New Research Shows Christmas Story Visit by Wise Men was 'Historically True'

New Research Shows Christmas Story Visit by Wise Men was 'Historically True'



Despite modern attempts by Biblical scholarship to debunk the gospel account of of the three magi visiting the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, the stories were "historically true" according to extensive research by Dwight Longenecker in his book entitled, Mystery of rhe Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men states that an impartial study of the relevant data "shows beyond reasonable doubt" that the Magi of Matthew's gospel were historical figures and not fictitious.  For many years, according to Longenecker, scholars have tended to rejected the infancy narrative for a number of reasons.  One of them is that they contain supernatural elements.  Longenecker stated that many skeptics tend to assume any story that contains supernatural elements must be a fanciful invention.  He stated in the early twentieth century Bible scholars wrote off the stories of Jesus' birth, especially the wise men, as pious fantasies without considering these stories might be rooted in real-life events.  Assuming that the Magi story was pious fiction, scholars didn't take time to investigate, the political, historical, geographical, and cultural connections that come together to show that the visit of the Magi was historical.

Longenecker comes to the conclusion that the visitors from the East were historical figures, and were probably Nabataeans, who shared an ancient ancestry and world view with the Jews.  Herod the Great was brought up by the Nabataeans, and with a Nabataean mother, was forging an alliance with the Nabataean king at the time of Christ's birth in 6 B.C. 

Back in the twentieth century, a method called Higher Criticism was employed to explain away the miracles and the supernatural elements of the Bible.  There have been forces for some time that have been trying to discredit the Bible as God's word.  They want to make it appear like it's a book like any other famous historical or poetic book.  Even though God's Word contains history and poetry, it's God's word that is true and 100% accurate.  The Bible says in [1Co 1:25-29 KJV] 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.  God doesn't need man's wisdom to explain the Bible.  Some things you can't explain away or figure out.  God is God and if he desires for a donkey to speak, he can make it speak.  How he would do it, I don't know, but God doesn't need my wisdom to explain the supernatural elements of the Bible.  It goes to show even science backs up the Bible.