Did you know that the three wise men who visited Jesus Christ when he was born were most likely Zoroastrian priests from the Persian Empire? In this episode, I'll explain why this is so important, and why the Three Wise Men came from Persia.
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.