(Note about a recent update: Added explanation of who the Magi were and Jewish laws concerning cleanliness)

Many traditions on modern-day Christmas do not come from Biblical accounts. They may have originated outside traditions, satirical stories, or misinterpretations. In this series of blogs, we will look at some of these origins and how they fit into the modern-day vision of the Christmas season, which is celebrated by not just Christians but people of many different beliefs.

This article will focus on the Magi, also known as the Wise Men.

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Generally, one will see Nativity scenes that depict the Magi presenting gifts to the baby Jesus in the manger. This act, along with many traditions that have been incorporated into Christmas, are the collective inspiration for giving gifts to celebrate the day.

As the common story goes, the Magi were guided to Jesus by the Star of Bethlehem, and they met him to present their gifts. There is one problem with this: The Magi were never at the birth of Jesus!

From the Book of Matthew (NIV), we get this:

2:1 When Jesus was born in the village of Bethlehem in Judea, Herod was king. During this time some wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 2:2 and said, "Where is the child born to be king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."

2:11 When the men went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they knelt down and worshiped him.

Let's break down these verses into some perspective:

1. Herod "the Great" was king at the time of Jesus' birth. He ruled until his death, which was roughly 4 BC by today's adjusted Gregorian Calendar.

2. The "star in the east" was believed to have been an astronomical event. It may have been a comet, a supernova, or some other occurrence. Such events can be visible for months. Magi were Zoroastrian priests from eastern Persia, who used the stars and other astronomical occurrences to predict significant events.

3. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but the Magi arrived in Jerusalem, after being led from the east by the star. They then continued onward to meet Jesus and his family in a house.

4. Traveling in this time period could take a great deal of time.

5. The reference of Jesus by the Magi is "child", which comes from the Greek "paidion" (source for the English prefix "pedi"), not "baby"/"newborn" from the Greek "brephos".

It is unclear how old Jesus would have been when the Magi arrived with their gifts. He could've been weeks old, months old, or even a small child. (Some denominations of Christianity believe they arrived 12 days later.) What is clear is that they were not at his birth.

Based on Jewish laws and traditions at this time, which concerned cleanliness, the only person present at the birth would have most likely been local mid-wife or nurse. Soon after the birth - perhaps hours - they would have been joined by Joseph and whomever else may have been in the small village of Bethlehem at the time.

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Note that parts of this article have come from www.examiner, en.wikipedia.org, and www.biblegateway.com. I've researched many other sources, as well.

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Stay tuned for the next articles, which concern Dec 25th, candy canes, lights, and more.