Since the feast of The Three Kings,
or Epiphany is coming up this Sunday, January 6, I thought this
might be interesting. Oh the heresy - The famous “three kings”
from the Biblical birth of Christ narrative were not:
1. Three in number - the number isn’t mentioned.
2. Kings – Likely from Psalm 71:11 (72:11 in protestant bibles):
“And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall
serve him.”
3. Traveling on camels - Matthew 2:1–2 says: “When Jesus therefore
was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.” It says a little
later that they offered Him gifts of “gold, frankincense, and
myrrh." Since there were three gifts, the number of wise men has
been assumed to be three. In the East, the number is twelve.
Historical references depict the three variously as scholars, or
noblemen, or kings.
Incidentally, Magi is the origin of the word magic.