Biblical Magi. The Magi (/ˈmædʒaɪ/ [1] or /ˈmeɪdʒaɪ/; Greek: μάγοι, magoi), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings were, in the Gospel of Matthew and Christian tradition, a group of distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of Christian tradition. According to Matthew, the only one of the four Canonical gospels to mention the Magi, they were the first religious figures to worship Jesus. It states that "they" came "from the east" to worship the Christ, "born King of the Jews. Original account. Herod the Great. Biography[edit] Copper coin of Herod, bearing the legend "ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΗΡΩΔΟΥ" ("Basileōs Hērōdou") on the obverse Herod was born around 74 BCE in Idumea, south of Judea.[12][13] He was the second son of Antipater the Idumaean, a high-ranked official under Ethnarch Hyrcanus II, and Cypros, a Nabatean.
Herod practiced Judaism, as many Edomites and Nabateans had been commingled with the Jews and adopted their customs.[14] These "Judaized" Edomites were not considered Jewish by the dominant Pharisaic tradition, so even though Herod may have considered himself of the Jewish faith, he was not considered Jewish by the observant and nationalist Jews of Judea.[15] A loyal supporter of Hyrcanus II, Antipater appointed Herod governor of Galilee at 25, and his elder brother, Phasael, governor of Jerusalem. He enjoyed the backing of Rome but his brutality was condemned by the Sanhedrin.[16] Model of Herod's Temple Herod later executed several members of his own family, including his wife Mariamne I.[23]
Melchior - meaning of Melchior name. Rate Melchior: Do you like this name?
Get creative with Melchior | Add to list (0) Melchior meaning and name origin Melchior \m(e)-lchior, mel-chior\ as a boy's name is of Polish, Persian and Farsi origin. Likely derived from the Farsi elements "melk", meaning "king", and "quart", meaning "city". From Christian tradition, the name of one of the three wise men, along with Caspar and Balthasar, who brought gifts to the infant Jesus. Melchior has 4 variant forms: Malchior, Malkior, Melker and Melkior. For more information, see also the related name Malki. View a list of the 4 names that reference Melchior. Popularity of Melchior Melchior is not a popular first name for men but a very popular surname or last name for all people (#14545 out of 88799) (1990 U.S. Casper (name) The name Casper and the same sounding name Kasper are derived from Gaspar which in turn is from an ancient Chaldean word, "Gizbar", which according to Strong's Concordance means "Treasurer".
The word "Gizbar" appears in the Hebrew version of the Old Testament Book of Ezra (1:8). In fact, the modern Hebrew word for "Treasurer" is still "Gizbar". By the 1st century B.C. the Septuagint gave a Greek translation of "Gizbar" in Ezra 1:8 as "Gasbarinou". There are numerous modern variations such as Gaspar (Spanish and Portuguese), Gaspare (Italian), Gaspard (French), Kaspar (German and Dutch), Casper (English), Kacper (Polish), Kasperi (Finnish), Kasper (Danish), Gáspár (Hungarian),and Kaspars (Latvian). Chaldean Oracles. The Chaldean Oracles (Chaldaean Oracles in International English) have survived as fragmentary texts from the 2nd century AD, and consist mainly of Hellenistic commentary on a single mystery-poem (which may have been compilations from several oracular sources, considering the random subject changes) that was believed to have originated in Chaldea (Babylonia).
They appear to be a syncretic combination of Neoplatonic elements with others that were Persian or Babylonian in origin. Later Neoplatonists, such as Iamblichus and Proclus, rated them highly. The 4th-century Emperor Julian suggests in his Hymn to the Magna Mater that he was an initiate of the God of the Seven Rays, and was an adept of its teachings. When Christian Church Fathers or other Late Antiquity writers credit "the Chaldeans", they are probably referring to this tradition. Origin[edit] Map of the Oriental Empires 600 BC. Balthasar - meaning of Balthasar name.