Posted on 10/30/2006 4:37:37 PM PST by blam
horded = hoarded.
Woke up thinkin' about it. Nothin' I do is perfect. Just keep tryin'.
God bless ya'll.
Whore-ded?
Nah.
re: your tag line
After this whole mess is over, maybe Pittsburgh Plate Glass (PPG) will set up a factory in Mecca.
The star came to rest over the house, that was how they knew where to find the child. It probably had been quite some time since they had been asked by Herod where the "King" was because by the time he realized he had been taken he had all the male children up to two-years-old killed.
Ummm, we only have one account of the wise men, that's in the gospel of Matthew Chap. 2, and if you accept the historicity of the Bible, as I believe Christians must, you have your facts messed up.
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.
5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
8And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
10When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.
12And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.
13And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.
14When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:
15And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.
16Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying,
18In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. " (Matthew 2:2-18)
So, what do we know from this?
1) The wise men were never named as 3 (though they may have been) only that they brought 3 gifts.
2) They did go to Bethlehem--following the directions given by Herod, and following the star. There is no indication in the Bible that Jesus lived anywhere else but Bethlehm before being taken to Egypt than Bethlehem. There is no historical tradition about that either...
3) Jesus probably was older, and yes, the wise men were likely NOT there on the night of Jesus birth...we really don't know--the bible does not say. We do know that Herod slaughtered all the boys two and under...so Jesus could have been age two--that is how the idea that Jesus was older got going. On the other hand, paranoid Herod may have just been trying to be wickedly thorough--in which case Jesus COULD have been a newborn.
4) Joseph was warned in a dream to flee to Egypt--something not necessary if they were not living in Bethlehem. Since Joseph's family originally came from Bethlehem, after that first night, when Jesus was born, it would not have been unusual for him to stay there for months...even a year or two with relatives (hey, it was a slower pace back then)
All in all, a tradition that the wise men stayed in some caves doesn't have any biblical proof, but no disproof either. It's a nice story.
Just wanted to get the story straight that Jesus was born, and stayed in Bethlehem (we don't know how long), before being taken to Egypt.
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