Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!apple!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: djohnson@ucsd.edu (Darin Johnson) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Epiphany Traditions Summary (Long - save and read later!!!) Message-ID: Date: 26 Jan 91 04:34:58 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: CSE Dept., UC San Diego Lines: 31 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu >I hope I have not bored you by my fumblings with words. >"Epiphany" is passed once again. Myself, I'm inclined to believe that Jesus >was born to Mary in September or October, and the wise men of ancient Persia >would have arrived close to the time of birth as recorded. >On the night of Jan. 6th some friends and I always present each other with >one small gift, after the three kings. We've done this for the past 7 or so >years as a remembrance. --- These are two items that may be myths. That is, the common creche scene of three wise-men around the manger. First, there is no mention of the number of magi who visited, only that there were three gifts. I remember sermons that suggested Herod became fearful/jealous of the messiah, not because three men came to seek him, but because MANY came, most likely with servants, etc. Second, it is most likely that the magi arrived long after the birth. There are two things that indicate this. The family was visited in a house, and Herod ordered the deaths of more than just newborns. If the star had appeared at the moment of birth, then the travel time itself would be enormous. Of course, neither of these have terribly great theological implications, but may be useful for coffee chat material :-) -- Darin Johnson djohnson@ucsd.edu - Political correctness is Turing undecidable.