First Iranian Wise Men who visited New Born Jesus

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M. Saadat Noury
by M. Saadat Noury
23-Dec-2010
 

 

The Three Wise Men were always a part of the Nativity scene. Here is the story of Bible, as appeared in St. Matthew 2:1, about the visit of wise men to the new born Jesus:

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together the entire chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage." When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another path.

This Bible story does not tell how many wise men actually came from the east nor does it mention their names or their method of travel.  It is only assumed they traveled by horse and they could have easily traveled by foot.  The Bible doesn't claim these men to be kings. Their identification as kings in later Christian writings is linked to Old Testament prophesies such as that in Isaiah 60:3, Psalm 72:10, and Psalm 68:29, which describe the Messiah being worshipped by kings. This interpretation was however challenged by the Protestant Reformation.

The Conventional Version of the Bible Story
In the conventional version of the Bible story, the three wise men or magi (Magi is a term derived from Greek meaning a Zoroastrian priest) who were named as Gaspar (aka Caspar, Gathaspa, Jaspar, Jaspas), Melchior (aka Melichior, Melchyor), and Balthazar (aka Balthasar Bithisarea, Balthassar) started the gift-giving custom of Christmas by bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child on Epiphany, the day on which the infant was presented. The three magi have been described not only as wise men, but also as Iranian kings or Persian priests or Iranian astrologers. It should be noted that the visit of the Magi is commemorated in most Western Christian churches by the observance of Epiphany, 6 January. The Eastern Orthodox celebrates the visit of the Magi on 25 December.

The Tomb of Three Wise Men in Iran
Marco Polo claimed that he was shown the three tombs of the Magi at Saveh south of Tehran in the 1270s. Marco Polo was a Christian merchant from the Venetian Republic who wrote the book of Il Milione, in which he introduced Europeans to the Middle East, Central Asia and China. In his book, he wrote that, “In Persia is the city of Saba, from which the Three Magi set out and in this city they are buried, in three very large and beautiful monuments, side by side. And above them there is a square building, beautifully kept. The bodies are still interred there, with hair and beard remaining”.

The Bible Story in Persian Poetry
As already noted, according to the Gospel of Matthew, the Magi found Jesus by following his star, which thus traditionally became known as the Star of Bethlehem. In his poem entitled as the Birth of Jesus Christ (in Persian: Milaad-e Isaa Masih), the late Iranian poet Mehdi Hamidi Shirazi (1914-1986) referred to that star the visit of three Wise Men to the new born Jesus. The Persian Text of that poem reads as follows:

میلاد عیسی مسیح و دیدار سه ایرانی
 
به فرمان خدا از دختر بکر
هویدا گشت نوری ، شادی افزا

درخشان کوکبی از زادن او
به بام آسمان ، برداشت آوا

چو ایرانی بدید آن اختر پاک
فراز چرخ چون خورشید عذرا

دوید آن سو، که آنجا شاد و خندان
بدارد هدیه های خویش اهدا: دکتر مهدی حمیدی شیرازی

Merry Xmas & Happy Holidays!

Manouchehr Saadat Noury, PhD

References
Brown, R. E. (1977): The Birth of the Messiah: A Commentary on the Infancy Narratives in Matthew and Luke. London: G. Chapman, UK
Powell, M. A. (2000): "The Magi as Wise Men: Re-examining a Basic Supposition", New Testament Studies. Vol. 46
Saadat Noury, M. (2010): Various Articles on the History of Iran and First Iranians.
Wikipedia Encyclopedia (2010): Online Articles on Biblical Magi.

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There are Zoroastrian texts that testify to the Prophecy of Muhammad. Epistle of SasanI of Dasatir being an example. You should resist your irrational hostility towards Islam and do not allow your astrology to be influenced by your zeal,

 

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Ba Sepas SN, I have read them already.

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To "Disenchanted":

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Thank you for your visit and your note. Please view the reply posted by scholar Ali Mostofi. 


M. Saadat Noury

Dear Scholar Ali Mostofi

by M. Saadat Noury on

 

Thank you for your very informative comment; please accept these in return:

//www.wizanda.com/modules/article/view.article.php/70

//www.avesta.org/pahlavi/jamaspi.htm

 


SamSamIIII

عين الله عينتلکتوالزادع

SamSamIIII


 


بازم چند تا مهندس اومدن گفنگويی کنن و دوباره  دو تا عين الله عن تاريک توال کمونی و حزب ال عمری  که سوادشونو از کتابهای حراجي ال احمد و اشيخ کيانوری تو پياده رو لاله زار کسب کردن پريدن ميون که :,نا خَير اغو جانوم عينها چَه مزخرفاتيا کَ مَگويي از نَجسات و کافرون کيان و باستان و عَنگلستان که:

. بَندع در شهر کتب خاندوم و پيشنهاداتی بشُم شد .. بندع خيلو خيلوو متجددُم و و اينها رو عفسانَه مَدوونوم. بَسه دَگع بَرويد بع جايه اين خزبعالات کَتاب و علوم جديدالايام بَخونيد مثل کتوب داکتر عباسي و ايت الله احسان نراقي و امور گوس تردع مثه هَسته و رژيم منفور زايوون و خلقع مستف ضف فَلس تين. بندع عين الله خيلو فاظلوم و کرعوات ميزنوم و بَسيار گووندع گووندع حرف ميزنوم که مِردم مگن مو بچَۀ دهاتم. تا چُشم او صمد کور بَشع.

عين الله عينتلکتوالزادع


alimostofi

reply to disenchanted

by alimostofi on

The exact time and place of all planets can be calculated. There was a time when all the major planets lined up and their deliniation was at Bethlehem. This can be done for any time. We have actually found the exact time this stellum took place. The other religious parts of the story is part of the belief system.

Ali Mostofi

//www.alimostofi.com

 


Farah Rusta

The shrine of the three kings in Cologne

by Farah Rusta on

 Dear Dr Nouri

 

Thank you for your well researched blog. One of the alleged burial locations of the three kings is in the famous Cologne (Köln) cathedral in germany. It is believed that the remains of the three wise kings were removed from Sava sometime during the Crusades by Christian monks and were interned in Cologne after a temporary stay in Constantinople. Please see the link below:

 //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrine_of_the_Three_Kings

 

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Disenchanted

As long as we undersatnd the story is nonesense, it's fine!

by Disenchanted on

 

     Some folks mix myth like this with true stories and reality! If these 3 men wanted to get to Bethlehem considering the distance they had to set sail even before conception of Jesus!

    If you believe the "immaculate conception", that makes it even more tricky to time the trip! :-)

     Also how can a star be used to locate a specific house or barn in this case?! You can use  a star to find  a direction but not a specific location!!! All he houses in the city are the same with respect to the star above!!

      Again, as long as people realize this is a myth it is fine. Like Shahnameh stories say. But problem is that folks take these thing seriously and start a religion and then end up killing each other!


alimostofi

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M. Saadat Noury

Dear "comrade":

by M. Saadat Noury on

 

با سپاس، در پاسخ بخشی از ترجیع بند مشهور هاتف اصفهانی تقدیم می شود:

در کلیسا به دلبری ترسا
گفتم: ای جان به دام تو در بند
ای که دارد به تار زنارت
هر سر موی من جدا پیوند
ره به وحدت نیافتن تا کی
ننگ تثلیت بر یکی تا چند؟
نام حق یگانه چون شاید
که اب و ابن و روح قدس نهند؟
لب شیرین گشود و با من گفت
وز شکرخند ریخت از لب قند
که گر از سر وحدت آگاهی
تهمت کافری به ما مپسند
در سه آیینه شاهد ازلی
پرتو از روی تابناک افگند
سه نگردد بریشم ار او را
پرنیان خوانی و حریر و پرند: هاتف اصفهانی

//ganjoor.net/hatef/divan-hatef/tarjeeband/

 


M. Saadat Noury

Dear Mr Nader Vanaki

by M. Saadat Noury on

Thank you for your comment; please accept this in return:

//www.farsinet.com/wisemen/magi.html

 


comrade

فقط همین یکی‌ رو کم داشتیم

comrade


 

 

 

در سرزمینی که توش پونزده هزار تا امامزاده و یه دونه ملکه یهود و یه
عالمه آتشکده و بقیه بند و بساطا هستش، البته که باید این سه تا خردمندم یه
جوری جا بشن. حالا این سکولاریزمی که روی دستمون مونده رو کجا میخوایم
بچپونیمش بقول مسلمونا: الله اعلم.

 

Never increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything.

 


M. Saadat Noury

Dear Mr Hoshang Targol

by M. Saadat Noury on

Thank you for your kind comment and the links; please accept this in return:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKj92352UAE


M. Saadat Noury

Dear "mahmoudg":

by M. Saadat Noury on

Thank you for your comment. As Wikipedia noted, "By some accounts - though not all - Kashan was the origin of the three wise men who followed the star that guided them to Bethlehem to witness the nativity of Jesus, as recounted in the Bible. Whatever the historical validity of this story, the attribution of Kashan as their original home testifies to the city prestige at the time the story was set down".
More Source 


M. Saadat Noury

A Short Note

by M. Saadat Noury on

Please note that in the section of The Bible Story in Persian Poetry, the last paragraph should read as follows: "In his poem entitled as the Birth of Jesus Christ (in Persian: Milaad-e Isaa Masih), the late Iranian poet Mehdi Hamidi Shirazi (1914-1986) referred to that star and to the visit of three Wise Men to the new born Jesus. The Persian Text of that poem reads as follows".


Nader Vanaki

تف به روی انگلیس این پیر استعمار

Nader Vanaki


که یه عمر به ما خوروندن که این سه مرد، بلوند، ژیگول، چشم آبی و ساکن استکهلم بودن و انگار نه انگار این ستاره از سمت ما رد شده.

yolanda

.......

by yolanda on

Hi! Dr. Noury,

    I really like your research paper......I read the Bible story before.......but nobody mentioned the the 3 magi were Persians or Iranians......."We Three Kings" is one of my favorite X-mas carols.......I did a search on Saveh (Saba), unfortuantely they did not give the exact location of Magi's tomb.......I did a photo search, there is not a single photo of magi's tomb......that is a bummer!

A guy went all the way to Iran to search for Magi's tomb, but we have to read his book to find out if he found Magi's tomb!

I hope Magi's tomb can be located in the future!

Thank you for your great blog and happy holidays!

     


Hoshang Targol

با تبریک میلاد فرزند مریم به استاد نوری و دوستان ، خصوصا رفقای

Hoshang Targol


با تبریک میلاد فرزند مریم به استاد  نوری و دوستان ، خصوصا رفقای آسوری و ارمنی و .... __________________________________________________________________  
\به بهانه کریسمس: این هم چکیده ای  از مقاله مهدی حسن از مجله  وزين انگليسی نيواستيتمن                         اگر مسيح بود چه ميکرد؟

//www.roshangari.net/as/ds.cgi?art=2010122320...

//www.newstatesman.com/religion/2010/12/jesus...


mahmoudg

The three wisemen

by mahmoudg on

originated from Kashan according to some sources.