Who told the Magi that if they followed a star it would lead them to Jesus?
where’d they get that notion from?
Two points to consider. First, the Magi were first-rate astrologers and they saw the omens in the stars, including the one they were to follow. Thus, if the whole nativity story IS true (doubtful, to say the least), their knowledge of the event and its significance would have been totally natural.
Second point, in almost all of the myths of the god/man archetype in that part of the world, no man could be considered a "god/man" unless they had (some) god for a father. Part of the supernatural package accompanying this was the appearance of the "wise men" of whatever kind to attend/witness to the momentous event.
December 27th, 2009 at 2:32 am
they googled it
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December 27th, 2009 at 3:19 am
They were Persian astronomer philosophers. Common sense told them.
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December 27th, 2009 at 3:43 am
They each had a Garmin GPS on their donkeys.
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December 27th, 2009 at 4:30 am
They were big fans of Peter Pan.
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December 27th, 2009 at 4:38 am
The stars themselves. The Magi were astrologers.
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December 27th, 2009 at 4:44 am
You’re being too logical. The story of the Magi is all part of an ancient script for Messiah myths or "anointed one" myths, of great leaders or great prophets. Astonomical events, a precocious childhood, possibly unusual physical features, recognition by the powerful—all those things occur in these myths.
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December 27th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Herod told them to find the child
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December 27th, 2009 at 5:32 am
I’m not sure – since the Magi were astrologers, they divined that the star signified an important event and followed it. But if I remember my religion classes correctly, an angel told them.
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December 27th, 2009 at 5:57 am
In those days God had to help them get started because mankind weren’t fully developed with their knowledge as they are today. Now that we are developed, we no longer need stars to help us get where we are going. God has completed enlightening us.
The only people who were not, and still are not, enlightened were atheists. That’s why they behave the way they do today.
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December 27th, 2009 at 6:23 am
theseeeses!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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December 27th, 2009 at 7:03 am
They were astrologers, they saw something in the sky, thought it was magic, and they followed it.
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December 27th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Nobody told them, these Persian astrologers observed the sky nonstop. A couple of days ago I saw a TV program (NatGeo?) on the star of Bethlehem. There seem to be several options for unusual astronomical events around that time, but perhaps the same could be said for any 5-7 year block of time. What I totally don’t buy is that Persian mages followed some sign and it led them to the manger. I’ve done some overland navigating using both stars and compasses, and you don’t get to a specific point unless you rely heavily on the compass and already know what point you are trying to reach. Plus, why exactly would Persians care about the change in Jewish rulers? Seems like stuff added in because any god/hero worth his salt had to have astrological cred.
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December 27th, 2009 at 8:00 am
Well, they saw a very strange new star in the sky, and being astronomers, they kept an eye on it. Then, they heard about a king being born. They followed the star to bethlehem. They got there a year after Jesus was born.
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December 27th, 2009 at 8:50 am
God, because He warned them not to return to Herod, but go home another way ( Matthew 2:9-12 ). Also, see Numbers 24:17 and Isaiah 60:3.
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December 27th, 2009 at 9:30 am
the Magi had the knowledge from the Egyptians since the Jews had been their slaves they knew their beliefs and passed the story of Christs birth on to them. then they saw the star new it should not have been their and followed it
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December 27th, 2009 at 9:44 am
most people used the stars and the sun as ref. points for direction etc. the north star Polaris is like ancient GPS.
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December 27th, 2009 at 10:31 am
its allegory, its all fiction. the more you try to make it true, the more unanswerable questions you will have.
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"when you beieive in things that you don’t understand, then you suffer"
stevie wonder
"superstitous"
December 27th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Two points to consider. First, the Magi were first-rate astrologers and they saw the omens in the stars, including the one they were to follow. Thus, if the whole nativity story IS true (doubtful, to say the least), their knowledge of the event and its significance would have been totally natural.
Second point, in almost all of the myths of the god/man archetype in that part of the world, no man could be considered a "god/man" unless they had (some) god for a father. Part of the supernatural package accompanying this was the appearance of the "wise men" of whatever kind to attend/witness to the momentous event.
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December 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
When Moses was leading the Jews into the land of Canaan, the king of Moab was afraid that the Jews might attack him. So he hired a Persian/Chaldean "prophet" by the name of Balaam to curse the Jews so that he would be able to defeat them in battle. You will find the story in Numbers chapters 22-24.
It appears that Balaam actually did hear from God at times, and that many of his prophecies were true. But in this case he allowed himself to do something he knew was wrong for money. But before he was able to cast the curse, God got his attention through a talking donkey and told him not to speak against the Jews and to remain neutral as far as any up coming battles.
Instead Balaam gave a series of prophecies in which he blessed the Jews. One of those was a prophecy that a "Star" would arise out of Israel. It was understood that this referred to a great King who would change the world.
These prophecies by Balaam were well known among the Chaldean. Recently a temple was uncovered in Irag that included a pillar into which were engraved several prophecies by Balaam, including this one. The pillar appears to date from before 1200 BC. (Balaam would have lived around 1800 BC).
It was this prophecy of a "star" that the Magi (who accepted the prophecies of Balaam) used to decided that his object in the sky was to represent the birth of a King in Israel. So they traveled to the capital of Israel (Jerusalem) looking for him.
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December 27th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Chris Crocker
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