A lost Syriac manuscript, the Revelation of the Magi, recently translated into English by Bible scholar Brent Landau, may help answer that key question from the Christmas story: “Who were the magi?”
Who were the magi, those gift-bearing wise men from the east who are so central to the traditional telling of the Christmas story? Bible scholar Brent Landau believes he has found at least one answer to this age-old question.
The Bible tells us very little about the magi. Their story appears but once, in the Gospel of Matthew (2:1–12), where they are described as mysterious visitors “from the east” who come to Jerusalem looking for the child whose star they observed “at its rising.” After meeting with King Herod, who feigns an intention to worship the child but actually plans to destroy him, the magi follow the same star to Bethlehem. There, upon seeing the baby Jesus and his mother Mary, the magi kneel down and worship him, presenting him with their three famous gifts—gold, frankincense and myrrh. Then, without reporting to Herod, they depart for their homeland, never to be heard from again.
For early Christians, the seemingly pivotal yet unexplained background of the mysterious magi provided abundant room to shape new narratives around the question, “Who were the magi?” One of the most compelling, recently translated into English by Brent Landau, professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma, is the so-called Revelation of the Magi, an apocryphal account of the traditional Christmas story that purports to have been written by the magi themselves.
The account is preserved in an eighth-century C.E. Syriac manuscript held in the Vatican Library, although Brent Landau believes the earliest versions of the text may have been written as early as the mid-second century, less than a hundred years after Matthew’s gospel was composed. Written in the first person, the Revelation of the Magi narrates the mystical origins of the magi, their miraculous encounter with the luminous star and their equally miraculous journey to Bethlehem to worship the child. The magi then return home and preach the Christian faith to their brethren, ultimately being baptized by the apostle Thomas.
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According to Brent Landau, this dramatic account not only answers the question “Who were the magi?” but also provides details about how many they were, where they came from and their mysterious encounter with the star that led them to Bethlehem. In the Revelation of the Magi, there are not just three magi, as often depicted in early Christian art (actually, Matthew does not tell us how many there were), nor are they Babylonian astrologers or Persian Zoroastrians, as other early traditions held. Rather from Brent Landau’s translation it is clear the magi (defined in this text as those who “pray in silence”) are a group—numbering as few as 12 and as many as several score—of monk-like mystics from a far-off, mythical land called Shir, possibly China. They are descendants of Seth, the righteous third son of Adam, and the guardians of an age-old prophecy that a star of indescribable brightness would someday appear “heralding the birth of God in human form.”
When the long-prophesied star finally appears, the star is not simply sighted at its rising, as described in Matthew, but rather descends to earth, ultimately transforming into a luminous “star-child” that instructs the magi to travel to Bethlehem to witness its birth in human form. The star then guides the magi along their journey, miraculously clearing their path of all obstacles and providing them with unlimited stamina and provisions. Finally, inside a cave on the outskirts of Bethlehem, the star reappears to the magi as a luminous human child—the Christ child—and commissions them to become witnesses to Christ in the lands of the east.
It’s a fascinating story, but does it actually bring us any closer to understanding who the actual magi of the Christmas story might have been? Unfortunately, the answer is no, says Landau, although it may provide insight into the beliefs of an otherwise unknown Christian sect of the second century that identified with the mysterious magi.
“Sadly, I don’t think this is actually written by the historical wise men,” said Landau in an interview with National Public Radio’s Diane Rehm. “In terms of who wrote it, we have no idea. [But] the description of the magi and [their religious practices] is so remarkably detailed and I’ve often wondered whether it’s reflecting some actual community out there that practiced and kind of envisioned themselves in the role of the magi.”
Based on Strata, “Lost Syriac Text Gives Magi’s View of the Christmas Story,” Biblical Archaeology Review, November/December 2011.
More on the Magi
In art, the adoration of the magi appeared earlier and far more frequently than any other scene of Jesus’ birth and infancy, including images of the babe in a manger. Read Robin M. Jensen’s full article “Witnessing the Divine: The Magi in Art and Literature” as it appeared in the December 2001 issue of Bible Review for free online in Bible History Daily.
Read the Bible History Daily feature “Why Did the Magi Bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh?” to understand how the gifts of the magi may have been tributes or medical treatments.
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The whole account does sound like other documents from the Nag Hammadi find. Perhaps the 2nd cent version of the Magi would solve many problems w/o the hyperbolic narration.
thanks for the article though.
Professor Landau has made, as I can see, two critical errors in his assessments. First, he claims that the Magi are “descendants of Seth, the righteous third son of Adam.” If the biblical flood account is correct (which I and many bona-fide geologists believe it is), then we would ALL be direct descendants of Noah, and not Seth specifically. Seth’s descendants would have been wiped out. The origins of the Magi, as Professor Landau presents them, contradict the biblical account, and their origins could not possibly pre-date the flood. Second, he makes the mistake that most modern literary critics make. He assumes the existence of documents for which he has not a shred of forensic evidence. The result is simply that–his conclusions are based, not on evidence, but on assumptions.
Two other small details to consider. One is that Professor Landau states in his text that the star led the magi to Bethlehem. In the biblical account they went to Jerusalem and were then directed to Bethlehem by Herod’s scribes. Secondly, Professor Landau’s text says that the magi went to a cave when they arrived at Bethlehem. According to the biblical account they went to a house. It is quite probable that Jesus was born in a cave but when the magi came to worship Him the family had taken up residence in a house. The magi’s visit most likely occurred one to two years after Jesus was born.
There is anecdotal evidence that the Emperor Nero was initiated into the sect called the Magi; there is also anecdotal evidence that the Magi were Persian [Iranian] priests who were given teh task of protecting the Holy Fire of Mt Olympus on Earth. They were respected as astrologers, and some scholars believe that the star that they followed was a triple conjunction that occurred three times in the year 7 BCE. Those of Zarathustrian persuasion follow a similar belief but were enemies of the Magi because of their religious belief. There are, I am told, a number of Zarathustrian temples in the UK and in both Canada and America. Has Mr Landau considerd any of these alternatives? If not, perhaps he should before venturing out with such a title.
An interesting story, but a pathetic waste of time and scholarship!
Interesting story, whether factual or not; Zarathustra may have been one of the first Magi.
In Comment 2, John writes that Landau “assumes the existence of documents for which he has not a shred of forensic evidence.” I’m having trouble figuring out what documents he is referencing. Can anyone help?