00:04:03.620The word magi is the plural of Latin word magus, borrowed from the Greek, this again derived from old Persian magis.
00:04:14.940The term refers to the Persian priestly caste of Zoroastrianism.
00:04:19.980As part of their religion, these priests paid particular attention to the stars and gained an international reputation for astrology, which at that time was highly regarded as a science.
00:04:35.900Now, of course, this is disputed, and there are people from various lands, including Pakistan, China and India, who claim that the three wise men came from their lands.
00:04:47.200However, it's pretty common knowledge amongst us Iranians that the three wise men were actually Zoroastrian priests from the Persian Empire, and I'll explain why.
00:04:56.580I actually found a really interesting article written by someone named Dr. Hormoz Shariat, who's the founder and president of Iran Alive Ministries,
00:05:05.760a Christian ministry that uses satellite broadcasting and the internet to reach Iranians in occupied Iran with the gospel.
00:05:13.020He's also an ex-Muslim convert to Christianity.
00:05:17.020In 2017, he wrote an article called Three Reasons Why the Magi Were Persian.
00:05:22.620The first piece of evidence that he relies on is the word magi is a Persian word.
00:05:28.840The magi were not kings, but were dignitaries and advisors in the court of Persian kings.
00:05:34.580They were high priests of the Zoroastrian religion.
00:05:37.840The Persian kings respected them, valued them, and sought their advice in their decisions.
00:05:44.680The second piece of evidence. Images in the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem depict the Magi as
00:05:51.120Persians. The Church of Nativity was erected in AD 329 by Empress Helena, Constantine's mother,
00:05:59.200in the area believed to be where Jesus was born. In AD 614, a mosaic of the Magi on the floor of
00:06:06.320the church saved it from destruction by a Persian rampage. The mosaic depicts the Magi in Persian
00:06:12.960clothing. A 9th century synod in Jerusalem quoted this example to show the utility of religious
00:06:19.900images. This early image does not prove the identity of the Magi, but it shows an early,
00:06:26.400widespread understanding of who they were. And finally, the Magi were familiar with the prophecies
00:06:33.260of the Old Testament. As we can see in Matthew 2, the Magi were not just following a star out of
00:06:39.580curiosity. They had great pre-knowledge about this birth and the identity of Christ. They knew who
00:06:46.840they were seeking and what to do when they found him, worship. When they saw the star, they knew
00:06:53.320instantly that it was pointing to the Christ child. They told Herod, we saw his star. They knew that a
00:07:00.860child would be born around that time and were expecting it. They knew Jesus was a king, asking
00:07:06.260Herod, where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? They also knew that the child was not
00:07:12.220only a king, but was God. They proclaimed, we have come to worship him. Zoroastrians believe there is
00:07:18.860only one God and he alone must be worshipped. The name of God in Zoroastrian books is Ahura Mazda,
00:07:25.680meaning the good Lord. But how did these men know about the coming king? The answer is easy,
00:07:31.760Daniel. Daniel was, and is even now, respected in Persia as a prophet from God. His book,
00:07:38.840written in Iran, was available and revered by Persians. Not many people know that for centuries,
00:07:44.480many who lived in Iran were true believers in the God of the Bible. This was not just because
00:07:49.700of Daniel, but also because of Nehemiah, Habakkuk, and Esther. At the end of the book of Esther,
00:07:55.600we read that many Persians came to know the God of Israel. The Bible also says that when Persian
00:08:01.340King Cyrus set the captive Jews free, only a small number went back to their land. They returned at
00:08:07.940several stages, and the total number of those who returned are estimated to be only around 50,000
00:08:13.380people. Therefore, millions of Jews stayed in Persia and lived there for centuries. It is
00:08:20.100probable that the high priests of the Persian kings were required to know the Old Testament
00:08:25.060and especially the prophecies of Daniel. That is the reason why these magi were so knowledgeable
00:08:32.120about who Jesus was and the timing of his birth. Now, of course, there are a lot of opinions on
00:08:37.860this, but it seems to me like the most accepted theory is the one that the three wise men were
00:08:43.660in fact Zoroastrian priests from the Persian empire. And it makes sense given how much Persia
00:08:50.460is referenced in both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles. The Persian empire has been around for
00:08:57.020thousands and thousands of years, well before the invention of Islam. And that is why there's such a0.87
00:09:03.460strong historical tie between Persians, Jews, and Christians. And the fact that the Persian
00:09:10.320Empire has been around for thousands of years, and the fact that Zoroastrianism is one of the
00:09:15.200oldest monotheistic religions in the world, I mean, it makes sense that you see these strong
00:09:20.860connections between Zoroastrians, Christians, and Jews. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.