The events surrounding Jesus birth involve so much history & culture of the time---things which are specifically detailed in scripture, but often lost in artistic depictions.
For example, the magi or "kings" from the East are very often portrayed in both card art and live nativities as arriving at the time of Jesus birth in the manger, but this is not match the actual facts from scripture!
Chapter 2 of the Gospel of Matthew lays out the details:
The magi arrive in Jerusalem
They visit King Herod
(This is "Herod the Great" a non-Jew appointed by the Roman Senate to govern in Judea )
They say they were looking for the Messiah, the King of the Jews.
Herod consults the Chief Priests & Torah teachers for details.
They say "Bethlehem of Judah" is the location for the Messiah's birth, according to the prophet Micah.
So the Magi go to Bethlehem, admonished by Herod to report back.
They find the Child & his family still living there since the birth.
They present their 3 gifts.
They're warned by God to return by a different way and not to see Herod again.
Herod angry and threatened by "another King," ordered every male child, age two or under to be killed, based on the time he'd determined from the magi.
Of course, God warned Joseph in advance to flee to Egypt to avoid this event and he and his family did not return to Israel until God told him to when it was safe, after Herod the Great had died.
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Things Worth Noting:
* Exactly how many magi actually came is never revealed; just that they brought 3 gifts. There could have been several more magi then just three.
*Herod the Great ordered children age 2 and under killed. This means Jesus was not a newborn infant at the time of the magi's visit.
* Matthew, the disciple of Jesus and writer of this gospel takes great pains to write out the specific prophecies Jesus fulfilled in his letter.
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Photo from Pixabay
