The Three Wise Men

[KC's wifey]

were NOT at the nativity!

I'm not sure why almost every nativity scene has them at the stable. They didn't visit Jesus and his family until he was a year or two old at his HOUSE.

I know its not a huge deal. It just makes my eye twitch in irritation every time I see them kneeling at the manger.
Ok. End rant.

[i.<3.cheesysmiles]

I honestly did not know that. I always thought it was a few weeks later. My family's culture has a tradition where the 3 kings go around to people's homes singing songs after Christmas.

[JJorn]

Hmm...I didn't know that it was at his house but I did know that he was about two years old. How long was the census? Were they really back home?

[shortandsweet]

for that matter, it also never says anywhere in the Bible that there were 3 of them. There were 3 gifts, but we don't actually know for sure how many wise men

[JJorn]

You are also right!

[KC's wifey]

It doesn't say specifically how old he was, but in Matthew 2:11 it says "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him..."

Then Matthew 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 inquired of the wise men."


So it was not at the stable, and he was not a newborn anymore, but considered a young child. And King Herod was targeting a specific age range based on the timing of his discussion with the Wise Men, so it would make sense that Jesus was one or two years old by then.

Again, not a big deal. Its not like its heresy or anything. I just don't understand why it became so popular to include them in the manger scene.

[KC's wifey]

for that matter, it also never says anywhere in the Bible that there were 3 of them. There were 3 gifts, but we don't actually know for sure how many wise men

True!

[caligirl07]

Yes drives me crazy! And our pastor actually preached on that Sunday, there was probably an entire group, not just 3 guys, and they were wise men, not necessarily kings... I was looking into it a few years ago and the 3 kings idea actually started when the song was written (We 3 Kings of Orient....)

Anyway yeah, I took them out of the kids nativity lol

[KC's wifey]

In the nativity we have (which is still in storage) we usually put the nativity up, and then put the wise men somewhere else... still journeying toward Jesus.

[i.<3.cheesysmiles]

In the nativity we have (which is still in storage) we usually put the nativity up, and then put the wise men somewhere else... still journeying toward Jesus.

that is a great idea, and i reminder to me that I want a nativity, and I need to look for one.

[Sakura]

Polly, me, too!

[sara1215]

In the nativity we have (which is still in storage) we usually put the nativity up, and then put the wise men somewhere else... still journeying toward Jesus.

We do this too. Across the room or something.

[anonsouthernbell]

That is a great idea. And it is one of the reasons why I really like one of the books that we borrowed from the library (Small Camel Follows the Star) b/c it shows the wise men reaching Jesus when he was little but not a baby.

[amylove]

I know what you mean. I get annoyed that so few people know that Dec. 25th was chosen as the day we celebrate Christ's birth. It was chosen by Constantine because it was the day the pagans celebrated their sun god and he was trying to bring together the pagans and Christians. So we have a day we celebrate Christ's birth which is good, but do we need thousands of Christmas songs about him being born on "Christmas day."

[mc_mommy]

I know what you mean. I get annoyed that so few people know that Dec. 25th was chosen as the day we celebrate Christ's birth. It was chosen by Constantine because it was the day the pagans celebrated their sun god and he was trying to bring together the pagans and Christians. So we have a day we celebrate Christ's birth which is good, but do we need thousands of Christmas songs about him being born on "Christmas day."

Oh my goodness, THIS! It also bugs me to no end that Joy To The World is counted as a Christmas song. It's not about Jesus' birth! It's a song about the RESURRECTION!!!

I *get* why the wise men are included in the Christmas nativity. It's still a part of honoring the birth of Jesus even though they weren't present then. However, it does irk me how few people know the facts ---- that they weren't kings, that there wasn't necessarily only three of them, that they didn't meet Jesus until he was a toddler.

[LuTruPeMo]

It doesn't say specifically how old he was, but in Matthew 2:11 it says "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him..."

A young child in Biblical terms is very vague - could be an infant, IMO, or a toddler. It's really not clear.

I do agree that by reading the whole of chapter two, they saw the star, then traveled a far distance, so they were not present in the actual stable at the birth or even in the few hours or days just after.

But, it really doesn't bother me to include them. They are an integral part of the nativity story. The gifts they brought were symbolic of his earthly ministry and divinity.

What DOES drive bonkers is all the animals! Yes, it was a place where animals lived... but do there have to be so many!? This stems from the fact that we just had an enormous creche display at church this weekend and I personally had to unwrap, display, and rewrap and rebox about 120 different creches. All those donkeys and camels and sheep were really starting to drive me crazy.

[proudmommaof5]

We do this too. Across the room or something.

Lol, this is us!