Who were the wise men?

The magi were probably rulers and priests from Persia who believed the stars told the future.

The Bible calls these men "wise men," "kings," or "magi." There may have been more than three wise men—the Bible doesn't tell us how many. For a long time, people have believed there were three, but all we know is that they gave three gifts to Jesus: gold, incense, and myrrh. Legends tell us that their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but the Bible doesn't say their names so we can't be for sure if that's true. We are pretty sure, though, that the wise men came from ruling families in Persia, where they served as priests.

The wise men did not visit Jesus when He was in the manger. (Only the shepherds visited Jesus there.) Because they were astrologers (people who believe the stars tell the future), they followed the star of Bethlehem to Nazareth, where Jesus and His parents were living. They went there two years after Jesus was born. The star of Bethlehem had moved to that city, showing the wise men that Jesus had moved as well.

Bible Truth

• "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3:16-17).
  
  
• "On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route" (Matthew 2:11-12).
  
  
• "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints [believers], to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18).

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