The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-12-18

A few years ago, the late A. Powell Davies revealed to
the world that the story Of the Magi dates only from the
fourth century and was not originally in the Gospel.
THIS is AN OLD chestnut, to be classed with similar
unsclentlhc statements of Mr.. Davies on the Dead Sea
Scrolls and the Ten Commandments. That the Magi story is
older than the fourth century is amply proven by its depic-
ella, and by st. Iranaeus died 212, who tells of the "Magi,
who dwelt in the East, in a close ~paraphrase of the Gospel.
1T is TRUE, however, that the story of the Wise Men
has become surrounded with legend. We can accept as his
tory only what the Gospel says. Even filling in the histori-
cal background is just plausible guesswork.
Judging from the word "Magi" itself, they may have
been members of an ancient caste of Zoroastrian survivor
shipper priests, but, at the time of the Epiphany, the term
had become also a generic one for learned men"
THERE is NO evidence the Wise Men were kings, nor
three In number. Kingship is first claimed for them well in
the Middle Ages, and is probably based on the Psalmists
words 1.-THE kings of Tharsis and the Isles shall offer gifts;
the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring tribute" AS for
the number of Magi, paintings in the cataeombs show them
picture as many as IL. The number three became popular
in the Yves, probably because of the three gifts.
BOTH PERSIA and Southern Arabia (also known as
Saba, or Sheba) have claimed as the Magi's place of origin
the former on the assumption they were of the Magi
priesthood, the latter on the supposition they are referred
to in the words of Isaiah " all they from Saba shall come,
bringing gold and frankincense, and showing forth praise to
the Lord" But the Wise Men may have been "Magi' only
IN the wider sense, while, on the other hand, Saba could be
identified with Savah, in Persia, where Marco Polo found
alleged remains of the Magi.
The words of the Psalm and of Isaiah, both quoted
above, are found in the Epiphany Mass, but that does not
justify any historical conclusions. The Church chooses apt
verses for her hturgies but does not always intend them to
THE CHRISTMAS STAR has been a subject of dispute
TO the question WAS there a Christmas Starr" the authori-
ties OF New York's Planetarium answer categorically Eyes"
out VIII not commit themselves to any single explanation.
The natural cause theories are varied. The best is that it
was a conjunction of the planets Jupiter, Saturn and Venus
within the constellation Pisces. Scientific calculations prove
this actually happened in 6 BIC, which is well within the
date range 1915 B.C) favored for Our Lords birth.
GOD CAN. and does, use natural phenomena for His
designs, and He may have done so here. But the super
natural explanation cannot be ruled out, either. The rest
of the world, even the rest of Portugal, did not see the
miraculous changes that took place in the sun at Fatima
IN 1917, nor can they be confirmed by astronomers.
Yet anlclerical newspapers, which would have been
glad to deny the phenomenon, were forced to acknowledge
1t. Similarly, a miraculous Christmas Star cannot be ruled
impossible just because astronomers cannot find it in their
calculations.
THE MOTIVATION behind the Magi's journey is easily
understood upon consideration of the historical setting. 1t
was an age when celestial occurrences were almost uni
versany accepted as omens of earthly events.
Furthermore, Suetonius tells us "There was spread all
over the Orient an old and established belief, that it was
fated at that time for men coming from Judea to rule the
world" a belief mentioned also by Tactus, another first
century Roman historian. Even the pagan world was filled
with expectation and longing.
IN AN AGE WHEN everyone talked religion, the Magi
would be apt to hear of and discuss the Messiah amidst
colonies of dispersed" Jews, be it in Persia or Arabia. In
the Gospel. the Magis first words are "Where is he that is