volume 9, issue 1, 2017, pages 66-87

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64438/sbsEOOZ8853
Published online: 2017-06-01
Published in print: 2017-06-30

Abstract: The wise men – magi from the east – are exceptional characters in the Gospel according to Matthew. They appear and disappear from the scene in a surprising manner. This, of course, has generated many exegetical questions concerning their provenance, gifts, significance and message. The aim of this study is to look for the intertextual connections between inspired Old Testament texts in the process of the composition of the Gospel and the extra biblical texts from the Greco-Roman world concerned with similar topics, such as the role of magi in kings’ initiations, a star as a sign of a ruler’s birth, and the expectations of a ruler coming from the east. It seems that the author of the Gospel was inspired by some common ancient texts. The magi in the Gospel have a double duty. On the one side, they symbolize strangers capable of recognizing a sign of the coming king, on the other side they serve as an example for the first Christian communities on how to be involved in proclaiming the true king to the surrounding world.