The Organisation and Religion to Re-unite All Religions

 

WERE THEY THREE WISE MEN OR WOMEN?

 

In February 2004 the Church of England revised its view of the three wise men.

On the 09th February 2004 the general synod decreed that the “wise men” in the King James Version of the bible, may not necessarily have been wise and that they could’ve even been women. They now suggest that the wise men be called “Magi”. With this the Church of England has authorised new prayers for use in services showing the alteration to Magi as they argue that they may have been women.

Recent New Testament studies show that the original Greek, Magos/Magoi was a transliteration of the name of an official in the Persian court.

The church stated that to revise this word for something more universally understood would miss the point being made. Even though it is highly unlikely that these Magi were women, the possibility could not be excluded.

One of these new prayers is for the Epiphany and opens “creator of the heavens, who led the magi by a star to worship the Christ child: guide and sustain us”.

This is an interesting line in a prayer, as a star led the Magi to the Christ child. For in Egyptology these ancient Egyptians followed a star (Sirius), and there pharaoh was called by the name son of the Gods (Jesus "son of God"). This does in a way suggest that these writings on Jesus and the Magi could have been about Egyptian history, knowing that the pharaoh used to receive gifts of other kings in the region. So could this be the basis for this tale in the bible and modern day church prayers.

It is also interesting that the three wise men could have been women as the ancient religions had Priestess’s who were classed as wise. This also brings forward the story of Mary Magdalene being a priestess and enhances this idea, for it shows women may have been held in higher esteem than religions would have us believe.

 

WRITTEN BY SAGE R. WORRALL

Sources & Credits
Times Newspapers February 2004
Sun Newspapers 2004
Guardian Newspapers 2004
The Sirius Mystery - Robert K.G. Temple - 1998
World Mythology - Pierre Grimal - Larousse - 1965

 

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