The visit of the Magi/Proof text 2

Question 1

Who are the Magi known as in christmas carols and traditional?

Answer 1

‘The three wise men’ or ‘the three kings’

Question 2

What were the names of the three wise men according to tradition?

Answer 2

Caspar, Balthasar and Melchoir`

Question 3

are there no prisons? are there no workhouses? many people would rather die than go there. then they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population

Answer 3

ebenezerstheghostofchristmayettocomejacob rothschildrooge

Question 4

Why is it a common misconception that three wise men attended Jesus’ birth?

Answer 4

Because the Bible doesn’t name them, doesn’t number them to be three and doesn’t say they are kings

Question 5

What is a magi?

Answer 5

A priest of the persian religion specialising in astronomy and dream interpretation

Question 6

What reputation did the Magi have in the Roman Empire?

Answer 6

Weird and exotic beliefs, occult powers and ancient wisdom

Question 7

Why do people assume their were three Magi?

Answer 7

Because three gifts were given out

Question 8

Why is it significant that the Magi were Gentiles?

Answer 8

Because the first people to recognise the messiah were not Jews at all

Question 9

How does the visit of the gentile magi indicate that God’s promise to Abraham is being fulfilled?

Answer 9

Because Abraham’s descendant Jesus will be ‘a blessing to all nations’ rather than just the Jews

Question 10

How does Matthew use the visit of the Gentile Magi to criticise the Jews?

Answer 10

They have OT scirpture yet still fail to understand what the prophets have said to them and worship the messiah; it is the Gentiles who understand the truth even though they do not have the prophecies. This justifies Matthew’s claim that Christians, including Gentile Christians - are the true followers of the messiah

Question 10

How does Matthew use the visit of the Gentile Magi to criticise the Jews?

Answer 10

They have OT scirpture yet still fail to understand what the prophets have said to them and worship the messiah; it is the Gentiles who understand the truth even though they do not have the prophecies. This justifies Matthew’s claim that Christians, including Gentile Christians - are the true followers of the messiah

Question 11

How was gold a symbolic gift?

Answer 11

It was the gift for a king, representing Jesus as the Kingly Messiah

Question 12

How was frankincense a symbolic gift?

Answer 12

Was burnt in the temple during worship for its sweet smell; representing Jesus as the priestly messiah

Question 13

How was Myrrh a symbolic gift?

Answer 13

A medicinal ointment with a bitter flavour; representing Jesus’ suffering and death as a suffering messiah or the suffering servant

Question 14

Why does Brown think it odd that the Magi would need to ask where Jesus was to be born?

Answer 14

Because in John 7:42 everyone seems to know about the prophecy that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem

Question 15

How does the inaction of Herod make the story flawed in the eyes of Raymond Brown?

Answer 15

Because Herod didn’t follow the Magi to Bethlehem in order to find Jesus

Question 16

Why does Raymond Brown think it odd that there are no records of the star the Magi followed?

Answer 16

Because the Romans, Greeks and Persians were keen recorders of astronomical events

Question 17

What does the second proof text do?

Answer 17

Links Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem to the Prophet Micah’s prediction that the Messiah would come from King David’s home town of Bethlehem

Question 18

What OT passage does Matthew’s second proof text refer to?

Answer 18

Micah 5: 2-4

Question 19

State Micah 5 :2-4

Answer 19

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come the one who will be the ruler over Israel, whose originals are old, of ancient times

Question 20

Describe Bethlehem in the 1st century

Answer 20

A small village 5 miles south of Jerusalem

Question 21

How does the way Matthew describes Mary and Joseph’s living arrangements differ from Luke?

Answer 21

Describe Joseph and Mary as living there in a house. There’s no mention of a stable or manger and no suggestion that Mary and Joseph are just visiting Bethlehem temporarily

Question 22

Why was Jesus’ nazarene background a problem for many 1st century Christians?

Answer 22

It was a backward area composes of farmlands and fishing villages where the locals had a strong accent: they were regarded as yokels by the sophisticated people of Jerusalem. There are also no prophecies about the Messiah coming from Galilee

Question 23

What is Matthew’s solution to Jesus’ Nazarene origins?

Answer 23

Proposes his family was really from Bethlehem all along, but moved to nazareth later

Question 24

What is Luke’s solution to Jesus’ Nazarene origins?

Answer 24

The family was from Nazareth but happened to be visiting Nazareth at the time of Jesus’ birth

Question 25

What did scholars come to call Jesus’ Galilean background?

Answer 25

The critereon of embarrassment

Question 26

What is the critereon of embarrassment?

Answer 26

The idea that Jesus being from Galilee was embarrassing for early Christians because it counted against their belief that Jesus was the Messiah

Question 27

What does the critereon of embarrassment suggest about Matthew’s birth narrative?

Answer 27

That he may have made it up