Map of the Known World at about the time that Jesus was born. On the following map, Bethlehm is in Israel– south of Jerusalem and near the Dead Sea.
Image Credit: Crystal Links
Jesus was born in Bethlehem which, on the above map, is near the top of Judah, which is colored lime green. Judah is immediately beneath Israel, which is colored yellow. Bethlehem is south and west of the Phoenecian trading empire on the Mediterranean sea. Phoenicia was a famous center of the purple dye industry. Conveniently, Phoenicia is colored purple on the above map.
On the above map, the red circle is about where Bethlehem would be. The upper part of Egypt, where Cairo would be now, is within the blue circle. Phoenicia is in the purple circle. Oddly, the Mediterranean Sea is colored gray. The large blue area above the Mediterranean Sea was a vast area that had not been explored. At that time, the scholars had no idea how much more there was to the world than they had explored.
FROM WHERE DID THE MAGI COME
TO SEE BABY JESUS?
The Wise Men Came from EAST of Bethlehem
“According to Western church tradition, Gaspar, one of the three wise men, is said to have come from India. However, the Bible’s only description of the Magi’s origins is that they came “from the east” (ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, apo anatolon), which more literally means ‘from the rising [of the sun].’ This could refer to Babylonia (modern-day Iraq) or Persia (modern-day Iran).
The Magi may have come from somewhere in modern-day Iraq, Iran, or Saudi Arabia. The Parthian Empire, which was centered in Iran, stretched from eastern Syria to the edges of India. The empire’s dominant religion was Zoroastrianism, which had a priestly magos class. The Magi may have been originally a Median (northwest Persian) tribe who performed priestly functions and studied astronomy and astrology.
“The three wise men are traditionally named as Melchior, Gaspar, and Balthazar. Melchior is said to have come from Persia, Gaspar from India, and Balthazar from Arabia.” Google ai
On the above map, I have added Persia [circled green] and India [circled orange]. Clearly, Persia and India are east of Bethlem. One could say that India, at that time, was the Far East,
The Magi might have come from either Persia or India.
Some say that the magi may have come from Egypt, and the part of Egypt circled in blue, which is at the mouth of the Nile River, is west of Bethlehem. But the issue is more complex. Lines have shifted in the past 2,000+ years.
At one time, Egypt also included the area of the Red Sea. In fact, Pharaoh’s chariots chased Moses and the Israelites up to the shores of the Red Sea and beyond.
“The first people known to explore the Red Sea were the Ancient Egyptians, who explored the area c. 2500 BC while looking for commercial routes southward.” Smithsonian Journeys
Some scholars speculate that the magi may have be influenced. by Zoroastrianism, which was heavily influenced by astology–or watching the stars, hoping to understand other things about their lives. It is an easy leap to believe that ot was because they were watching the stars that the magi discovered the Bethlehem Star. The magi were scholars–or wise men, and certainly, they felt the need to further study this rare light they had discovered in the sky.
Hence, they began their long journey following that light, which ultimately led them to the Baby Jesus.
Generally speaking, Zoroastrianism is associated with Persia, but there were also elements of Zoroastrianism in India and Egypt.
“Magi. may´j
i (pl. form of Latin
magus, from Gk.
magos G3407, in turn a borrowing of Old Pers.
maguš; cf. Heb.
māg H4454, “official”).
Originally a religious caste among the Persians. Their devotion to astrology, divination, and the interpretation of dreams led to an extension in the meaning of the word, and by the first century B.C. the terms “magi” and “Chaldean” were applied generally to fortune tellers and the exponents of esoteric religious cults throughout the Mediterranean world. Magus or “sorcerer” is the name given to
Simon in
Acts 8:9 and to
Bar-Jesus in 13:6 (
Elymas, 13:8).
The Magi of Matt. 2:1-12 (KJV, “wise men”) may have come from Arabia Felix (S Arabia). Astrology was practiced there, and a tradition of Israelite messianic expectation may have survived in the region since the days of the Queen of Sheba. Much early legend connects S Arabia with Solomon’s Israel. Ancient report, linked to later astrological study, may have prompted the famous journey. This, of course, can be no more than speculation. The legend of “the Three Kings” is late and medieval. The old Arabian caravan routes entered Palestine “from the East.” Copyright © 1987, 2011 by Zondervan.
“Here’s some information about the Persian Empire and its location at the time of Christ’s birth:
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Location
The Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire, stretched from the Balkan Peninsula in the west to the Indus River Valley in the east. At its height, it included modern-day Iran, Egypt, Turkey, and parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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Time period
The Persian Empire lasted from around 559 B.C.E. to 331 B.C.E. Cyrus the Great founded the first Persian Empire around 550 B.C.
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Significance
The Persian Empire was a global hub of culture, religion, science, art, and technology for more than 200 years. It was defeated by Alexander the Great’s invading armies.
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Jerusalem
Jerusalem was under Persian rule twice, once in the sixth century B.C.E. and again in the early seventh century C.E.. Google ai
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