Did you know the first major religion to recognize Christ as king was Zoroastirism (believers in astrology)?

Question

Zoroastirism was a major religion in Persia around the time of Christ's birth. The three wise men were high ranking advisors to a king somewhere in the Persian empire. They believed that a certain alignment in the skies around a very specific point in time would signify the birth of a king. It would be a monumental event. And to prepare for this they would travel a long distance to seek this king out and give him extremely valuable/ expensive gifts. It was a dangerous journey and they knew they could be robbed or killed by bandits anywhere along the way. They followed the skies as a map to finding this king. And the finally did. They found Jesus. And some historians/ theologians believe that Jesus may have been as old as 18 months when they finally arrived. In other words, they gave Christianity its validity. My source is an excellent PBS special that has been aired around in December for the past two years. I am an old history major from a large state university also.

Correction: Zoroastrianism. I was in a hurry while typing.

Answer 1

Yes they were astronomers and astrologers, and Jesus was about two years old when the were led to Him by the 'star'. They were looking for the rightful king of the Israelites. The exact number of wise me is not known, but is loosely based upon the number of gifts that were presented to His parents. There could have been any were from two too two hundred of them, plus their entouragtes and guards.

Answer 2

Well then, you should choose to major in something else, because the Bethlehem story is a complete myth about which Luke cannot even get his dates with fifteen years of being right and invents a phony reason for Joseph and Mary to be in Bethlehem for a census that historically never occurred when Quirinius was not in charge, all in order to give him a Messianic storyline to overcome the "no prophet has ever arisen in Galilee" objection, along with the slaughter of the innocents to make Jesus a Moses figure, which Herod's greatest detractors, incuding Josephus, do not note among their many accusations.

I am an old M. Theol graduate of a large non-denominational seminary who concentrated on NT Lit, and knows the difference between a TV program meant to appeal to a ready made audience of believers, and one that actually addresses historical facts.

Answer 3

They may have recognized Jesus as A king. However, they referred to Jesus as "king of the JEWS." He was not their king. There is no Bible record that says those "wise men" accepted the religion of the Jews or even became followers of Jesus Christ. They most likely remained involved in false religion. After all, those "wise men" were astrologers, practicing something that Jehovah forbade for his people.

Answer 4

First of all, Where in the Bible does it say that the wise men were advisors to a king in Persia?
Also, Jews recognized that Jesus was King before he was even born in Bethlehem, through prophets and promises of God.

Answer 5

Luke 1:26 In her sixth month the angel Ga´bri·el was sent forth from God to a city of Gal´i·lee named Naz´a·reth, 27 to a virgin promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David’s house; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And when he went in before her he said: “Good day, highly favored one, Jehovah is with you.” 29 But she was deeply disturbed at the saying and began to reason out what sort of greeting this might be. 30 So the angel said to her: “Have no fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God; 31 and, look! you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. 32 This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.”

Mary knew first.

39 So Mary rose in these days and went into the mountainous country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered into the home of Zech·a·ri´ah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 Well, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant in her womb leaped; and Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit, 42 and she called out with a loud cry and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 So how is it that this [privilege] is mine, to have the mother of my Lord come to me?

Even Elizabeth knew before the Magi.

And let's not forget the shephards in the field.

Luke 2:20 Then the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all the things they heard and saw, just as these had been told them.

Answer 6

i want to know why then, if this was such a major event, no1 documented any of christs' life between birth and when he started preaching in his... 30's was it?

Answer 7

You should also spell it right: Zoroastrianism