Son. Paul says that " in ithe fullne of time, God ent forth Hi on ' (Gal. 4: 4) . The Lord J e u r ebuked the J ewi h cholar and leader for not di cerning the ign of the time (Matt . 16: 3) and for not under tanding the time and significance of the triumphal entry (Lt1ke 19: 42). (Conti nued on inside back cover) Robert Gromacki Assist nt Professor of Bible nd Greek Cedarville College P ge 3, 1963