The comments below are readers' personal opinions and are in no way intended to reflect the editorial opinion of Christian Today.
Added: Sunday, December 23, 2007, 21:01 (GMT)
Christmas and the Three Wise Men
The Archbishop of Canterbury,
Rowan Williams, has given his view
that the story of the three wise
men, coming from the east, who
followed the star to Bethlehem
is nothing more than a legend.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317885,00.html
Theophrastus [372-288/7 B.C.],
the disciple of Aristotle,
mentions that: "Among the
plants that grow in Arabia,
Syria and India the aromatic
plants are somewhat exceptional
and distinct from the plants of
other lands; for instance,
frankincense, myrrh, cassia,
opobalsam, cinnamon and all
other such plants," as noted
in Greek and Latin Authors
on Jews and Judaism, Vol. I,
page 15, # 7. . . . The wise
men from the east who came
into the house where Jesus
the Christ lived as a young
child (St. Matthew, 2:1-11),
saw Him with Mary his mother,
and fell down, and worshipped
Him: and when they had opened
their treasures, they presented
unto Him gifts; gold, and
frankincense, and myrrh.
Jesus was approximately, a child
aged 1-2 years old, at the time
of the visit of the wise men.
Gold was sent annually to the
Temple at Jerusalem, from communal
contributions, suggesting the
wise men from the east came as
legal and lawful representatives
from Syria, Arabia, India or beyond.
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/tingeo1.htm
Furthermore, "Saying, Where is he
that is born King of the Jews? for we
have seen his star in the east, and
are come to worship him." is more
correctly translated as: "Where is
the child that is born, the Messiah
of the Jews? . . ."
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/matt/2/2b
The incorrect translation contradicts
John 18: 36
"Jesus answered, My kingdom is not
of this world: if my kingdom were of
this world, then would my servants
fight, that I should not be delivered
to the Jews: but now is my kingdom
not from hence." Note the word NOW.
The only ancient group that was interested
in "the Messiah of the Jews?" was of
course, those of the House of Israel.
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/tingeo1.htm
Hadrian (Sciptores Historiae Augustae,
Quadrigae Tyrannorum 8.3) remarks that
there is no chief of a synagogue who is
not an astrologer (mathematicus), soothsayer
(haruspex), or anointer (aliptes). Moreover, in
the middle of the second century, Vettius Valens,
in his astrological work, Anthologiae (2.28,29),
refers to Abraham as a most wonderful astrological
authority. Vitruvius (I.3-10) enjoined first century A.D.
architects to study astronomy so that they might
'learn the direction of points, the orders of the
heavens, the equinoxes and solstices and the
movement of the stars' and 'to understand
how clocks and sundials work'
I further refer you to:
Moneychangers in the Temple
By Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D. (c)
1999 PLIM REPORT, Vol. 8 #3
http://www.plim.org/1Moneychangers%20in%20the%20Temple.htm
. . .
"To accomplish this requires knowledge
of the Law of Moses concerning the half-shekel
of gold, which was atonement money for Israel
(Ex. 30:12-16), and the priests collection of it
at the time of the Messiah."
. . .
"For annually, on the 1st of Adar while
(the month before the Passover), proclamation
was made throughout the country by messengers
sent from Jerusalem of the approaching Temple tribute.
On the 15th of Adar the money-changers opened
stalls throughout the country to change the various
coins, which Jewish residents at home or settlers
abroad might bring, into the ancient money of Israel."
. . .
"Those Jews coming from foreign lands with foreign
currency or those that had Roman coins had to have
these coins changed by the moneychangers." . . .
Continuing: Ritualwell
http://www.ritualwell.org/holidays/roshchodeshnewmoon/adar/primaryobject.2005-06-28.8583807523
"Adar I comes at the same time as the secular
months February/March." Average Temperature
in Jerusalem (modern) is High Feb (56) Mar (61)
Apr (70); Low Feb (40) Mar (43) Apr (49). Note:
"The rise of the Church of Christ in these last days,
being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years
since the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ in the flesh, it being regularly organized
and established agreeable to the laws of our
country, by the will and commandments of God,
in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the
month which is called April-- "
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/20
The Works of Josephus, Complete and Unabridged,
New Updated Edition published 1987, The Antiquities
of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, page 480, verse 3.
(63), states: . . . "condemned him to the cross
{b} A.D. 33. April 3., those that loved him at the
first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them
alive again the third day {c} April 5.,"
Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, at the start
of his ministry, circa 30 years old. His ministry lasted
three years as noted in the Book of John, Jesus thus
appears to have been born circa April 6 and died circa
April 3, thirty-three years later, in seasonal weather.
For the wise men to give their gold to the child, Jesus
the Christ, was recognition of the fact that He was
indeed the Messiah, as it was "atonement" money.
You may post this to other lists, as desired.
Merry Christmas & A Happy New Year
Tom Tinney, Sr. and Family
Family Genealogy & History
Internet Education Directory
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/
Regional Genealogy and Local
History Research: Local History
and Genealogy Portals to the World.
http://www.academic-genealogy.com/regionalgenealogy.htm
Thomas M Tinney Sr, West Sacramento, CA (USA)
