Magi

==Christian tradition==
{{Main|Biblical Magi}}
[[File:Magi (1).jpg|thumb|Byzantine depiction of the [[Biblical Magi|Three Magi]] in a 6th-century mosaic at [[Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo]]]]
[[File:Adoracao dos magos de Vicente Gil.jpg|thumb|Conventional post-12th century depiction of the [[Biblical magi]] (''Adoração dos Magos'' by Vicente Gil). [[Balthazar (magus)|Balthasar]], the youngest magus, bears [[frankincense]] and represents Africa. To the left stands [[Caspar (magus)|Caspar]], middle-aged, bearing [[gold]] and representing Asia. On his knees is [[Biblical Magi|Melchior]], oldest, bearing [[myrrh]] and representing Europe.]] <!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[image:magi by brian whelan.jpg|thumb|''Magi'' by [[Brian Whelan]]]] -->

The word ''mágos'' (Greek) and its variants appear in both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s.<ref>[[Gospel of Matthew]]2:1–12:9; [[Acts of the Apostles]] 8:9; 13:6,8; and the [[Septuagint|Septuagint of Daniel]] 1:20; 2:2, 2:10, 2:27; 4:4; 5:7, 5:11, 5:15).</ref> Ordinarily this word is translated "magician" or "sorcerer" in the sense of illusionist or fortune-teller, and this is how it is translated in all of its occurrences (e.g. [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] 13:6) except for the [[Gospel of Matthew]], where, depending on translation, it is rendered "wise man" ([[KJV]], [[Revised Standard Version|RSV]]) or left untranslated as ''Magi'', typically with an explanatory note ([[NIV]]). However, early church fathers, such as [[Justin Martyr|St. Justin]], [[Origen]], [[St. Augustine]] and [[St. Jerome]], did not make an exception for the Gospel, and translated the word in its ordinary sense, i.e. as "magician".<ref name="CathEnc">{{citation |last=Drum |first=W. |date=1910 |chapter=Magi |title=The Catholic Encyclopedia |location=New York |publisher=Robert Appleton Company |chapter-url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09527a.htm}}</ref> The Gospel of Matthew states that [[Biblical Magi|magi]] visited the infant [[Jesus]] to do him homage shortly after his birth ({{Bibleverse-nb||Matthew|2:1–2:12|9}}). The gospel describes how magi from the east were notified of the birth of a king in [[Judea|Judaea]] by the appearance of his star. Upon their arrival in [[Jerusalem]], they visited [[Herod the Great|King Herod]] to determine the location of the [[Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament#King of the Jews|king of the Jews]]'s birthplace. Herod, disturbed, told them that he had not heard of the child, but informed them of a prophecy that the [[Messiah]] would be born in [[Bethlehem]]. He then asked the magi to inform him when they find the child so that he himself may also pay homage to the child. Guided by the [[Star of Bethlehem]], the wise men found the child Jesus in a house. They paid homage to him, and presented him with "gifts of gold and of frankincense and of myrrh." (2.11) In a dream they are warned not to return to Herod, and therefore return to their homes by taking another route. Since its composition in the late 1st century, numerous apocryphal stories have embellished the gospel's account.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} [[Matthew 2:16]] implies that Herod learned from the wise men that up to two years had passed since the birth, which is why [[Massacre of the Innocents|all male children two years or younger were slaughtered]].

In addition to the more famous story of [[Simon Magus]] found in chapter 8, the ''[[Book of Acts]]'' ({{Bibleverse-nb||Acts|13:6–11|}}) also describes another magus who acted as an advisor of [[Sergius Paulus]], the Roman [[proconsul]] at [[Paphos]] on the island of [[Cyprus]]. He was a Jew named Bar-Jesus (son of Jesus), or alternatively [[Elymas]]. (Another Cypriot magus named Atomos is referenced by [[Josephus]], working at the court of [[Antonius Felix|Felix]] at [[Caesarea Maritima|Caesarea]].)

One of the non-canonical Christian sources, the [[Syriac Infancy Gospel]], provides, in its third chapter, a story of the wise men of the East which is very similar to much of the story in Matthew. This account cites Zoradascht (Zoroaster) as the source of the prophecy that motivated the wise men to seek the infant Jesus. <ref>{{Cite web |url= https://archive.org/stream/apocryphalnewtes00honeuoft#page/40/mode/2up |title=The Apocryphal Books of the New Testament |last=Hone |first=William |year=1890 |website=Archive.org |publisher=Gebbie & Co., Publishers, Philadelphia |access-date=20 October 2017}}</ref>