Have the Three Wise Men Met Jesus in Bethlehem?
Some believe that the three wise men of the East met the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, Judea. Although, does this description contest what the Bible actually says? Certainly, the Messiah was born there, in the days of Herod the King, because that is what the Prophet wrote (Mike 5: 2). But what do we really know about the journey of intelligent men? To fully understand the story, it is necessary to read the Gospels carefully.
According to the Gospels, Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Matthew writes that Herod interrogated the priests and scribes where Christ was to be born. Then he sent intelligent people to Bethlehem. They walked away; But the star, which he had first seen in the east, came again and stood at where the child was (Matt 2: 9). Therefore, Matthew does not say that they met the child in Bethlehem. In other words, intelligent people followed the stars, not Herod's instructions. Joseph, on the other hand, according to Luke, went to the city of David or Bethlehem in Judea, registered with Mary, with a child. The child was born there in Khanjar (Lk 2:16). Luke explains that a census was ordered by the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus, and that all the world should be registered. Joseph was David's home and clan.
In fact, the holy author portrays two journeys that took place at two different times and places. First, Luke (2:16) writes that the shepherds found Mary and Joseph with a child. Second, Matthew (2:11) writes that, when intelligent people came into the house, they saw Mary with her mother, the little child. Note that there was no room for Joseph and Mary at the inn in Bethlehem. He had a house in his city, Nazareth in Galilee.
Now, let's summarize the events. Pay attention to bold words. The quotes are from the New King James Version of the Bible.
1. The Tale of Matthew: Wise men entered the house. Then, he saw the young child with Mary.
2. Luke's Tale: The shepherds found Mary and Joseph with the child, lying in the manger.
It is important to read these verses in the original Greek. The New Testament uses two words for the Greek child. For a newborn, the term used is "brefos", while for a young child, the word is "pedo" (Nestlé-Aland). Vulgate also makes a similar distinction in Latin when he uses the words "infant" and "pewter" respectively.
Forty days after his birth, Jesus and his mother were cleansed. Following the Law of Moses, Jesus was introduced into the temple. Then, the family left Jerusalem and returned to their home in Nazareth with the child. As the gospel writer Luke states, the parents with the young child fled to Egypt only after the visit of three wise men. Can the family escape Egypt before the ceremony in Jerusalem? No.
Then, an attentive reading reveals that the three wise men of the East have never lived in Bethlehem, Judea. He followed Tara and found the young child in her house in Nazareth. These wise people, or kings, represent the kings of all the countries who worshiped King Jesus.
