George Tyrrell insisted that the quest for the historical Jesus was no more than scholars staring into a well to see their own reflections staring back. Jesus is the mirror image of those who study him. A similar phenomenon accompanies the quest for the historical Magi, those mysterious travelers who came from theEast, following a star to Bethlehem. In this work, ancient historian and scholar Eric Vanden Eykel helps readers better understand both the Magi and the ancient and modern interpreters who have tried to study them. He shows how, from a mere twelve verses in the Gospel of Matthew, a varied and vast literary and artistic tradition was born. The Magi examines the birth of the Magi story;its enrichments, embellishments, and expansions in apocryphal writing and early Christian preaching;its artistic expressions in catacombs, icons, and paintings and its modern legacy in novels, poetry, and music. Throughout, the book explores the fascination the Magi story elicits in both ancient and modern readers and what the legacy of the Magi story tells us about its storytellers--and ourselves.

This is the first full treatment of the Greek and Latin references to Zoroastrianism since the pioneering works of Benveniste, Bidez & Cumont, and Clemen. It focuses on the possibilities offered by the classical reports on Zoroastrianism to reconstruct the history of that faith. The book is divided into three sections. The first section deals with introductory problems concerning ancient religious ethnography and current views of the history of Zoroastrianism. The second section consists of commentaries on five selected passages. The third section offers a thematical overview of the materials and their relevance for the history of Iranian religions. Apart from offering introductions to a wide range of debates and topics in Classics and Iranian studies, the book aims to illustrate the diversity of beliefs and practices in ancient Zoroastrianism.

"The perfect Christmas gift for anyone interested in the historical background behind the birth of Jesus of Nazareth." — Robert J. Hutchinson, author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Bible, The Dawn of Christianity, and Searching for Jesus. "Utterly refreshing and encouraging." — Eric Metaxas, New York Times bestselling author of Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy and Martin Luther "The best book I know about the Magi." — Sir Colin John Humphreys, Ph.D., author of The Mystery of the Last Supper Modern biblical scholars tend to dismiss the Christmas story of the “wise men from the East” as pious legend. Matthew’s gospel offers few details, but imaginative Christians filled out the story early on, giving us the three kings guided by a magical star who join the adoring shepherds in every Christmas crèche. For many scholars, then, there is no reason to take the gospel story seriously. But are they right? Are the wise men no more than a poetic fancy? In an astonishing feat of detective work, Dwight Longenecker makes a powerful case that the visit of the Magi to Bethlehem really happened. Piecing together the evidence from biblical studies, history, archeology, and astronomy, he goes further, uncovering where they came from, why they came, and what might have happened to them after eluding the murderous King Herod. In the process, he provides a new and fascinating view of the time and place in which Jesus Christ chose to enter the world. The evidence is clear and compelling. The mysterious Magi from the East were in all likelihood astrologers and counselors from the court of the Nabatean king at Petra, where the Hebrew messianic prophecies were well known. The “star” that inspired their journey was a particular planetary alignment—confirmed by computer models—that in the astrological lore of the time portended the birth of a Jewish king. The visitors whose arrival troubled Herod “and all Jerusalem with him” may not have been the turbaned oriental kings of the Christmas carol, but they were real, and by demonstrating that the wise men were no fairy tale, Mystery of the Magi demands a new level of respect for the historical claims of the gospel.

The stalemate is over. After their loss at Battle of Brigham Field, the Reds are fleeing back to their America, the Soviet Socialist People's Republic of America, west of the mountains. But the War has only just begun. The Soviet Sickle has been broken, but their Hammer remains – a super, secret weapon, so powerful that it obliterated Denver in the blink of an eye. What is the Hammer? Only Fate Troop is reequipped and prepared to take on the daring mission, far behind enemy lines, to find out. Can Gunny and the others stop the Hammer before the Reds turn it on another American city? TANK: The Magi’s Advent is the final installment in the exciting action/adventure series TANK. Follow Gunny and the crew of number Seventy-Seven as they battle the Soviets in an alternate Twenty-First Century.

Matthew's Gospel reveals little about the three wealthy visitors said to have presented gifts to the infant Jesus. Yet hundreds of generations of Christians have embellished that image of the Three Kings or Magi for a myriad of social and political as well as spiritual purposes. Here Richard Trexler closely examines how this story has been interpreted and used throughout the centuries. Biblically, the Journey of the Magi presents a positive image of worldly power, depicting the faithful in progress toward their God and conveying the importance of the gift-giving laity as legitimators of their deity. With this in mind, Trexler explains in particular how Western societies have molded the story to describe and augment their own power--before the infant God and among themselves. The author demonstrates how the magi as a group functioned in Christian society. For example, magi plays, processions, and images taught people how to pray and behave in reverential contexts; they featured monarchs and heads of republics who enacted the roles of the magi to legitimate their rule; and they constrained native Americans to fall in line behind the magi to instill in them loyalty toward the European world order. However, Trexler also shows these philosopher-kings as competitive among each other, as were groups of different ages, races, and genders in society at large. Originally modeled on representations of the Roman triumphs, the magi have reached the present day as street children wearing crowns of cardboard, proving again the universality of the image for constructing, reinforcing, and even challenging a social hierarchy. Originally published in 1997. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Looking to discuss the purpose of the Magi in the Gospel this book turns to tradition and iconography and draws conclusions about the Magi in the religious imaginations of Christians from the earliest times of Christianity until the Protestant Reformation, as well as, considers what the Magi could possibly mean for today. The Magi become more than simple characters on a page, and communicate a larger truth to the people of every age. Whether they existed as three men, two men, a caravan of peoples, or literary devices, the Magi communicate a deep desire for something outside of ourselves. They call for change and renewal in the lives of people in the act of giving to something much more then themselves.

The magi are famous for having accurately decoded that unique time when God entered human history in flesh; the birth of Jesus Christ. These wise men used the technology of their time to study the heavens and eventually, they were guided to worship the infant Christ. The Magi saw visuals in the sky that indicated the birth of the divine son. The star that the Magi saw was a visual of the divine that resulted into a journey which culminated in the worship of the incarnated Creator. Employing the motif of the magi, this book shows you how to experience a visual of the divine through the contemporary technology of a smartphone. In integrating the ancient practice of Visio Divina and the QR technology through a smartphone, you too can see the signs of divine communication and then be led to worship Jesus and find an inner peace which will release healing and power in your life.

PART I: "The Magi's Gold" will bring the Gospel to life for even the most skeptical readers. From Joseph's dilemma with his new young bride, to Herod's reckless slaughter of the innocents, you'll follow the unfolding of events as God brings His Own son into this material world. Here is a realistic drama of how the world's greatest adventure began, with motivated characters in a difficult ancient setting. This smallest of the four Gospel novels, part of the "God Becomes Man" series, will set the stage with depth and clarity for an adventure that continues to this day. Without sacrificing reverence, this fictional dramatization of the Christmas story can enhance the reader's familiar bond with the living Jesus. Every parent should make this dramatic Gospel story available to their teenagers.

The true story of the Three Wise Men of the Christmas Nativity Story has remained a secret for over two thousand years. The Three Wise Men are the founder members of the very Sacred Order of the Magi. The Order has survived for two thousand years much the same as the Ancient Orders of Stonemasons and the Knights Templar. Unlike those orders, however, it has remained a secretuntil now. Members of the Sacred Order of the Magi have worked on their own or in small groups, with some members never knowing others. For certain families, it was a dynasty that encompassed some but not all family members. The vow that all members of the Sacred Order of the Magi take is to uphold in their hearts and souls the truth of Jesus mission. Why was the order kept a secret? Why is the story of the Three Wise Men and their Sacred Order being disclosed now? You will read how the Three Wise Men of love and light with unrelenting integrity, bravery, and overwhelming sadness discover the role they are to play in Jesus destiny. For his sake and safety and for the salvation of our planet, the Sacred Order of the Magi went undercover and became the Spiritual Security Service. Now is the time to reveal its existence. Now is the time to disclose many sacred truths. It was ordained to be so. Now is the time of the second coming of Jesus, or Yeshua Ben Joseph, as he was known to the Magi. The story of The Three Wise Men is not solely for Christmas; it is for all time.