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NASB | Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king (Herod the Great), magi (wise men) from the east came to Jerusalem, asking, |
Bible Question:
In Genesis magicians and wise men are apperantly used about those who preformed magic spells. How is the word "Magi" to be understood in Matt. 2:1 |
Bible Answer: They where wicked me used by Satan as they used Satanic powers, they might not of know that they where a tool in his hand so to speak, to expose Jesus to Herod to try and have him killed! Following are various comments on the meaning of the Greek word magoi, Magi. This first comment is a Jewish view point taken from A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica by John Lightfoot Vol. 2 page 36 ; "magoi ap anatolwo Wise men from the east Magoi, Magi, that is wisards, or such as practised ill arts : for in this sense alone this word occurs in the holy writ," Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament by F. Rienecker and C. Rogers p.2 magoV person or Babylonian priest or "wise men" who is esp. acquainted with the interpretation of stars and dreams as well as with other things s,TDNT; HDCG, II, 97-101. Etymological Lexicon of Classical Greek (Etyma Graeca) by E.R. Wharton p.83 "magoV wizard : Persian." The Collins Dictionary and Thesaurus p.601 magi pl. n., sing. -gus 1. the Zoroastrian priests of the ancient Meads and Persians. 2. the three Magi. the wise men from the East who came to do homage to the infant Jesus Matt 2:1-12. -magian adj. Word Meanings in the New Testament by Ralph Earle p.1 Who were these Magi? They were astrologers from Persia, Babylonia, or possibly Arabia. It is not stated how many there were. The idea that there were three evidently comes from the mention of three kinds of gifts v.11. The Little Oxford Dictionary p.342 Magi n.pl. priests of ancient Persia; the wise men from the East, in the Gospel. The University English Dictionary published by University Books. London. p.245 Magi, maji, n.pl. The caste of priests among the ancient Meads and Persians; holy men or sages of the East. Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary Ed.1933 p. 544 "Magi, maji, n.pl. priests of the ancient Persians: the Wise Men of the East. -adj. Magian, pertaining to the Magi. -n. one of the Magi. - ns. Magianism or Magism, the philosophy or doctrines of the Magi. L., - Gr. magos , orig a title given to the wise men of Chaldea, astrologers and wizards." Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words pp.679* , 587** *"magos Strongs No.3097 denotes "a Magian." one of the sacred caste, originally Median, who apparently conformed to the Persian religion while retaining their old beliefs; it is used in the plural, Matt 2:1, 7, 16, twice, "wise men." See SORCERER" **"SORCERER 1. *magos Strongs No.3097. ,a, "one of a Median caste, a magician" see WISE; ,b, "a wizard, sorcerer, a pretender to magic powers, a professor of the arts of witchcraft," Acts 13:6. 8, where Bar-Jesus was the Jewish name, Elymas, an Arabic word meaning "wise." Hence the name Magus, "the magician." originally applied to Persian priests. In the Septuagint., only in Dan. 2:2, 10, of the "enchanters," RV ,KJV "astrologers", of Babylon." Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by Geoffrey W. Bromiley p.547 "magos. 1. The Greek World. This word has four consistent senses: a. "member of the Persian priestly caste," b. "possessor and user of supernatural knowledge and power," c. "magician." and d. -figuratively- "deceiver." The Oxford Universal Dictionary -Illustrated- Vol. 1 p.1187 Magus. pl. Magi ME. ,L., Gr. magoV, a. OPers. magus., 1. Hist. A member of the ancient Persian priestly caste. Hence. one skilled on Oriental magic and astrology, an ancient magician or sorcerer. b. Applied to the heathen sorcerers who opposed St. Patrick 1822. 2. spec. The ,three, Magi: the three wise men who came from the East ,see Wise man 3, ME. Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell and Scott p.1071 "MagoV 1. Magian, one of a Median tribe. 2. one of the priests and wise men in Persia who interprets dreams. 3. enchanter, wizard, esp. in a bad sense, impostor, charlatan." Further reading on the Magi see:- Vincents Word Studies of the New Testament. Word Pictures in the New Testament by A.T. Robertson M.R. Vincent D.D. Expository Dictionary of Bible Words by L.O. Richards p.425. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament by W.Bauers, W.F. Arndt and F.W. Gingrich pp.484-9. The New Thayers Greek-English Lexicon p.385. DBR |
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