But keep in mind, the names of the wise men (never called kings in the
Bible) were never given. This is just later tradition. The Bible says they
saw the star when they were "in the east". So you couldn't have them coming
from Europe, Asia and Africa. Nonsense.
Three gifts are mentioned but that doesn't mean that one guy might have had
two gifts or that there were others that didn't bring anything or their
gifts were just not listed. All we know is that there were at least two
wise men who came close to two years after the birth of Christ. (I put 4
wise men in our Christmas pagaent this year) By that time his family was
living in a house in Bethlehem. Joseph was not exceptionally poor. He had
an occupation, carpenter. He had expected to stay in an inn, so had the
anticipated inflated payment to offer, but it says "there was no room" not
that he couldn't afford to pay.
I would guess that since Mary's condition was causing a stir in Nazareth,
Joseph had brought along his carpenter equipment and expected to continue
his occupation in his native Bethlethem. Perhaps he had realized a profit
when he sold his place of residence in Nazareth. So as soon as he could, he
would have moved the family into a house, or else built one in Bethlehem.
Laurel
Portland, OR
>
> Sinclair Dates: January 6. In 3 B.C.: Twelfth Night. The Three Wise
> Men, Kings, or Magi, traditionally named Gaspar, Melchior and
> Balthazar, and representing Europe, Asia and Africa, bring gifts to
> the baby Jesus, twelve nights after the birth. Traditionally the night
> is called Twelfth Night and the day is Epiphany.
> In 2000: Laura Zola sails. Laura Zola, the renowned Italian
> yachtswoman, leaves Venice on her attempt to re-enact the voyage of
> the [1]Zeno Brothers to Orkney; she is escorted to open sea by the
> Italian Navy.
>
> References
>
> 1. http://www.mids.org/sinclair/600/zeno.html
> [ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
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