ehovah's witnesses, jehovah witness

THE MAGI

The birth of Jesus Christ is the central and most important event that altered the course of man’s history worldwide and man’s eternal relationship with God.  An important and sometimes not fully known component of the story is the visitation of the magi. The wise men, who journeyed to worship Jesus, were magi from Persia or Arabia.  Originally they came from a class of priest who formed the king’s inner council and practiced astrology, astronomy, science and medicine. In the book of Acts the word magi is used to portray sorcerers and fortune tellers. One question that comes to mind; how did these wise men understand that the star represented the birth of Jesus Christ? Some say they could have been Jews that remained in Babylon after the Exile and had an understanding of the Old Testament promises of a Messiah. Perhaps they could have been eastern magi who studied and believed in the Old Testament manuscripts, which they acquired from the large Jewish population that remained in the area after the exile. Some refer to the magi as pagans because of their association with astronomy. But if these astrologers hadn’t properly identified the star, no one would have known that there was a star and the meaning behind it. The magi understood the signs of their times. They understood and believed in Jesus, worshiped him as the world’s Messiah, evident by their response to the Scripture and the call of God. Herod was worried about the newly born king; why did he not find evidence that residents noticed a group of Eastern magi, which home they visited, and bearing royal gifts? The only answer is that this landmark event was orchestrated by God, and He protects His Holy Family,

 NEW WORLD TRANSLATION     MATTHEW CHAPTER 2

1 After Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king look! astrologers from eastern parts came to Jerusalem, 2 saying: “Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when {we were} in the east, and we have come to do him obeisance.”  3 At hearing this King Herod was agitated, and all Jerusalem along with him; 4 and on gathering together all the chief priest and scribes of the people he began to inquire of them where the Christ was to be born.  5 They  said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea for this is how it has been written through the prophet,  6 “And you, O Bethlehem of the land of Judea are by no means the most insignificant  {city} among the governors of Judeah; for out of you will come forth a governing one, who will shepherd my people, Israel.”  7 Then Herod secretly summoned the astrologers and carefully ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearing;  8 and , when sending them to Bethlehem, he said: “Go make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found it report back to me, that I too may go and do it obeisance.” 9 When they had heard the king, they went their way; and, look! The star they had seen when {they were} in the east went ahead of them, until it came to a stop above where the young child was. 10  On seeing the star they rejoiced very much indeed. 11 And when they went into the house they saw the young child with Mary its mother, and, falling down, they did obeisance to it. They also opened their treasures and presented it with gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.                                       

                                              ASTROLOGERS 

The NWT translates what is understood as the wise men from the east to astrologers.  In the earliest know copies of Matthew astrologers was not used. The Greek word mavgoß was used, which has a transliterated version of magos or magi, and means wise men.

Below is the result of a search for astrologers in the original Greek.

Found 0 entry matching: astrologers

There were no entries matching your query of 'astrologers'.

Below is the result of a search of the Greek for “wise men”

Found 1 entry matching: wise

                    English Translation                      Origin Word         Transliterated Word

                   wise man                                        mavgoß                                          magos

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Below is the meaning of magos and where it is found in the Bible.

The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon

   

Original Word

  

mavgoß

  

Transliterated Word

  

Magos

  

Phonetic Spelling

Parts of Speech

mag'-os  jehovah's witnesses truth  

Noun Masculine

 Definition
  1. a magus
    1. The name given by the Babylonians (Chaldeans), Medes, Persians, and others, to the wise men, teachers, priests, physicians, astrologers, seers, interpreters of dreams, augers, soothsayers, sorcerers etc.
    2. the oriental wise men (astrolologers) who, having discovered by the rising of a remarkable star that the Messiah had just been born, came to Jerusalem to worship him
    3. a false prophet and sorcerer
 

 King James Word Usage - Total: 6

wise man 4, sorcerer 2
 

  KJV Verse Count 

Matthew

3

Acts

2

Total

5

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Below are verses where magos is used.

Greek Word: Mavgoß
Transliterated Word: magos
Book to Display: Matthew
Verse Count: 3

Mt 2:1  

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,

Mt 2:7   

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

Mt 2:16   

Then 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 enquired of the wise men.

Greek Word: Mavgoß
Transliterated Word: magos
Book to Display: Acts
Verse Count: 2

Ac 13:6   

And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Barjesus:

Ac 13:8   

But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith

Below is Matt. 2:1 in the Greek.

Matthew 2:1 Tou de Iesou gennethentos en Bethlem tesIoudaias en hemerais Herodou tou basileos, idou, magoiapo anatolon paregenonto eis Hierosoluma

                                                        OBEISANCE   

Regardless of who the wise men were Matthew made it a point to highlight the fact that these men came to worship, in contrast to the Jewish scholars who studied and understood the scriptures enough to direct them to Bethlehem but did not go. Now the NWT reads obeisance. Webster defines obeisance as a movement of the body made in token of respect or submission, to bow. Now ask the question, did these educated men who knew and believed Jewish prophecy, make this long journey to find the King of the Jews , who they knew and understood to be the Messiah  just to nod? It does not make sense. When we conduct a search of the Greek we do not find any matches for obeisance. Now the Greek word used for worship is proskunevw which has a deeper meaning of worship. It means to kiss the hand as a token of reverence, like a dog licking the hand of his master; to fall on one’s knees and touch the ground with ones for head as a sign of respect, to kneel. See the meanings below. In its endeavor to undermine the Deity of Jesus the WTS choose a word that describes insignificant worship.

Below are the results when we search the Greek for obeisance.

The New Testament Greek Lexicon

Found 0 entry matching: obeisance

There were no entries matching your query of 'obeisance'.

Below are fourteen matches for the word worship in the Greek.

The New Testament Greek Lexicon

Found 14 entries matching: worship

                English Translation           Original Word                    Transliterated Word

               worship                               dovxa                                  doxa

               will worship                         ejqeloqrhskiva                     ethelothreskeia

               worship                               eujsebevw                           eusebeo

               worshipper of God               qeosebhvß                           theosebes

               worship                               qerapeuvw                           therapeuo

               worshipping                         qrhskeiva                             threskeia

               worship                               latreuvw                               latreuo

               worshipper                          latreuvw                               latreuo

               worshipper                          newkovroß                          neokoros

               worship                               proskunevw                       proskuneo

               worshipper                          proskunhthvß                       proskunetes

                  worship                               sebavzomai                        sebazomai

                 that is worshipped              sevbasma                          sebasma

                 worship                               sevbw                                 sebomai

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Below is the meaning of proskunevw and where it is found in the Bible.

The KJV New Testament Greek Lexicon

   

Original Word

  

proskunevw

  

Transliterated Word

  

Proskuneo

  

Phonetic Spelling

Parts of Speech

pros-koo-neh'-o   

Verb

 Definition
  1. to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand
  2. among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
  3. in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication
    1. used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
      1. to the Jewish high priests
      2. to God
      3. to Christ
      4. to heavenly beings
      5. to demons
 

 King James Word Usage - Total: 60

worship 60
 

  KJV Verse Count 

Matthew

13

Mark

2

Luke

3

John

7

Acts

4

1 Corinthians

1

Hebrews

2

Revelation

22

Total

54

Below are three verses in Matthew Chapter 2 where proskunevw is used.

Greek Word: Proskunevw
Transliterated Word: proskuneo
Book to Display: Matthew
Verse Count: 13

Mt 2:2   

Saying, 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.

Mt 2:8   

And 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.

Mt 2:11   

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worship ped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

Below is Matthew 2:2, 8 as it appears in the Greek.

Matthew 2:2 legontes,"Pou estin ho techtheis basileus ton Ioudaion?  Eidomengar autou ton astera en te anatole kai elthomenproskuneo auto."

Matthew 2:8 kai pempsas autous eis Bethlem eipen, "Poreuthentesexetasate akribos peri tou paidiou, epan de heurete,apangeilate moi, hopos kago elthon proskuneso auto."

                                                                  IT

The Magi this foreign group of “astrologers” proclaimed, their knowledge of who this child was, by their gifts. Gold was a gift given to a king. The wise men knew that he is the King of the Jews, The Christ and Messiah.  Frankincense was incense used by the Jews in their temple service. It was burned as an offering to God.  The magi knew that Jesus was God and man. Myrrh was a perfume used in embalming. The “astrologers” had an understanding of the future death of Jesus. How could it be that these “pagan astrologers” knew who this child was but the translators of the NWT did not?  If the translators of the NWT really had a deep knowledge of who Jesus Christ is {as the magi did} then they would not have disrespectfully referred to Jesus as an “it”.

Sources for the Greek translation: Elis Ultra Bible, Crosswalk.com, Thayer’s and Smith’s Bible dictionary, and Theological Dictionary of the New Testament.

 


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